Happy Birthday

Our beloved Serina was 25 a week ago. We usually celebrate a birthday for 24 hours. Opening presents at midnight. No wonder Serina was a bit tired for breakfast. The menu was red gel, strawberry dipped in chocolate and Californian Rose wine.

 

With her birthday crown she looked exactly ten years old.

 

Red lipstick after breakfast nap. Isn't she lovely? She's also painted the scenery of the narrow roads to Sauda standing to the left.

 Birthday child posing with a glimpse in her eye. "I'm finally old enough to wear my glasses in a string", she mocked.

 A penny for your thoughts. Maybe the bitter sweet poem by Irish  William Butler Yeats?

When You Are Old
William Butler Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
  
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face among a crowd of stars.

Photo  © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher

Mother's Day and Shrovetide

Last Sunday was Shrovetide or Lent Sunday  celebrated.
Birch shrubs are decorated with colored feathers and green leaf shoots eventually burst out after a week in our hot kitchen. They are made and sold every year by elderly women 70 - 80 years of age. Gunnar's mother used to make them, and we buy some bunches every year in memory of her.

The second Sunday of February is Mother's Day in Norway. This was the first Mother's Day when my Mom wasn't here.I actually didn't look that much forwards to the celebration. But Serina did. She had prepared the most beautiful breakfast when I came into the kitchen. The white Wedgewood porcelain was decorated with a flower my mother once made of silver strings and pantyhose fabrics.
Strawberries are my favorite. 

 The table was wonderfully decorated, almost made for Ruby Tuesday.

 Since our car has been out of function the last three weeks there was no way Serina could buy anything but groceries. 
My card was made on her iPad. "Happy Mother's Day. Today the waffle hearts shall beat." Wasn't that a sweet promise?
We had a great celebration. Some naps in between delicious dinner and coffee, but the "day" lasted till 2 hours passed midnight. 

 Besides waiting upon me in every possible way, my daughter had also thought out a present from the colonial store. Irish beer. I hadn't tasted it since the two of us toured Ireland in May. It really was a taste of Ireland. There are still some left in fridge!!

 
Photo  © 2012 by Magical Mystical Teacher

It Is That One Dream

 It is that one dream

It is that one dream we all hold

That something wonderful will come,

Needs to come along?

That the time will come

That the heart will open

That doors will open

That the mountain will open

That springs will spring

That the dream will open

That we one morning will glide

right into a bay we did not know.

The poem is written by one of my favorite poets, Olav H. Hauge and on my request translated into English by Serina Ljung.

Pictures from the island at Ferkingstad beach.

 

Doors of Dublin

The Georgian doors of Dublin are famous. Always freshly painted, every door with a personal twist.
I'd be reluctant to knock on the green door, though.

Midnight
one more night without sleepin' -
Watchin'
till the morning comes peepin'.
Green door
what's that secret you're keepin'?
there's an old piano and
they play it hot behind the
green door
don't know what they're doin'
But they laugh a lot behind the green door.
Wish they'd let me in
So I could find out what's
behind the green door.
Knocked twice
tried to tell 'em I'd been there

Door slammed
hospitality's thin there.
Wonder just what's goin' on in there.
Saw an eyeball peepin' through a smokey cloud
Behind the green door

When I said
Joe sent me

Someone laughed out loud
behind the green door.
All I want to do is join
the happy crew behind the
green door.
Midnight
one more night without sleepin'...
Saw an eyeball peepin' through
a smokey cloud...
Wish they'd let me in
So I could find out what's
behind the green door..

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

Sepi-Serin-Dipity

For a Daughter who leaves
A woman weaves
her daughter's wedding
slippers that will carry
her steps into a new life.
The mother weeps alone
into her jeweled sewing box
slips red thread
around its spool,
the same she used to stitch
her daughter's first silk jacket
embroidered with turtles
that would bring luck, long life.
She remembers all the steps
taken by her daughter's
unbound quick feet:
dancing on the stones
of the yard among yellow
butterflies and white breasted sparrows.
And she grew, legs strong
body long, mind
independent.
Now she captures all eyes
with her hair combed smooth
and her hips gently
swaying like bamboo.
The woman
spins her thread
from the spool of her heart,
knotted to her daughter's
departing
wedding slippers

Janice Mirikitani