daily delight - february 26

it's snowdrop season! i filled my wonky little ceramic vases with snowdrops today during a brief break for fresh air in the garden. it's been a long week. i'm glad it's friday. i'm glad that husband went to get chicken tenders for me from carl's junior. he's a good person. it probably would have made me feel better to make some dinner, but honestly, i didn't have it in me. so i'm looking forward to those crispy chicken tenders. and to relaxing this weekend. doing something creative. catching up on photographing my #100daysofpayesgrey (see instagram), digging a bit in the garden and maybe baking something delicious as a treat. doing a bit of writing. and maybe some reading too. so many delights ahead. but tonight. relaxing. and enjoying the snowdrops.

picture perfect morning

it was such a beautiful morning, i drove a long and meandering way to work, since i didn't have any early meetings. there was fog, but it burned off quickly and it was a bright, light fog while it lasted. absolutely gorgeous. it just gave me so much energy that has carried me through the rest of my day to have taken a little extra time to stop and breathe in the fresh morning air, say hello to some lambs and capture the beauty with my camera.

now the afternoon is cloudy and rainy, but it doesn't matter a bit, because i got to enjoy the sunshine while it lasted.

happy weekend, one and all!

wordless wednesday: look up

on waking up with a headache and not having it ruin your day

i woke up with a headache.
outside there was a steady, grey drizzle.

you'd think that would make a girl want to bury her head under the covers.

and it did.

but the animals were depending on me.
so i went outside.
and tho' it was raining, the air was FULL of birdsong.
and it was quite warm. and still.
and beautiful.

the chickens clucked a greeting and got busy pecking around for tasty morsels.
the bunnies stood on their little back legs to say hello.
the horses nickered good morning.

and my headache began to fade.
and i knew it would be a good day after all.

* * *

if you read nothing else today, read this. lidewij edelkoort is more than just a trend forecaster, she's one smart, thoughtful woman. take what she says about politics today:

The word "intellectual" was coined in a time of great political distress. Does fashion have a political role? And in which way?

It might. It should. It would, if politics mattered. The current disapproval of what politics are makes it pretty difficult to discuss. What we discuss today is the need for another political engagement and another political possibility. We need first to admit the end of this era, and start reflecting about the new one. Fashion could do that. It does it in the sense that it reflects on what is regional. I believe that the regional is going to be a major influence in coming politics.

while i'm not certain i find comfort in that statement (look what regionalism did in the balkans), it is definitely food for thought.

* * *

happy weekend, one and all.

beautiful things

today was a banner day for the postwoman at our house. we were very happy to see her. she came bearing not only my new wellington boots (when you live on a farm, you need good wellies), but a lovely surprise package from the wonderful mari (THANK YOU!!).

you probably already know mari from her lovely blogs marinik's blog, let's mangia, and her third eye.  but what you may not know is that she's going to armenia this summer to scatter her husband's ashes and that she plans to do some charitable acts in his memory while she's there. in order to do these, she's selling these absolutely gorgeous cards. everyone can use beautiful, blank cards, so if you are in the market for some cards, please visit mari's shop and support her loving cause. at the very least, they'll definitely make you want some cupcakes!

this beautiful little nest blew down out of a tree in our yard and i couldn't resist bringing it inside today. along with a wild bouquet of flowers i found around the garden. the nest is lined with horsehair clearly "donated" by the horse next door. it's a perfectly beautiful engineering marvel.

tomorrow is a holiday and the sun is shining, so i'm off to enjoy it!

gone to the beach

it's the easter holiday. we're having the best weather that has ever been in the history of denmark. since weather was recorded. and possibly even since time began. it's clear, sunny, in the lower 70s, no wind, the grass is green, the daffodils are in bloom. and we're taking a little trip to the beach. so i leave you with a few more shots from our jacabob photoshoot...that way even if the weather isn't perfect where you are, i can at least leave you with a smile...

gertie, elwold, gilda and hubert

hubert

nelson

elwold

patoot

perdy the pirate

if this weather continues, it may be a couple of days before i'm back. it seems a shame to spend any time in front of a computer when it's a holiday and the weather is this great. 

happy easter and happy spring!

finding meaning in stripes

working on a scarf for sabin in soft, colorful cotton

i've made my own striped scarf as long as i want it to be and have only to go down to the local knitting shop and have the nice lady there show me how to join the two ends and then it will be finished. in the meantime, i have turned to one for sabin. she had to have an identical basket to mine for the project and we gathered all of our soft, bright cotton yarns into it and i'll make a colorful scarf for her like mine. she doesn't get along too well with wool, so we thought the cotton was a good solution and it was a way to use some of a stash of yarn that i had acquired out of addiction to the acquisition of colorful, soft things rather than having any project in mind. being an inexperienced knitter, i wasn't sure at first if i liked the cotton, but now that i've gotten a little way in, i do like it and it will be nice for spring, which has finally shown up.

