Arnemuiden Postcard

 Arnemuiden is a small city of around 5000 people in the municipality of Middelburg in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. There was a battle fought there, the Battle of Arnemuiden. It was fought on 23 September 1338 at the start of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. It was the first naval battle of the Hundred Years' War and the first recorded European naval battle using artillery, as the English ship Christopher had three cannons and one hand gun.

There's the history lesson, now the postcard. The only thing is says on the back is 'Thank you for the pancakes'.  Maybe this was the only thing laying around to write on, and there's a heart. There is this romantic side of me that wishes to think that the pancakes were after a lovely evening in each others company. Ah, sweet love.

Carl Nielsen, Danish Boxer

Our headline reads, Carl Nielsen had to be content with point victory. First, let me say that throughout the entirety of my life, I have taken the sports section out of the newspaper and promptly  recycled it, used it to build a fire, or used it to provide protection for the table when doing an art project. I have never given it any other thought. And yet, here I am posting about a sports article. Not even that, the reason this paper was saved was for the article on the back, which I will share later (Charles Dickens).

About 8 months ago I decided to do something I have had an interest in for some time. I started taking boxing classes! Finding a physical activity I love doing has been wonderful. Unlike many people, I hate to run, and truly believe God gave us running only because he also gave us bears. It was not meant to be such an overused activity. That said, I know many, many friends who love to run and it gives them peace and all that jazz. I have also seen friends younger than myself having knee surgery..ahem. Just saying. So, not dissing the zen you all get from running, I get it. I get the same zen from hitting a bag, not people, in case you were wondering. Short story long, this is why I stopped at this particular sports story. Boxing.

Our man Carl is a tough guy to track down. I have found lists of every fight he ever had and who they were with. But to find any personal information on him has proven ridiculously difficult. The biggest problem is that there is a famous Danish composer by the same name. He's taking over all of my searches.  I know Carl passed away in 1991 at the age of 72. That is all she wrote. I will say this, boxing is an incredibly difficult sport, if you don't believe me, go try it. Footwork, jabs, and kidney punches, all while trying to not get the tar beat out of you, not easy. My respect, Mr. Nielsen.

What it used to be...

As pressed flowers go, this one is a pretty sad sight. But, I could see the beauty that it used to be. Nothing gold can stay, isn't that the line from the poem by Robert Frost? I'd like to say I'm a true poet lover and can quote famous poets left and right, but the truth is, I remember my Robert Frost because it was quoted in one the best, and most difficult to watch, movies ever made. Please tell me you're thinking it right now. I'll give you a minute, go ahead. Rack those brains. Ok, I'll spill. It's from The Outsider's. And yes, I have the read the book as well. I'm not completely illiterate. That book/movie also inspired me to read Gone With The Wind. See the good that movies do???  I am totally justifying, and I know it.

Oh, this reminds me of something I have been thinking about lately. So many books I love are being made into movies right now and I am not happy about it. I used to be seriously excited when a book I had read was being adapted for the big screen, but anymore I feel they take the perfectly good, if not great, visions the book created in my imagination, and turning them into second class B movies, if you will. I know, I know. Some movies actually do a decent job. But you know I am right. Nothing, NOTHING, is as good as when you first read those words off the page.  Who knew this beautiful little flower could cause such rant.

Ahh, Freddie

This little scrap is about one inch by two inches in size. So the question is, did Frederik like doodling his own name, or did someone have a crush on him? My glitch with crush idea is that most girls doodle hearts instead of stars, no? Perhaps our Frederik was envisioning his name in lights! Fame and fortune abounds. Well, I think our Freddie is fabulous.

Portrait Mystery

The portrait in question is of Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg. He was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright. He was born in Norway in 1684, spent most of his life in Denmark, and died in 1754. He is considered the founder of modern Danish and Norwegian literature. His works about natural and common law were widely read by many Danish law students over 200 years.

That's the dish. Apparently, there was one portrait of the Ludvig, that was burned at some point, and all of the other portraits are copies of this first original. Whew...that being said, I have been trying to translate this article for longer than I have patience for. HA! People are disagreeing, there are curators and "professionals" all trying to be heard on who they think painted the original portrait. Honestly, shouldn't this article be screaming it wasn't X it was Y who painted this thing! I am tired of searching, looking for Mr. Y's name. If you can read this article, and feel like sharing, my curiosity MAY be piqued again. I really need to learn more Danish. Sigh...Paper was printed in 1961, that part I got. Hahaha