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How many ways are there to cook sheep?

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 11:11 am

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Why would I want to cook sheep, or lamb for that matter. Bear with me on this. You'll find out in a few minutes. So lets start out with the question. Just how many ways are there to cook sheep?

We can start out basic and go gourmet. Okay we can boil it. Boring! But its a start. Then we can roast it, saute it, underground roasting, on a spit, in a pan, in a pot, sushi maybe? Nahhhh! Okay there is basically alot of way to cook sheep. Now why do I want to do this.

I have my fields over at Selnes. Veggies planted, of all kinds, in a field of such rich, nutrient happy land that just begs a person to stick a seed or seedling in it to grow. No one lives at Selnes, but it is used. Not good enough for Norwegian folks. Guess I better start at the beginning huh.

This winter past the sheep farmer who lives across the fjord from us, wanted more land to let his sheep feed and roam. Everyone went to the community meeting to vote on this. All the other people who live on that side of the fjord (not many belive me, its on the beast mountain side, you know avalanche territory) voted yes, as long as the sheep farmer fenced in the areas of land the sheep would roam. The catch. The good folks of that side of the fjord had to give up a section of their own personal land to do this or they would have to pay out of their own pocket to fence in all of their own land. The sheep farmer is evil,, plain and simple. He offered to pay for it all if they gave up some of their land. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! Why not vote no, then the sheep farmer would have to just be happy with what he already had,,,,A WHOLE FREAKEN MOUNTAIN!!! Now with Selnes, because no one lives there he was going to fence in from the road and to the next neighbors land. What does that mean. All of Selnes would be open to the sheep, and they could not wonder to the sea is all. The house, the land, my farming, all for the sheep. Uncle who was given a time frame for a decision, let it lapse. He knew what he was doing, and didn't bother to tell us. I tilled, I manured, I worked over there. Its all gone. The sheep have eaten everything that has come up. Trampled all the work, and land is a mess. Thats the place where I got the biggest juiciest blueberries, tyttebær, cloudberries the size of a large grape. Not to mention a lot of the wild herbs. The reddest rhubarb you have ever seen. The elephant style garlic from just a little version of garlic. Everything grew double it was supposed to. Its all gone.

So getting back to how DO we cook sheep and lamb. I'm thinking on an open spit, invite all the good neighbors from across the fjord, expecially the sheep farmer, and just have one hell of a big party. Shoot I even have the homemade wine for it. Compliments of Selnes.

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My Husband, the Drunken Womanizer!

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 5:11 am

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He cheats! He steals! He got a slave woman pregnant! He gets drunk every night! He's a bully! And one heck of a rower on a ship!

Did I mention Kolbjørn is in a play.

Yep my loveable Viking man is in a play being put on by the Viking Museum. He plays a viking just like I described in the opening here. Only he's a single man who is one of the Chieftans trusted men. Sheesh. He plays a character from the neighboring island called Gimsøya, still called that today, and just to the south of us here on Vestvågøy. That chieftans name was Tore. My husbands character name is Kåre. He's also the comic relief in this very dramatic play.

The play is about 2 chieftans, who are very Norse in their beliefs, and the marriage between their children to set up allies because of the oncomming onslaught of other religions being introduced to the islands. Its also the story of Olav Tvennumbrunni, the chieftan of Borg (Viking Museum) and his lead up to leaving for Iceland.

Kåre is a fun loving man who loves his mjød, beer, his battle axe, a wild beserker, who loves a good fight. He also can't keep his hands off the women. His problem starts when he gets a little frisky with 2 slave women, who finally find out about the other. The confrontation takes place with the 2 women fighting and arguing over who is going to marry Kåre. Kåre in the meantime is passed out from to much merry making of all kinds, and wakes up to hear them fighting in the main room about who is going to marry him first. Kåre scared into sobriety, for the first time in his life is helpless, and trembling. The thought of marriage just makes him want to curl up and cry. As he tries to sneak out of the long house to hide on the ship, both women grab him and try to make him choose. Kåre runs for his life. You see these women are desprate. Their slaves. Kåre is a free man and marrying him would make them free also. So now the fight is on who is going to win Kåre, but Kåre is no dummy when he's sober that is, and takes off for the ship and finds a very cold and wet hiding place. Very fitting I would say! Cools him off completly.

