Tuesday, July 07, 2009

MIDSUMMER JOYS

Serina fronting her first work ever as a tiler. She bought, carried, dug and laid the stone tiles between Mom's flower beds.
Celebrating my mother's 84th birthday outside the old mountain hut. Brother Kel eating cake and fresh strawberries, my mother wearing a new summer hat, gift from Serina.
Other gifts, subscription on daily newspaper and weekly magazine with lots of x words, 8 sacks of earth and manure. All according to her wish list.

The Dubliners, named after James Joyce's short stories, held a wonderful concert on the keys in our town. I clapped hands and sung along, as did the rest of the audience.
Afternoon coffee in our upper garden.

In grandmother's garden. The two are really good friends. Serina has found wild strawberries.
Serina making tea from False Jasemine.
Gunnar's great shot from Cross Hill.
Serina and I met Lina Kristine at a Kaizers rock consert. Wow. Was it great. We sat back in a big tent. Had to stand on the tables to see the band and clap our hands to the heavy beats from the oil barrel.
Sundown at Stone Mountain where the troll Alfred lives.
Hiker girls picked their St Hans bouquet. Seven different wildflowers under your pillow will tell who you are going to marry.
Turid learned to bind a flower wreath. Somehow the children in Haugesund didn't do that.
Now they do. Serina and all her friends loved wearing flower wreaths.

Midsummer night is a big celebration in Norway. Every neighborhood has its own bonfire to frighten the witches on their way to Blocksberg.
My mother and Serina really made them frightened as they almost set fire to the whole garden...
The night is called St.Hans Eve , a celebration of John the Baptist. Hans = Johannes = John = Jean= Jo = Juan= Jan= Jon= ....

Turid gathered the gang to inaugurate their new living room with a view. Liv posing in the oriel.
Midsummer midnight sundown in Gunnar's glasses.
Fronting the beautiful "False Jasmine".

Dear Fellow Bloggers, I should at least comment on all the sweet greetings. I am truly encouraged and happy to stay in contact with each and everyone of you. Your well wishes and prayers are highly appreciated. To quote my dear, late uncle Leif, "I am by high courage." I will at least be posting some pictures in the near future. We have been doing a bit of traveling, concerting, celebrating midsummer and my mother's birthday. For two weeks we've been having South European summer temperatures. We have been walked barefoot all day, been relaxing at the beach and enjoyed the flowers and bird life in our garden. Soon it will be time for harvesting. I already have started making Black Elder flower juice. I have delivered all your nice congratulations to my mother. She's quite overwhelmed. Particularly by the wonderful posts Terry made her. I've had my right forearm in a bandage with a steel bow to keep the hand fixated. I've done a plenty of reading, and that's a wonderful thing. So many blessings this summer. Since both Gunnar and I can not use our hands for work for the time being, we've hired Serina to paint our house. She'll be starting soon. She has been with my mother for three weeks doing gardening, even tiling a path, wood chopping and chauffeur work. She needs a job, we need help. The good Lord is holding his hands over us. I was at facebook this spring, for a couple of weeks only, mainly to keep contact with relatives. (They are numerous like a rain forest, Serina says.) It wasn't my cup of tea. Too hectic and to many to relate to, just superficially. I was actually relieved when I signed off.
I love my Blogger friends though,and will try to stay updated.

Yours Felisol.

13 comments:

Kris said...

So pretty pictures! Looks like you and your family enjoyed June! Except, of course, for the hand. I hope it gets better really soon. Hugs and "luvs" from Ganddal.

Annie Jeffries said...

Dearest Elise, I've been gone again and back. This time I am back for good this summer. Travel time is over for now. There may be surprises I'm not aware of yet but I think July and August will be very settled.

I loved catching up though am not so loving the fact that you are still having difficulties with your hand(s). and Gunnar too? Did I miss something.

Serina is such a blessing and joy. I love the photo of her with her grandmother. How she will treasure that in the future.

Thank you for sharing all the mid-summer traditions. We have no such thing here though perhaps we do locally in pockets of the country that have immigrants and descendants who carry on the traditions.

