DAY 8, GOD IS GREAT

For every season there is a time.
A time to laugh, a time to cry and pray.
The greatest blessing imaginable is having family and friends willing to share both joy and need.
Yesterday I had to make some blogposts and send some sms sos's for prayer help.
Everybody responded positively without asking many questions.
The darkest night became a day of joy and praise.


Turid, my dear friend with whom I have shared laughter and tears for 32 years this very month. She's had more than her fair share of illness and trouble. Maybe that's why she's the most empathic person I know, always there when needed. Full of enthusiasm and action.

I would loved bringing flowers to everybody praying, and hopefully also continuing doing so. Consider yourselves represented by the best and most faithful.
Our hubbies discussing male things, tools and redecorating.
Turid and Bjorn's garden of 6 acres is an abundance of flowers.
The outer space of Turid's land. Here Serina and I have been gathering white anemones for twenty years.
The hillside covered in flowers. God certainly is not cheap.
The lake also is partly Turid's. The scarf and the anemones are following on the path through the shadows.
Eight days ago the scarf came to a brown landscape, now it has exploded into all shades of green.
The wonder of resurrection.
The sun is up at 5.45 a.m. and sets at 9.30 p.m.

"Between hills and mountains out by the sea
The norseman have found his home
Where he himself have digged the foundations
And himself has placed his houses upon them

He stared out on the stone-covered shores
There was noone, who there had built
Let us clear a place and build farms
And then we will safely own the clearing

He stared out at the waves on the sea
It was rough to embark out there
But fish played down in the bustle
And that playing he wanted to see

In the winter he often thought
If only I were in a warmer land,
but as springsun sparkled the slopes,
he felt love for his homey strand.Ivar Aasen
Not my translation.
Last verse is missing.
"But when hills are green like gardens,
when flowers and straws are lavishing,
and when nights are bright like days,
can he no place more beautiful see."

DAY 6 BUMPY TUESDAY

The scarf was originally headed for hiking this Tuesday. Immediately changes of plans. My mother needed some help.
On the rocky road to Sauda, my birthplace and my mother still living in my birth home. Through waterfalls, tunnels, curves, along lakes and fjords. The most dear scenery I know of.
I've tried to let the scarf be a part of most pictures, even though it meant reducing the quality of the result. Here; one of the many tunnels which has made the road much safer, avoiding the narrowest part, the cliff overhangs , landslide and ice slide.
The Bridal Veil used to be a nerve wrecker, overflowing the road.

New sprung trees 1312 feet above the fjord.


We are very comfortable in the Land Rover. The scarf rest by my side, free fresh made coffee from the gas stations, Smile and
the driver's hand shoes Serina bought Gunnar in Berlin, Unter den Linden.
One don't mess with the driver on steep roads like this.
The scarf comforting Gunnar. His hands are aching from arthritis, but he's always there for me and my family. Most of you will know that I am the only one who never had a driver's license. My eyes are not fit for driving.

When driving 150 American miles one need music as well.
My iPod contains 7 days of different music. Do I love it.
My beloved white anemones are growing all along the road.
It's a breathtaking experience.
The fjords are "blueing" in spring. That's a known expression. You certainly can see why.
In Aabodalen, Sauda, my cousin Berit got to try the scarf on. She's one true visitor, a joy to my mother, living so far from her own kinfolks. I have 30 first cousins. About a dozen are in regularly contact.

My mother in great shape, serving coffee and biscuits on the veranda.

In the living room. Mother's Bible is full of clippings and memorabilia about friends and family on her prayer list.
On the way back to town I get to sit on the cliff side. I feel safer there.
The factory built and former owned by Canadian Union Carbide, melting metal for the steel industry. When less cars, planes and weapon are being manufactured, times get rough in my hometown. In the 60-ies more than 1000 men were employed here.

The quay and road leading out the fjord.
This part of Sauda center is much like the way it was when my dad grew up here.

My mother's Bible, almost outworn, is always placed on the coffee table.
In the dusk, returning home to Haugesund. The scenery are more open, the hills slanted. Suddenly a deer is standing in the middle of the road. Double click to get a better view.
Sundown over Haugesund and the North Sea .

DAY 5, POLLEN ALLERGY

The wonderful, longed for spring time is over us with an explosion of nature. Trees, hedges, flowers are opening at one time, one day, almost,...and filling the air with pollen. Monday both Gunnar, daughter Serina, her cousin Kristine, sister-in-law Sigrid, even my mother went down like loosers in a boxing match.
The scarf and I have been busy blessed administrating telephone conferences about a wide range of antiallergetica, nostril cleansing with saltwater, fever lowering medication and fringed exam nerves.
No time for photo modeling.
I send you the best new reinvention of a remedy help cleansing mucous membranes of pollen, physiologic saltwater included.Last refuge, the Epi pen.
The doll, the scarf and I have had play therap y this morning. Best help for damaged children is to play e.t.c. doctor and nurse after a traumatic experience.
The eye glass and nostril horn are cleansed and in postion.
Isn't my Celcelia doll clever using the eye glass?
She doesn't even bother about the nostril horn. Breathing gets so much easier when her nose is less swollen.
The scarf has picked up a trick or two to bring back to America.
I'll give you our foremost composer Grieg and Norway
at spring time.

