RUBY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

My American blog friends have been decorating for Christmas since end of November.
I have been waiting for Serina to come home. She is half the reason we are decorating, and she is indeed my best helper.
After running up and down our attic ladder with a zillion boxes, she makes the decorations and also does some modeling for her mama.
The old youle-nisse is sitting on his place in the library. Gunnar was almost not scared at all this year. I bet niece Kristine Maria has adjusted to him as well after 20 years.
He may be the youngest family member, but the sweater he's wearing was originally made for me and later carried by Serina. He has occupied my favorite book, Glog, written by blog friend John Cowart.
The Strawbucks are offering the birch nisses a cop of.....Starbucks, I guess.

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SIXTY

I was born December 8th 1949. I was blessed to be the first and a wanted child. Since this autumn has been extremely exhausting, with our house turned upside down, due to renovating, I decided to celebrate with only my nearest and dearest; Gunnar and Serina. We sneaked off to the city of our liking; Bergen.
Somehow my bestest must have found us, I don't know how, because a couple of hours after we arrived, this parcel was delivered at the hotel. Champagne and glasses in a nice bouquet, exquisite confection and even a gift card for coaching lessons. Wow. If you take a close look, I had tear in my eyes.

No time for waiting; The celebration started at 08oo p.m. the seventh and didn't stop until 0800 p.m. Decmber the 10th.
With three loaded cameras we started out next morning.
The Church of St. Mary is a must.
I know, I know; I should have photoshopped. Maybe some other day.
Such a peaceful quarter of the town.
Serina taking a break with her Dad's newest love; Cannon Eos 7D.
At the Bryggen Museum we met one of Gunnar's forefathers. The picture talks for itself about genes and the likes.

Lots of items found in layer under layer at the Hansa Brygge sites.

Christmas in the old city.
The Gingerbread City. Made twice through a huge common effort from kindergartens to high tech companies. It was completely crashed by a poor boy last week. Creating headlines greater than those of Obama and his peace-price.The Bergeners didn't mourn for even a day, before they set out to make a new Gingerbread town. As you will see it's placed so low, to be at eye level for the preschool children.

Walking and watching made us hungry.
A room at the top floor with quite a view.
Serina didn't complain for a second during three days of walking through new and older art. An art dive for hungry souls.
Kitty Kielland painted my Mother's Jaeren more than hundred years ago. My mother and her family also had to do hard work in the turf moors to find fuel for the winter.
From Joelster at the end of the Sognefjord, longest fjord in Norway, the painter Astrup lived with his wife and children, also a hundred years ago. He was poor, had lots of children,- and a lovely wife, but managed to share love of nature and family in a magic way.

The apex of our celebration was December 9th in the Grieg Hall. Conductor and soloists famous from Metropolitan, Covent Garden performed Beetoven's 9th Symphony; To Joy.
I hope I never get so senile, that I'll forget those magic hours.I humbly thank blogfriends, local friends, family and the great God for making these days unforgettable .

THE ADVENT ORANGE

Advent orange with 24 tacks and a fur cone nisse mother accompanied by fresh juniper.
Hiker ladies gathered for Christmas workshop in my kitchen.

The Christmas in Cobbler's Street was sent back when Norway only had 1-one- TV channel. Young and adults gathered to celebrate advent time with cobbler Andersen, his little lodger Slipperius, and young & old living in Cobbler's Street.
Andersen invented the advent orange with 24 tacks in it. One to be removed each day in December till the 24th.I think I've had my own Advent orange ever since. It smelling so wonderfully of Christmas memories.
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THE NISSE FAMILY'S LULLABYE

The Norwegian Youlenisse usually lives in the barn. One can easily imagine a whole nisse family living thee, like in this Advent series from the NRK. I prefer watching Youle on the Moon peak to any late night crime series. The nisse family are singing a goodnight song.
It's not that many years ago people in Norway actually believed in both nisses and trolls.Superstition lived side by side with Christianity. Few farmers dared to celebrate Christmas without leaving a huge pot of porridge for nisse daddy. At least till about 150 years ago that was the tradition on farms, maybe even longer. Now our Youle nisse has been mixed with St. Claus till something nobody can relate seriously too. maybe that is a loss, especially to those, to whom Christmas only is gifts and food.

FRIENDS LEAVING FOOTPRINTS

We have lit the first candle in our Christmas wreath.Time for meditation and peace of mind.

RUBY FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

November 29th and we are celebrating the first Sunday in Advent.
In summer we have blond nights,in Advent time both dusk and dawn are dark blue.
The seven lights are shining from window candlesticks all over Norway, in private as well as public buildings. It's pure magic how young and old, rich and poor, businessmen, military, seamen in ferries and passenger boats, police, hospitals, all, choose to place these lights of waiting and expectation wherever they stay.
Some wants to make us believe that faith and hope are dead, that Christmas is just good for business. The advent sticks tell otherwise.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

MOUNTAIN FARM

We get to see a lot on our hikes. This mountain farm is still operated, only from a second farm down by sea level.Tractors have made life a lot easier for the farmers. Still they have to fetch water outside and do a little bit of laundry under the open sky as well. The antique sink tub is not for exhibition, but a piece of utility. On the other hand the farmer has installed double glassing!
Homage to Rose. Reflected in the window; an old pit shed where there once was a mica quarry. (We "harvested" quite a lot of mica for our collections)

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

RUBY FUTURE

If I had to live my life over - by Erma Bombeck

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's." More "I'm sorry's." But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it , live it and never give it back. The wonderful ting is; we all have the opportunity to live the rest of our lives this way. We need not look back on our mistakes, but ahead for our possibilities. Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

SUSAN BOYLE FIGHTS BACK

MY MOTHER

My friend Mia shot this pic 2 weeks ago.
I tell you, laying in my mother's arms made me feel like 6 instead of 60.

