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.