snowdrops - a welcome sight, spotted in the woods at the new house
(and we just officially received word that they've agreed and it really IS the new house!)

last week, i spent time with an old friend who i used to work with and who i will work with again, starting april 1 (convenient to start a new job with 3 days of paid holiday and a weekend, don't you think?). i had my knitting basket with me and was knitting on my stripy scarf. i also mentioned that i had two more weaving lessons left before they were over. he laughed uproariously and made fun of me for indulging in activities that, in his words, only a 90-year-old woman would do. and oddly, that didn't bother me. because i know better. for one thing, i bought my loom from an 80-year-old woman who wasn't going to weave anymore because she was now painting, so there goes the age theory. and for another, craft is cool. here we all are, crocheting granny squares, knitting, sewing, quilting and embroidering. we're outfitting rooms of our houses to accommodate these hobbies. and we're not feeling any shame about it, just because they are homely pursuits (in the sense of home, not ugly).

i've done a lot of thinking about why this trend is so prevalent at the moment and have a few theories. one is that in the face of economic crisis, people simply are doing more around the house - not only are they taking less long-distance vacations, they're thinking about making a cover for that mixer rather than buying one. so the popularity of craft is partially from the desire to spend less, tho' i can vouch for the fact that sewing and knitting are rather expensive hobbies. even more, i think that as so many of us are information workers in one form or another, spending our days in offices, using computers, making elaborate powerpoint slides and excel spreadsheets, we have a longing to make something tangible and real, rather than all of that virtual ephemera. knitting, crocheting and sewing satisfy that longing. plus, we're so removed today from the production of things, that we have a desire to return to the simpler times of our forefathers and -mothers, where people really know how to do things with their hands. a quilt is much more tangible than a powerpoint presentation when it comes to it, so we simply have a desire to have something real that we made with our own two hands.

that dark chocolate brown stripe doesn't entirely fit

of course, i'm not above assigning deeper meaning to the things i've made. when i started the scarf, i consciously decided not to rip anything out and start over, but leave the small imperfections as markers of a learning experience and hopefully, to lend their own charm.  i've been looking upon the stripes in the scarf as a series of events, just as life is made up of event upon event. they build upon one another and the shades of the different events play off of one another. sometimes they clash and other times, they harmonize. towards the end of my scarf, i felt the need to introduce two new colors - a dark chocolate brown and a darker turquoise. interestingly, the brown doesn't work. it doesn't ruin the scarf, thankfully, but it jumps out in a jarring way, just like some of the things that happen in life. also interesting was that i couldn't see it until i had gone past it and added the next colors, so it wasn't until later that i realized how it didn't fit. just like life. but having vowed not to take out stitches once they were in, i have left it, as a learning experience. in life, you don't get a do-over.

in all, i'm pretty ok with the ribbing that i'm doing things a 90-year-old woman would do. those old ladies know how to do stuff and they've seen things. and i'm just fine with that.

friday lists

very busy day ahead....here's my list (because we know i love lists):

1. lots of work to do (yes, i do work, believe it or not, i just don't sleep enough)--it's this work that's currently giving me nightmares about global warming and the environment in general. 
2. hair appointment (desperately needed, nearly unable to appear in public). 
3. thing at child's school where parents must buy middle ages inspired things made by twenty-first century danish children over the past week (i saw piles of cool leather in a classroom this week, so i'm looking forward to that). 
4. having visitors from north carolina for dinner (they are not the dinner, we intend to serve dinner to them). 
5. figuring out how to connect macbook pro to big-ass flatscreen t.v. for gala confirmation party on saturday. 
6. transporting said t.v. + Wii, wiimotes and basket o'Wii games to party location without breaking or losing any of it or having to strap self to roof of elderly toyota to serve as cushion for big-ass t.v.
   
7. creating playlist for party and putting it on one of our many iPods.
8. clean out horribly dirty ancient yet reliable toyota so husband can transport the north carolinians without being completely humiliated.
9. thank heavens for GEC* and the EU because they have brought me my beautiful, wonderful, fabulous sent-from-heaven cleaning girl from poland.
10. figure out what the hell this is:

edited: second picture added for full effect:

seriously, these are the only two extra large phallic protrubences (is that a word, it's the second time i've used it this week) on this tree. i know i said that the entire plant world is behaving in an overtly sexual manner, but this is simply carrying it a bit far.

