900th stamp blog: Proverbs and sayings

Time to get the 900to write the blog. I can best express my experiences from the past 900 blogs through proverbs and sayings. What are the linguistic differences between proverbs, sayings, idioms, and expressions? Proverbs are fixed, complete sentences. Sayings are short, fixed word groups without a verb. Idioms are short, fixed word groups with a verb. Idioms are all sayings and idioms combined. The Belgian postal service has published a beautiful series by Bruegel with 10 proverbs and sayings in 2025.

500 years of Bruegel (1525 / 1530 – 1569)

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (Breugel or Breda, ca. 1525–1530 – Brussels, September 9, 1569) was a painter belonging to the Northern Renaissance. He was the father of Pieter Brueghel the Younger and Jan Brueghel the Elder. He himself wrote his name and signed his works as Bruegel (without an “h”) from 1559 until his death, but his sons signed with Brueghel, which is therefore sometimes used for him as well.

Dutch Proverbs is an oil painting from 1559, painted by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. The painting depicts at least 125 Dutch proverbs and sayings that were common at the time. Some are still used today. Paintings about proverbs were popular in Bruegel's time. For example, around 1558, Frans Hogenberg made an engraving in which 43 proverbs were depicted in combination. That year, Bruegel created Twelve Proverbs on Individual Panels. Dutch Proverbs drew upon Hogenberg's print, but is, as far as is known, the first major work focused on the depiction of proverbs.

Bruegel's paintings often feature themes such as absurdity and human folly. *Dutch Proverbs* is no exception. The original title of the work was “The Folly of the World,” suggesting that Bruegel did not intend the painting as simply a collection of proverbs, but rather as an image of human folly. Many people in the painting display characteristic features with which Bruegel emphasizes folly in his works.

Bruegel was born about 500 years ago. The work of this artist continues to capture the imagination. We have selected 10 proverbs and sayings that can be found in his legendary work of the same name.

Stamps: from left to right and from top to bottom:

1. To have the wind in the sails
2. When two dogs fight over a bone, a third one runs away with it.
3. To be armed to the teeth
4. Hanging the sail to the wind
5. Inverted world
6. To be sitting on hot coals
7. Casting pearls before swine
8. Throwing money into the water
9. Rowing against the current
10. If one blind person leads the other, they both fall into the canal.

 

Front of booklet: Painting and short description of the proverbs.

 

Dutch Proverbs

Experiences after 900 blogs

I have been writing stamp blogs since February 2017, and now, in February 2026, I have blog number 900 Done. My experiences writing stamp blogs have been predominantly positive. Occasionally, there were negative reactions from readers or other bloggers, but that is no reason to stop. I have a thick skin for criticism that is unjustified and given solely for the sake of criticism. An important point is that I have no problem whatsoever with comments regarding corrections, additions, starting a discussion on the subject, or reader experiences—so all matters concerning the content of the blog. That makes the whole thing lively, and the discussion with other philatelists provides added value for the blogger and the readers of the blog. However, I do have problems when the discussion focuses on the shape of the blog. That is the blogger's domain. Every blogger writes according to a specific structure and cannot be compared to one another. For example, I write differently than Bate. But it is good that there are differences in writing style and the structure of the blogs, because we are not all the same grey mice. As you have noticed for years, I base the themes of the blogs on current events, events, and (inter)national commemorations, but if you have suggestions for long-running themes, please pass them on to Postbeeld.

Then you will never win, said the ex-coach Marc LammersIf you select a team consisting entirely of the same type of people, you will never win. There is no creativity, and there are no new impulses when you need them. You never reach the top of elite sports, so you never win gold! This also applies to the staff in the department. Perhaps you have experienced this yourself. It is strange that when selecting personnel, you first look to see if someone fits the team with the same profile as those already working in that department. The same discussion applies to bloggers. Let everyone be themselves and write blogs in their own way. But more bloggers need to sign up, so philatelists reading this blog, sign up with Postbeeld and join the club. If you spend many hours per day, per week, and per month on social media anyway, there is also plenty of time to write stamp blogs. Just spend a little less time on social media!

Marc Lammers (1969) is a Dutch field hockey coach and former field hockey player. Lammers was the national coach of the Dutch women's field hockey team for eight years. He led the team that won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Under Lammers' guidance, the women's field hockey team also became world champions in 2006. After the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Lammers stepped down as national coach. Marc Lammers provides coaching for the business sector. Not only are Marc's coaching techniques in the field of sports innovative, but his presentations and training sessions for the business world are equally groundbreaking. Through the use of visual and interactive means, the presentations are lively and emotional. The practical video examples provide a perfect link between sports and business.