Here is my drunken, womanizing husband, posing for the camera. The costume is one of that time period, around 900 a.d.


He also likes to bully the chieftans son here on Vestvågøy, and this is his partner in crime.


This is a costume of one of the women who plays the chieftans wife.


And the Saga


The first of 4 plays takes place on the Summer Solstice. The last is in August. The play will be played 3 times a day for those 4 different weekends. They row in on the Lofotr. On the summer solstice they hold a Blot, or ceramony for the Norse gods in the traditional style of the year 900. Everything will be done with as much authenticity as is known of the time. The recreation will take a person back in time to when the life as the Viking knew it was slowly changing, evolving into a stronger more Nordic Norwegian. The Northmen of the modern world, who takes their cues from their ancestors, learns from them, and comes out stronger with each lesson.

So here on the magical, fairytale island of Vestvågøy I asked my darling, lovable, modern Viking man a question.

So honey when do you get the new wife, I could use some help on the farm, you know.

All I got was a look.


I almost had to walk home.



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Slow Down, Just Slow Down Now

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 5:05 pm

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The phrase running around like a chicken with your head cut off, is an understatement. They at least stop!

I like to think I'm fortunate that I don't have to leave home to go to work. My work is right here, on the farm. Ofcourse we have all the farming that goes on once the weather lets us think about farming, but I also run a camp ground. I deal with tourists from all over the world. Some speak english or norwegian. Most don't. That being said, since Joshua has left back to Iraq, life has not stopped long enough for me to notice it snowed in the mountains...

Balder pointed that out to me.

Spring is definately here! Yah! Hip-hip-hoo-rah!

Can I sleep now.

Everything has gotten underway. The ground has been tilled. The unediable weeds gone. Manure worked in. Seaweed added. Compost added. Rows made. Some of the plants have already reached their new homes, and I also made a new bed on the southside of the house as a salad garden. Now this isn't just here at Stranden, but also at Selnes and Huaun. The other 2 farms. Not to mention I been picking dandelion greens like crazy for winter use in cooking and also for teas. The flowers are just starting to blossom, so the wine containers are out and ready to go. The birch trees are finally in bloom all the way, so that lead to a couple days picking leaves, and making saft and drying leaves for teas. I only like the young tender leaves for all this. The older ones tend to be bitter. Even when dried.

The rhubarb is ready for the first shoots to be picked. You know the new thin stalks. I make an apple/rhubarb compote that can be used as a jam or topping. I've got about 10 jars so far made. 5 large bottles of saft made. The siersløk is up and growing so fast, I've got 10 jars of pesto made from that. The nettles are soon up, and the angelica is almost ready to cut to make candy soon.

Remember the tourists? We had 3 men from Italy here, who thought they could go swimming in the sea,,,(snickering here) so I let them. They shed their cloths, down to the undies, and all 3 just made a mad dash out and dove in. Now they all had tans. When they came up, they screamed, squealed, and used some words I think were not very nice, but I don't know I don't speak Italian. It was just a feeling I had. Their tans turned a lovely shade of pink, then blue and finally they looked kind of a dusky shade of purple after about 30 seconds in the water. What can I say I waved, and smiled. I seriously think they might have tried to smile back,, but not sure. Then we had older couple from Germany and all they wanted to do was sit and drink. Well. No problem here but its spring and mother nature doesn't wait on me. So everytime I passed them by, they made me drink a shot of schnapps with them. If I said no thank you, they chased me with the bottle and a shot glass. Seriously. By the time I got done with my picking and planting, all I could do was look at a birch and wonder why it has 3 leaves all together like that. This was homemade schnapps. Potent. The next day I actually checked to make sure this didn't put hair on my chest. My husband loved it. Wanted the recipe, but we couldn't figure out how to pantomine that until the next day, but they was gone by then when the wits started to kick in again.

