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# Outdoor Space
Since January 1, 2015, we live in the house where we still live. One of the reasons we moved was our four dogs, and we wanted more outdoor space for the dogs. Before that, we lived in a terraced house. I think you can imagine that this is not always easy when you have four sheepdogs at home.

# Sometimes they are terrible barkers
I seriously love my monsters, but I know they certainly aren't always quiet. Lana in particular can be a terrible barker. And I don't mean a few woofs, but I mean really annoying barking, so much so that it can disturb me myself. That is certainly not a pleasant situation for neighbors. And certainly not if the dog in question does not want to keep quiet easily, which is unfortunately the case with Lana.

# Let's do it!
When the opportunity arose at the end of 2014 to rent this old farm, but with a lot more outdoor space than our terraced house, we didn't have to think for 10 minutes. We made an appointment to view the house and an hour later we decided that we were going to do it. And that has remained so since January 1, 2015.
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# An eye-catcher in the landscape
Such an old farm in itself is an eye-catcher in a landscape. Partly because of the thatched roof, the farm stands out in the landscape, and at the same time the house should simply be there. It does not infringe on the vastness of the landscape, nor is it a disturbing factor if you look at it from a distance. Still, it's not the farm itself that made my heart beat faster the first time I saw it.

# I fell in love 
But the old chestnut trees in the front yard, right in front of the house, made me fall in love. Two large old chestnut trees. These trees have been there for about 100 years. What would they have experienced? What would these trees tell if they could talk? I don't know, I'm not a tree whisperer. But that these trees have already endured a lot, that is a certainty. Many storms have raged on their branches, strong gusts have pulled at their roots, but they are stronger. Firmly rooted. And that they are firmly rooted, that is clear.

# They have side effects
Sometimes that also causes problems. About 2 years ago, we had a clogged toilet every time. No matter what we tried, we couldn't clear the blockage. We ended up hiring a specialist company to find the problem and hopefully fix it. That turned out to be even more difficult than we expected. It turns out that those chestnut trees have set such long roots now, and that those roots are so strong that they grow through our sewers. Oops! That is not easy to solve.

# A matter of time
You can't dig out the trees, but you can't just move the sewers either. In the end, the man cut the roots out of the sewer as best he could, but we know that this problem will come up again sooner or later. It's only a matter of time.

# Those trees keep us cool
But despite this not so nice side effect, we love to have these old chestnut trees in the garden. It bothers you when you have to mow the grass. But at the same time, the trees ensure that the house remains enjoyable and cool in the summer. When the temperatures rise in the summer, and everyone is complaining that it is so hot, we have a pleasantly cool house. When everyone is puffing in front of a fan, I look through the window at the chestnut trees. And see their leaves sway in the wind.
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# Living the seasons
In the spring, when the whole street still looks bare and dead, our chestnut trees begin to turn green. Not much later to show their lovely white-pink candle flowers. In the summer they keep our house cool with a splendor of green leaves, and then in the fall they turn beautiful yellow, red, orange. Eventually the brown dead leaf falls off, and the tree goes into hibernation. To wake up again next spring. I like to follow the seasons of the tree. And enjoy it every day…