DAY 4, THE LORD'S DAY

Today was confirmation day in Haugesund in the four parish churches. That means the churches were filled up with confirmands and their family.
About 80 percent of Norwegian youth belong to The Church of Norway, the official Lutheran protestant Church. In ninth grade, about the age of 15, they study Christian creed for a year and then gather in church to renew the wows of baptism. It's a huge milestone and family event.
We had no relatives for confirmation this year, and listened to the the radio service.
In the evening we went to a church in the neighbor community for a organ concert. Gunnar bringing the scarf.
Posing outside the church with the scarf.
I don't want to give you a false impression.
We actually don't go to church every Sunday.
But we are always happy having been there.
Not many were attending this concert, so I'm glad we went. The church organist also were a composer of contemporary English organ music. We had a wonderful time sitting in the high lofted church, contemplating.
In the place we call our library. We just bought an old oak table and four chairs with old leather upholstery.
The decision is that this table always shall be empty for study purposes. Today the scarf accompanied me reading the Gospel of John.I've added two pictures from Serina's confirmation in 2002.
The Christening light was made for her by monastery brother Ole in The Netherlands. Serina decided to be baptized as she was six years of age. That's not the common thing to do. Then, Serina never was an ordinary girl either. She was and still is a special treasure.
Bunad is the costume to wear in a confirmation and also the common gift for the confirmand. My mother both made the embroideries and sewing the bunads for herself, me and Serina. My father paid for the silver and the fabric, quite a little fortune. (Serina and I both colored our hair red for the occasion. My mother number 3 from left.)
Both my mother and I have bunad from county Rogaland. Serina's white one is from my mother's birthplace, Jaeren. Ruby, the only one not wearing a bunad, was confirmated the following Sunday and wore hers for the first time that particular day.

DAY 3 AT THE QUAYS

Living with ME means spending half or whole of my day in bed. Today I paid for having fun in the garden yesterday. Nevertheless I would not trade it for the world. The always loyal Gunnar brought me to the quays the the scarf and the sisters might be introduced to the aorta of our town. Hoped this muscle Oldsmobile might help the scarf from being home sick.
The lay-out prevents the picture being published in an bigger size.
I have had to reduce them. Double click for better view.
Johanne Karine is an old ship restored at the old, red shipyard in the background. Young school drop out boys are getting educated in old craftsmanship both at shore and sea. In summer tourists are freighted around the islands .
It all started with the herring. 150 years ago herring was fished, salted, barreled and shipped for export this very place. The silver of the sea. That meant building of fisherboats, sail ships, barrels and accommodations for
the fishermen, the quay workers and so on. In the background one can see the old warehouses and at the top a villa built by one of the many rich ship-owners .
Another old vessel due for restoration. Oh, no, not me, not this time.
The weather was foggy all day. The pictures should have been photoshopped, Gunnar says. I had no endurance for that. I trust you all have the skill of imagination.
The catamaran representing the new time. So do, alas, the bars situated all along what used to be a peaceful quay-walk.
The Church Of Our Savior is placed in the town center. I love the clean lines and the elegance of its structure. Its also my favorite church attending service and concerts. Most schools gather here before Christmas and before summer vacation. The two green men on the pillar are fishermen scouting for incoming boats.
There's still a shipyard in Haugesund, making mostly oil related work. The turquoise house in the background contains the biggest dry-dock of North Europe. Oil platforms are repaired here. The "Bison" is one of many stand-by boats out in the North Sea. After a major catastrophe in the eighties where a rig sunk, the government has required lost of rescue and aid-boats always laying stand-bye.
I think the scarf had a good day, blowing in the wind.
So did we.

diane's excited..what does she think we are all, eh?

dear diane...although connie was the sister that brought you to us and mrs.mac was the sister to invite you, you had to be placed beside deb and above char and trish and right beside our beloved arlene.
where you are at diane was the space that surely needed to be filled.
what an honour having you here.
we all love you! from the sisterhood of the traveling scarf!

I'm So Excited!!!!

I got the invitation from Mrs. Mac..........I said 'YES'!!!

And now I am so excited to be a full-fledged member of the Sisterhood!!!!

You girls just don't know how much this means to me.

I read your blogs and I've followed the journey of the scarf and have been so very blessed by all of you.

To think that you would want me to join you is one of the highest compliments I have ever received!

I am so much more than honored.

I'm so looking forward to many, many years of shared friendship and an ever increasing bond with all of you.

Thank you from the depths of my heart!

DAY 2 GARDEN GNOMS

This post is made in honor of Mrs. Mac.
She plans and runs her garden like a 5 star general.
We are on the other end of the scale, undisciplined privates. With lots of love for our land and the green earth.
Fog today and about 54 Fahrenheit degrees 10ish am. Both Gunnar and I set out to get some garden work done.

I'm grinding branches to earth. We also have a compost bin.
Our garden angle looking so dignifyed with the scarf..d
The frog is more reluctant.
Gunnar made this garden swing for me, he is real sweet when I need special comfort. White seashell from our hikes. Now I'm planning a secret garden for future grandchildren, whenever they might come.
The forsythia in full bloom. I've been fetching branches since January 1st and made them blossom indoors.
On the church bench in the upper garden, The scarf listening to the melody of the wind harp.
Gunnar not quite so exhausted as one might think.
The sage and the chervil greeting our beloved scarf.
Gunnar making omelet while I'm chopping herb salad.
From our garden ramsons, chervil, lavage, thyme, chives, ground elder, oregano, sage and dandelion. I'm forever grateful for Gunnar's huge dictionary.
After resting we took the scarf out to The Salvation Army's secondhand store. The blue chest of drawer is painted with rosepaint. A special Norwegian technique orignating from the roccoco period in Central Europe.
We were there looking for books, and we found some.
We also needed to buy some wintergreen bushes to plant on the east side. I'm all sweatty from the mere work of choosing the best plants. To morrow they will be put on their proper places.
Sharing a cuppa on the terrace in the evening sun. About 7 pm.d