Text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland
The last snow in the Blue Garden melted Saturday night. Sunday it was time for the first 2011 Blue Garden barbeque.
A few years ago Terje, Marta and I celebrated Easter in Venezia. On Easter Day we took the vaporetto to Lido, walked over the island to the public beach and was so sure we would be almost alone there. Italians don't go to the beach in April.
Well, that's what we thought. In Terracina in April we've had the beach all to ourselves. What we didn't count though was that this was Easter break, and Easter Day was a family day when everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, gathered for picnic and family fun.
Another Easter, also several years ago, I was in Terracina with friends. One day I was invited on a mountain hike with a dear old Italian man. I packed my small backpack with a water bottle, some salami, a couple of small breads and a bar of chocolate. What I didn't know, what I had no idea about, was that a couple of women, who took part in the hike, had prepared food for hours, may be days.......their husbands had drived it all up on top of the mountains, by a backroad, in the morning. So when we reached the top I was in for a feast. It must be the best meal I've had in my life. Ever.
Our babeque yesterday was not an Italian feast. Let's call it a Blue Garden feast. A potato salad, a green salad, lamb, marinated salmon, different types of sausages, corn.........
Terje and I, our "four is my lucky number", Marius (Ingrid's boyfriend) and Marius's brother who is in Trondheim for the holidays. A real family gathering. Food, lots of it, followed by games, chatter, laugter, coffee, brownies and an Easter egg filled to the brim.
I think I have started a tradition. A Blue Garden family barbeque on Easter Day.
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Thanks to all of you for your comments and emails on yesterday's posts. Every morning I say to mysalf - today I will write everybody back to say a personal thank. Every night I realise that the day has passed too quickly.