So its going to be a busy spring, with the natures harvest, planting of crops, tourists, not to mention my herbs and flowers. To top it all off, all the work that I have already done so far as canning and bottling is not for me! Its for the family who are all comming up in a few days for Uncle Tobias' 90th bithday celebration, and staying for a week. They have all made their requests.

So now that the tourists have gone for a few days, and I have caught up on my harvesting and planting. Maybe I can sit down.

***phone ringing***

Hi Henna, Its me Inger. Are you busy? Remember I said I wasn't going to have crops this year? Well Kjerste has talked me into it and we want you to go into business with us. The man is here now tilling the soil, can you come over and help? I made a chicken salad, with regular salad, and Kjerste brought over some wine, so we thought we would have tomorrow a garden tilling party with lunch and,,,,,

I go tomorrow for the garden party.

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A Blast into the Norwegian Past

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 7:04 am

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As you all know I live on the island of Vestvågøy, that sits out in the North Sea. We are a series of islands, with a series of smaller islands all around us. One island I am going to take you to, is on private property. No one is allowed down there unless you live on the islands or are a friend of the family that owns this one island. Holsøya. Thats where we are going. This is a dialect of the Nordland language that has been forgotten for hundreds of years. No one really remembers what the word Hols means now. Øya means island, that much is clear. So maybe by the end of this blog we can figure out what it means.

So lets start our journey into the past, the Norwegian past. Way before the Viking era. Way before the Iron Age era. We are going to the Bronze Age. An age that linked the Stone Age to the Iron Age. We are going back in time over 2,500 years, to a time when mankind was on the brink of becoming the modern people we are today. But its also a time I truly believe when the last of the truly spiritual people existed all over the world. The people who connected with their enviroment. Listened, smelled and tasted the wind and sea. Felt the ground beneath them and appriciated what was there for their taking. And gave back with most exuberant feasts and festivals. Who prayed and talked with nature, and nature talked back. The people who walked with the earth.

So close your eyes for just a second, but not to long or you will miss this time travel trip back to the Norwegian past of the vibrant people of the time.


Here we are, on the sands that link the islands together when the tide is low for the summer months. This is the only time of year when you can go there without the aid of a boat. This is not going to be an easy trip, the terrain is rugged, over grown, and rocks everywhere. Watch your step! If you do step on a rock and it moves under your feet, stop, step back and retrace your steps until you reach solid earth again. You'll see why in a minute. So come on lets go meet these people.

Thats one of our goals ahead.


Careful!


This is the islands altar. Upon closer inspection you can still see the moss covered steps that leads up to the center. There is 5 steps, that goes in a circle all the around the stone structure. Over the years and centuries it has since collapse, and is believed to hold a very important person underneath its stones.


Again be careful, you never know where you are stepping here, this whole island is one big underground moseleum. Some are very obvious and stand right out, others are moss covered and look like clumps of earth and stone.






Remember ths is not a blog about death, but the life and progression of a culture of people who lead up to the people we are today. Who built the Norwegian people into a strong willed, strong minded, vibrant and full of life people who in their own way still carry on the ways of the past. These people who are buried here are still alive. They still speak to us thru their stone alters, their bronze age technology, the experience that has been handed down since who knows when. They still breath thru all of us, in any culture, as long as we look thru their eyes at the way nature is guarding us. Teaching us to work with her, and remember the ways of the past. To carry on the traditions that are passed down to us, and this makes all them very much alive. There is still one last place I want to show you, that will amaze you at just how advanced these people were. Look here!

This is one of the rock covers that you can actually see into.


See here, an underground burial place. There are over 80 of these on this island. Many are so hiden you walk right over and have no clue. Some you stand on the brink of falling into when you step on the wobbly stones. Others are open like this one.


That is the resting place of a person I think I would of loved to have sat with, and listened, learned and shared a meal with. And in a way I do everyday. Because I will not let the past die, unlearned, unloved and disregarded as just people here and now gone. Nope. They are my teachers, so I can pass down to my children the basics that make mankind so special. Reconnecting to the past. We can all do that. Yesterday here in Norway we did just that, at summer solstice we do it again. At Jule we celebrate again the past. And when we dig our fingers into the earth, and plant that first plant of the season, we have done it again. We have connected to our ancestors of ever nation, no matter what culture, we keep them alive as long as we live, and believe in our own magic, and relive the tales.

