to the Summer Tour of Wetsens !

Part One






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Don't forget to move the mouse over underlined words and pictures!!!


You see a lot of pastures where cows and sheep are grazing.  There are also many ditches filled with water and even a canal.  So there are many water birds and other creatures among which is the frog.  Quite a lot actually, in the mating season they can keep you awake with their quacking. Occasionally a cow falls into the water, (see photo).  The grass of the neighbouring field is always nicer.  This one is lucky, a ditch is not so deep.





But let us start our tour. We are very lucky as ahead of you you see one of our farmers, Hindrik, sitting on a milkchurn.  He has been milking a few of his cows and you better believe it, by hand.  Isn't this a wonderful sight ?  Wooden shoes, a bicycle, dog at his feet.  He is having a conversation with another villager named Tjerk.   Do I hear music ?


Tjerk is chatting to Hindrik sitting on the kitchen window sill. The kitchen has been smaller and behind the door and part of the kitchen was the shop.
A grocery shop.   The shop has been there for many years until end 1943 or beginning 1944.



But let us continue our tour.   When you look to your right, you will see my chickens.   They are a special breed called the belted chicken.   They are a bit like the British Suffolk chicken but the black is much more pronounced.



Now looking to your left we are gazed upon by a number of cows.   As you probably know, cows are very nosy and always want to know what is going on.   In this case however, they are not here because of us but because they enjoy music.   We heard the music already from afar and when you look to your right you see the local band of our neighbouring village Nijewier (Niawier) play.


The original idea was that they came to have one of their usual exercises here but you can be sure they had a rehearsal before.   The people of Wetsens brought their own seats for the members of the band and treat members of the band and spectators alike on coffee or lemonade and cake. They seat themselves on the ground or on a wagon.




This was a nice end of the day, wasn't it ?