16 Must Have Items to Survive a Dutch Spring

Ah yes, the daffodils are blooming and the snowdrops are bursting out of the ground. It must be spring. But what does springtime look like in the Netherlands? What do you need to survive a Dutch spring? Here's the low down.

1. Umbrella - that umbrella you needed in autumn and winter? Don't store it away just yet. You'll be needing that throughout the spring too. April showers are as prominent here in the Netherlands as they are in Britain. The nice thing about rain during the spring season here is that there is an element of surprise to it. One minute the sun is shining and you're thinking of heading to the beach, the next minute you are pissed wet through. Think of it as a fun Dutch game, but without the fun.

2. Sunglasses - as I mentioned above, the sun shines in spring. Just be sure to carry your sunglasses case with you as the sunshine can be short-lived (see above).

3. Camera - springtime in the Netherlands is a feast for the eyes so be sure to carry photographic equipment around with you. It's the time when flowers cover the ground - and the Dutch are not known for their blooms for nothing. Exploring the flower fields at this time of year is a must if you are in the Netherlands.

4. Winter coat - don't dump it yet, the mornings snd evenings are surprisingly nippy well into April. It's tempting to look at the sun out your bedroom window and think you can pass up your thick coat for that lovely springtime jacket but don't do it. Not yet.

5. Orange clothes - April means King's Day. Which means orange. If you ain't in orange on the 27th of April I suggest you leave the country.

6. Tickets for the Keukenhof - spring means flowers. Did I say that already? And flowers can only mean one thing - the annual spectacle that is the Keukenhof. If you have never been it should be on your bucket list, no matter where in the world you live. Yes, it's busy. Yes, it's jam packed with tourists. But wow, it's beautiful.

7. Food for brunch - spring brings the paas haas to the Netherlands (that's the Easter Bunny to you and me - to the Dutch it's a hare) and on Easter Sunday it's traditional to sit down with family and eat brunch together. It's something driven by the supermarkets I'm sure.....

8. Waterproofs - did I mention it rains a lot in spring here? So you'll need protection. All over rain protection.

9. Pedalling power - spring storms (like the one this week) are not unusual and the wind blows over this flat land with nothing to stand in its way. However, do not think for a minute that winds gusting at 70km per hour stops any real Dutchie from getting on their bike. Depending on whether you are cycling into the wind, or have it in your back, your bike journey will either be done in record time or you'll need every drop of pedalling power you can muster to make it to your destination.

10. Long pants and a jumper - at least that is what Trip Advisor tells those planning on visiting the Netherlands in spring. I would listen to me, and not Trip Advisor - you'll usually need a damn sight more than a jumper and long pants (presumably they mean trousers and not underpants) to stay comfortable in April but hanging about in May in your pants may work.

"The spring months of April and May are also great times to visit during, even though the cooler daytime temperatures may require long pants and a jumper to stay comfortable." Trip Advisor

11. Suncream - having said what I said for number 10 we have had some remarkably summery weather at the end of April in years gone by so sun cream should be at the ready.

12. A favourite strandtent - that's a beach cafe to non-Dutch speakers. At the end of March the cafes are rebuilt on the beach and the terraces and doors open once more. It's THE place to hang to enjoy a drink and a bite to eat with friends and loved ones. With a jumper and long pants on of course.

13. Wellington boots - did I mention it rains in spring? If you like wet feet put on your summer footwear, otherwise keep those wellies on hand.

14. A garden centre - spring is when the Dutch move outside and the garden gets a spruce up. Garden furniture is replaced, renovated or uncovered. Signs and pictures go up in the garden. Candle holders and ornaments appear on patio tables. The garden centres across the nation are buzzing with a capital B (although having said that our local Groenrijk has gone bust so that's a little less buzzing this spring time).

15. Holiday plans - the meivakantie falls, surprisingly, in May and the nation heads off for anything from a mini-break to a two week long vacation. You should too.

16. A car or a bike - if you are in the Netherlands in springtime you'll want to visit the flower fields. Did I mention flowers already? Online there are lots of touring routes to get the best views of the spectacular blocks of colours that cover the Dutch landscape. And if you do it in a convertible with the top down then you'll blend in a treat. And one free tip - a family photo session in such a location is a great idea for the memory treasure trove - something that Vinita Salome can help you with but be quick because those blooms are gone before you know it.

My 365 Grateful Project #4 to #7

#5 Whilst I don't have a photo to share of my grateful moment for Wednesday this week, the moment is a memorable one. We went to the Circus Theatre in Schevenigen to see the Bob the Builder show and I was lost in the moment watching my two year old dance and clap with complete abandonment to the theme tune of Bob. Oh, for the days of carefree boogying whenever the mood takes.

We had another family photo session with Vinita Salomé. this week - and the session was so much fun! I already banked some special moments from the morning with her - it was a great opportunity to stop everything and cherish what a beautiful little family I have. Gratitude at it's most obvious.

My eldest son made up a game for him and his brother to play using Duplo, dice and two counters. It was spontaneous, self-driven and extremely imaginative and creative. Long may it continue!

Monday Morning Coffee Time - Vitamins and Watching Leaves

Molly over at The Move to America has had a wonderful idea for a weekly social link up with a 'Monday Coffee Morning' where she shares what her week has in store for her. Nice idea huh? If you want to join in, grab your coffee cup and head over to Molly's.