They breath.

So have we figured out what Hols means. I'm not sure I have. But if I have to give it a meaning I would say Life. Life full of wonderment on our little magical, robust, fairytale island out in the North Sea.

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Lofotr - King of the Nordic Sea

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:22 am

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Yesterday was a very special day around the museum. This is the day the Lofotr comes out of a long winters sleep, to rule the sea again. I'm not going to go into alot of long winded writing about the area, the museum or the people who take care of her. I think the pictures will speak very clearly themselves.

The facts that you should know just to get an idea of just how big this ship is, is she is 11,000 kilos in weight. Or over 22,000 Lbs. Or over 11 tons. 66 men can row her comfortably with out knocking elbows. She is made of all wood, and is the second largest Viking ship in Norway. Replica's that is, made after real finds of these ships. So here we go, lets take the ship out of hiding and let her have her way with the sea!



First the top of the boathouse has to be dismantled.




Then the tug of war starts. A tractor is used now instead of hundreds of men to make her way to the sea.


By the time they made it this far, the bull rope had broke 3 times. But ofcourse their Norwegian, bull headed just like the rope, and giving up is not an option.


She's almost there!


A look down the very long boat house. Lofotr is almost in the water. The tractor will now push her the rest of the way, instead of pulling her out.


Here is the top of the ship. This is exactly the way the Vikings ships looked according to discoveries made, expecially this one. Here is just a small section of the top.


And finally after all the tugging, and pushing, the Lofotr has made it back to her sea home for the summer. Her dragon head will be attached now so she can see where she goes.


The Lofotr will give many thrills to children, and adults all summer long as they get to experience the thrill of sailing the sea in a Viking ship. One none the less as magnificent as the Lofotr, a replica of a real Viking war ship. Their imaginations will run wild and for a short time they can almost hear the wild calls and the beat of the drum that kept the Vikings working as one. The clash of the swords, the flapping of the mighty sail. The bartering from exotic lands and their rich merchandise. For a short time if their imaginations are open enough, they will become a Viking and rule the oceans seas for a few minutes out of history.

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Bottoms Up!

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:55 am

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Living in the Artic is something that requires alot of imagination not to mention endurance. I got the imagination, thats for sure but the endurance,, wellll,, I'm getting older, and I hope a little wiser anyways. I now relize its time to go about things just a little slower, easier and carefully. But!!! I just can't. The aches and pains are creeping their way into the old bones. I'll be 47 next month. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, I know. I'm not that old. But I do feel the weather more than I used to. I try not to let it bother me at all. But!! Sometimes you just can't help it.

So that being said and as I'm sure most you have come to relize I love the outdoors. I'm not going to let a few aches and pains stop me.. No Sir-ee!! So I look to nature for remedy. I have learned alot from the states when I lived there, but here in the artic who do I look to now. Well, its only natural to ask the "old timers". The very people who have lived here all their lives. But where did they get the rememdies from... Obviously passed down for generations. Thats why I am writing this blog.

The Vikings! Oh the super farmers from the north. Bless their huge beserker hearts. They were a people who adapted to what was around them and used it.. just as I do now. I have listened and adapted my ways to theirs. Lets take the berries of the land. As everyone now knows they are full of anti-oxidents. Blueberries, Cloudberries, Tyttebær (simular to a cranberry) Krekkling ( a very dark berry with no taste at all but packs a whollop) and there is others. All these little powerhouses are full of vitamin C, the B's and full of cleansing powers. They helped the Vikings to stave off flu's, colds, fevers and all those other goodies that the cold has to offer. Then there is the Siersløk. This is a plant that is a combination of garlic and onion. Long fat leaves, comes very early in the spring and dies back just before fall comes. This ofcourse has all the nutrition that garlic and onions has to offer a person for their health. Then there is the leaves of the different trees and berries. The birch leaves are so good for you, for your joints, aches and pains, good for the blood, it has natural asprin in it. The leaves of the black current are packed with more vitamin C.

