April 10, 1940
Some of the folks at the wedding party, decided to get some fresh air in their lungs and took us to the forest near our place in Arnhem.
Here at the entrance of the ‘Groene Bedstee’ are from left: Dirk van Leeuwen, Antoon Leferink, Jacqueline Bosmans (8), Bernard Leferink, Bernard Bosmans (9), the bridegroom Jan Aalbers (32), Willy Leferink, eldest daughter of Bernard, and Johny Aalbers younger brother of Jan. The air was quite chilly, hence the overcoats, after all it’s still early spring, the leaves are just starting to sprout. The ‘Groene Bedstee’ is truly a living tunnel, a beech leafy passage that lies like a spine in the park. Mariendaal was created around 1820 and this hilly estate is situated only one kilometre northwest from our home. We left there many footsteps and loved the character of the place with its variations of undulating arable and grasslands, lanes, ponds, creeks, and forests. At times you come across some beautiful views of the park and the ‘Betuwe’ region across the river Rhine.