December dawn

.. two days ago. I love these cold dark mornings, when the sun rises - very promising for the day. Today is warmer with cloudy skies, but it's ok. So much christmas travel, just good with no iced roads.

This christmas calender might inspire for tomorrows dancing around the tree? :O)

I found the link at puhti's blog.

Wolverine?

.. jærv? Yes I think so. (Not the comic superhero, that is).

And so pretty colors in old Fredrikstad..

We made a stop here during our autumn-trip.

It seems they have a cozy christmas market too - one more reason to stop by again some time.

Unplugged christmas pause

Maybe you also need a little time out?

Easy dinner: Hot tea and a good bread (buy it - you can bake some other time) and a few favorite toppings like cheese, ham and tomatoes or something.

Cozy christmas books (maybe you have some stacked away in a corner - if you can't find them, get some at the library - they have displayed all their christmas books this time of year). Actually any book that you love will do!

Put up tired feet and have a break.

(Illustration by Harald Wiberg - one of my personal favorite illustrators).

Building supplies

The last of our old larch trees was taken down this week. This one was tilting rather strangely so this very skilled guy did the job.

We have had some.. ahem.. interesting experiences taking the others down with family and neighbours help - luckily it went well.

Now we have a huge supply of fine cones :)

Ode to a swedish dog

Go see.

November storm

After a quiet, warm and misty november we finally had a stormy weekend. So this morning the air was fresh and clear ..ah!

Even though we have some large trees near the house, the only damage was the old broken owl box, which fell down. So now noone has to climb up and get it - sometimes it's good to be lazy :O)

Paw-wow

I love the bear paw door handle - and the fact that both handles follow the concept of their shops.

I don't really know Naturkompaniet, but the game shop is worth a visit if you like to play.. dice in any color, shape and size, puzzles, boomerangs, chess, munchkin etc.

Vikings everywhere

I see vikings everywhere these days..

New stamp - one of four in a "winter collection", made by Claus Bigum,

Bjorn Brownbeardson made by Sandra Monat , Herzensart.

 .. and finally these cowboy-vikings made some new music. YES!! One of the new numbers, and some old ones: I'm sleeping my day away, Grow or pay.

All these vikings - not so bad on a cold and dark november day.

/updated links 03 2013

Moderation

I needed a little bit of extra yarn to complete something, but somehow seven extra skeins came along.. still I find it rather modest :)

I like the idea of this place - more than 100 colors, smallest quantity 25 g - it's so nice when you have an idea about a certain shade of green, grey or whatever..

Still I love my local yarnshop - always good advice and beautiful yarn - so better support her by buying some yarn soon ;O)

In a cloud

..or when pumpkins turn seriously evil.

Morran Mittens

Last night I sent my contribution to Camilla Engmans open call on portraying Morran. I have the feeling this cool dog might become the most illustrated dog ever?

I hope that Studio Morran will show the collection of "Morran Films" again - my favourite is the one, with a very big bag of "pillow-stuffing" and Morran doing all the hard work emptying it.. :O)

Graphic design anno 1500 BC

Rock carvings near Sarpsborg, Norway.

Going north

Late october afternoon - boarding a ferry heading north - leaving Copenhagen behind.

Next day taking a walk in Oslo City, then driving west. After a while leaving the car behind, moving on with backpacks into the woods. Cold - a mix of water and frozen water coming from above brr...

Fantastic view of Oslo and the Oslo Fjord... ahem..

Very cosy place to stay overnight. No electricity but candlelights, stove and a good supply of dry firewood.

Next morning luckily no clouds.

During World War II the norwegian freedom fighters used this place to keep an eye on the german headquarter below.

Old treasures

Can you find Eyjafjallajoekull or it's neighbour the big vulcano Katla on this map? This is a place to find old treasures indeed..

Or an old safe without a key - one of the boxes inside still locked..

Somehow this "surfing for old treasures" happens to me late at night, when the house is dark and quiet and I should have been sleeping long ago. Does this happen to you too?

Grand Gran!

Swedish pattern design for wallpaper and pillows.
See more at Fine Little Day.

Plant market at Tadre Mill

A little while ago a local plant market was held at Tadre Mill. It was a rather dark day with showers from above every half hour or so. Anyway it was a nice market and we had hot drinks and swiss rolls in the old mill. I bought a few geraniums. Like the leaves of this one in particular.

Tadre Mill is an old watermill in a valley called Elverdamsdalen - "pond-of-elves-valley" - very poetic name, I think. It reminds me of old folktales: What people have seen or sensed, as they walked along meadow and wood in early summer mornings. Perhaps on their way home from a wedding with fiddles and dance.. who knows.

There have been watermills here since around 1300! Tadre Mill is still working, it is part of Roskilde Museum, and young school classes attend "practical history" lessons here. A group of fresh pensioners are restoring the former millers home and garden in these years. Awesome way to use your spare time and energy - and I bet they are having a good time as well.

In the meadow just south of the mill there are three shelters - gapahuks - with bonfire places. So if you want to see the elves, you should stay overnight.

Crystal on wood

What a cool combination! Amazing work by New Zealand designer Nga Waiata. Blogging here.

I would like a flourite one, or maybe smoky quartz?
"Like" is probably not the right word.. "need" suits this, I think :o)

Sun, signs, terrazzo and the devil..

Open air graphics and surface design, you might call this mixture of holiday-images.

In an old village with narrow streets, this pictogram was placed on the ground, at the entrance to.. well you probably already guessed..

Small treats

Fresh finds in black wood - "olive"- beads and a bowl.
And kind neighbours growing blackberries along the fence.

Northern Apennines

Luckily we had a nice break from all the rain. A little bit of Italy. Warm and sunny. Good icecream and giant watermelons - like 7 or 8 kilos.

So many ancient fortresses in the lower Apennines - several of them still inhabited. Quite a few to explore though.