 

Famous proverbs

In the Dutch proverbs below, I articulate matters I have encountered in the comments on my blogs and on other bloggers' posts. There are plenty of examples, so if you are loyal readers of the bloggers, you can find the comments made in the past yourself within Postzegelblog. For most proverbs, you can imagine for yourself how others have reacted to my blogs. Taalhuis clients also read my stamp blogs and therefore have more insight into the Dutch language and culture. Taalhuis clients include, for example, expats, asylum seekers, foreigners learning Dutch, children with foreign parents, etc.

 

Trees

Tall trees catch a lot of wind This means that people in high positions, with high prestige, success, or fame, are more likely to face criticism, jealousy, or challenges. Just like a tree towering above the rest, individuals in high positions are more vulnerable to attacks or judgments. Those who are successful or stand out from the crowd endure more. It is often used in the context of leadership, where greater responsibility is accompanied by criticism. The expression emphasizes that visibility and power (the 'height') attract the 'wind' (criticism/problems). The saying is used to indicate that success or a prominent position rarely comes without resistance or scrutiny.

 

Helmsmen

The best helmsmen are ashore This means that spectators or outsiders often think they know better than those actually performing a task. The proverb indicates that it is easy to talk (to criticize) when you do not bear responsibility or run any risk yourself. It refers to people on the sidelines commenting on a ship struggling to enter the harbor. It is easier to criticize than to do the work better. It is used mockingly against people who give unsolicited advice from the sidelines. The proverb is used to indicate that criticism is unjustified or easy, since the 'helmsman' is struggling with the situation himself, while the spectator watches from the sidelines. In my 750th blog, the psychologist already indicated that jealousy and envy play a role in a negative reaction.

 

Music

It's the tone that makes the music (French: C'est le ton qui fait la musique) means that the way something is said is just as important or even more decisive than the actual words. Intonation, body language, and posture determine how a message is received and how the other person interprets it. The tone (manner of speaking) determines the music (the emotional impact and meaning) of the conversation. The expression emphasizes that the content of a message can be distorted by the wrong tone. It is crucial in communication, relationships, and leadership to prevent misunderstandings and achieve a desired effect. The same sentence can sound friendly or insulting, depending on the emphasis and pitch. In addition to voice usage, facial expressions and hand gestures also influence the 'music'. Responding with a 'straight leg' always means that the other person has to go on the defensive. A good example is how Bate was criticized when he gave his verdict on the 2022 'Delft Tulip Vases' issue:

https://www.postzegelblog.nl/2022/04/10/weerwoord-delftse-tulpenvazen-mijns-inziens-van-ondermaatse-kwaliteit/

 

Fly

You catch more flies with syrup than with vinegar. It means that you achieve more with kindness and flattery than with harshness, coercion, or criticism. It suggests that a positive approach is more effective for persuading people or achieving goals. Syrup symbolizes kindness, charm, and sweet words. Vinegar symbolizes a sour, harsh, or unfriendly approach. The expression originates from French (On attrape plus de mouches avec du miel qu'avec du vinaigre) and is often used in Dutch in the form 'one catches more flies with a spoonful of honey or syrup than with a barrel of vinegar'. Figuratively speaking, the advice is therefore: be nice and tactful to gain cooperation.

Birds

Every bird sings as it is mouthed It means that everyone expresses themselves, speaks, or acts in a way that suits their own nature, character, background, or level of thought. The proverb indicates that you cannot expect someone to react differently than their nature allows. Every person is unique and expresses themselves in their own way. It points to behavior that stems from a person's personality. It is often used to accept that someone speaks or acts as they are, without judgment regarding the quality thereof. It is a metaphor comparable to 'as the old ones sang, so the young ones chirp' or 'like father, like father,' where 'gebekt' refers to the shape of the beak (innate nature).

 

Food

Take potluck means that you eat what has been prepared, without being picky. The expression refers to the contents of the cooking pot and implies that one takes what is placed on the table. It is an informal invitation or announcement that no special dishes are being prepared, often used in a domestic setting or at informal dining establishments. Eating what is available, not being able to choose. Used when the cook decides what is on the menu. If you do not find my blogs interesting, I invite you to share your philatelic knowledge as a new blogger. That will certainly add value to other readers of Postzegelblog.

 

<strong> More info: </strong>

All 900 (and more) blogs: https://www.postzegelblog.nl/author/randy-koo/

Marc Lammers: https://www.marclammers.nl/