Leaving this for Italy

It is snowing again today. Alot. In between the showers I've been out in the garden with my Nikon though, and hidden under some fir branches, on the edge of the snow, a few snowdrops are struggling for their lives. Stubborn, filled with a strong will to meet the sun and light of spring.

Most of the garden is still covered deep in snow. How long will we have to wait for spring? Well, my mind is wandering southwards. Tomorrow morning I fly down to Italy for two weeks. And somwehere in my suitcase I find room for a garden book; Digging Deep, Unearthing Your Creative Roots Through Gardening by Fran Sorin.

I will not update this blog during my vacation but hope to write a few updates over at The House in the Woods.

Lovely Spring Days

We are in the middle of March, the first spring month here in Norway, and though the snow is still knee deep (an alot more) through most of the garden, there are also signs of spring to be found.

After a long and dark winter I am again out every day in my boots and with my dear friend Nikon to accompany me. (I am out every day during winter also, but the snow then often limit my garden walks to fill the bird and squirrel feeders only). Signs of spring, though often well hidden, can be found everywhere. I rejoice in every single miracle.

We've had several mild and sunny days, and today was my first day out on the porch. In my rocking chair, with a quilt, a book, a cup of tea and a piece of bread. Ingrid came out to chat, and I had a couple of phonecalls from dear friends. The world is alive!

It is time to read The Secret Garden - again.

Photos: The Blue Garden this morning.

Early Spring Details

Winter Sun

Looking out my kitchen window this morning the sun was already up, and I knew this would be a perfect day out in the snow. The garden is still totally covered in deep snow, so I put my new lightweight goretex boots on and went out for a hike in the nearby woods.

We are going to Italy for Easter, and yesterday I bought new boots for my Italian hikes.

Garden colours indoors.

The winters here at Huseby are long and cold. Snow and ice is what you find out in the garden, and there is not much to write about for a gardener. besides I've been very busy at work so maintaining my main blog has been enough these past weeks.

But days are getting longer and temperatures milder, and I am longing for spring.

So what do I do then? I buy daffodils to enjoy indoors and I read about gardens and flowers. A friend in Cornwall sent me a book for Christmas; Golden Harvest. The story of Golden Harvest. The story of daffodil growing in Cornwall and the isles of Scilly by Andrew Tompsett. A lovely book sparkling with the yellows of thousands of daffodils.

I'm going to take the night train down to Oslo tonight. And if I can't sleep I will be surrounded by flowering words.

Scenes from a Winter Garden

The taste of a snowflake.

Have you ever closed your eyes and pointed out your tongue to taste a snow flake?

Torgeir, our oldest son, had volunteered to make dinner last night. A late dinner, unlike when we usually eat. But 8 o'clock was what suited all of us. When he started his work in the kitchen he realised that Marta and her friend had eaten the noddles he had planned to use in his wok. Starting late he was in a hurry to finish....Ingrid had an appointment as soon as we had eaten.

While Torgeir started to cut the vegetables I walked over to the grocery store for more nuddles.
It was snowing heavily. The perfect time to taste snowflakes