After learning all this I have taken to waiting for spring with barely contained excitement. I use the leaves and berries and make a saft, or concentrated juice, I like to call Norwegian Kool-aid. When those old bones start to bother me, i make a drink using just a little of the concentrate and add water, or make a tea. Within minutes, I can run around like a kid again,, well okay, almost. I stay healthy now buy making my own jams, safts, chutneys, pesto's. All the good things that you just add to other foods, as toppings are the very things that are keeping me running around.

I started this blog because I will be posting different, very different recipes as each thing comes into season. Just so as not to scare you, or think I have jumped into the North Sea and my mind is still frozen. We can thank those loveable Berserkers and their very skilled wifes and also those from even before them, on how to stay healthy in the Artic.

So each day I go out and I look around, take note what is almost ready, what will be awhile. When I give the recipe I will also give the benifits of the herb, flower, leaf, berry or root. But I'm ready, and waiting,,,,,,,, very impatiently I might add.

Did I mention about angelica, or, or, nettles, then there is seaweed, ohh wow, we can not forget seaweed, then there is the purple clover, and the wild cheval,,,wait, wait I almost forgot the chickweed and the lambsear,,,,,,,, ohh yeah,,,then there is the ,,,,,,,,,,,

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An Artic May

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 3:57 pm

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Today is the first day of May for 2008. All over the world its a special day for alot of people. In the olden days it was the day when life of the land is concieved. The journey I want to take you on is one of nature here in Lofoten. The beginnings of the summer to come. The conception of spring. A wonderful celebration of life in the Artic. The people, the land, the sea and the animals. All are bursting with life and ready to start the new summer with all the vitality that one persons life can give.

Today is very special because it is the day the boats come out of hiding. The sea is free flowing now, the fjord is open, and just begging for the open crafts to ride her waves. So Kolbjørn and Uncle Tobias (who will be 90 next month) launch the first of our 3 boats.





For me thats my que to take a hike. Yeah I'm smiling too! So after helping out by taking the required pictures that I need, I take Balder and head for the marsh. This is the place I come to when I need to relax, think or just be alone with nature herself. The beauty of this place just makes my eyes tear up with the untouched virgin beauty. The serenity that can only come with age is abundant here. But the maturity of motherhood that is evident in the controlled wilderness.

The youth of the juniper, with no berries yet becuase it is learning the ways of the wild artic. Learning how to survive and prosper.


The maturity of nature.



New smells for Balder to store away for his dreams.


The serenity of the land here on the marsh is a pleasant present that only comes if you really want to see and accept it.


And the constant ever flowing of the sea to bring new life to the Artic.



So today is a day that will be celebrated, in a quiet way, a thoughtful way. A reflection of all the past ancestors who celebrated maybe in the same way or with the wild bonfires and feast. The ones who launched their first boats or ships of the season, or shared their day with friends and neighbors. We have our first campers of the season, they have been here for 3 days now, and only wanted to stay 1. They are from Germany, so today I will share my special May day with some new friends, and toast in the beginnings of a beautiful summer in the wild Artic in May.



Welcome to my summer, my enchanted part of the world, where life comes slow, but it does show her beautiful face, where the sun always shines day and night, then hides to regenerate himself, only to show his face to the one woman he loves more than ever, the earth. Welcome to life!

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Who's Mad?

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 1:11 pm

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Well we can take that 2 ways now, can't we. lol. Either I am totally off my rocker, or I am rip roaring ready to rumble.

Okay I was both today.

I got up this morning and looked out the window and seen this,


about an hour later, the snow started to fall. I sat at the kitchen table and just watched it amazed how fast the tables can turn here. Then I started to wish we had the weather that America and other parts of the world were having. Then I went on the Garden Stew. Did I feel a little better. I sure did!! Then I looked out the window again. I started to remember what yesterday was like. Theres green out there folks, real green. Look for yourselves. Yes there is snow there too, but theres green on the trees.