I plan for this week to be a quieter one that last week, when birthday celebrations dominated the week. As promised I did actually make eccles cakes, after a long Monday I spent my evening in the kitchen - which actually I really enjoyed. The kids were already in bed so I could put my own music on and get lost in my own little baking world. The result was well appreciated at home and at my husband's work.

Eccles cakes - a British kind of treat
Photo: (c) Amanda van Mulligen

However, the business of the week left us all feeling a little drained, and as school has only been back two weeks we are now faced with the inevitable and obligatory round of back to school bugs that start rearing their ugly heads. So we're all fighting colds. Lacklustre is one word to sum how I feel up at the moment. So this week will be focussed on vitamin boosts, fresh air and positive thinking. We will not be brought down by colds....

We're waiting for the leaves to colour
Photo: (c) Amanda van Mulligen

This week we'll also be watching the leaves closely on the trees. We are looking at for signs of colour change for a family photo shoot with Vinita Salome. If the leaves cooperate we could be doing an autumn session at the weekend. If they stubbornly stay green (which I suspect they will for now) we'll be moving the session. And of course it needs to stay dry, which judging by the last week is a big ask in the Netherlands at the moment...

What do you have planned this week? Whatever it is, I hope it's a good one.

Monday Coffee Morning - Party Time

Molly over at The Move to America has had a wonderful idea for a weekly social link up with a 'Monday Coffee Morning' where she shares what her week has in store for her. Nice idea huh? If you want to join in, grab your coffee cup and head over to Molly's.

This week has a bit of a party theme going on. There's my husband's birthday tomorrow and my two eldest are off to a friend's birthday party on Wednesday. So I, for some reason, said I would bake something for the husband to take into work tomorrow to celebrate his birthday (in true Dutch style). Initially he told me last week on the phone he would bake an apple tart to take in and by the time I had finished laughing I think he'd forgotten he'd said it. I met my husband in 1999. I have not ever seen him bake an apple tart in the time that has passed. In fact, I've never really seen him bake anything. Ever. So ever the loving, helpful wife, I'm making eccles cakes, in true British style.

Aside from that it's the second week back at school and I could see last Friday that the first week was starting to take it's toll on all five of us as getting out of bed got harder and harder each morning. So this week is about getting back into our stride, getting used to school routines. And keeping our fingers crossed that my eldest has as good a week this week in his new school as last week. It's always a gamble to make a big change, especially when there's a sensitive kid involved but so far so good - he loves it.

The other thing we've got going on this week is a Skype session with the lovely Vinita Salomé about out upcoming family photo session. We had the idea of an autumn session - lots of coloured leaves to kick around - and today has certainly reinforced that autumn is here. From nowhere it is rainy, grey and a wee bit chillier than it has been. The leaves will be dropping in no time I'm sure!

What are your plans for the week? Whatever they are, I hope it's a good one. 

Filling Our Family Memory Treasure Trove

One of my favourite quotes
Photo Credit: Gretchen Rubin
The Happiness Project

I've just booked a family photo session with Vinita Salomé. It's our second appointment with her and we'd really like to make an annual thing of a family photo session because whilst some days seem incredibly long looking after three young boys I'm very aware of how fast the years are flying by.

Fun was the key word of our first session with
Vinita!
Photo Credit: Vinita Salome

It's striking that we have thousands and thousands of family photos but the one thing that is notable looking through is how few we have of all five of us.  Take a look back at your family photo collection - how many photos do you have with all of you on there? A professional photographer capturing the five of us together at least one time a year is us "indulging in a (not so) modest splurge" (see Gretchin Ruben's The Happiness Project for more on this idea) to add something really special to our treasure trove of family memories.

We met Vinita for the first time last summer early on a clear, beautiful, sunny summer Sunday morning in an unforgettable setting: the Binnenhof in The Hague. The Dutch parliament square is usually bustling with tourists, media and politicians whenever it is featured on the TV news. It's been a hive of activity whenever I have been there in the past. This particular morning it was a deserted terrain. We had the Binnenhof to ourselves for at least the first half of the photo session. And our two eldest boys (then 2 and 5) revelled in the space and freedom to run around and play, chasing each other through arch ways and up and down stairs. Their energy was contagious and heart-warming. How funny to think they were having such fun just meters away from the political heart of the Netherlands!

Ending the session on an even higher note!
Photo Credit: Vinita Salome

As the minutes went by the Binnenhof began to fill up with people; police officers on horseback, the familiar face of the regular ice cream vendor and of course snap happy tourists from far off lands. So to round the session off we treated the boys to an ice cream and they were let loose with dripping, creamy covered cones.

Not only did Vinita capture precious moments with her camera but the six of us had a fabulous time. It was playful and relaxed - and that shows on every photo. We not only have prints and a CD of many wonderful pictures of my family, but we also have the memories of excited, carefree children running to their heart's content in a place they usually wouldn't be able to explore so freely.

The image of my two year old careering around a corner laughing uncontrollably to himself is ingrained in my memory bank. Peals of laughter filled the Binnenhof for ninety minutes - nice to think of such happy sounds replacing the usual political rumblings and grumblings that take place in that particular square.....

So, this year's session will take place in September so that gives us enough time to come up with another magical place.


You can see many more photos from our session on Vinita's photo blog.

Do you have any tips for our next location? Where have you had family photos taken? Do you think a family photo session with a professional photographer is worth the investment?