Autumn joy

In September my sister and I went on a fabulous trip to Venice. We stayed there for four days and there was no sign of autumn anywhere! It was the most wonderful holiday I've ever had (since the one in Greece where I met my dear Yorkshire lad in 1989)!

What a wonderful place, no cars, no bicycles, just walking people, boats, hundreds of bridges, and no stress. Lots of  people go on a daytrip to Venice, travelling past it, going on a cruise etc. but I will recommend to stay there for a few days, then you will get to know it a bit better, you will have time to willingly get lost, and discover wonderful quiet charming places, away from all the tourists. 

Put Venice on your Bucket List! 

Back in Norway autumn has definitely arrived, it's raining, and clear crisp days, bright colors and dark evenings. 

It's time for comfort food:

Our lovely neighbour came by, bringing an applecake, (not on the photo, because it was irresistable and disappeared scaringly fast) and 4 pairs of socks with a typical Norwegian pattern that she had knitted herself! One pair each, lucky us! 

A new leaf on our tree

My little sister became a mother for the first time a few days ago!

She is a year younger than me, and they've had such a long way to go to become parents!

All I can say is that technology and science sometimes can make dreams and miracles come true, and now there is one more beautiful child in our family, who might do great things and make a difference!

He is so beautiful and sweet, and I am so grateful that I've become an aunt one last time!

Shandie

What?

Can you stop talking?

I'm knackered...

Leave me alone!

Holiday and lazy days

I'm enjoying my holiday!

I'm not travelling anywhere, besides every now and then up to the cabin. 

We have had such lovely weather so far. Since we are living in a little town by the sea, there are several places to go if you want to swim in the sea, or just sit in your beach chair, eating the lunch you brought, reading your book, or just talk to the people around. 

This is also an option: 

With summer comes good food. Mostly food that will take care of it selv, slow cooked in many ways. 

Our car port turns to our garden living room in the summer

The car knows it's place and stays patiently in the drive way, while we enjoy all our meals

In the open carport. 

When you live in Norway, summer can be all sorts of weather, and we still want to be outside.

At night we light candles, and sit there talking, having a laugh, or just listen to the grass hoppers.

My flowers are visited by chubby bumble bees, and they smell lovely!

And still I'm not half way through my Holiday!

Summer grub, when days are warm

I needed a big container to take our salad out for a picnic.

The baking bowl won the competition!

Mackerel for dinner, with sunshine on the side

Something sweet, blueberry and strawberry dessert, with cream

Thats what I call summer grub!

Tangy and sweet and a good prospect for the weekend

I love rhubarb! But I do have to cook it with enough sugar to make it just right. 

I usually make a rhubarb pie, but this time I just cooked it with some water, sugar. To thicken it I used potato flour, its like maizena, you just stir it with a little water.

I served it with some whipped cream, the combination is perfect, and used the last remains of the shortbreads (note to self, make more) as a little touch.

can you spot the difference?

There is two types of cream, one ordinary at the back and soy whipping cream at the front. I've found a good alternative: Alpro Airy&creamy, not to strong on the soy taste, and very similar to ordinary cream when you whip it! It's slightly whiter than the ordinary one. 

This weekend me and my two sisters are taking the kids to our cabin. 

It's usually a great success, even though they are teenagers and usually have other plans than hanging out with their ancient mothers and aunts.

The weather has been lousy lately, but the weather man seems to agree with himself that this weekend it will be sun, and much warmer! 

We are crossing our fingers!

Good weather means outside joy, swimming in the little lake, playing games, making and eating food outside etc. 

Rain means, well,  we still will enjoy it of course, but suddenly we realize how big and tall (and loud)  these teenagers have become, and the cabin seems very tiny. 

I'm keeping a close eye on the weather forecast! 

Morning harmony

It is morning.

Some of the family members has gone to work

Some are off and still in bed.

I do my morning routine: 

A cup of tea and an espresso

Some breakfast, today it's flakes of oats and banana with 

Soy milk.

The routine also consist of the little gray sweet one outside the 

Kitchen window, begging for a thin slice of flying ham.

Flying as it flies out of the window.

this is my milk now, as I broke up with dairy a while ago, it took some time to get used to, 

but now we're Friends

I work full time organizing help and support for familys with sick or disabled children.

I have worked with this for many years, and I really enjoy my work.

My collegues are great, and sometimes we play some tricks on eachother:

This is how the keyboard looked like when one of my collegues returned from her holiday a couple of years ago! 

We replaced hers with a broken one, stuffed it with moist papertowels and planted cress!

It took som looking after I can tell you, but it was so fun to see her face! 

" that's how it goes when you eat your sandwich over your keybord, finally the dropping seeds start growing!"

Shortbread and a glass of beer

It's still a bit nippy and I get inspired to do some baking: 

Vanilla and cinnamon shortbread that melts in your mouth.

some of them with a little chocolate belt, just for the fun of it.

when it's a moment of sun at night, I enjoy a dark and cold beer with som slices of lime. 

Lovely! 

Yorkshire lad is painting the doors inside the house, he gets restless when the weather is bad! 

One espresso and one tea

Outside the rain is pouring down, its cold and windy

And its summer!

There is no reason to be upset!

I light some candles, and Yorkshire lad

Brings me my favourite:

An espresso and a cup of tea!

And what about some warm cinnamon rolls on the side?

Some silly television, and the indoor comfort is complete!

There is nothing we can do about the weather anyway!

Picnic at the cabin and an ice tea

My summer holiday is not to start while the end of July, but I am ready for it now.

I try to do stuff that feel holiday-ish after work and during the weekends. 

This way I make myself believe that I am already off, and the summer seems long and promising!

One afternoon last week, we had a picnic at the cabin. 

my mum and dad came with us, they used to own our cabin, and they love to come with us, and to see how much we treasure the old little house and the garden. 

We enjoyed our food in the sun, aspic, garlic bread and remoulade, and a few ice cold non alcoholic beers (we were driving)

On our way home the GPS suddenly felt the urge to tell us that "you are home in 23 minutes". Even though nobody had asked it. 

Back in the kitchen Pink Princesse treated me with an ice tea and a few strawberries from the coffemachine she gave us for Christmas!

Little bit of this and that in the beginning of summer

So what did I do while I wasn't blogging? I had a long and good break!

What happened I guess, was that I got a new toy, my Ipad, and in the beginning I didn't find a good way to blog using the Ipad. 

There was facebook, and Wordfeud, and all sorts of time consuming entertainment, you know, what can I say! 

When it came to cooking, I had a low period too, because I had to cut dairy products out of my diet, and It took som time to get used to that, and get inspired to cook and enjoy in new ways! 

But I never wanted to delete the blog, it means a lot to me! 

So maybe I can give it a little attention! 

Summer is definitely here, and my favourite flower is blossoming in the garden. 

Shandie Pipkin is enjoying her new freedom, there is no longer barking madness every time she's showing her face, the dor is open now, and she runs in and out of the house.

Preparing for a picnic! 

Dinkie Doodle

Our sweet little Dinkie Doodle died last Thursday.

She had a lovely life, and she turned eleven the Sunday before, and enjoyed a tasty pea, bean and liverpaste-pie, that Pink Princesse made for her. 

Our family and their dogs was invited. Little did we know it was a farewell party!

She stood bye us in good and hard times! She will be deeply missed!