Books & Puzzle
About Us
We are Jan and Donna Kohler, husband and wife. We believe a little whimsy is good for the soul.
Our home is full of our interests, a wall full of books in the living room, teapots in the dining room and treadle sewing machines in many nooks and crannies. Books transport us to the past or an imaginary world where dragons, fairies and elves live. At night we think we hear the teapots bickering and the old treadle sewing machines talking about their adventures.
Jan, pronounced yan, is a Dutchman, born and raised in the Netherlands, commonly called Holland. He immigrated to the US in 1981. He is an architectural illustrator and artist.
I’m Donna and call myself an American mutt, because I have ancestry from Mexico, England, Ireland, American Indian, Spain, and other places. I rescue old sewing machines like some people rescue cats and I dream and write.
We are do-it-yourselfers of home projects, the biggest one is my castle shed. It is enchanted and protected by the gargoyles. We bake all our bread, often cook together and enjoy having company in a casual atmosphere.
We lived in Holland for several years, a great experience for me as an American. Living in Europe I learned to appreciate the Dutch heritage and love of anything “gezellig.” That word itself is part of the Dutch culture.
Now, in Fresno, California, we combine our experiences of Europe, the medieval town where we lived, Amersfoort, and visits to Amsterdam, Paris, London, Brugge, Prague, and other cities.
To visit our pages click these links.
Jan Kohler - Illustrator
Donna Kohler - Writing and Blog
Treadle Lady - Treadle Sewing Machines
Donna and Jan
Amersfoort, the Netherlands
Our cover photo is magical to us. It was taken when we took a midnight walk in 2006, the last night of our visit to Amersfoort where we once lived.
The medieval Koppelpoort, land and water gate, was completed about 1425 as part of the second city wall.