Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

Crépes under the sycamore maples

@brittarnhild

It was still early in the day, just a couple of hours after breakfast. We were not hungry, but wanted coffee, and when we found this charming place just outside the old church, with tables under the sycamore maples, we decided the perfect time for morning coffee had come. Another couple sat at the table next to us, and just as the waiter came out to take our orders he put two plates with thin French crèpes in front of them. Terje and I looked at each other, and both knew that coffee was not enough this morning. We needed, we craved, crèpes.

Pancakes just after breakfast is not for every day, but it is really the perfect thing where you are in France, when life is smiling and you find a place like this.

While we had our crèpes a farmer couple came with a tractor and a hanger loaded with dry wood, they backed up the tractor almost into the cafe, and I sat there imagining the logs were used to make the perfect fire for baking the crèpes, yes, I could even feel the very special delicate taste the fire had made to them. 

The were probably made on a gas oven, or on electricity, but who can prevent me from playing with my imagination, it makes life quite a lot funnier.

We had our coffee, our crèpes and our imaginations and walked on to explore more of this charming Saint Jean de Côle, a village honoured with a mentioning in the list of the most beautiful villages in France. The waiter stayed back to do what he had to do.

Looks like we have found paradise

@brittarnhild

We had a long travel yesterday and everything was completely dark when we arrived at Les Trois Fontaines. But Karina heard us coming and came out on the stairs to welcome us, leading us inside to her and Vincent's living room where a tasty tomato pie and a bottle of wine was waiting.

How exciting it was the next morning to start exploring.

Les Trois Fontaines is situated on the main square in the tiny little village St. Paul la Roche in Dordogne in France, Dordogne, the area of 1001 castles. It is said that Dordogne has more than 1000 castle, therefor 1001 :-)

We have already visited one, seen several more, but today just a few glimpses from where we will be staying the coming two weeks.

The house seen from the garden just as the sun sets.

Turn around, and this is what you see.

 

Preparing for a travel to France

@brittarnhild

Back in the spring I was asked by Danish Karina, who lives in France, if I would like to come to her place to teach at a knitting retreat.

Of course I said yes,

and the last few weeks I've been busy making preparations for my teaching.

Today I am on my way.
Terje is coming with me. We will fly to Paris, rent a car there and drive down to Dordogne. The first week we will have a holiday, exploring the area, then, next Sunday, the retreat will start, with participants from Norway and Denmark.

I hope to be able to blog along the road.

A single sunflower

@brittarnhild

A single sunflower from the garden.
The seed one of many sown by the squirrels in spring

The sunflower spread joy when blooming in the garden.

Then as one of many in a bouquet on the dining room table.

The others faded.
this one continue to share its joy and beauty. Now in the greenhouse.

 

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A new video posted today:

 

 

Looking back. Looking ahead.

@brittarnhild

We were out walking again today terje and I. One of our 5km+ hikes/walks, the 66th so far this year, we hope to do 100.

Along our hike we passed the house where we lived from 1986 till 2001. Both Ingrid and Marta were born there and the plum tree we planted in August 1989, when Ingrid was born, greeted us as we passed by.

A walk like this has so many aspects. Coming. Going. Looking back. Looking ahead. 
My mind is filled with memories tonight.

 

Where creativity takes me

@brittarnhild

Autumn has arrived. Less gardening, which means that creativity find other ways to flow.
I spent a lovely morning up in my studio, starting to make a pattern for an autumn sweater.

Then the afternoon reading in the greenhouse.

 

I do have a plan to continue to write about our summer holidays in Sweden and Denmark, but not just now.
For the moment the best place to find me is on instagram

my knitting account @brittarnhildsstrikkedagbok
(copy, paste and add in your internet reader)

and the place I really love to be, my brand new greenhouse account
@drivhuset_nederst_i_hagen

And as the days get shorter, the nights longer, I hope to be here in The House in the Woods more regular.
Hope to se you, here and there.

 

Problems with commenting, and a wildflower meadow video

@brittarnhild

I've for a few weeks had some problems, or challenges rather, with the possibility to comment on my posts. It should be fixed now, hopefully, and while waiting for my next vacation in Sweden and Denmark post, why not enjoy this beautiful wildflower video.

 

 

Sweden and Denmark vacation, day 9, part 1

@brittarnhild

A few months ago I did not know where to find the island Fanø. Well, I knew it belonged to Denmark and I knew it was the home of the knit artist Christel Seyfarth. I also knew that the island had lots of old, charming houses. Then, in June, I met Christel at a knitting festival not far from Trondheim. I even interviewed her, for a video I was making for the festival.

 

You can watch the video here.

After our days in Århus, Terje and I were to head over bro Sjællands Odde, actually just a quite short ferry ride away. But I persuaded Terje that instead of the ferry we could drive "around" and then visiting Fanø would be just a short detour. Well, Terje has worked with roads all his life and he loves to read maps, so I really could not cheat him. But the understood that the "short detour" meant a lot to be, so off we went.

Our first stop on the island, well, second actually, the first one was for coffee and cake :-), was Christel´s yarn store. She knew we were coming, I knew she would be there waiting for us, and since we were early we were almost the only customers, which meant that Christel had time enough to show us around, and to talk knitting.

Before arriving I had decided I wanted to buy yarn and pattern for one of Christel´s lovely shawls. Now the difficult task of choosing came.

Here you see Christel with one of them.
No, it is not the one I bought.

Christel is the founder of Fanø knitting festival, now called Nordby Wooldays Fanø.
Now I have a deram to go back to Fanø for the festival.

I could have spent all day in the shop. But this was only part of our "short detour", we wanted to explore the island before leaving it. I bought my kit and we said goodbye to Christel.

You ask what I bought? Well, here it is:

I have already started, you can follow my progress in my knitting blog "maskerade"

 

Sweden and Denmark vacation, day 8

@brittarnhild

Ingrid, Marius and the boys wanted to spend the day in the amazement park, Tivoli Friheden. "This is not for us," I said to Terje, "let's go to the botanical gardens instead." Ingrid overheard what I said and told me that there would be more than enough flowers for me at Friheden, actually there was a Flower Festival going on there.

We changed our mind of course, came with them to the park and had the most lovely day. No carousels for us, but walking around, enjoying the flowers and the live, sitting down with coffee and cakes, meeting up with the grandkids here and there, more flowers, and more flowers and more flowers.

Do you want to follow us around?
Ok, here we go.

A greenhouse for two, I would love that in my garden.

What about a green hair wash?

A group of Danish garden artists had designed gardens around the park. Here is Claus Dalby´s White Garden.

Every flower its own jar.
Great idea.

A greenhouse with a double bed. Green leaves as curtains.
Well, I am not quite sure about that.......

Our day in the park was a happy, blessed, perfect one.
Unfortunately, the next day a fatal accident took place, where a 14 years old girl died.

 

Sweden and Denmark vacation, day 7

@brittarnhild

We have arrived in Århus, Denmark, where we are staying in an AirB&B for a few nights together with our daughter Ingrid, her Marius and our two grandsons, Leander and Milian. All morning today have been spent downtown, the boys are not too keen on shopping and busy streets, but downtown Århus has a gem for children, a huge play part in different sections outside the main library.

 

Later we went to the beach and tonight Ingrid and Marius will go downtown again for dinner while we will stay at home with the boys.