Blog Author
Biita
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Recent Entries to this Blog White, White and More,,,,,,,,,,
Posted: 25 Mar 2010
Southern Gardening, lesson 1,,,Controlling ones temper
Posted: 25 Feb 2010
Just One Day
Posted: 10 Sep 2008
The Blueberry Blast
Posted: 13 Aug 2008
How many ways are there to cook sheep?
Posted: 29 Jun 2008

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Biita's Blog




Bicycle, Bicycle,,,,,,

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2008 3:31 pm

I want to ride my bicyle, i want to ride my bike! So I did. I took a nice ride on my bike and went to 2 very special places here on Vestvagøy. Not very far, but in the winter it seems like it. I bundled up in my winter clothes, when I was done I looked like Ralphies little brother in the movie, A Christmas Story. So off I went, the day was beautiful. We now have 4 hours of light, one hour is prelight, 2 hours of actual light, an one hour of light after the sun has set. Works for me, so off I go.

My first stop is a place at the bottom of my mountain that sits in front of the our house. The beast. This is a place that is at the west side of the mountain in the foothills of it. My house sits at the middle of this mountain, I headed towards the sea. Here is my first stop. This place is very very special, its called UrVatn. That is the old norwegian, the viking language for Ancient Waters. This place was so sacred to the Vikings of this area and the people of an era before them. Tourist pass this place an have no idea what they are looking at, and the local people here like to keep it that way. So the tourists never stop. Vikings came here to pray. They left token offerings, prayers and held ceramonies here at this water. Why is it so sacred you would think,, the reason is it is salt water, in a place salt water should not be. its an underground cavern of water fed from the ocean. Its surrounded by land. It should be fresh water, but its not. Here is UrVatn:



You can see my mountain here




The second special place that I went to, is the ocean. I live less than 1 mile from the ocean, so heading out from UrVatn i head straight for the North Sea.


Are you getting tired yet,, its just a little further up the road. Not far, see theres the sand flats already all frozen over. Do you see that big white mountain, that is Eggum, the next stop after Eggum is America.


Ahhhh here we go,,, Jump right in,,(if your a polar bear that is,,lol)


The mountains off in the distance here is the next island called Vesteralen


Well the sun is getting lower in the sky, an its starting to get a little to cold for me, so i better turn around an head home now.


And finally as I pass that bend in the road, I am greeted heading home by the best sight of all. The sun.


The magic of Lofoten, the rugged raw beauty of this one island in the North Sea. My island, of fairytales that have come true. I hope you enjoyed your bike ride!

This blog entry has been viewed 755 times


Doing The Snoopy Dance,,,,,,,,,,

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Fri Jan 18, 2008 3:07 pm

Ohhh yeah thats right, I am doing the snoopy dance. You remember snoopy, dancing ontop of his dog house, nose in the air, arms flying high, legs kicking in all directions. Thats me. Not as graceful as snoopy maybe, but I sure gave it my best shot!

Kolbjørn an I decided to take a trip to Leknes today. Just to get out, have lunch in town, little window shopping, talk to people we know. Nothing much, just getting out an socializing. Getting into the car I couldn't help but notice how light it was. I even commented on it, an he agreed and was wondering the same thing. Both of us with big eyes, big hopes, and big fears that what we was both thinking was just an illusion. The moon was ever present, but it was just to bright out to be just the moon. So we headed out, and as we traveled, the moon was getting higher an higher in the sky, and just not as bright. But, and I mean but, directly across from the moon, the most beautiful sight came over the horizen,,,

We seen the first sun rise of the new year. I looked, and looked, and was starting to get a little blinded by what was shining on me with all the force a winter sun can have. I looked at Kolbjørn, he at me, an we both had tears in our eyes. Not from the brightness, altho he won't admit it, but from the site of the sun. When we got to town, I noticed people just stopping an looking, then moving on. A few times I seen a store clerk or two come out an sneak a peek. Everywhere you stopped someone would say, look who got up early, then point to the sky. It was wonderful, it gave hope, it gave promise, and it touched my soul. It was just what we all needed up here.

