My mother's old school, not so rubbish.

 

Not just any old school, but the Vestly School, which my mother attended from 1931 - 1934. It's been taken care of of voluntary members of the community, and reverently kept in original order.

My first cousins arranged a gathering there two years ago.

The classroom had two blackboards, one for learning sheet music, the other for writing and mathematics. There used to be an old piano. My mother took up playing the piano at the age of 70. She still remembered the codes from her childhood. Wall charts were daily used in lack of advanced books.

Wall chart illustrating the stone age in Norway.

I guess my Mother sat and looked dreaming out on the beautiful Jaer-scenery by this  desk.

 

Until the doors opened and they were free to leave for the day.

My mother outside Vestly School ca. 1932, first row, number two from the left.

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Rubbish Tuesday is hoasted by ROAN.http://rubbishbyroan.blogspot.no/

Last sundown of April

Sundown view by Tornes, meaning Thor's ness. Probably a historic site, since Tor was one of the main gods in old Nordic mythology.

The red ladder is meant for saving people who have fallen through the ice. Since boats are also sailing on this sweet water, there's a red boat hook and a life belt.

All devices meant to help people in need.

Today they're here illustrating what nature's like this Ruby Tuesday.

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

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.

Norwegian Easter

There are three times I need to be in the the home where I grew up, and where my mother still lives; summer, Christmas and Easter.
Since I left my birth-home to study I have always striven to get home for these celebrations. This year we had 6 cats in our care, and therefor had to split the vacation.
We somehow got to share moments together, the core family; my mother, my brother, our daughter, husband G and myself.

Tommasi white wine, feathers and a huge egg, all symbols of Easter.

My painting of a knitting woman always reminds me of my mother.

My mother with some of her new year production. She has already given three pairs of socks away.

As usual we played Chinese Checkers, and as always my mother beat me.
No mercy when it comes to games in the Ljung family.

Breakfast table. My mother has painted the porcelain Easter breakfast set.


Pagan Sauda. We are standing on the Hovland (Hoofland) farm looking up on the Hoofland peak. I was there once with my Dad, so it's kind of my special mountain. Hov or Hoof is the place where offerings to the pagan gods took place.
Eating eggs are also related to easter morning. Pagan fertility rite, as is the color yellow, the Easter color.

Indoor roses with throbs, a reference to Christ.


We celebrated Easter night (Saturday) in Haugesund, making a bonfire on the terrace.
The blond nights are already here. We sat outside till 3 a.m.

Easter Morning in our garden both tulips and narcissus sprung during the warm Easter week. Paske is Norwegian for Easter, from Hebrew and not pagan at all.
Last hint of ruby on our red shrub. It was once a big tree, withered and is now grow up from a root.

Visit teach Mary for more Ruby Tuesdays here

Menorah in sepia

I visited British Museum in London for the first time this February.
One may consider the exhibition as the world's most gigantic theft.
Nevertheless British archaeologists searched for and took care of world heritage, at a time most countries hardly could support themselves.
I also find it positive that the priceless, tremendous exhibition is public, and even has free admission.
I chose to make this Babylonian finding, a Menorah carved in a gold plate, with reverse letters?? Is it kind of a stamp? I guess it's from the time when the people of Israel were abducted to Babylon.

Psalms Chapter 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2 Upon the willows in the midst thereof we hanged up our harps.
3 For there they that led us captive asked of us words of song, and our tormentors asked of us mirth:
'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'
4 How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a foreign land?
5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.
6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not;
if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy.
7 Remember, O LORD, against the children of Edom the day of Jerusalem;
who said: 'Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.'
8 O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed;
happy shall he be, that repayeth thee as thou hast served us.


Visit teach Mary for more Sepia Scenes

Ruby March Hikers

Ever seen Sig Hansen in The Deadliest Catch? He's from "our" island, Karmøy, and he's talking the local dialect fluently,even though he himself is born in Seattle. This March day the hiker girls were on a excursion to the most unfriendly, but oh, so impressing parts of the island, called Ferkingstad.
I'm sure you can understand that fishermen coming from these waters are skilled sailors.


Ferkingstad harbor has a long mole to prevent the seahouses and boats
from being blown into the sea when the winter storms are at their worst.

The hiker ladies out to visit the memorial erected by Norwegian/American sailors and fishermen. So many from this island have found a wet grave in American waters.

Torill keeping her balance while shooting. Notice the sky. The weather is changing all the time here on the shore of the island.


Another part of the seaman's memorial. A bell house in the stony landscape. There are two old ship-house sites dated back to the viking area.
The wild landscape is protested from developers.
The big stones have been here since the ice withdrew the end of last Ice Age 10 000 years ago-

The small lighthouse is almost impossible to enter, situated at the utmost edge of the mainland, surrounded by boulders.


Liv is giving it a go.

Tilly is a clever mountain goat as well.

Visit teach Mary for more Ruby Tuesdays here