Anna's this and that: garden

July 02, 2009

Wrong is who thinks I'm on vacation here :). Each time I'm coming to Norway, people wish me a good vacation - but vacation it is not! As a free-lancer, I can travel all work wherever I want, provided there is a reliable and fast Internet connection and that my laptop survives its trip to the destination. Work has been (very) slow this year, but it changed a lot in June and I find myself typing away all days and some nights... I won't complain, mind you, money pays bills and money pays stash :) and I have perfect working conditions here - through the window in my working room, I see trees, squirrels, all types of birds which provide a lot of entertainment, neighbor cat fights, neighbor cats visiting and playing... I just adore my summer here. H. has installed air conditioning in the lower part of the house, so even on the hotest days, I can work all I want without sweating... Once a day, I do a bike trip with Happy tied to his springer-thingy (is it known in other countries? how popular is it in the US? it is actually produced just a few kilometers from here) through the woods, around lakes... or I walk with him in the nature... and frequent walks in the garden make great pauses when I work... The first part of the month, it rained A LOT. Now, since ten days or so, temperatures are in the 27-30 degrees Celsius range, so it's been HOT and not really good weather to be out long, it feels like opening an oven each time I peek out. So H. and I often bike late in the evening, even around 11 pm - remember it is more north here than the rest of Europe and days are very long, nights very short...
And I've been awfully sick again for some days, and then had to work, work, work fast! to be able to deliver jobs in due time.
All that to say I am really sorry I sort of disappeared from the blogging world - and I am especially sorry that I am posting pictures of exchanges (today) and more birthday gifts (soon) this late. Diana and Leah, I hope you'll forgive me - you've sent me awesome exchanges! :)

Here they are, I hope anyone who sees them turns green with envy ;-)

First, the HOE Just Nan exchange I received from Diana. Oh, see that purse/little bag!! I love, love, love it!

A close-up on the handsome little guy... isn't he just PERFECT?

The bottom... ah, Diana is so skilled in sewing!

The lovely extras, including a Just Nan pattern from my wishlist!

But that's not all... let your eyes feast on the next gem, the Blackbird designs exchange from Leah...

Leah wrote it is a design called Flock of Birds from the My Heart is True booklet... one I don't have yet, so I totally didn't know it contained this sampler chart with birds! And I so love those... Leah couldn't have chosen better... and everything is just wonderful about this pillow, the colors, the fabrics, the work.... I couldn't believe how lucky I was when I opened the package! Thank you so much again, Leah!!

However, what is not perfect, is my pictures... Can you see that fly on both of them? I didn't see it when taking the photos... looks like Norwegian flies need a lesson in politeness! :)

Hah, I know you like this pillow...!

I'll leave you today with a fresh bunch of peonies I picked this morning in the garden... They are my very favorite flower and H. couldn't have made me more happy yesterday when he let me choose two more species at the gardening center. We're getting a truck of good soil tomorrow so I'm only waiting for it to plant them :). Norway is very rocky and so is the garden here. The house itself is built a little higher than the level of the road, on a huge rock and wherever a plant (or even grass) needs good soil, H. has to provide it, otherwise the ground is just a layer of clay on rocks.

Aren't they beautiful? If it only depended on me, I'd plant different varieties of peonies absolutely everywhere! :)

March 22, 2009

Gotta love my H...

My H. sent my aunt flowers on Wednesday, when I was still there, via Interflora, all the way from Norway. That's the second time he managed to surprise me so totally that I was out of words for a good half minute :) A messenger brought this lovely bunch of flowers in oh! so vibrant, fresh colors. He later told me he meant the flowers to be for us all there at my aunt, but I am so glad he addressed the little note to her. She deserves all the best in the world. And it's a story of love between her and my H. too... Gotta love this guy! :)

I decided to forgive the flower folks for not knowing that a special Norwegian character should have been there (an A with a circle) instead of the I in his name...

So I'm back home for some two short weeks... I'll return to spend Easter with family.

At 100 and 2 months, grandma is really fine. Good days follow more difficult days, when she's totally restless, can't sleep and keeps changing rooms (which of course requires helping her walk, every 5 to 10 minutes). But her head, oh her head is totally okay if not for the short-term memory which is failing her often. Otherwise she's really amazing.

Do click on the picture to enlarge it, isn't she?

Here, my cousin's teenage daughter learns cooking... she also learned quite a bit of crafting, but wait for the next post... :)

I brought my devil cat back home. She's spent 4 months at my aunt and well, she managed to terrorize all the four-legged community. She was even after the softest male in the bunch. She chased the youngest female all the day (and night) long. She scratched, bit and yelled. I was hoping to let her stay there till May and take her directly to Norway for the summer, but honestly, my aunt's cats started to come home reluctantly and often left right after filling their hungry bellies. I had to take her home. The first two days, she slept a lot but today, she's showing the fullest of her abilities. Didn't enjoy me typing, bang! - told she my fingers. Ah, I told you I have a difficult cat. I'm often saying, my next cat will be the nicest, softest creature I can find. Till then, at least 10 years more of difficult cohabitation await... sometimes I feel sorry for myself, because 2 years after taking her from the shelter, she's really not giving much of herself... But, I would never give an animal away and her green eyes and soft fur are enough to melt my heart. I took her, I'm keeping her, that's how it will be... Here she is with Happy on my aunt's lap.

We made a thousand pierogis... a family tradition...

One Sunday, we gathered to read an article my father published about his life and an event from the past. If you're curious what I looked like at 16, look for the girl in the red/grey pullover, her father to the right :)

In the garden, the first signs of spring...

And just to motivate myself to diet, I'll post this recent picture here! Shame, shame on me. But I swear I'll transform into an Easter bunny soon with all the greenies I eat! Anyone else dieting? :)
Ah, I h-a-t-e this picture! No, I don't know why my face is shining! Must be my spring aura, right...