How The Hell Can I Find Color In The Gray Netherlands

It's that time again. A new photo contest with the theme "Colorful". Beautiful. Colorful. Fantastic. But then I look outside and see... gray. Lots of gray. The sky is gray, the streets are gray, and even the mud that Skipper wades through with his clumsy paws is a gray, bleak mess. And yet I have to find something that breathes color.

Start A Quest

So the quest begins. Time to open the old photo archives and lose myself in an endless stream of memories. That sounds more romantic than it is, because the practice consists of hours of scrolling through hundreds of photos and thinking with every photo: "No, not quite." Or "Meh, could have been better." And sometimes just: "Why on earth did I ever take a photo of this?"

Skipper Shut Up!

In the meantime, Skipper provides commentary. Loudly. And a lot. 85 times I have to tell him to shut up. 90 times I get distracted because - let's be honest - he's just way too nice. How can you stay focused when a giant German Shepherd is sitting next to you, looking at you every five seconds with a look that screams, “Hey, I’m still here! Am I not more interesting than all those stupid photos?”

Color Found

But after endless searching, cursing, and wandering, and a few brief existential crises about my photographic choices over the years, I find it. The photo. Heeswijk Castle, taken during a breathtaking sunset.

Orange, Red, Green

The sky is a deep orange and red, creating a dramatic contrast with the green of the surrounding nature. This castle, which dates back to the 11th century, has a rich history, having served as a defensive stronghold, a noble residence, and even a military headquarters over the centuries. Today, it’s a museum and a popular event venue. I could go on and on about it, but there have already been two blogs about this castle on Hive not so long ago. I didn't feel like overloading you with all that extensive information again. So here it is, a photo that screams: "Colorful!", with some concise information about the castle. That's it!

Grabbing My Last Hot Choc

And while I'm uploading it, I grab my cup of Hot Choc that I'm going to enjoy extra. It's my last cup of Hot Choc for a while, (until I've been to the supermarket again). While I warm my fingers on the mug in my hand, I think: when will the world get some color again? Because honestly, this winter isn't winter. There's no more thick snow, no frozen ditches, no crispy white blankets that make everything magical. The cookie & hot pot stalls? Gone. Ice skating? Only on artificial ice rinks. In the past, you could still have fun with snotty noses and wet mittens, now it's just 9 months of drizzly autumn weather without end, then you have 3 months of summer and then the misery starts all over again. Times have changed.

I Have Changed

And yes, I have changed too. I used to love winter and hated the heat of summer. Now I dream of sun, high temperatures, fresh green leaves and colorful flowers. I would love to hibernate and not wake up until spring begins.

Only 37 more days

And then it will be time to wake up. Then spring will finally come to life again and I can crawl out of my gray slumber. Until then? It would be wise to keep looking for color. In photos, in memories, and, yes, okay then, as a good dog owner should, also in Skipper, who with his endless enthusiasm always adds just that little bit of 'color' to my day.

But seriously, winter can't go by fast enough!