I even tried to catch some seagulls making their way to the North Sea, just over the mountain. Altho by the time i got the pic to focus, they were gone but look sunlight. And there really was seagulls.


So I started to think of other countries weather. That made me pi#### off, and when i get like that I start to cook. So I visited America. I made American pancakes, I don't have Vermont maple syrup but I did make blackberry syrup from Pennsylvania. Then I made Parker House Rolls. Good yeast rolls. Then I made a Hawaiian pineapple upside down cake. Then I went south after some more dough rose up, and made pecan coffee rolls, or close to it. Then I was still on my cooking spree when I opened the drawer to get my corn meal out,, and what!!! No corn meal. How am I going to make good Texas Corn Bread. OMG!! I don't even have popcorn to put in my grinder!

At that point I sat down at the kitchen table filled already with goodies, and looked out the window, picked up my coffee cup, and a huge crow started to read me the riot act. Woman!! Are you crazy? (yep) Just who are you mad at? (mother nature) Now who is going to eat all this? (Kolbjørn and Balder) Did you choose to live in the Artic or not? Now this stopped me right in my train of thought. I did choose to live here. I already knew what to expect, growing up in Lapland on the Sapmi. Then I looked out the window again. And smiled. Everything is still turning green, the flowers that have bloomed are still smiling upwards. The roads aren't snow covered, just the grass. Its not so bad. The seagulls are still laughing in their silly call. Animals are being born. It really isn't so bad.

So Kolbjørn came home a little early since he had to work all weekend, walked in the door, seen the table, his eyes got big, a huge smile lit up his face, and asked me " Who made you mad this time". As he dipped one pancake in the blackberry syrup with one hand, and cut a piece of cake with the other, and Balder drooling all over the floor. I was embarressed to tell him there was orange coffee cake rolls in the fridge.

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Ol' McSelnes had a Farm, E,,I,,E,,I,,Oh

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 5:01 pm

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Okay we have a farm but the only thing animal wise is one very spoiled Rottweiler. We don't have animals on the farm now,, but at one time there was.

My husband, Kolbjørn, I think has had a mid-life crisis. I was told by a fellow Stewer that most guys buy a little red car and try for the younger chicks. Well Kolbjørn has all the horses minus the metal, no chicks but he does have a few piglets. lol. But anyways he was a carpenter at the museum, but during winter there wasn't enough to do so he got layed off, but just for a week,,lol. The Chief from the Viking museum asked him if he was intrested in training horses. He thought about it and said yes, 3 seconds later. (he thought real hard there) He has experience with horses so it was natural for him to accept the job. I on the other hand, had doubts. Besides the horses there is also the cows, boars and sheep. My first thought was "ohhh no, thats going to stink" then I thought "Awww I can take pictures of the cute little babies" Then I found out, this is a working farm just like how the Vikings did it. Survival. Food. Panic on my part. Ready to demonstate. Ready to throw Kolbjørn into the barn here on our farm.

Well he loves his new job, comes home tired but with a smile, and talks about what he did that day. To me thats all that matters, is he is happy, and also he has enough sense to take his work close off in the entry hall and not in the house! Good man!

So lets see how the Vikings raised their animals and what kind of breeds were from way back then.

The first picture is of the boars. Since here in Norway its against the law to own pure boars these ones are mixed with pigs. But you get the idea.

Daddy boar


Baby boars, there are actually 5 of them, and yes in 4 months they will be slaughtered for food.


Next is the cows, but only one pic I will show. This is the Nordland Cow. Specific to this area and the same kind as the Vikings used. The Nordland cows are black and while and have longer hair than the other domesticated cows here in Norway. She is a beauty.


Next is the sheep. These sheep are also Nordland sheep and are very small. They look like goats but they are sheep. Half the flock is pregnant. Yep you guessed it, but none has given birth yet,,, thank goodness. The first pic is some of the ladies, and the second one has the ram in it. His horns are spectactular. They just curl all around the side of his head.




Now we come to the horses. These also are the Nordland breed of horses that are indigenous to these parts of the country.
I don't know her name, but she is beautiful.


This is Big Wolf, and he is so bad,,lol. This horse knows how to open his stall hinges and get out. Or he just jumps the door and goes. But i love him.


