The Keukenhopf

I need to post these so I don't forget all about it!!  When we were in Amsterdam last spring we went to the Keukenhopf Gardens the day before we left.  I can't quite remember how I figured this out, but I know the gardens aren't open for very many months and because of the weather last spring, the time the tulips opened and a few other factors I can't remember I figured that we were there on the most ideal weekend of the whole year - woot woot for us!  This was why going to Holland in the spring was on my bucket list - to see these very flowers and holy cow they didn't fail to impress.  I think this is what Brandon's heaven looks like.  We were awestruck.  I think Graham was too.

Even all of the cherry blossoms were in bloom!

 the planters were amazing.

 surrounding the gardens were field after field full of tulips to be harvested

 some of the tulips were as big as Graham's head!

Some areas of the garden were kind of unruly and natural looking.  They even had a few places where they had dandelions mixed in with all the bulbs and they looks beautiful! The smells and sights were almost overwhelming.  We were in sensory overload a few times - it was that amazing.

A couple more pictures and then I'll be done - one afternoon after B got done with meetings we went out to this little village (can't remember the name?) where there are a bunch of old windmills that have been restored.  It was kind of rainy and cold and while we were walking I asked B to turn around so I could take a picture.  He had graham under his wind breaker (he was asleep in his baby carrier) and they wind was whipping it up so he was all poofy.  He started grumbling about how he looked like a giant blueberry and how this wasn't a very opportune time to be taking a picure (and was saying all this while he was turned around and smiling, waiting for me to take the darn picture!) - well, the whole thing was so funny that I all the sudden got a bad case of giggles and couldn't stand up straight and had to keep my legs crossed and try to take a picture all at the same time. What an obliging husband I have!  Here is his blueberry picture...

 (I think he decided it was a little funny too)

We got to go in some of the windmills and this one was my favorite!  This was a spice mill and that huge stone behind me was grinding cinnamon while we were there.  The smell was amazing!