* * *

and because it's a friday a mini grateful friday list, i always forget to do these, but i love that del remembers and she's the one who originally gave me the idea. it's good for the soul to stop and think about what you're grateful for right now at this very moment (in totally random order, if it was order of importance, 3 would be 1, followed by 5 and then 6 or perhaps 4 (if husband brings home asparagus, we get them both at once)).

1. someone from the middle of siberia visited my blog (or so site meter told me). for some reason, that just tickles me. maybe because i studied in kazan and although that's not siberia, i felt the pull of siberia from there, so it's always held some fascination. i'd like to go there and dig up a frozen wooly mammoth.
2. this whole zany week of the bestowing of BoN by the blogger illuminati (thanks suecae sounds for that apt word) and the influx of new friends--thank you all so much for stopping by! double thank you for following. and quadruple thank you for the comments. looking forward to getting to know you better.
3. all of my "old" blog friends, who've been here with me through all the rants and the laughter and that whole thing with sarah palin.  you guys totally rock.
4. that husband's coming home today after being away at a course all week. 
5. there's a lovely south african chenin blanc in the fridge (6 bottles of it, to be exact).
6. asparagus is in season.
7. the sun has shined all week.
8. the birch pollen counts are already on their way down (my eyes are grateful for this).
9. jon stewart and episodes of the daily show that are only a day old.
10. that i don't have to do anything special on sunday.

 i wish you all a most glorious weekend and i hope you have lots to be grateful for this friday. and if anyone knows why that tree produced two mutant pine-cone-agtig thingies when all the rest of its pinecones are totally normal and petite, please do let me know about that....botanists...anyone...bueller?

* GEC = global economic crisis (i get tired of typing it out)

it's fantastic

it's been sunny. it's been still. trees of all sorts are in full bloom. as the sun sets, the still air is heavy with the scent of blossoms. it's like the whole plant world is overtly having sex. and it's positively glorious. i hope spring is springing where you are...

and to my south african friends, i love fall just as much, so i hope it's glorious too! it's just not overtly having sex like spring is...sorry about that. :-)

spring, glorious spring

this is why i'm not writing a real blog post today...

that's my dinner potatoes grilling on that grill in the middle of that table. and i've just put steaks on...so i've gotta run. they're filet mignons...

just another manic monday

wow, this day got away from me. i worked feverishly on finishing my outline of the articles for the upcoming issue of "my" magazine, after spending a week doing research and reading background materials. i can tell you that i've got a lot of work to do! but it's all exciting, so it's all good. i love digging into environmental issues and learning something new. will share more of all that later.

it's the beginning of easter week and although today-wednesday are work days here, many people are taking days off since the new vacation year begins may 1 and people have to use up the last few of last year's vacation days. so, while i was working away and staring out at the sunshine, husband was cleaning the greenhouse and getting it ready for the season. here's a before picture (i didn't get the after taken yet).

and yesterday, i managed to finish #39 in the year of creativity...a table runner for our dining room table. it's even reversible:

see, maps on the other side. we do love maps around here (another post for another day).

i did manage to sneak in a batch of nigella's brownies. the recipe i used today isn't among those on the link, but there are plenty to keep you busy/inspired. i baked them a titch too long, so they weren't quite as chewy as they should have been, but pretty good nonetheless. especially after a really good burger, the first of the grill season at buresø.

after the happiness of saturday's wedding, sadly, we have a funeral to attend tomorrow, so i'll likely catch you on wednesday. i hope that we will get to go down to møn's klint afterwards, because the funeral is down on møn. walking on the beach and communing with nature and the music of the stones would be a glorious way to pay homage to a wonderful woman, who was one of the first who made me a real, traditional danish meal when i first came to denmark. she will be missed and fondly remembered.

#38 & spring has arrived!

#38 - spring nest gift packaging

the atelierBB plates are all wrapped up in springlike garb and ready to take to the wedding party today. the sun is shining, they promise up to 18 degrees (C) and it's a completely glorious day to celebrate a wedding. i realized that brigitte's logo, which has two Bs, back to back, is perfect for the couple as well, since both their last names start with B. it just feels so great when you know you've found the perfect present. i love it.