All my pictures were taken in the car, but I don't care, road sign, street lamps, an what have you in the pictures,,, Its still the sun.

For one magnificent hour this is what we basked in.







Just a little more of our fairytale island in the North Sea.

This blog entry has been viewed 3708 times


Frosty Winter Blues

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:08 pm

Living in the Artic is hard. But you learn to see beauty in everything you look at. I have not seen snow for 2 months now, since November. This is hard for a land that is supposed to be covered in snow. The dark grey, black and browns cover our landscape and make it hard to remember there was once color all over the fields, mountains, marshes and sea.

This is the season of the Blue Time, when the snow covers our land, everything turns blue, cold blue, frosty blue, an every shade of blue inbetween. The snow and the moon is what makes these blues. You see we have the sunrise now, an the sunset, but the sun hasn't crossed the horizon enough to make a huge difference in our light. The moon is up 24 hours a day an that is our main light source. I have taken some pictures today because every waking moment of "daylight" is good for the soul, during this blue time. You know that spring is on its way. Its a long ways off, but it will come, an burst forth all the colors that you can think of, except for blue. So this time is a special time, the blue time, it has its own season, its own time, and its all because the moon gives us this light, during our waking hours, that we are so blessed with the color blue.

We have no snow. I have said that, but in these pictures there is frost. layers an layers of frost. Its the Artic, theres supposed to be frost. Buts its something you can not appriciate unless you walk it an live it everyday. The frozen beauty is breath taking. Like I have said, this is frost in these pictures, not snow.

Here is the sauna, i am facing east, so you can see our winter light,, the moon


The fjørd is frozen over now, from one side to the other, just the beginnings of more ice to come, and ofcourse the frost of the Artic


Our barn shining in the light of day.


The blues






Behind the blacksmith shop


Welcome to my world. The Blue Time, of the Artic. The beautiful sparkling frozen world of the Norwegian Artic.

This blog entry has been viewed 646 times


A Little Dusting of Snow

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:48 pm

Well a difference a day makes here in the Artic, as i'm sure it does elsewhere too. I took some pictures yesterday of what is called our "Blue Time" its when the darktime is over an now comes the hues of blue in our light. We got just a dusting of snow but that is enough to lighten it up here just a tad. So here is the difference in the same time pictures are taken and one day difference.

You can see the sky is a greyer blue now because it is just snowing a little.


The break front where we dock the boats, an you can see also the tide levels in this pic from summer to winter, where one of the boats usually sits, thats seaweed by the way.....


The sauna against the sky,,big difference from yesterday


Front of the barn which also used for toursts that stay here.


The cabins down on the field next to the sea,, you can see the clouds over the mountain,, thats how huge it is.


So lets see if we get more snow an it will be even bright an more bluer than this grey blue that we have today. What a difference a little snow makes.


This blog entry has been viewed 608 times


Blue Hues of the Artic

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:04 pm

I was out today just walking around the farm an had my camera with me. I just kept thinking how odd it is here with no snow an the blue time is on us already. We finally have the light but it isn't very bright because of the lack of snow. The only thing we have had in the way of light is 2 grass fires here on the island of Vestvagøy. Usually it is so bright out there an everything is just washed in every shade of blue you can think of. I took these pics at 2:00 pm this afternoon, an you would think it was the dark time not the blue time,,, but the sky speaks for it all.

Our sauna, against the sky


Peeking out of the pines at the view of the mountains, even the mountains are blue.


Behind the barn


The fjørd finally making its ice to cover it all over for the winter.


Again peeking out of the trees


The sea an break front for the boat area



If we ever get some snow, the scenes will be very different, much bluer in shades. I'll take pics then too. The colors are too rich to pass up.

This blog entry has been viewed 767 times




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