ON YOUR OWN DOORSTEP

Sometimes you don't have to leave home to see something beautiful. I just opened my front door and saw this.

 

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DOG ON AN ISLAND

I can't do much walking right now but Lilly the Dog has agreed to help me out. On her daily walks she is going to make a note of all she sees and then report back to me. I will illustrate her notes.

 

My name is Lilly. I live in Kristiansund. I want to show you my beautiful town. Follow me!

Jeg heter Lilly. Jeg bor i Kristiansund. Jeg skal vise deg min vakre byen. Følg meg!

All illustrations on this website are the property of Terri Armstrong. Please do not use without permission.

 

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TODAY

Today we were at the harbor for just a few minutes but I managed to get a picture of the passenger boat that runs out to Grip, a fishing community consisting of about eighty small islands. Only one is inhabited and that is only in the summer. There is an historic wooden stave church there that is over five hundred years old. The alter piece was donated by a Dutch princess in gratitude for being rescued at sea by Norwegian sailors in 1515. One of these days I'm going to take a handful of seasick pills and go out there.

And when we got home BabyBird said she needed a bath.

 

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TO THE SEA

We walked down to the sea last night at 8pm. There was not a hint of sunset in the sky. It looked like the middle of the day. I still can't believe I live here on such a beautiful island.

The locals have these nice big barbecues out for all to enjoy and the whole neighborhood shows up for a huge midsummer picnic and bonfire. I thought these barbecues looked like a couple of alien creatures going for a stroll by the water.

We passed these roses that grow wild everywhere. In the right hand corner you can see how big and fat the rosehips are. I was disappointed when I tried to harvest them one fall to make rosehip jam as they have no pulp to speak of. I don't know if these roses are escapees or truly wild.

I just love these tall yellow flowers growing in clusters everywhere. Someone told me they are escapees and are called "outlaws".

And here is our naughty kitty making sure we know the way home. She used to walk all the way down to the sea with us but we don't let her do that anymore as she thinks she has superpowers and can walk in front of cars and buses and make them stop.

 

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LAST OF THE OSLO PICS

I'm still not able to do much walking, but I hope to be better soon. In the meantime I thought I would share some more of Oslo with you. These are the bicycles that quite a few European cities are offering for people to rent at a very reasonable price. I saw a lot of people in Oslo using them as the weather was so gorgeous. I was also shocked to see how many riders were not using a helmet.

I also was impressed by these artsy pay toilets. Hmmmm, the toilet as art....a little Marcel Duchamp influence perhaps? I just have to brag that I saw Duchamp's urinal in Rome at a traveling exhibit. Yeah, I know, ...my life is soooooo exciting.

 

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MY SIGN

This is my favorite sign around Kristiansund. For my non-norwegian viewers it says- DRIVE SAFELY,CHILDREN PLAYING .

 

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PURPLE AND WHITE

While yellow was the color for flowers in Spring, Summer is dominated by the purple and white ones.

 

 

 

 

I really missed all the wildflowers while I was in Osclo. It's good to be back in Kristiansund.

 

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FROM HERE TO THERE

Such a change from Oslo......

.......to Kristiansund with the fog rolling in.

It's so very quiet on my island. I suppose many Norwegians have gone to their "huts" in the mountains or are off chasing the sun in southern lands. Personally summer is my favorite time in Kristiansund. Lots of wildflowers,butterflies,birds,and sun. Yet never too hot. Paradise.

 

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GARDEN UPDATE

 

Remember my raised garden I had to abandon when I went to Oslo for school? Dear friend R. kept it watered for me.

Look at it now! Those tall plants aren't weeds, they're arugula. We have been eating salads and strawberries everyday. But I have to get back to farming and clear out my arugula and start some more. Looking forward to more salads with thinnings from the beets,turnips,parsnips, and onions. What are you growing in your garden?

 

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ABE LINCOLN IN OSLO?

 

From a distance I thought this was a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps he had some Norwegian in him???......turns out it was Johan Sverdrup,prime minister from 1884-1889. At least I think that's who it was. I went back to check the name plaque a few days later and the statue was gone! Was he controversial or just in the shop for repairs? I had no time to solve THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING STATUE as language school about killed me.

Speaking of mysteries.....What is this statue supposed to mean? I find the armless hand rather spooky.

 

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