gele tulpen

Gele tulpen is Dutch for yellow tulips. Most of the tulips that have popped up in our home garden are yellow. Pretty and bright. I think the squirrel have eaten most of the red, orange, and purple ones.

Pronounce it "gele" sounds like "hail-uh" but the "h" is a gutteral "g' like you're going to spit up; "tulpen" sounds like "tool pun" - giving "hail-uh tool-pun" - give it a try.

Lots - and I do mean LOTS - of common English words have Dutch origins.

UPDATE: Per John Van de Graaff's request in the comments... Tulips became a craze in Europe during the mid-17th century. It was a symbol of high status with the wealthy paying the equivalent of 10 times the annual wage of a common craftsman. More here.

Yesterday's blip: Marvelous Magnolia II