7th day

Job 35:14 Yea, when thou sayest thou canst not see Him--the cause is before Him; therefore wait thou for Him.

Dandelion

I love this poem by Inger Hagerup about dandelions.

This is how lives go
To the dandelions now as then;
They start as fire, turn into snow,
And end like old, bald men.

Translated by Felisol

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Norwegian rustic reds

Pentecost is celebrated with a double holiday in Norway.
Most people relax in rural surroundings since all shops are closed.
Gunnar and I have used the liberty of exploring the North county of Rogaland in our Land Rover, so very well fit for traveling in the countryside.
Here we are at an abandoned quay by an old store.
If you look closely, you can see the water and the hill reflected in the dirty window panes.

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ISRAEL

Isaih 54:
17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their due reward from Me, saith the LORD.

The Norwegian Labour Party was an active co-player when the State of Israel,
Eretz Israel, finally was declared independent May 14th 1948.
Trygve Lie, the first secretary general in the UN was an active helper in getting the state Israel approved by the UN.

We used to be proud about that. After all, Norway as a Protestant state had no good record in dealing with the "People of Royal Blood,"which is Terry's term for Jews. It was actually until the law of 1848 that Jews and Jesuits were allowed in the Kingdom of Norway. That's probably why there were so few for the Nazis to send to the concentration camps, for the final solution, as Holocaust was called.

He who doesn't remember history, is bound to re-live it.
These days England's Tony Blair is conspiring with our own foreign minister, the very charming Gard Store, how to take Israeli land away from the Jews.
History hasn't changed, but the world needs oil and money. Israel has neither, but her enemies have.

Isaiah 28:16 New American Standard Bible (© 1995)
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.

Let's make no mistake neither be misled in the days to come.
To quote Steve E; God is still in charge.
The Arch of Titus in Capitol, Rome, with the Menorah to the right. Erected to celebrate the destruction of the State of Israel.
The beginning to the end of the Roman Empire.

Blonde Midsummer Midnight

This picture was taken after midnight just a few days ago.
Gunnar and I had been staying with my mother for awhile and were on our way back home as my brother came to stay with Mom.
We were exhausted, and when the crib is empty, the horses bite.

Luckily we stopped at a gas station for some fast relief food, and suddenly we became aware of the other reality, the wonderful, so very young and alive summer night around us.
We jumped out of the car for some photo shoots and I was allowed to capture some of the Nordic magic for some split seconds.
My inner gas tank was refuelled.

This morning I woke far to early to do anything useful.
I decided to look up my dear blog friends, one after another.
Now my soul and heart are refuelled too. Seldom have I read so much good, "written just for me". Thanks for being out there, dear friends, for pouring out of your inner riches. It's like sending bread on the water. This morning I have had a heavenly meal.

My baby forever

This is me 38, baby Serina 4 months.
We're standing in the doorway to my mother's kitchen a hot day in June.
Serina was seen and loved, chosen,
even before she was born.
I found it scary to be a Mom.
To do all the right things.
Make all the right decisions.
She was so small, so fragile.
It's even more difficult now.
In this moment she's up for her final exams.
All I can do is pray.

That should actually be enough.

Diamonds and rust. Ash day at the harbour.

Have you ever examined a used car, boat, spouse, horse or whatever might be on the market,
and found that underneath that well polished surface,
was nothing but rust and rot?
Horse salesmen used to be famous for hiding major flaws like limping or
psychic damages.
These boats at Haugesund harbour have been restored by loving amateurs.
They are what they seem to be, and are certainly not for sale.
Isn't that a good thing?
Gray ash from Iceland does not manage to spoil true beauty of the harbour.
I's say it rather enhances the old ship and the even elder boathouse.

Red outperforms the slimy gray any day, any time.

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The Lonley House

Once it was built by a young couple,
Filled with dreams and homes for the future.
Sheep and cattle, crops in the field,

Husband coming home, tired in the evening,
Eager children running alongside,
In for a steaming hot, well prepared meal.

Now it's standing alone in the summer night.
Abounded and stripped for former wealth.

People need houses,
and houses need people.
Hope they'll find one another in the lonely hearts' club.

LILACS THROUGH THE WINDOW

The green leaves of the tall lilac tree are sprouting even before the birch.
In nature it's the ones who come first that leave last.
Outside our kitchen window, where we are eating our meals, drinking hot, stimulating coffee and reading our local paper, the lilacs have been blossoming for a month now.
That's how we know summer is here.
Outdoors the thermometer has shown 46 degrees the entire month f May.
Same temperature as in November..
The lilacs haven't let us down.
They are the thermometer of our souls.
They bring true summer joy.

Forget-Me-Not

Even the bluest of the blue,
the forget-me-nots,
have traces of red.
Our time on earth is limited.
In spite of that cruel knowledge,
or maybe just therefore,
we try to make traces in the sand.
Plant a tree, sow some seed,
chisel in a stone;
Felisol was here.

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Bob Dylan 70 years

Never has one single man's life meant so much to so many in my time.
In our little family we often argue which of his songs are best or most important. Even the four of us (Serina, Gunnar, Kel and I) do not agree.

We do, however, acknowledge that in the world of folk, pop, rock and contemporary Christian music there's only Bob Dylan, the eternal Jew, and then there are all the others.

I made these watercolors in a long forgotten youth, finding my way back home, while listening to Blood On The Tracks.

Syttende Mai, May 17th 2011

May 17th, or Syttende Mai, our Constitution Day, is very special to the Norwegians. It is celebrated in towns and small villages with equal enthusiasm. No military or police are present, just happy children and adults parading with flags and bunads. (In Haugesund, a town of 30 000 one single policeman in gala uniform was leading the parade. In my home town Sauda of 6000 there was none.)
Gunnar and I went to celebrate with my mother.
"Will you give Gunnar a hug?" I asked, pointing my cellphone at her. "Oh, no, Gunnar is such a nice guy, he shall have a real kiss," my mother promptly answered.