I especially liked Gunnar's picture of Cross Hill. How could I not? Pope Benedict's encyclical on social matters was released today. Deep reading but he is so readable, I expect to eat it up. Here is a link if you want to take a look. It's title is Love in Truth.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html

Crown of Beauty said...

I always love to visit your blog, it is so personal and full of interesting pictures, stories, art, poetry... the false jasmine flowers are beautiful, but your daughter even more so.

So, this is the season that Shakespeare wrote about in his Midsummer Night's Dream... in the Philippines where I live, we never use the term "midsummer."

I pray your arm will heal soon.

Facebooking is not my cup of tea either. My sister opened an account for me, so I could keep up with her photos, it was too tiring, too confusing for me. I really wonder how people can keep up with it!

I wish you all the best, dear Felisol. Praying for God to touch you with His healing hand.

Terry said...

i am so glad to hear your voice again and all of these pictures are a treasure!
so happy that serina is there to help you and gunnar and that you need her and she needs you.
i am feeling saddness just now because crown of beauty has left for home and the reason i feel so sad is because she has spent several weeks with her daughter, "obedient one" and now that dear daughter will have such a big empty space without her mom.
life must go on but i really feel sad for her.....just like i am feeling happy for you that your princess will be home for a while....please take care...love terry

Mrs. Mac said...

Enjoy every moment of summer ... you can do lots of catch up with the gang when the sun is no more. Loved looking at your photo story today. All is well in the North Way .. a good blessing.

Jim said...

Hey Felisol, I am really glad you are back with us for a nice report. I am glad your visit with Mother is nice. Sounds like Serina had a head start on you guys.

All through the page I was wondering how you could clap your hands and sing along with the Dubliners. I still do since you said the hand was hung in a steel brace. Maybe just one hand clapped over onto the still hand?

Did you realize your post is also very RED like for Ruby Red Tuesday? I checked earlier today to see if you were going to do that.

Stay healthy, guard that hand, and rest the wrist.
..
BTW, I would not let either of my daughters paint our house!!! And only one of my three sons!
..

Amrita said...

Dear Felisol, your display of photos and activities are so unique to you and your family and country. Really enjoyed this post.

Jasmine tea sounds so exotic, which Serina is making.

The flower wreaths and concert and Gunnar 's striking photo are all very charming.

Glad to hear you are having a great family time. Now Serina must be working hard at her painting.

Give your hand a good rest.

John Cowart said...

Glad to see you're back posting... I was afraid the fire wasn't big enough and the witches of midsummer had carried you off.

Constance said...

I am trying to get caught up since I was out of town for a few days again. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us! I LOVE seeing life being lived on the other side of the world! Sometimes we can forget that this is an awfully big planet and that there is more going on than what we see in our own little world! Senidng a hug your way today and lots of warm fuzzy feelings!
Connie

Trish said...

I so enjoy your family and the lovely photo's of them and your gardens. Sorry to hear about your wrist...pray that the Lord be with you and your Gunnar. Oh, and what a sweet daughter you have...first helping her Grandma and now you. She is certainly a blessing!!!

Saija said...

you sound in good spirits!!! so glad to hear that ...

and i just loved all the pics you posted ... wonderful reminders of the midnight sun ... just like in the land of my birth ...

blessings on ya!

Debbie Petras said...

Dear Felisol,

I loved reading this post. The photos gave me such insight into your life; loved each one of them. I noticed the hammock in one of the backyard photos. It looks very inviting. I could just see you lying there with a glass of iced tea reading a book and ...resting your wrist as Gunnar turns the pages of your book and lifts the iced tea to your lips. How does that sound? LOL.

I'm so glad your mother had a good birthday too. Love you, my friend.

Vicki said...

Dear Felisol,

So very nice to come here and find your post with such charming photos of your life there. I almost feel like I'm there with you! Enjoy these days! Hope your wrist continues to heal and that you are taking good care. That Serina is a talented lady, just like her mother:-)

Hugs,
Vicki