We've had an enjoyable winter in Electra. Peaceful, apart from the oinking of the four resident geese and very hospitable acceptance of our presence from the few locals here. This is one of the oldest districts in the Lowlands. Many, many centuries ago, farms were built on man-made hillocks called terps or wierden (depending on where you hailed from) to protect them from flooding. Over the years they have been taken over and built on instead by churches, many with the medieval houses encircling them still forming the centre of ancient villages and towns. The soil that formed these terps was found to be very fertile and in the last century was dug up and sent to less fertile parts of the Netherlands as can be seen in this picture, often compromising the footings of the church.