From December 14th to 16th, hubby and I made a weekend trip with friends to Wapserveen in Drenthe. As with last year, this is the same place where we spent time socializing and reuniting with friends, some of which we only meet once a year at this annual gathering called the "Pingjum"; its name derived from the name of the place of the first gathering of the same group of friends some twenty years ago.
Over the years, the list of friends changed, but the core group who initiated this gathering remained the same. This I feel is remarkable indeed and has withstood the test of time. At every gathering, the official flag of friendship is placed on a pole outside the house where the gathering is held.
This year, what caught my attention the most was the fireplace, in which hubby had taken time to tend to. It takes patience to start a fire, and even more to get it fiery and volatile. The farmhouse lacks heating downstairs, so this old-fashioned fireplace comes in handy.
Here I enclose photos of the different stages of the fireplace. Hubby and one of his friends tended to the fire; both speaking only occasionally; eyes gazing at the fire. They found it a soothing activity which required patience and skill.
I too felt relaxed looking at the fire. I never thought before that fireplace gazing could have a therapeutic effect.
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