Today's Holiday Card Is...

Norway!

Recently my computer has been suffering from some kind of curse (not sure if I made some gypsies angry or what) and it has been unable to function. While I scour ancient tomes for some kind of cure I am using a new computer for the time being and am now able to get back on track. I've been a little behind, especially with it being so close to Christmas, but I found a little time today to post the latest holiday card. Today the focus is on Christmas in Norway. I loved the time I spent living in the great, white, north and though I didn't get to celebrate a Christmas holiday there (since I arrived in the country on Dec 25th last year!) I thought it would be fun to investigate some Norwegian traditions. 

I'm sure many people know about the Christmas tree that Norway gives to the UK every year as a kind of "thank you" for the help they gave during WW II. Some lesser known traditions are as follows...

Julenissen is a kind of Norwegian Santa Clause who brings presents, but there are also little gnome-like creatures called Nisse who not only sometimes bring presents, but they also are a bit mischievous and can sometimes play little practical jokes on the household, especially the pets! If you want to avoid being the target of one of their pranks it is recommended that you leave a little bit of porridge out for them. I have to say one of my favourite things that I ate during my time in Norway was Rømmegrøt. It's a kind of sour cream porridge and it's amazing. 

I found a really yummy looking recipe for pumpkin spice Rømmegrøt which I think I will have to try.

Here is a recipe for another traditional Norwegian dish: Julekake!

Christmas trees in Norway are often decorated with white lights (to represent candles), flags, and these lovely little baskets called julekurver. You can see how to make them yourself here.

I also came across a really helpful little youtube video about Christmas in a small town in Norway. It's worth having a look to see all the wonderful decorations set in a real winter wonderland!

A Misty Midnight Ramble

For the past couple of days here in the arctic north the weather has been gloomy and wet...which is naturally how I prefer things to be. As a true Oregonian at heart I am always the most comfortable in grey skies and lots of rain. We had another midnight ramble the other night when the weather was just starting to turn stormy and a cold mist was moving slowly in across the fjord. Though the skies are bleak, the land around us has brightened, the verdant landscape dotted with blue and yellow wildflowers and purple lilacs peaking out between the leaves.

 The lilacs are blooming! They look beautiful and smell so sweet.

 All along the river and the fjord the landscape has become verdant and lush, overflowing with vegetation.

The mist rolling across the river on our way into town.

 Down to the fjord.

 This looks a bit like a little hobbit house.

 Back across the bridge and homeward bound.