Bunad = folk costume

http://www.husfliden.no

Today many of those out celebrating May 17th
wore their bunad (folk costume).
These costumes have developed over the years and
are based on old textiles and paintings.
Each region has its own bunad.
These up here are from Oestfold, this region of Norway.

They are all very, very expensive.
I tried to find some prices for a new specially made bunad.
It seems it can cost from around a little less than 3000 US dollars
up to a little less than 10000 US dollars.
And that is just the costume itself.
The special shoes and the special jewellery makes this
much more expensive.
But perhaps if you know that this will be the costume
that will follow you through your life
to weddings, confirmations and May 17th celebrations,
the per wear price becomes more reasonable.
The bunad will, if you feel it is right for you,
make the decision WHAT to wear on festive
occassions very easy.

I just read that the rule for what bunad to wear is
that it should be the one from where your
father or mother came from, or if not so, where
your grandparents came from.

I just enjoy looking at the different bunad versions
from all over Norway.
Can't imagine investing so much money in a bunad
from where my grandmother came from,
and then wear it again and again.
But if I ever have the opportunity to dress up once
in a bunad from that area and get my photo
taken, that I will do.
As a connection to the past.

May 17th: The children's parade in Moss

It was fairly cold and windy when the
children's parade took place today, but both
students and spectators were there
to make the most of it.
It looked like it was going to rain at any moment.




Moss is a fairly small town, but the students from
sixteen local schools marched to the music played
by at least six local bands.
These were both school orchestras (called Skolekorps
in Norwegian), but also orchestras with grownups.

In addition, there were three or four bands that
had come from Sweden and Denmark.

This is the day where the Norwegian flag is to be
seen everywhere, and in all sizes.

May 17th celebrations

For a short summary of the celebrations of May 17th

in Norway, click here

http://www.norway.org/culture/heritage/nationalday.htm

Definition of tolerance

" Tolerance consists in seeing things with your heart

instead of with your eyes. "

Thanks for sending me that quote, Jerry!

The greedy look of a collector

Today I was offered a Tandberg radio, just like the one we had when I grew up.

I remember how I would sit there with my ear into the radio, turning the knobs and listening to all those different LANGUAGES coming out of that box.
Listening and trying to imitate the sound of each language.

Suddenly I found myself with that old radio cradled in my arms - "like you were carrying a dear baby" a spectator observed.

And worse, I who try to refrain from bringing things into my home to prevent clutter and keep my life as simple as possible - I, in the words of that same spectator suddenly had "that greedy look of a collector".

I better look out!

Bye to painting

This is a painting that used to hang in my parents house.

It is a painting I grew up with.

I don't know the name of the painter.

Now it had come to its end, and before it was put in the

garbage bin, I took this photo.

Mossekanalen - The canal in Moss

This sculpture close to the Canal Bridge is at the beginning of what is called the Canal Park.


The Canal in Moss from the Jeloy side,
towards the north and the Canal Bridge.

The Canal in Moss, photographed from the Canal
Bridge towards the south.

A lot of Norwegians are into boats.
Small boats. Big boats.
Sometimes very expensive boats.

I am just watching, as I like land close by.
I am not the type for open seas.

Liljekonvall (Convallaria majalis)

http://www.birkenes.org/page.php?p=93

Walking in the forest today I saw one white flower on one specimen of the convallaria majalis, kneeled on my knees and smelled - bringing me straight back to my childhood.
Imagine, just one little flower!

Warmer

http://uktv.co.uk/images/standarditem/L1/500038_L1.gif


After the winter, which here in Moss, was more dark and not that cold and with fairly little snow, spring came.

A week ago our landlord cut the grass in the backyard for the first time in 2008.

For two weeks now I have observed many of the locals sunbathing on their porches and, according to my impression, dressing too summerly for the actual weather while walking the streets.
Like they need the sunrays on their skin.
Like they feel the need to celebrate that the winter is over.

Today May 9th I started the day with a cardigan over my shortsleeved T-shirt.
By ten o'clock I took the cardigan off and have spent the rest of the day outside in my shortsleeved T-shirt.
Who would have believed I would be so Norwegian!

Now at half past six in the afternoon the sun is still shining and the temperature outside my kitchen window is 25 degrees Celsius.

A partial reform of a people-pleaser

In my early twenties, still a student, my neighbours
would pop in around ten minutes to nine in the
evening and ask me to babysit their kids.
They were just running off to watch a movie that
started in ten minutes.
It could be an evening I had to prepare for an exam,
or do a special written project for school.

As a people-pleaser I felt I could not destroy
the young couple's possibility to go to the movies.
I said nothing about how inconvenient it was.
I said nothing about that I needed the time for my studies.
I never suggested that it would be OK to babysit their kids
if they just talked about it early enough so that we could find
a suitable evening.
An evening that would be good both for them and for me.

Now, thinking back, I understand what difficulty
I have had to put my own interests first.
Most of my life.

Somehow this reminds me of the flight attendant's instructions :
If the oxygen masks fall down, put them
on yourself first, before helping others.
That includes helping your children with the masks.

So sometimes, now that I am trying to build a better
and healthier life,
I cannot be available when I feel I need some
special time on my own.

Most of the time I am still too much of a people-pleaser,
but I will have to discover the balance between
protecting my own interests and doing what also
gives me great pleasure.
Enjoying the company of others .
Helping other human beings.

Roedsund - part four

Walking down to the Vannsjoe Lake.

A tree is fighting to stay alive so close to the water.
What an impressive root system!

These little "creatures" looked like small
trolls standing in the water.

Roedsund - part three

If you stop your car at Roedsund in the summer,
you won't see this.

Now the forest was full of what we call
Hvitveis in Norwegian.

I remember these spring flowers very
clearly from my early childhood in Moss.

Hvitveis is called Anemone nemorosa in Latin
and Wood Anemone in English.

Roedsund - part two

Roedsund now has a special place for taking a break.
You park your car and can walk around a little.

A special rock garden is both a work of art
and a possible place for children to play.

In the middle of the stone maze,
a polished stone was hidden.


Benches, tables, a public toilet,
paths leading down to the water.
It was very idyllic.
It is less than ten minutes drive from the E6,
the highway from f.ex. Gotenburg to Oslo.
Perhaps worth a detour on a nice summerday.

Roedsund - part one

This is what I remember:
I could have been around four years old, perhaps even less.
My father and his friend Bjoern U. had taken their two children
for a car trip from Moss to Roedsund, right outside Moss.
We parked the car and walked over to these rocks
rounded by the ice so long ago.
I can see the water, the Lake Vannsjoe, and the cars
passing on the road from Moss to Vaaler.
Bjoern's son was about my age.
I think it was getting a little cold, because somehow
I remember my father taking off his leathercoat
and me standing next to the water with bare knees
and in his leathercoat.