My mother, soon to celebrate her 86th birthday, is still struggling after her brain stroke. As you can see, she has no intention of giving up.

Gunnar's arm was a good support while we were waiting for the parade.
Snow on the mountain tops, gray sky and fog down the valley side.
The birches were green as they should be for our National Day.


The parade is coming up the steep "Hospital Hill". It's such a lovely sight in red, white and blue.

The asphalt was wet, but our prayer for dry weather was heard.

This little girl, with the nicest bunad I saw this day, seemed to be lost from the rest of her company.
Proud parents showing off their newest offspring.
My mother and me to the right in our bunads, watching the parade.
If you double click, you can see the fjord and the waterfall in the background.(Photo by Gunnar)


After watching the parade we took time to visit dear ones on the church yard (cemetery).
Nearest neighbor of my mother enjoying his festive meal.

We ate in the indoor dining room. Strawberries and cream for dessert.
My mother got this hand painted dessert bowls from my father as an engagement present.
My mother has embroidered the tablecloth, Venetian seam, and our bunads. She also has made Serina two bunads, one for children, one for grown ups.
My mother even has painted the vase for the may 17th flower bouquet.
Need I say we had a memorable day?

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My love for Blaise Pascal

Since my early youth I have bought several copies of the compressed works of Pascal, a pocket book edition of his "Thoughts".
I've given it as little presents, but rarely got any feed back.
Nevertheless that old genius never fails to impress me, or to give me new and better perspectives on my own life.
In my search for emptiness and chase for wind his thoughts make me reevaluate my motives and actions.

"We don't lust for things, but for the status of things," he says.
Further;
"It is not good to be too free. It is not good to have everything one wants."-- Blaise Pascal

So when I am so focused on my daughter's success, my husband's health, or my friend's possible loss of her home, I may be all wrong.

"Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God, both without us and within us."

I often get tired of trying and failing. At my age it's getting harder to raise from the floor every time I'm down.

"It is good to be tired and wearied by the futile search after the true good,
that we may stretch out our arms to the Redeemer." Blaise Pascal

Good night, friends.

May

We are still in the wonderful month of May. The two definitely most important months in Norway are April and May. Here wonderfully depicted on the Baldishol tapestry. My mother has embroidered this beautiful copi, and given it to me. You can see the word Aprilis and Mavis over the heads of the knights. The tapestry is carbon dated to late 12th century and is a national heirloom.
I do hope you are enjoying this wonderful time when mother nature is awakening to new life with the same enthusiasm as we do.

Bømlo, a ruby and emerald island

It took a long time for the spring defeating king Winter this year.
By end of April/beginning of May our beloved princess finally won.



The hiker girls went to visit one of the members' hut (hytte) on this island Bømlo just north of Haugesund. Elbjørg grew up on this farm here, om a small island with no bridge or road over to the main island.
Back then it was hard work on the farm, going by row boat to school, but also lots of precious memories from that close knit community.

Where the old smith house stood, Ebjørg has created a small park.
She's literally cut stone, made stone walls, freighted mold soil and planted.

Liv is thrilled to be back on this paradise on earth.

The hut was set up in 1963 by Elbjørg's husband. Their youngest son has taken over the farm, not to live there, but to have an open house for family and friends.

Sheep from the vicar's farm are keeping the cultivated landscape free from overgrowth. The old barn are not being used for other than storage of sporting equipments.

The barn isn't even painted on all sides. We are walking into the woods to explore Elbjørg's fairytale land.

This shed was kept to boil water for the cattle and clean milking gears.
The roof panes are old raw cut slate plates. This is an 18th century building.

The old, solid made road are now only used by hikers.

Elbjørg left and Torill are thrilled to show us the secrets of the woods.

A wood land full of yellow, smelling primroses, waiting to be picked by old ladies with little girls in their hearts.



Tilly, who also grew up on a farm, 70 years ago, has got that sweet, girlie luck look on her face.

Torill is challenging nature and forces on the edge of a steep cliff.
She's frame by the laces of the not fully sprung trees.

Elbjørg's elder brothers made these table and benches of stone back in another lifetime. The youth used to gather here in the blond nights.

Four lucky ladies with their primrose bouquets. Here was the glen where they once used to dance, helped by a fiddler or an accordeonist.

Elbjørg still is joining a dance group every Wednesday. If you doubleclick, you'll see the happy faces of she and Liv.

As usual on the coast, the weather was changing all day, from wind and gray sky to sun and blue.
Here's a boathouse/ storehouse fro fish and fishing boats. The lift hanging out from the third floor is still in use.

This is how it looks like while resting on the pier belonging to Elbjørg's hut.

Liv is greeting the small crab fishes.

Finally; dinner at the terrace.Menu hot dogs and mashed potatoes, with strawberries and cream for dessert.
God bye to Børøy. Hope we'll see you again soon.

I'm uploading this post now, cause next Tuesday is May 17th. Lots of work to be done before the celebration of the Norwegian Constitution Day.
See you on the 18th.

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THE GREAT COOK BOOK

I bought the most read cook book in Norway, Henriette Schønberg Erken's Great Cook Book, on a recent fleemarket for a farthing.
The book has a leather binding, gold letters and a remarkable flower decoration on the section side. It's a special edition from 1938.
I've never seen anything like it before. picture # 1 is in sepia. Picture # 2 has natural colors. I wonder, is this decoration made by hand?

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