Rubbish house, georgous loctation.

The August blue sky and the brand new, red life saver cannot hide the fact that this boathouse has seen its best days. Rubbish.
Even so, if it came on the market, one would  probably have to pay more than 170 000 US Dollars to get it. I know, because there was a similar boathouse, but with not that spectacular location for sale a few years ago. I couldn't afford it. I actually don't need it either. I don't have a boat and the beach is located only 7 minutes walk from our home.

This is a private boat house on a public bathing resort within the city of Haugesund, but facing the North Sea. The Norwegian government has decided that the sea side should be available to all inhabitants, therefor the building of  new boat houses within the cities is prohibited. This being a public beach makes it impossible to build new houses here. I am fine with that. I so enjoy being here any time of the year.

The Bay of Whale is naturally formed by the mountains and bergs, but to protect the bathing guests from the strong currants a breakwater is built to the right in the picture. These are dangerous waters, one can see the currants even on a silent day like this. The light house to the left is an ancient sea mark.

The beach was built for public use in the 1930-ies. The architect has so loved the art deco style. Even today the eyes find it pleasant to admire the familiar art deco lines, vogues en vogues, so very fitting. It's comforting that the rubbish boat house never will come for sale or being allowed converted into a villa. These locations are treasured by all Haugesund's inhabitants, and so they shall remain.

Linking to Rubbish Tuesday with Roan. http://rubbishbyroan.blogspot.no/

Rubbish Tuesday in Norway

 

In a remote graveyard outside 

a remote village this headstone 

was tucked away against the graveyard's wall.  

                                                          

"Hereunder rests the remains of NN",  the inscription says. 

                       

Rest in peace. 

You are not

forgotten anymore.

                                   

http://rubbishbyroan.blogspot.no/

Why Bob Dylan came to the church

                                                                                                                                                Norway has been a Christian kingdom since 1030, when king Olav, later to be called "The Holy", won a siege at the battle of Stiklestad near the city of Trondheim. The king fell in the battle between the Christ-Men, King's Men and the Farmer Army. 
Through his death he turned hatred and hostility to peace. 
The entire kingdom decided on a Thing, (democratic assembly from back to year 700), the Christianity should replace Odin, Thor and the rest of the old pagan belief. Now wonders kept to occur near the belated king, and a church was built in his memory. The first of many Saint Olav churches. The building started only four years after King Olav's death. King Olav was buried behind the high altar, later placed in a sacred shrine, and pilgrims from all over Europe came to taste the holy water of Saint Olav's spring water. Royal coronations were performed in the church till our days. Our king and queen were officially blessed for their duty in a ceremoniously  in the Nidaros Cathedral.

The Catholic church named the cathedral "Cor Norvegia" , heart of Norway, since the relics of Saint Olav were placed there.
Also after the reformation in 1578 the church held its position of the foremost church in Norway.


To maintain  and even extend and add ornaments on this old stone church, an entire workshop with crafted stonemasons, plasters, sculptures, archaeologists and conservators work all around the year to keep the church from deteriorating.
In the 1960-ies it so happened the sculpture of Archangel Michel lost its head.

                                        Archangel Michael on the spire to the left of the front facade.
The sculptor followed an ancient tradition, to let a living person be a model for the replacement head. 
This happened the early sixties with scaring murders of American presidents, Asian wars, social uprising in the ghettos, the cold war and above all the terror of a nuclear war, threatening to destroy the entire globe.   The sculptor let the face of the spokesman for all our fear and despair be depicted in the face of the mightiest angel of all, Michael.
Such were the times, that it took 50 more years who was the model of archangel Michael.
Now even more pilgrims visit the dome to admire this mighty testimony.

Gunnar was there yesterday, and I said the only thing I really wanted as a souvenir was a postcard of archangel Michael/Bob Dylan.

"When He Returns"

The iron hand it ain't no match for the iron rod
The strongest wall will crumble and fall to a mighty God
For all those who have eyes and all those who have ears
It is only He who can reduce me to tears
Don't you cry and don't you die and don't you burn
Like a thief in the night, he'll replace wrong with right
When he returns.

