Author Archives for Ellen

Growing growing growing

I worked in the garden again today. It wasn’t cold, but it was wet. A mild rain running through the entire afternoon. Halfway i didn’t care anymore and let myself get wet and sat on the ground.

I took photos of the different vegetables and fruits growing in the garden. The weather has been good the past two weeks. Around 20ÂșC usually – apart from last weekend, when it was a lot colder – and a bit of rain almost every day. All the vegetables are growing fiercely. So are the weeds, the thistles, the grasses, buttercups that stay low on the ground. It is lovely to walk through and look at all the green lusciousness. I don’t know for how long i will work in this garden, to be honest. But for now i’m enjoying myself thoroughly.

I’ve been planting the seedlings today. Beetroot, some leftover corn, a bit of courgette.

Next the photos. Adding a description for the ones i know, the other ones, sorry, you have to tell me what they are. I’m still a beginner gardener.

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Potatoes
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Potatoes
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Onion type, like spring onion. A green chicory.
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Onion type, and i think in the middle carrots?
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Leeks? The other things i don't know.
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Beetroot
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Onion type, again.
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Kohlrabi
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Sugar carrots, i hope!
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Gooseberry
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Red currants
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Pears
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Cherries
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Almonds
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Lettuce
Published on May 23, 2016 at 6:00 by

On the roof

Today, Thursday 19 May, i went to visit my mother. We went out for a bit of shopping, got some herring for lunch and talked for quite some time.

After i got back in Rotterdam i walked up the stairs, made in front of the Central Station, going up to the roof of the Groot Handelsgebouw. It was quite a walk. I did feel my legs ache a bit. I did stop for a bit and looked around halfway. Eeew… i’m a bit scared of the height. I walked away from the side and stuck to the inside. Up on the roof it was lovely. You can walk around the whole roof, viewing the station, the north part of Rotterdam, Schiedam at the west side, the river to the south and the high rise buildings close to it.

I did film. Walking up the stairs, walking down. Looking around at the roof. I will go back early next week and film some more. After i watched what i have got now and look for more types of shots i want to use. Letting the idea come to live slowly.

For tonight, some views. The sun came out while i was walking up there. Yay!

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Published on May 20, 2016 at 6:00 by

Trust

I sat on the black stone bench around the library eating my chips with mayo and curry and onions. Looking at the faces of the people walking past. Some were distrustful. Some were closed up inside. Some were thinking of what they were going to do. Some were not thinking at all. Some were talking. Some were listening.

I moved to the wooden benches around the Blaak station. I looked at the birds.

I got my veggies. More tomatoes, some apples, some strawberries.

Then into the Albert Heijn. Cookies, cottage cheese, food for my cats, eggs.

Strange how the world simply goes on and on all the time. It simply doesn’t stop and think. No time.

Another turn.

Published on May 18, 2016 at 6:00 by

Whitsunday

Whitsunday, Pentecost. In Dutch, Pinksteren.

I went to the Vredestuin today. People were dropping in slowly. We had a bit of coffee before we started working. I went in the greenhouse and planted cucumber, pumpkin, a sort of broccoli / quinoa plant, Marigold. First i put all the pots in the trays, leaving one pot part empty so it is easier to water the tray. I went through the soil and made all the lumps smaller. Then i filled all the pots. I pressed with a filled pot all the soil a bit tighter. Cucumbers and pumpkins were seeded with two, the other ones, the broccoli type and the Marigold were planted with 5 seeds a pot. Really tiny seeds, hard to separate, but i managed.

I took home some spring onions, potatoes, lettuce. Tomorrow i will make some onion and potato soup, with the lettuce. I was too tired this evening to do anything with it.

Tomorrow i will go to the Central Station, where the last week build stairs to the top of the Groot Handelsgebouw will be opened. I will make a film of the stairs itself, the people climbing it and the view from the rooftop. Hopefully i’ll have the video edited by the end of the week.

I’m gonna lye on the couch for a bit more. I will look for something warm first. It is a bit cold, and i have already put out my stove. It’ll get better, by the end of the week. A glass of red wine to accompany me. Watching a James Bond movie. I’ll turn into bed early this evening.

Bye bye!

Published on May 16, 2016 at 6:00 by

Life

In this video i added clips i filmed the past two months. I didn’t film for a bit after the last video i made five months ago. I had to give myself a bit of time to think about these video’s.

The music in this video is from Idris Muhammed. The music i’ve known ever since i got 1989 Paul’s Boutique from the Beastie Boys. Only a couple of years ago when i found this playlist from a fan with all music sampled on this cd i discovered Idris Muhammed. This particular song Loran’s Dance is wonderful.

Some of the clips, the ones made in the Kralingse Bos, i made this week. The three starting the video are from that walk. I love the sound of the birds. The sounds of the cars not so much, but that is life in a big city. It is still part of the scene. I also love the end scene. I sat in the Heemtuin for a while in front of a swan sleeping in front of me. He woke up and started to wash himself.

I didn’t edit this movie that much. I did hustle all the clips, apart form the beginning and the end. I also added cross dissolve transitions between each clip. I did shorten around half of the clips, but still left them rather long. I enjoy watching these long clips, the wind blowing, the people walking and talking and smiling.

The title! Well, that wasn’t easy. For a couple of days i was trying to find a good title. Yesterday i typed in Life. I liked it. I still do.

Enjoy!

