Friday, October 03, 2008

September hikes 1


We already write the fourth of October, and I have not found time to post the hiker-ladies' wonderful excursions in September. We basically were a gang of four, but as we have grown older, more have left professional working and become associated members. Ladies of star quality, all tried in life, but not loosing in morals, compassion or belief.

Turid is photographer on the pics where moi is also "starring."Elbjørg,Tilly, Gjertrud, Liv and Elise posing in Elbjørg's flower park.

Turid shining to the left. Elbjørg has gone inside to prepare us one of three meals we had in her Paradiso .
Elbjørg's family has had a farm on a the island of Bomlo since 1300.They have their own church bench in the Mostra church, built about year 1000 by king Olav Tryggvason.Growing up on a small "sea"farm was no status half a century ago. Nothing but hard work and stormy journeys to the mainland. Now, people would pay millions to get hold of an acre by the sea. Elbjørg's family praise togetherness and cultivating old heritage above money. I respect that.
They are the greatest wood-owners in the area, and the six of us went to explore her realm.
Turid found Cantrell mushrooms, the local queen delicatesse.Elbjørg making a fire for a simple BBQ midst in the wood. Her son has set up a lavvo right behind her. Her her grandchildren can overnight and watch the deer and other animals from the forest real close.Tilly and Gjertrud on plum slang. Juicy taste and 100 % ecological. The blackberries were likewise just waiting for us to come. Hardly anybody will take the work to pic berries themselves. Better buy some freighted all the way from New Zeeland.The Fly-mushrooms are a beautiful sight, but deadly toxic, every Norwegian child knows that.

The summer was a bit different this year. I had not had any swim in the sea. Liv offered me company. The water held 12 Celsius degrees. Not so bad once I regained the feeling in my num feet.
Liv in full pace over the sound. The ugly duckling striving behind.
View from Elbjørg's apple orchard.

We all claimed to be full to the brim. Somehow the applecake vanished into thin air (or even fuller stomachs) inside the hut.Nuts from hazel and oak, now reaping in my kitchen.
We are having most fun in between to walking.

Primeval forest.

The old barn still in use. Landscape cultivated for coming generations.



WARNING

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple

With a red hat which doesn't go,

and doesn't suit me.

And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves

And satin sandals,

and say we've no money for butter.

I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired

And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells

And run my stick along the public railings

And make up for the sobriety of my youth.

I shall go out in my slippers in the rain

And pick the flowers in other peoples gardens

And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat

And eat three pounds of sausages at a go

Or only bread and pickle for a week

And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry

And pay our rent and not swear in the street

And set a good example for the children.

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?

So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised

When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph

16 comments:

Mrs. Mac said...

And a lovely September hike! What a heritage your friend has ... her land and family roots that are traceable so far back. We barely can trace our roots back to the 1800's from Europe. Once our family crossed the sea, most of the old ways and connections to the past were lost. Your picture of the fly mushrooms would make a great Ruby Tuesday picture, eh???

Felisol said...

Dear Mrs. Mac,
Did you notice; most of my friends are more or less silver-haired!
They are a great bunch though, wouldn't trade them for the world.
Guess I'm through with playing Goldilocks myself.
Next time it's gonna be honey lock!
From Felisol

Jim said...

Hi Felisol, I liked that poem you found. It and your post reminded me of a couple of things:
-- "samples in shops", I eat those now;
-- that second picture reminded me of the HeHaw group hiding in the cornfield. Did you ever watch that program over there?
-- practicing a little like we are old now reminds me of practicing to be in Heaven while we are still here on Earth;
..

Jim said...

Another thing (and I know, a couple means two, not three)--
I have given you an award. You deserve it.

You can put it on your blog or not, but please come get it. It is here on my blog now.
..

John Cowart said...

Beautiful friends. A beautiful place. And all the blackberries you care to pick. Great.

Felisol said...

Dear Jim,
"I didn't mean to be unkind/
You know that was the last thing on my mind."
At least I hope you know.
Being a foreigner, not speaking English unless on vacations, my English reading being mainly home decoration magazines and crime novels, on TV ditto, I often come short in the nuances of the language and also in cultural courtesy.

Being sloppy, I rarely use a dictionary, even though Webster is standing here, by my left side.
I left gymnasium in -68, haven't learned much English since then.

I write in English so that my old knowledge will not be forgotten, besides I find English speaking people interesting and also broadening my rather narrow horizon.

I don't willfully intend to hurt or offend anyone.
Humor is about the most difficult to communicate in a foreign language.
At least to me it is.
Again, the nuances slip and I might come out vulgar and spiting.

Please judge me with this in mind.
I am, I hope, not a bad person.
From Felisol

maryt/theteach said...

Felisol, what a lovely September hike for all of you! Such fun for all of you in the beautiful countryside! Isn't that a wonderful poem? Thanks for sharing! :)

Meg said...

dere er så vidunderlig søte, dere turdamene. håper jeg kan få noe slikt når jeg kommer opp i den alderen.

Renae said...

I love reading about you and your friends, and the pictures are wonderful!

You are very brave to swim in such cold water. I don't think I would have joined you, but I would have cheered you on.

Thank you so much for all your prayers over the last few weeks. I can feel them holding me up.

God is good, my friend.

Mrs. Mac said...

So from one silver haired friend to a Goldie Locks gal, what exactly did you mean by 'next time it's gonna be honey lock!?" Do tell please ;)

Felisol said...

Dear Mrs. Mac,
you don't wanna hear or see. I am as from Tuesday beige oak-nut locked.
Not at all intended.
From Felisol

Mrs. Mac said...

Beige oat-nut locked? Lost in translation ;) ... I take it you were experimenting a bit, eh? Didn't come up with a color you adore. Oh my! Please post pics ;)

Felisol said...

Dear Mrs. Mac,
remember when hay were left of the fields to dry? This is about the color of my hair just now. And yes, I did try a do it myself solution. Last time I ordered honey blond at my hair dresser's, I paid 95 dollars to look like the old Andy Warhol.

Tomorrow I'm going to meet old schoolfriends. 39 years since we started at nursing school, some of them I haven't seen since then. We're planning a jubilee next summer. What do you think they'll think of me??
That it's the heart that counts?
We'll see. I dare not go for a redye so soon after this mishaps.
Actually Gunnar is laughing and not ashamed to be seen with me.
Why should I care.
Yours Felisol

Mrs. Mac said...

Enjoy your gathering. If your friends think anything other than you have a lovely heart, if they belittle you in any way, stick your tongue out at them, laugh, and put on a cute hat ;)

Felisol said...

Dear Mrs. mac,
I've thought about that hat. I have quite a collection.
From Felisol

Amrita said...

This is like a fairyland trip. Really delghtful.