Truth is an arrow and the gate is narrow that is passes through
He unreleased His power at an unknown hour that no one knew
How long can I listen to the lies of prejudice ?
How long can I stay drunk on fear out in the wilderness ?
Can I cast it aside, all this loyalty and this pride ?
Will I ever learn that there'll be no peace, that the war won't cease
Until He returns ?

Surrender your crown on this blood-stained ground, take off your mask
He sees your deeds, He knows your needs even before you ask
How long can you falsily and deny what is real ?
How long can you hate yourself for the weakness you conceal ?
Of every earthly plan that be known to man, He is unconcerned
He's got plans of his own to set up His throne
When He return.

Norwegian Christmas Carols # 20

Trygve Hoff has written this psalm on dialect about people of North Norway and God. I love the first YouTube clip. Children are just like these. The last clip contains photos from North Norway.

 North Norwegian Christmas Psalm
 Bless you the day over the fjord. Bless you light over the land.
Bless you the eternal words about hope and a reached out hand.
Protect what little you gave us, the day you moved us here north.
So we feel you will never forsake us in poverty and toil.

We lived with our cap in our hand, but had such a strong faith,
and one thing we have truly seen; we are tough ones, we, like you.
Now we have the hardest turn, we work to move forwards towards the light and the Advent time, it's a long way south to Bethlehem.

God's peace over mountains and hillsides, may life prosper where we build and work,
God's peace over the cattle in the barn and over a frosty and meager soil.
You see us in the Polar Night country. You bless us with eternal words,
The houses, the mountains, the waters, and the people who live here North.

Christmas Carols # 17

Today, December 17th is the birthday of Gunnar's father. He was born exactly 100 years ago.
We have this tradition to meet and put wreaths and lights on family graves today.
Lights are an important part of advent celebration this darkest month of the year.
It's also a great way of connecting with and remembering the ones who are in heaven now.



Christmas songs by the Sami people of the Nordic countries.

Norwegian Christmas hymns and carols # 3

Third day in Advent. Yesterday we lit the first candle and attended a Christmas concert in The Church of Our Saviour.
Norwegians gather in Advent to sing and listen to traditional Christmas hymns. The churches are filled up. I think it's wonderful. The power of genuine lyrics and familiar singing attract people all over the country.
This psalm is about the church bells chiming the Good News; Christ is born.
Kling no klokka is sung in various way to the same old folk tune.
The many choirs are inspired to find their tune.
Therefore I have willingly given you 2 different examples. Enjoy
I actually tried to post 3, but had to stop. The third simply would not appear.

Norwegian Christmas Carols # 2

Sweet Ruby has belonged to our extended family since she was eleven. Now she's soon to become 26, has taken a bachelor degree in England, stayed together with her Ørjan for 6 years and this year became the happy mother of Loke. The family has established themselves in Ruby's birth town where the hymn for first Sunday of Advent is  recorded in the main church.

Det lyser i stille grender [Julekveld]
Det lyser i stille grender av tindrande ljos ikveld, og tusunde barnehender mot himmelen ljosi held. Og glade med song dei helsar sin broder i himmelhall, som kom og vart heimsens frelsar som barn i ein vesal stall. Han låg der med høy til pute, og gret på si ringe seng, men englane song der ute på Betlehems aude eng. Der song dei for fyrste gongen ved natt over Davids by, den evige himmelsongen som alltid er ung og ny. Songen som atter tonar med jubel kvar julenatt. um barnet, Guds son og sonar som myrkret for evigt batt. Jakob Sande- You might translat the text from New Norwgian to English yourself. It's certainly worth the while.

Norwegian Christmas Carols # 1

There will be no ordinary blogging till New Year.
Nevertheless I'd like to share from our vast chest of Christmas hymns and songs treasures  this Advent.
Many of you will know Sissel, she's a treasure herself.
Have a good 1 st day of Advent.

