RUBY HARVEST TIME

Redeeming the time.
Summer in the north is short, too short, even with the long, blond nights.
Time for entertaining guests indoor and outdoor, family and friends visiting.

Time for enjoying beach-life and the abundance of festivals.
Just now; time for harvesting. Today I've picked black and red currant and stuffed in the freezer. Likewise I've made tea from burn nettles (cures everything from gout, arthritis,galleries,prostate, ulcer and even cleanses the blood.) Serina says if I'd lived 300 years ago, I'd be burnt as a which.
Boxes and bottles are filled. This big tea box contains dried bog myrtle.
If you wonder; it cleanses the air especially in cellars and keep moth from eating our valuable bunads and linen.
The fragrance is just so fresh, I get "high" from inhaling it.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

RUBY PAINTING

We have been through a de-clutter process on rainy days this summer. This painting, made by Serina 5 years, was some among the treasures we found.
It is about two suns, stars, a huge red flower and our house, she told yesterday as I asked her to interpret her art.
Mr. Jim said he would never allow any of his daughters to paint his house. Here you can see why we are lucky that our only child will help us out. She doesn't spill a drop!
As soon as she had finished the wall and the window, I hurried to get the flowers back in position.My patient daughter let me interfere with her work without complaints.

See what I mean? The door handle and our name shield have no red spots.
Have a Happy Ruby Tuesday, everybody!

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

TROLLS

This sepia is partly fake.
The trolls are made of brown, burnt clay.
They were popular in the seventies, I got two for a present. The others I have found on flee markets, one by one.
They are solid indeed and live outdoors all seasons.
For a year they have been guarding our outdoor fireplace, and done it well.
Normally, or tradition says so, the troll burst when the sun rises. They live in our largest mountains and have done so for hundreds and hundreds of years.
Norway was Christened in year 1033, but the trolls have kept on living in peoples imaginations till about year 1900.
Lots of our fairytale describe how the brave little Ash-lad conquered the troll against all odds, and thus won the princess and half the kingdom.


Hosted by Mary, the teach
Learn more about Sepia Scenes here.

THE RICE AND FALL OF MY PEONIES

The longer I work in my garden, the more I believe in flower power and flower wisdom.
We had a cold and dry May and first half of June.
I visited my Peonies, cuddled for them, begged them, but the slowly developing buds wold not fold out.

Midsummer came with warmth and I let them drink for a day or so.
Next morning they unfolded in the sun.
Revealing the most precious beauty one could imagine.
After some dry and sunny weeks, spreading joi de vivre to all mankind and insects as well, the leaves started falling. Leaf to earth, dust to dust, thus returning the life they had spread.

O rose, thou art sick!
The invisible worm
That flies in the night
In the howling storm

Has found out thy bed
Of crimson joy,
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.

William Blake

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

YOUNG MAN IN SEPIA GARDEN

My step grandmother left some unexposed films.
Gunnar converted them to black/white.
I fiddled with it in photoshop and found this early 20th century very young man.


Hosted by Mary, the teach
Learn more about Sepia Scenes here.

RUBY IN THE WHITE TOWN

When Norwegians talk about convoy, there's but one thing in their mind. The unarmed civil ships that went from America (Canada mostly) with vital war equipment through 5 long years during WW 2. Every 9th man died, the others were injured for life.I have nursed many survivors. Their stories deserve to be written in gold.This North Sea Cup is held in their memory. From Skudenes, voted Norway's summer town #1. http://www.convoycup.com/
Skudesnes, a former tall ship town is situated on the island just south of us. The old town still is like it was built in last half of the 1800. People still live in the white houses, and the red sea houses still are used for storage buildings.
It's a slow town, good for inhabitants and tourists.
We stroll along the narrow streets at least once a year. Best time to be there is when it's rose blossom time.
It has indeed been a good year for the roses.
This garden pavilion always makes me dream.
Narrow streets for pedestrians only makes summer days a thrill.
More roses.
The park is where people gather for all festive occasions. The lady of the Park, an ancient tall ship figurehead, is guarding the place and keeping outlook over the harbor.

This house is for sale. I've dreamed to have it for a summerhouse, but people deserve to have inhabitants living there all year.
A fire post, vital to the fragile old wooden houses.
Doesn't take much fantasy to understand that handicrafts are for sale in this shop.
Outside our favorite cafe, selling only homemade, fresh confectionery. Yours truly may be spotted in the right hand corner of the window.
I made this picture to honor Ralph. So far I've never been inside the aviation gallery.
Serina is negotiating with the sellers in this ambulant antiquemarked. Most of the porcelain and faience are Norwegian made by factories no longer existing. No need to say I have a huge collection. That's also why I can't have a dishwasher. The laze is bound to crackle in a machine. I use mine everyday and find it worth while to wash up by hand.
Have a wondeful summer still, everybody.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

MY SEPIA ROSE

The Rose

Some say love, it is a river
that drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
an endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
and you it's only seed.
It's the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
that never takes the chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
who cannot seem to give,
and the soul afraid of dyin'
that never learns to live.
When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been to long,
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong,
just remember in the winter
far beneath the winter snows
lies the seed that with the sun's love
in the spring becomes the rose.

Hosted by Mary, the teach
Learn more about Sepia Scenes here.

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.

MOUSE WRIST

mouse wrist or mose hand usually comes from using one's arm wrong when using the pc mouse.
with my for ever ruined right hand, (after a double osteoporosis breakage ten years ago),
i should not overdo anything. that means fighting against my nature. i spray painted two chairs this week, and that did the final trick. my right hand doubled its size and must be bandaged to be stabilized.
the tiny bones are all in a mess like a bunch of mikado sticks.
serina is home and we are fine. 4 trope nights in a row(more than 20 celsius degrees by midnights)
we leave for sauda in a couple of days to celebrate my mom's 84th birthday.
may this day be our, mine and yours, best day.
from felisol