viking summer, part 1

would you mind having this as the first thing you see when you open up your tent in the morning?

the viking reenactment/market we attend takes place in gudvangen, which is perhaps the most striking example of the steep-mountain-meets-narrow-fjord that norway is famous for. i'm just sorry i didn't get any better pictures of it - as a matter of fact, i'm rather disappointed with all my photos from this year, compared to the ones i took last summer.

this is a small part of the camp. there were several hundred participants. like last year, we were there with two of my friends and their families, selling our stuff and plant dyeing yarn.

the ancient, pre knitting technique of needle binding

customer with an attitude. linen shirt by me.
family at work yarn dyeing process: common madder (rubia tinctorum)

we slept in our very modern light weight nylon lavvo on the opposite side of the river from the market.

now who said camp food has to be cumbersome? my husband found some wild oregano growing up the mountainside and made the most delicious meal on our twin gas stove. so very not viking, thank goodness - i got my share of camp fire during that week.

more to follow, i have too many pics for one post - i did get some nice ones from our small hiking trips during the week.

corner view bergen,norway: best kept secret

once upon a time in another millennium, i almost became one of these:

a danish cabaret ensemble situated in japan was looking for dancers.
but alas, my hair looked like this:

not to worry, the interviewer said, i could always get something like this (the wig, ladies, the wig):

not so much a secret, as something just not spoken of, something forgotten. why? well, i was an aspiring macrobiotic yogini whose values were on quite the opposite end of the spectrum. but i was already into the dance/performance scene and hey, japan was ADVENTURE!
but by the time i had the letter that said i was accepted, i had changed my mind. i can't remember why, but i assume the prospect of having to wear (dance in!) high heels for hours seven nights a week had something to do with it.
btw, have you ever been to a job interview where you had to strip down to you undies to show the whereabouts (yes, whereabouts) of your tits and butt? quite interesting. i was told that for this job, my butt would have been better off a bit further north, but that the high heels would help a bit.
now how's that for a secret?
p.s. i just got back on line after lightning struck and killed the router, so i haven't been able to post any viking photos yet. p.p.s. this will be the last corner view for the summer.
more secrets at:
jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian,
athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, kelleyn, iris, demara, mus, ninja

corner view: 7.45 pm - friday, saturday, sunday

friday - in the magic white caves

saturday - by the waterfall sunday - at the marketplace

- all from this years viking adventure. more on that later!

other corner views:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian, jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, satsuki

corner view bergen, norway: my true self

my friend working the seam ripper, getting her outfit ready

the rune pendants she makes from elk bones


we're off for our yearly viking adventure in gudvangen.

and whereas someone's only job was to check that all the abba songs were in her player....

...i did the frantic packing. i've taken my true self out of here, and leave you only with an imprint of myself in those last minutes before departure.

see you next week!

more corner views:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian,
jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, satsuki

inspiring!

this is the ultimate example of starting right where you are, instead of dreaming up some idyllig space for the life you want to live 'if only this and that' first. go dervaes!
ps - louise; i can't get to your blog because your profile is hidden!

corner view bergen, norway: places of reflection

the weather cooled down, we even had some rain. the earth was screaming for it!

this week's corner view theme is places of reflection, places to just be...
for me, that is the great outdoors, all by myself. and it is a luxury i no longer have.
my husband nicknamed me 'the librarian' very early in our career as a couple, and yes, i am an introvert who needs more quiet and time to think than most people (and now you know how we see the stereotypical librarian!). i need to be left alone, to not be disturbed, to be able to finnish my thoughts and have a sense of being at home in myself.
add to that the hilarious fact that i've been blessed with a very high spirited family - husband, son, daughter, the whole bunch - they're all very talkative and fond of music turned up real high - and the obvious reveals itself: there's no way i can think, contemplate, reflect or 'just be' around these guys. not in the sense that i used too, anyway - i've had to rethink the whole concept. and there's no way around it: in these busy years of my life i don't manage to both spend time outdoors with my family and tend to my own needs for contemplation and communication with nature.
so i have periods of time where i stay up late instead.
i go outside on the verandah and soak up the solitude in that last precious hour when everyone else is asleep an no one can disturb my thoughts, or lack thereof.

and this is why i have pictures of our sunsets and sunrises all in the hours between 00.00 and 04.30 a.m...


p.s. be sure to check out the gift sertificate in my previous post!


other places of reflection around the world:

jane, ladybug-zen, ian, bonnie, esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch, c.t., jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise, cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari, jgy, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin, otli, amy, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina, april, b, kyndale samantha, karen, kristina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, mcgillicutty, desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee, sunnymama, amanda, ali, jenell, guusje, britta, juanita, pamela, inna, daan, myrtille, cris, ibb, susi, jodi, lily, gillian, jeanette, athena, pienduzz, latisha, clairette, satsuki

a visit up the hill - and a gift certificate for you

this is where she lives...

my friend lives up here on this hill. she bought the house when it was just a small cottage without a bathroom and toilet, and has rebuilt it into quite a palace. there's no road up to this house, only a steep forest path. she actually gave birth to her daughter up here, before it was rebuilt!

on the way up, we were greeted by a deer and her child.
oh, and these cuddling slugs.

so - on to the mystery gift certificate:

i was contacted by a sweet lady at whoogaboots, who wants to give you all a gift sertificate worth 30 dollars to use at the whoogaboots store.
All you need to do is visit their website and enter the code EARTHANDLI into the cart. they ship to all countries and there are no conditions, but the certificate will expire in two months. so if you fancy a pair of genuine ugg boots, made from merino sheepskin, to wear both in the summer as in the winter - head on over!

the days of slow walking

too hot for blogging right now.
we walk slowly.
stopping at every lake we see.
not sure i'll make it for corner view on wednesday - i'm too busy spending time in recreational places :)

this flower is smaller than the smallest of my fingernails.