Ruby weapons

Yesterday was July 22nd.
A year ago Norway lost her innocence to a terrorist that day. He hurt us by attacking all we hold for dear and sacred. He bombed the government building and killed 8 people there. It happened only 500 meters away from the Royal Castle. He came dressed as a policeman, went over to an island with a car filled with weapon and for two hours he chased and slaughtered 69 youths there. There were no weapons on the island. One policeman was present as an unarmed, voluntary guard, He was among the first who was slaughtered in front of the eyes of his son, 11.

Our little family were away for a theater weekend in Rosendal. It took awhile until the news reached us in its full horror.
The day after, the 23rd, the little town was all silent and awestruck.
It rained. We went up to the Barony and did the only thing sensible to us, photographing.  Trying to catch the sinister mood.
In all towns of Norway people gathered in silence in front of churches and town halls, placing candles, roses and greetings to express their sorrow. Every county in the land had lost some of their priceless youths. The horrors the survivors could tell about were simply too hard to understand.

Did someone fail? Many, I guess. The police and  the armed forces in particular, but also the politicians responsible for making  anti-terror plans in general.
The terrorist was one of our own. A right extremist who in his wicked, reckless way wanted to keep Norway "clean and Aryan".

Some did grow beyond belief in this year. Our king and his family, shared our pains. The crying king is forever burnt in my mind.
Our prime minister also stood forth from youth to man in a few short hours. He set aside his own fear and security and traveled  restlessly from north to south to care for the surviving victims and the relatives who had suffered losses beyond healing.
Politicians in general grew. They did not try to score political points on this massacre, but stood together in grief.
Since this was an attack on our democratic system, the court of law also grew.
They have done their utmost to treat the perpetrator fairly and with the respect our law gives to every Norwegian citizen.

The people of Norway grew. With one voice we decided the the terrorist should not succeed in spreading fear and hatred.
The weapons given us were oceans of roses, thousands of candles, and songs. Our finest songs were shared and new were written.
Floods of tears and hugs were shared, also through the long trial this spring. The terrorist argued that Norway had become a communist nation, since children were taught the Norwegian version of Pete Seeger's" My Rainbow Race" in kindergartens. The next day the streets were filled with grandparents, parents and children singing that very song, holding roses in their hands, while marching towards the court house. They stuck their roses in the fence surrounding the court house.

The Church of Norway grew as a focal point where people huddled together in pain. Ministers were challenged to meet with bottomless sorrow and bewilderedness day and night. One minister lost his only son at Utoeya. He still managed to be there for others. In Norway it's the ministers, not the police, who are contacting families who have experienced unexpected deaths.

Yesterday, a year after the attack on our country's democracy and innocent youths, people were gathered in churches all over the country for memorial ceremonies. A huge concert was held in front of Oslo Town Hall. Our finest artists contributed and as a surprising gesture from the man born in the USA, Bruce Springsteen sung "We shall overcome". We shall and we will. The wound hasn't stopped aching, but the hope, the will, the roses, the candles and the music will win in the end. Life over death, love over hate.

Magical Mystery Teacher is hosting Ruby Tuesday 2 together with Gemma Wiseman

40,000 people singing "Barn av regnbuen" at Youngstorget, Oslo

The people of Norway fighting evil in the best of all possible ways, with song and roses. I have felt so low and intimidated by the worst terrorist that Norway has ever seen. Felt it like mockery that he should stand up in court and preach his horrible, evil devastating words of racism and hatred.
What a victory for democracy when the people of Oslo finally got enough and 40 000 gathered and sung the children song that the terrorist so despised. They song their hearts out and went to the court house to sing for the terrorist and lay down their roses for his victims.

Ruby ship in the sunset

This ship is waiting for order to go out to serve oil rigs in the North Sea. She belongs to a local ship owner. Since we are so strategically well located, all kinds of ship industry have been thriving here for a thousand years and even longer.
Fishing boats, merchant ships,supply boats, ferries, shipyards, you name it, we've got it.
I haven't even got a row boat, so the "we" is referring to the town and the island.

The narrow strait situated almost literally outside our house door is probably the origin to the name of our country; North-way, i.e. Norway. It's the only safe sailing to ships heading north.

For more interesting Ruby Tuesdays
Magical Mystery Teacher is hosting Ruby Tuesday 2 together with Gemma Wiseman