Here we have most of the horses gathered around the hay feeder eating and enjoying the sunny day.


Next is Mjølner, he is one of my favorite horses there, and is left with the long hair in the Viking style. The Vikings used to braid and put shells or bits of metal to show their wealth or too dress up their horses. His hair was left long in that style.


Next is a horse I call Elmer. His is named also after a Norse god the same as most of the others are. But i have a hard time saying his name and remembering how to spell it. Now this horse used to be a terror. Seriously, he bit, kicked and would just chase anyone or any animal down. Then he was,,um,,clipped. Now he is so gentle. Elmer doesn't have a stall, but he doesn't need one either. He's spoiled and has the run of the farm. He has his bed out in the aisle and comes and goes as he pleases. Meet my baby, Elmer.


So Ol' McSelnes doesn't have his own animal farm, but he loves his job on the farm. Taking care of the animals the old Viking way, training them in the the Viking style. Yes my husband the farmer is smiling everyday now from the satisfaction he gets working the land and the animals, and in true form the Norwegian Viking charm is magical and has made its way home.

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The Sounds of ,,,,,,,,,,,,, Ice?

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:34 am

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Think about it. The sounds of ice. What does it sound like, and how does it make you feel.

Think of a hot summer day, your thirsty. You need a cold, cold drink! So you get your favorite beverage, go to the fridge, open the freezer door an take out the ice cube tray. Now you take a few or alot of those little ice cubes an drop them into your drink. Do you hear the hiss, the popping, the cracking. You just know that drink is now going to taste so good. All because of ice.

Now think of that drink filled with ice cubes and put that on the scale of a huge lake or the fjørd. The hissing, the cracking, the popping. Its magical. Its refreshing. Its spring!

Here in the Norwegan Artic we hear those sounds all thru the turning of the season. From winter to spring. When I'm out walking with Balder, down the road just taking in the fresh air, the sounds, the smells of salt an fish from the sea, escaping from below the ice. I come alive. I come alive just as the earth does and bloom right along with it. With each crack that pops from the sea, with each hiss of air escaping from below my smile grows with the knowledge that soon this frozen wilderness will come to life once again. The water sounds from under the snow makes me laugh. The little bridges made by the melting of the ice so the water can run off into the sea.



All this is because you just can't hold back the circle of lifes cycle that is always turning away from you but always, always returning. The old norse legend of the winter snow giants an the summer dwarfs that are at constant battle with each other over if the Artic will be always in winter or always in spring. Each wins half the time. The winter giants win when the sun goes away for a time and the summer dwarfs win when the sun stays out all the time for a time. Inbetween is the struggle between the 2. All I can say is the dwarfs better win soon! And they will.

On my walk I noticed the ice is bulking up in areas on the sea, and large cracks are spreading farther an farther out to the middle. So Balder an I leave the road an go down to the sea.



Ofcourse yours truly has to test out the ice an see if its getting really thin or not. It is! It cracked when i stepped out a little onto it. But what i want to show you is under the ice. It was hard, and you can barely see it but there is no water! This is a very, very good sign indeed. The tide has shifted an is heading out to the ocean.




This is great! Spring is really on its way now. When the water starts to go low tide the ice cracks, and hisses, and pops and starts to talk to us to tell us get ready, were going to break up the ice now. I can tell you I really smiled big time when i seen no water. So I walked down to the end of our main road down to the mouth of the pole. The place where the water turns an goes out to the ocean. There I was shocked because just a week ago there was no "nes" or a strip of land that juts into the sea. You can see the "vika" or little bay taking shape into its small bowl mouth. The ice has already broke up there an will works its way down to our area probably with the month.



Balder an I walked all the way out to the tip of the nes and took a picture of the way back to the road. But you can see the water is there, but so is the ice, but barely. Won't be long now until we pull the boats out of the boat house an take off into summer!



Ahhh! I love the magic of the Artic. The land of fairytales an legends. The place where the land talks to you, and the ice speaks plainly. The land of sailors, vikings and farmers. The only place I call home.

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