Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

Walking towards a new year

Text and image Britt-Arnhild

There are only hours left of the old year, and I am slowly walking towards a new one. From time to time I stop. I read your comments on yesterday's post, I try to imagine each and every one of you. Some of you I know in person, some I feel I know well after years of contact online, many of you I would love to get to know more. Some of you I have met in 2010, some I will meet in 2011.

I walk on. Climb the stairs up to my writing room, which I've given the simple name skrivestua- the writing room, (thank you for great suggestions some time back). There I open the big blue book where I've started to write a book for my kids. Sometimes the pen works easily, other days I am stuck in reflections.

I sit down sharing a pot of coffee with Terje. Words and silence hand in hand.

We look out on the falling snow. Yet another year has passed. Our love deepening every year.

Joy and sorrows walk with me. That is life. That is the life I want to live, the live I am thankful to live, a life with a rainbow of feelings. My rainbow is a happy, playful, sparkling one. Though on this last day it slows down a little, and the Creator's loving brush shows me colours and strokes yet unknown to me.

Have a blessed walk towards the new year!

Reflecting

Text and image Britt-Arnhild

A year is coming to an end, and I am coming to the last pages of my diary. We are in the middle of the Christmas holidays, and I find some tome to sit down in silence. I have my diary in my lap, but no words have found their way to the blank page yet. I look out of the window. For some time I see the beauty out there. The trees, the snow, the lovely darkening sky. Then my eyes look further back and I see the year where I have lived and loved the past 365 days.

The death of a dear friend, travels, dinners, pizzas, loads of pizzas. Outstanding moments. Laughter. Tears. Thankfulness. Questions, why God?

I see the small things, which are often the most memorable ones; a smile from a dear friend, a letter, a shared breakfast, a book, words given to a deep secret, love, a movie, music, colours...

Slowly I lift my pen.......and start to write.

Silhouettes

Photos Britt-Arnhild

Every week there is a photo challenge theme on 365 Project. It took me a long time to take part, amateur as I am. Then one day I told myself that I am not on 365 Project to win prizes, I am there to challenge myself, to learn more about photographing, to meet others with the same hobby.

Now I am looking forward to every new theme, usually announced Sunday nights, and I play along. For the fun of it.

This week the theme is "silhouettes", and here are my contributions so far

My 365 Project theme album can be seen here:

365 Project theme photos

Christmas on the canal (will be updated as the story unfolds)

Text and photo Britt-Arnhild

A morning walk along the canal took me by this boat.

A tale started to form in my mind......may be we can write it together?

::::::::::::::::

What about a start like this:

Once upon a time there was a young man. He had left his family to seek adventure, but had a hard time finding a path to follow. For a few months now he had been working on a small fishing boat, but when Christmas came, the old fisherman left the boat to go home and celebrate with his wife, his children and his old parents. The young man had nowhere to go, and was very thankful when the old fisherman let him stay in the boat......

The boat was cold and it was not easy to find any signs of Christmas. The young man felt sad and lonely. It was cold and he looked around in search of an extra blanket. In a locker, deep down, under a lot of old blankets and stuff he found a worn cardboard box. Opening it he found an old star. The beginning of a smile found his way to the young man's face. May be there would be some signs of Christmas after all.......

The old boat was a haven for him. The gentle rocking of the boat tied at the dock, the occasional clanking of the lines on the nearby sailboat, the lulling sound of water lapping the hull. He set the fire going in the tiny cookstove, put the kettle on, opened a can of soup and put that beside it. The skies were grey and had been all day and as he stirred the soup, snow began to gently fall upon the harbor. The radio hummed in the background, static sometimes interrupting a tune, but the gentle silence was comforting. The young man got his cup off the hook, set the pan of soup on the table and opened his book........

The radio hummed in the background, static sometimes interrupting a tune, but the gentle silence was comforting. The young man got his cup off the hook, set the pan of soup on the table and opened his book...when he thought he heard a cry outside - penetrating the stillness of the evening, the gentle sound of the falling snow and whistling wind.... he arose, walked across the floor and looked out through a window. No one was there. But, something made him open the door....and looking down, he was amazed to see a tiny black cat, looking up at him with huge green eyes.......

.........

Let us continue together. Share your ideas in a comment and I will update the story. 

:::::::::::::.

Thanks to Fran and Ardi for your contributions. 

Thanks to Robin

Silent Morning

Text and images Britt Arnhild

Early, silent morning. Still dark outside. A few lights on in the livingroom. The deep red and gold table cloth which Terje bought in Provence before Christmas a few years ago has got stains, memories from meals with family and friends. It will stay on the table for a few days still, a symbol of the spirit of Christmas.

The book I am reading is in my lap. Soon I will open it and read the last pages.

But not yet. Now, in the silence and lonelyness, I dwell on memories from yet another Christmas. We are stil in the middle of it, already it is filled with memories which I will bring with me through coming days, weeks, years.

I have no cd on, still I can hear music. My mother playing like she did here on Christmas Eve. Like she did on Christmas Day during the big family party in my parents home.

Her music has wrapped my life. I am still unwrapping the gift.

 

Hard work

text and images Britt Arnhild

::::::::::::::::

Two sisters and a pappa. A lot of patience and hard work. Perfect result.

May your Christmas be Blessed

And an angel of the Lord stood by them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared greatly. And the angel said to them, "Have no fear, for behold I announce to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people; for today there was born for you in the city of David a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.

::::::::::::::::::

From the deepest of my heart I wish all my blog readers around the world a Blessed Christmas, a velsignet jul.

God jul. Merry Christmas

Lillejulaften, Little Christmas Eve

Lillejulaften, Little Christmas Eve. The day before the Big Day and the day for our traditional lutefisk-party. I keep on counting and we might be as many as 16 around our table tonight.And for thr moment everything is in a complete mess......

But at 6pm the house will be ready, shining bright, opening its doors.

It is the 6th year for our lutefiskparty, and for me it has become the highlight of our celebrations.....almost.

See you tomorrow.

December 22nd. Towards the light

Text and images Britt Arnhild Wigum Lindland

It was the shortest day of the year. On my way to the annual Christmas lunch with my colleagues I took a detour down to the fjord....to catch light, frost, the sound of water. Mr. Frost is a strong biter and I felt like the smallest puppie in 101 Dalmatians, "my toes are cold, my nose is cold, all of me is cold......."

Today the sun will be up for 4h 31m, tomorrow a few minutes longer, the next day longer again.

I am walking towards The Light.

One day late I want to wish you all a Happy Solstice!

Do you remember our solstice dance from last year?