RUBY ISLAND

Our town, Haugesund, is situated at the utmost south-west in Norway, with only a few small islands outside to protect us from the rage of the North Sea.One of these islands, Roevaer, actually is a part of the main city, same mayor, same council e.t.c.

About 100 people have their home here. There's a school, a museum, a couple of painting artists, viking grave sites, a small store and a spa hotel.To keep the small society alive, they are advertising for new inhabitants, preferably with children. Some Dutch people have settle down and are thriving well. Main occupation is fishing combined with minor farming. The men go fishing, their wive tend the handful of sheep and cows. The women are a strong breed. Many a husband have not returned from stormy days at sea. Once 11 men drowned on their way to the mainland (Haugesund)to bury a friend there.
After the last disaster in the 1990ies, a light way was set up to mark all the dangerous under water rocks. The boat trip takes about a quarter of an hour from Haugesund's inner quay. The hiker ladies have been there repeatedly. We enjoy island jumping. These pictures are from early October this year. As you can see there's nothing but the endless sea that meats the eyes. Further west lies Shetland and the North Hebrides. During ww2 brave young men set out in small vessels to join the British Army from places like this.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

FOR TERJE

Brother in law Terje was 70 November 2.
He was celebrated Monday and today by a large group of family and friends.
All his life he has worked hard supporting his family. Fishing, farming, nutrition engineering, a director of several smaller dairies, greengrocer and inventor. Love of music and arts as his major passions combined with continuous house reconstruction. 5 years ago he suffered two major brain strokes. With a will and strength beyond understanding he has worked with physiotherapists and speech teachers since then.
My respect and admiration have increased day by day these last 5 years.
This poem, written by a well known Norwegian author, who also knew how just staying alive craved hard labor, as well as a flaming dream, shall be my birthday greeting to Terje.

It is this dream we are carrying
that something wonderful will happen,
that it must happen,
that time must open
that hearts must open
that doors must open
that mountains must open
that fountains must spring-
that the dream must open,
that we one early morning dawn shall sail in
to a harbor unknown..

Det er den draumen

Det er den draumen me ber på
at noko vedunderleg skal skje,
at det må skje -
at tidi skal opna seg
at hjarta skal opna seg
at dører skal opna seg
at berget skal opna seg
at kjeldor skal springa -
at draumen skal opna seg,
at me ei morgonstund skal glida inn
på ein våg me ikkje har visst um

Olav H. Hauge

SEPIA RIDDLES

Cousin Arne and daughter Serina in front on a hidden door outside the ancient St. Olav's Church on our neighbor island.
The church was first built by King Olav II who Christened Norway in year 1033.Later it was rebuilt by king Haakon Haakonson in year 1250.
Two friends of mine, one the minister's daughter, the other a theological student, found a secret way behind the alter of the church leading to what one believe was the King's farm close by the church.
Archeologists dug out 36 meters of the secret way in the mid eighties, and the site around the church still is an eldorado for history scientists. Old grave sites containing jewelry, swords and much more.
The place still hides more questions than answers. We always bring visitors there. It's also a wonderful church for ordinary divine services.
Read more from this Wikipedia link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Avaldsnes.
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RUBY WEEK

Time runs faster and faster. This week has flown like a whirlwind.Tuesday we had an appointment at our doc's.Then we went to buy two new outdoor jackets for Gunnar. A major event which happens only every fourth year. Gunnar were to visit Serina at her campus later this week, so this was force major. We are now in waiting line for swine flue vaccination. Wednesday the weather was semi nice. We dressed for cold winds, brought coffee and chocolate buns went for a walk in the forests north of the town.Here I met with this charming, bubbling brook.
Thursday I had an appointment with my physiotherapist, while Gunnar went by two planes, one jet and one small propel, to visit our daughter. I was invited home to my next oldest friend in this town, Elisabeth. We go back 29 years and have shared more than a lifetime of joy, trials and tears, death,love, in battles, sickness and health for us, our families and our beloved psychic retarded.
She is a superb chef. We wined and dined till three in the morning.
Early Friday morning Mia came to take me for a day tripper to my mother, or Monten as Mia and her four generation family calls my mum. Mia made us a huge salmon dinner with belongings. My mother had salmon for three days and enjoyed every mouthful.
Saturday I prepared Gunnar's coming home. Fresh herbs, cod, shrimps, potato and vegetables casserole with homemade bread to go.
You are right, I have avoided the bath weight like plague this week.
Sunday was time for the annual art exhibition at the island and a huge feast for Gunnar's aunt Lilly.
Aunt Lilly got a box of Norway's finest confectionery, King Haakon. Her great, great grandchild Amalie helped opening and ending the box. Oldest joke told by my father. Caller;"Do you have King Haakon in box?" Store attendant, "Yes, we do." My dad, "Then let him out!".
Monday Gunnar's brother-in-law was 70 years old.
We crashed in a nice party for eight. Saturday the huge family will celebrate.
I guess I will need some rest.
Don't fill your life with years.
Fill your years with life!
Good night.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.