Published on May 13, 2016 at 6:00 by

Ratatouille

Today i’m gonna eat ratatouille. I have made this so many times before. I do usually eat this with some pasta, as a sauce. It’s also good with different cuts of meat, omelettes or baked potatoes. Or simply on its own.

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Some vegetables are required, i do add others if i have any.

  • 1 onion, cut in slices
  • 1 eggplant, cut in cubes
  • 1 courgette / zucchini, cut in eight parts in length, seeds removed and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 2 tomatoes, cut in 1 inch pieces
  • around 4 garlic cloves, sliced ( i like garlic!)
  • extra-virgine olive oil
  • some fresh peas
  • chard leaves from the vegetable garden
  • anchovies, half a tin
  • black olives, seeded

I start with slicing the onions and frying them for a couple of minutes. While they fry, i cut the eggplant and add the pieces.

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The courgette i first quarter and remove the seeds. Then i cut each piece in two and slice each part in around 1 inch cubes. These are added to the onions and eggplant.

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The bell pepper is halved, the seeds removed and cut into 1 inch pieces. These are added to the other vegetables. The garlic is sliced up and added too. The anchovies and the oil they are kept in are added too. These vegetables are simmered for around half an hour.

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In that time, cut up the tomatoes, get the peas from their shells, slice the chard. After the half hour, add all these vegetables and the olives, around a handful. Let this simmer for another 10 minutes or so.

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This is the way i make ratatouille. I cooked some pasta at the end, added the ratatouille and put some cottage cheese on top of it all. I also added a bit of olive oil on top of it all. I did read Elizabeth David‘s recipe beforehand and followed it broadly. The peas, chard, anchovies and black olives i added myself.

I love this dish. In all its forms and shapes!

Published on May 12, 2016 at 6:00 by

My dream life

Half my life is a dream life. The past year and a half, these dreams i did not have sleeping, i had them awake. Sometimes during the day, other times during the night.

Night dreams are usually stronger, more vivid. Less distraction. I spend some times crying in my bed. Not out of unhappiness. From pure emotion, sadness, happiness, hopelessness all mixed together.

All these dreams happened when i was in my house or in the train. Immovable. In the train listening to music, my mind following its own pace.

When i’m outside of my house, shopping or walking, or both, i don’t dream. I look around, at the people, at the trees, the birds and dogs.

I’m still at home a lot, by myself. I work at ellenpronk.com, sometimes i have some paid work, sometimes i play a game, sometimes i watch tv. And the rest of the time i dream. Daydream. Nightdream.

These dreams are all connected. They move forward slowly. My current dreams are so different from a year ago.

I am observing my dreams. Letting them happen is one thing. Thinking about them is another. That is hard. The dreams are my ultimate fantasy, my ultimate life, the things i wish for most.

I dream i am invited in a television show. The last week i see other shows, but i usually pick De wereld draait door. The past day i had a dream i started to sing. Do Re Mi. From the Sound of Music. I did sing My favorite things a few months ago.

I am directing the sentences to people in the audience. A line for the table man or lady. A line for Matthijs. A line for Pauline Cornelisse. A line for Hadewych Minis. Applause. Huge!

Well. Let’s start with saying that the things i dream about are most likely not to happen. Not entirely, not literally. But yes, i confess, i am curious about getting on television, getting asked questions. It is dangerous. I might close up. These dreams to me are exercises. What if something like this would happen, how would i react?

I am still living quietly. Still waiting. But i also do know that a change can happen suddenly.

Falling in love is my ultimate dream. I used to fall in love a lot more when i was younger. Hopelessly. Dreams full of romantic images. A body full of feelings. It took me a long time to get a bit of control over these feelings. I would have given up everything if someone would have fallen in love with me. Sadly nobody did. Ooh, that is not true, i do think some did, but they were so shy and polite, they never said anything to me and looked me in the eyes. I only got a card from someone from art school. I didn’t know how to handle that. So i said nothing. I also remember getting a letter from someone while i was studying in Delft, but that story never left the paper.

A year and a half ago i had this crush on someone i met at work. I do remember seeing his wedding ring. At that moment i felt the romantic feeling leaving me. A breath of fresh air. That felt good.

The feelings were still there though. So i had to find someone way outside of my world. Someone i would never meet. Someone living in another world. I don’t know how i made that switch. But i remember standing in the train, while i was still working and thinking about him. So stupid. But also very tempting.

Over the past year and a half there were moments i could leave this feeling of love. I had conversations with myself, in which i was very stern with myself. Stupid girl! Do not do this. It is a dream, it is not real. But deep in the dark of night, where my daytime mind leaves me and the night enters, i dream away.

I should apologize really. Not that it had any effect on this person, since he doesn’t know. It is just my own private little heaven on this planet. A place i know i should leave. If i want to make something of my life. If i want to start talking, be in this world. If i want to dance, sing, talk, sleep, walk, smile, laugh, be quiet, be happy. I would like my life to be too busy to dream away.

So yeah, this person, David Gamson, i might meet someday. Or not. I probably will turn red. Or not. I don’t know. I hope by that time i will be busier than i am now. I do hope my life will get busier. Soon.

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Published on May 11, 2016 at 6:00 by

Spring

A walk in the Kralingse Bos. The weather was lovely. I made a familiar walk, ate my sandwiches with avocado, drank my water, bought an icecream. I watched the geese with their young, the coots, the ducks. Listened to so many birds whose names i do not know. Watched so many new and fresh plants all fresh green and bright.

I felt happy.

And now, photo’s i made. Many flowers!

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Published on May 10, 2016 at 6:00 by