* * *

one more quick thing to share. the wonderful little merfish that margie of resurrection fern created for me, using my own stones from møn's klint, arrived yesterday (and yes, they were ordered and paid for BEFORE austerity april began). i had to photograph them together with some of their now more "naked" brethren:

aren't they fantastic? i'm going to take them to møn's klint next week and pose them for pictures on their beach of origin. i know, i'm a little obsessed, but it's better than eyeballs, eh?

anyhoo, we're off to riding lessons. more tomorrow...

spring, please hurry up

i'm officially tired of winter. especially because it pisses around and isn't ever real winter with snow and such. it's just grey and drizzly and windy and all it does is dry out my skin so that i feel constantly parched and like a look a bit like her. and she spent most of her life gracing the front of a ship and thus was REALLY exposed to the elements. if you click on her and enlarge, you'll see that her face has even been replaced at some point, probably because it dried up and cracked off, which i feel that mine will do at any moment.

there were whispers of spring in the air this weekend. husband swore he heard them yesterday. today, we went to kronborg castle--the hamlet castle--in helsingør because one of the members of the kraka viking boat group we belong to works there. when we went in, it was grey and very cold and windy with light flurries in the air. when we came out the top of the cannon tower to look out over the sound two hours later, the sun had come out and although it wasn't much warmer, you could feel a difference in the sun. it is making more of an impact, so we must be moving slowly towards spring. i know that i'm definitely ready.

i think tomorrow i'll buy some of the small forced bulbs--crocus or daffodils--that are in the grocery stores and perhaps that will help. in the meantime, i think i'll go put on some more moisturizer.

* * *

it's always more interesting to tour a museum together with someone who works there. benjamin had a ring with three big skeleton keys on it. these keys unlocked all of the doors to the secrets of kronborg. or at least all of the secrets on our particular tour, which was largely of the maritime museum portion of the castle.

whenever i'm in one of the danish castles, i'm struck by their lack of ostentatiousness. although kronborg is one of the largest, most imposing of the danish castles, you don't get the sense that the danish kings abused their power or were particularly selfish. in contrast to, say, russian palaces, where you definitely understand why russia needed a revolution. but then, the danes never had a revolution, so there is something to that feeling.

the maritime museum is an extremely traditional one of its kind--full of maps and drawings of ships and ships models and a slice of a container and a couple of boiler suits. there're some small rooms showing what cabins were like through the years. all very traditional. but they are building a new one, using an old dock from the shipyards that used to lie beside kronborg. it's another example of the excellent way that danish architects meld old and new in fresh, exciting new ways. if you click the link, you can see pictures, although the site is only in danish. the new museum will be far more interactive and i had a long and excited conversation with the guy from the museum about how awesome ship simulators are these days. it made me realize more than ever that shipping makes me tick. i got all excited talking about shiphandling simulators and models of ports and how the ship handles in the simulator. and i'm not even a seafarer.  i'm really excited to see the new museum, but it won't be finished until 2011.

i also learned about a danish training ship--of the sailing kind--the school ship københavn  that disappeared without a trace somewhere between buenos aires and melbourne in 1928.  the last they were heard from, they said "all is well, calm weather," a few days before christmas to a passing norwegian ship. then, they were never heard from again and no trace of the ship was ever found. it's a complete mystery what happened to it and the crew of 15 and all 45 students onboard. that's the kind of story that awakens my imagination and my curiosity. there must be books out there which at least speculate as to the fate of the 5-masted lady and i intend to find them and learn more.

what awakened your curiosity this weekend?

just desserts

just over a month ago, right here in the blogosphere, a very lovely blogger on the other side of the world stumbled across my blog. finding we had many thoughts in common, we began a conversation across the miles. it so happened that this person's spouse was going to be traveling to denmark in early may. so, plans were quickly made to get together with him to see the sights of copenhagen and have dinner together.

yesterday was a beautiful, sunny spring day where copenhagen showed herself at her very best. the streets were full of people in good humor thanks to the fine weather. the trees were decked out in the fresh green leaves. there were even music performances here and there on small squares around the city. nyhavn with its colorful facades was crowded with the happiest people on earth (the danes come out number 1 in this survey year after year) or at least with the happiest tourists. we took a canal tour to see the city from the water and all along the way people waved and raised their glasses in high spirits (and one group with especially high spirits even mooned us) as the boat passed by.

it was, in short, a completely and utterly lovely day. which ended with a dinner at peder oxe on gråbrødretorv, which was finished off fittingly by the lovely tray of dessert above, which was shared by the new friends over conversation in which they marveled at the chain of events which had to come together for the dinner to take place. the chances were, looking at the situation, slim to none that these people would ever meet and have such a wonderful day together, but yet it happened. the only way it would have been better would have been if the lovely blogger from the across the world had been there too.

it would seem to be the beginning of what promises to be a long friendship.

i do so love the blogosphere.

it was a sunny saturday

caught some bluebells (or are they grape hyacinths?) with drops of dew

yellow rhododendrons about to unfold their blooms

a new round teak table for "the circle" and blissful reading in the sunshine

sun on winter toes for the first time (never fear, much-needed pedicure on the horizon in manila soon) (note beloved south african havianas)

and super fun new spring flats

in all, a heavenly spring day.