Summertime

This drawing is inspired by my (almost) daily swims in the park. And by a very cool documentary I saw two days ago. First about the the swimming. I live in a lively neighborhood in Amsterdam, with restaurants, bars, a cinema. But also, a 3 minute bicycle ride away, an amazing park and a huge freshwater pond, connected to the large Ijselmeer. On warm days I try to go for swim every day and I imagine being old, my hair grey and living somewhere outside. In Germany, France or Sweden. Poland maybe? And doing daily swims to keep fit and healthy. Picking berries on my walks. Something like that. I don't why these thoughts come to me when I swim. It's the rhythm of my arms and legs. The water all around me. The cleaving through the water. And the waterbirds ignoring me. And the perspective on the world: very low. My eyes just peaking out of the water (imagine the perspective of a hippo). I guess I just love swimming in fresh water lakes.
And this week I saw an lovely documentary about an older lady from Poland. She still lived together with her husband but they barely spoke.
'He does not really know me' she said.
'She said she suffered from depression. I don't what it was but it was not depression' he said. She packed up her backpack and started hitchhiking across the world. Meeting lovely people every where. Who share their food, drinks and smiles with her. The movie starts with a swimming scene. Maybe the water is the only place where adults and children make the same movements. They are playful, relaxt and let things be. They swing their arms and splash water around. The joy of hot summer days and being in the water!
I hope you have a lovely summer. Take a deep breath, dive under, come up and see how different the world is. Love Marike.

Nrc H, dit weekend

Nrc H, dit weekend

Heartbreaking/ Comfort

Due to my german adventure I haven't been able to upload my weekly Pieter illustration. But this is the latest one. Cause Im back in town, riding my bike, eating cherries, making phonecalls to friends and getting adjusted to city life once again. No hills, foxes and deers anymore in the brickstone, busy town of Amsterdam. But yesterday I got a big hug from one of the riders at the ridingschool ánd a high five, he was all excited about the summerholiday and I cycled home, grateful once again for my healthy body and clever mind. And thankful for the lovely friends I have. In this town, but also in the little town of Treis and in several other parts of the world.