Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

If only.......or Spring at Cabin

Text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland

If only........I could invite you all to our forest where we have our cabin. To listen to the hundreds of birds praising spring, praising creation. What a feast we would have.

My father is coming out here on Wednesday, and then he can help me to find the tunes of Vivaldi, Verdi, Chopin, Beethove, Grieg and all the others, made alive by the different birds. My father is a master to know the different composers, and also the different bird songs.

Spting has come. We can hear it through the bird songs. WE can see it through the nature growing. Crocuses, primulas, rhuburb, chives, mint, daffodills.

My absolutely favorite time of the year.

The time when God bring out his palette to try his colours yet another time.

But bring wellingtons and a thick raincoat. Nature is having a shower today and shares her water generously.

Welcome to yet another Easter Cabin Time.

The Signs I Found

Text and images Britt-Arnhild Wigum Lindland

The morning mist covered part of the world when I started my walk. It was hard to see what kind of day it would be. It didn't take very long though untill the mist started to weaken. Soon a bleak sun could be spotted behind the clouds.

I started my walk along the canal, wondering what the day would bring. A bit unprepared of what I actually found

The winter must have been quite hard, with ice thick and strong enough tro drag this boat under.

I turned away from the canal, walking up towards the small mountain, or hill, with the old catle tower. And there they were......the tiny little signs of spring I was looking for.

Yellow. Blue. Green.

And a young princess watching over her beloved city.

I am in Tønsberg for a few days.

I am searching for signs of spring.

One definition of spring: time of the year when dandelions and their leaves are beautiful

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Busy nights in the garden

I am working on my exams paper all days now. It must go in the mail tomorrow, but I am already almost finished. The weather is very nice these days, and finally time for gardening. So as soon as I am home and have eaten dinner I change into my work habit and go out in the garden. I have not had time to visit any garden centers to buy plants yet, but on my way home from work I take a small detour down to the outdoor flowermarket and buy as many plants as I am able to carry.

Yesterday I also brought out my collection of clay pots. I realised last year that I have so many, and though I use them for plans from time to time thr rest are too beautiful to store away in the garage.

Our back garden has been a mess ever since we moved here, almost four years ago. But this year I am determined to do something about it. I can look out here from my kitchen window , and want something beautiful to look at. So tonight both Terje and I did some very good work out here. I did some seeding, cornflowers and calendula, and planted iris bulbs, but will still buy and collect more herb plants for this garden. And a dream is to one day buy or build a garden house for this part of the garden.

Will show you more photos during the summer as things are growing.

I love the colour of this rhododendron, though this year it is not at it's best. It is blooming much earlier than out other rhododendrons though, and brings alot of joy.

I can smell the growth in my garden.

After a week of cold and rainy weather it was a joy to wake up to the sun shining through my bedroom window this morning. The temperatures are still quite low, but the sun makes it very nice to sit out on the porch. I enjoyed my breakfast there, and then took a garden walk together with my camera in hands. I love these early morning walks when I discover new flowers in bloom. Something is always happening when you have a big garden.

This first photo shows the garden as I see it from where I enjoy my breakfast, and usually also coffee later in the day. The primulas dominate the bed now, but soon the tulips and the daffodills will compete with their colours. I love the bright colour of the early spring primulas. I went close, and also found that the Elephant Ear has it's first bloom also. Not easy to spot, but it is there, well hidden under the big leaves.

I kept on with my early morning walk, and found a few miniature daffodills in my harb garden, which is situated on the back side of the house, facing north. I always buy pots with miniature daffodills for Easter to enjoy indoors, and when they are finished I plant them out in the garden, usually on a whim. Many bulbs are planted this way at our cabin and give us joy year after year.

Marta also has a small garden on the back side of our house, right outside her play house. Only the greens can be seen there yet, but her herbs are growing day by day, you can almost smell their  growing. Marta loves chives, and when she eats them it can be smelled all through the house :-) She also has a few strawberry plants and a lemon melisse, and other herbs and plans which can not be seen in this picture. When Marta was small she had sand in this box, for playing, and she now love to use it as her own, very special garden.

There were no trolls to be seen in the troll garden today either, but their garden is growing and shows that they take good care of it. The troll garden is on the western side of our house, and gets the early morning sun.

My morning walk ended back in front of the house, and after a trip to town to enjoy Saturday life there, I sat down and enjoyed my coffee and a couple of pieces of chocolate.

Thanks for your visit. Welcome back.