Across the FjÃƒÂ¸rd to My Mountain, A Trip to Garnes

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:05 am

I spent the morning when there was light enough to see, on a walking hike to the mountain that i see from my kitchen window. I go there often in summer, but in winter its to dangerous. So why did i go if its to dangerous? All the snow has melted with the southern wind that has been blowing lately here. So I packed up my husband and the dog and we decided to go hunt down rose hips, check on the wild juniper for berries to see how much of a harvest we will have come spring. (juniper makes an awesome candy from the days of the viking, tastes like dark black licorice) So here we go on our trip to Selnes the abandoned family farm across the farm. Wait, i know i said Garnes, but that is to come. This is Selnes, one of the 3 farms that we have up here, altho no one lives in it, frankly because its to dangerous because of the mountain, there is also no hot water or electricity. There is an outhouse, equiped with an actual flushing handle, an ofcourse i keep it stocked with toilet paper. The stove in the house is an old time cast iron job that is so awesome an huge it heats nearly the whole house. We go there in summer to get away, or to fish, or i tend the rhubarab patch an look for wild herbs an plants. So this is Selnes

While we were there doing what we intended to do, we decided to talk a walk down the path, that used to be a horse an cart road, but is now mostly used by tourist or locals who just want to walk the fjÃƒÂ¸rd, or the sheep that pass thru.

That is KolbjÃƒÂ¸rn an Balder walking the path that leads to Garnes, about a mile up the road. That is the next closest farm to Selnes. While on our walk we had to use reflector vests incase of snow or worse hunters were out hunting ptarmigan, or i think its called grouse in english. Rype in Norwegian, ptarmigan in Saami. But we got to talking on our walk, an KolbjÃƒÂ¸rn asked me if i had ever heard the story of Garnes from his uncle, an i told him no, tell me.

The farmers settled on this land, KolbjÃƒÂ¸rn says because the land was excellent for potatoes, rhubarb, onions and cabbage. What they didn't take into thought was the mountain itself. It had fresh running water comming straight down the slopes, they had abundant fish from the sea, an good dark rich soil compliments of the sea itself. But because of this they over looked the mountain, the hazards, the danger of living at the foothills of a place so overwhelmingly huge an monstrous. See the thing is the mountain itself is in constant motion, it moves, this is an island of mountains, and because of that motion, even tho we don't feel it, the snow does. One night deep in the heart of winter a family known as the Garnes family had a farm not to far from the Selnes family farm. They were friends, worked together sometimes, an shared when times would be tough. Both families had children, an the children played together, an worked together. They skated on the sea an skied in the mountain. Deep in winter one night the mountain shook. Down come the snow, disaster about to happen. No time to run. Its the middle of the early morning hours. No light to see what is happening. Down come the snow. The father was a fisherman an was out to sea, he left home when went to work, a wife, and his children. And down came the snow. A cracking. A rumbling. Then a sudden boom!! like something had exploded. Then everything was pushed out to the sea. Thru the thick ice. And buried.

Mrs. Garnes an one child made it out alive.

They walked the long road to the Selnes farm an told what happened. The Garnes family that day lost 5 children, an their grandmother. I write this today because its something that happened to a family that loved, laughed, an worked like every other family on the fjÃƒÂ¸rd. They were a likable family by all. But I write this because i felt it was something i had to do, for those who lost their lives to let them know that their lives haven't been forgotten but passed on so other can remember. This is something that is common in Norway, alvalanches. This is to all those families who have endured an lived an to those who haved passed on because of it.

As i stood at the top of the old barn ramp, which was the picture above this one, i looked out over the fjÃƒÂ¸rd down where i knew Selnes would still be standing. And i knew. I just knew that it was okay to tell their story. Its a sad story but an all to common story that you hear in Norwegian history. As i walked back to Selnes i said a prayer an gave an offering to those who have passed on, an made a promise that i would tell their story so that they won't be forgot.

So don't be saddened by this story but look at it as a way of seeing the power of nature that no matter what it should be respected, an even when it takes those we love or those we just heard about, its still something that deserves my respect even tho this country is like a fairytale, sometimes even fairytales can be a little intimadating.

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toni wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:33 am:

What a story and you have a beautiful way with words telling it. I know the local peoople know their story but I think the Garnes family would be pleased to know that someone cares enough to tell their story to people in other parts of the world. And to know that those people will think of them once in a while and keep their spirit alive by doing so.

What happened to the surviving family members?

glendann wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 3:38 am:

That is a wonderful way to keep their memory alive .Its a sad thing when nature takes away so many in one family but I was taught all my life things happens for a reason and IU have found it makes people stronger who are left behind to endure it.

CritterPainter wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:23 am:

And you wrote it so beautifully. The pictures are stunning. I hope Frank flags this somehow, to make sure everyone sees it.

Droopy wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:06 am:

A sad story, but oh, so common in countries with high mountains. Well told, Biita. Thank you for sharing.

Netty wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:13 pm:

I love your stories Biita, even if this one is a little sad.
The scenery there is gorgeous.

Wrennie wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:30 pm:

It is sad, but we learn from our and others mistakes. It's good of you to tell their story.

We call them ptarmigans.(funny last night on tv someone said americans call them snow chickens not ptarmigans. Never heard of that one!)

Biita wrote on Sat Nov 24, 2007 2:02 pm:

Mrs G an child left an was never seen again, when Mr G returned from sea after 3 months gone, he came home to nothing, an stayed at the Selnes farm until he could buy some land. He eventually remarried, an had more children, but that is all that is known of them. Some live on the mainland or other islands but none live on this one that we know of. There is more to this story, but i don't want to give it away. soooo you just have to wait an see.

but thank you for reading, an understanding why i had to write it....