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Where do all the old words go?

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:08 pm

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I talked to an old farmer earlier this week. During the conversation he used words I haven't heard since my grandmother passed away, and words I didn't understand the meaning of at all. I was curious enough to ask him to explain them, and he had to use many words to replace the one he had used before. The words described bear cubs at different ages, the feel of dry hay, the amount of hay given to a cow, the quality of the wind blowing and the texture of melting snow, amongst other things.

As we talked, I realized that the words he used are needless these days. They're of no use to us anymore. Nobody has seen a bear cub in our area for nigh on 100 years, and their age-describing words are only used in place names. The names were probably given because there once was a bear den, and one shouldn't venture too near it. As for hay, well, no farmer will put poles in the ground, thread three heights of wire between them and hang grass to dry. It's too time consuming, it has to be done by hand, and the silage bales are easier to do, easier to store and easier to move with the tractor. If they want dry hay, they invest in a hay dryer and install it in their barns. The cows get to eat all the silage they want in order to keep the milk production up, and there's never a question of having to ration the hay to make it last all winter. The winds are measured and named according to Beaufort, and whether it's a cold one, chilly one, mild one or warm one is irrelevant information. We won't die from exposure in our heated cars anyway. As far as snow is concerned, we've either got too little, too much or too heavy. We don't need to know the texture, because we don't need to ski on it in order to get anywhere anymore.

I felt very sad when I realized that lots and lots of words that were crucial to our forefathers are now becoming obsolete. Of course, we've got new words that are crucial to us now, but I still can't help feeling sorry for all those old, well-worn words that are going out of use and into oblivion. Some of those words have been needed for hundreds of years. They've got places named after them, but we've forgotten what the words mean, and now they're just place names. And I started wondering where they all end up.

I'm picturing an old words' home somewhere, an ancient landscape where the words are gathering one after the other when people forget about them. There they are, all in a jumble, making sounds that are meaningless to our ears. We'll never find them there and get them back into everyday use. At least not until they're needed again.

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Why the snowdrops have green tips

Category: Garden | Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2008 8:18 pm

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A long time ago when all animals, flowers and everything else was created, they were all given their own colour. The sunflowers stood tall and proud and rejoiced at their lovely yellow. The bluebells whispered amongst themselves: «Look at us, look how pretty we are!» The red roses nodded and mirrored themselves in the puddles, and were very pleased with what they saw. Yes, they were all very happy and thought themselves very lucky to have such wonderful colours.

«But what about me?» asked the snow. «I haven't got any colour at all.»

«Oh dear, oh dear,» cried the colour fairies. «We forgot about you, and now all the colours have been used. We have nothing left. We'll go and ask the flowers if any of them are willing to share their colour with you.»

So out they went and asked all the flowers, but to no avail. Neither the humble primrose nor the proud delphinium wanted to share their colour with the snow. Everywhere the snow fairies got the same answer: «We're sorry, but we need all the colour ourselves,» they said.

The colour fairies were about to give up when a small snowdrop spoke in a timid voice. «I'll share my colour with the snow, if the snow thinks my colour is pretty enough for it.» The snow was very pleased to get a colour and thanked the snowdrop very politely.

The snow never forgets the kindness of the snowdrop, and does his best not to harm her if he falls while she is blooming. And that's why the snowdrop has green tips on her flowers.



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A slight soreness in the heart region

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 10:39 pm

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"I can't understand why you're keeping that car. You can certainly afford to get yourself a better one to drive around in." I didn't realize at first that the statement was meant for me, but when I looked around there was only me and him in there, and unless the horses had taken up driving, the chap was addressing me.

I straightened up and took a long look at my car. It's 19 years old, it starts when I want it to, takes me as far as I want to go, has heating in the seats, a bit of rust around the bottom, lots of little scratches and dents all over, and only stop when I say so. It's grey, and dirtier on the inside than on the outside. I can pull fencing out of the grass with it, drive up steep, snow covered hills without any problems, and even push heavy hay bales or pull other cars out of ditches if need be.

"Well, it's in perfect working order..." I said. The truth is, it suits me fine. Mainly because it works and it's what I need. Which of course my conversation partner couldn't understand, and proceeded to tell me so in no uncertain terms. I felt a bit confused, but managed to understand the main message of his monologue: My car's a disgrace and I should be ashamed to drive in it.

Now, why should I bother listening to him, and even feel bad about what he said? Probably because I've heard other verses of the same song for most of my life. About my clothes, my chosen studies, curtains, carpets, furniture and husband. They just aren't good enough. "For whom?" I ask. Well, for me, of course! That's when they loose me.

As long as I'm perfectly content with what I have, and what I have works just fine, how can it not be "good enough"? I refuse to change my curtains and carpets because the style is indefinable. I selected them for just that purpose, because I want them to last for longer than one season. I am not throwing the coffee table out because it has some scratches, and I'm definately not changing the sofa just because it was bought back in 1995. It's dark leather and I can't see any signs of wear on it so far.

I know people who love interior decorating, and others who have a passion for fashion, but I'd never stand myself on a pedestal and start deriding them for their life styles. I can see the pleasure they get from adding the perfect detail or the lovely accessories, and I am pleased for them.

So why can't they be pleased for me when they can see I'm happy? Is it because they think I'm not? Or is it because they can't understand that I choose to spend my money on the children, the horses and the garden instead of getting myself a lot of stuff that I neither want nor need? I feel that the peacock mentality rules around here, but I don't want to be part of it. When I buy, I want to buy solid, timeless and lasting. With all the money everybody else is spending, the economy won't suffer because I won't participate.

Thank you very much for letting me vent some steam. I feel better already.

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Where the days are spent

Category: Pets and other animals | Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:17 pm

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This week we've had winter holidays, and my horse minders have gone off in search of snow to play in. So the girls and I have packed some food and drink and spent the days here:



It does look drab and cheerless without the inhabitants, doesn't it? Well, they were enjoying themselves outside, of course:



My two furry friends were pleased to see us, but they would have been more pleased if we had carried their hay nets.

This is Truls, he's mine:



And this is Gabriella. She belongs to the girls, and is just the kind of pony I wanted when I was a little girl:



I could have shown photos of the surroundings too, but truth be told the greyish hues depressed me, so that will have to wait. The riding hall had two big machines in it, so I'm giving that a miss for now too.

At least now you know where I'm at when I'm out and about enjoying everything Mother Nature feels like throwing my way. I thought I spotted some gills behind Truls's ears the other day - might be a sign of something.

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Childhood memories

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:53 pm

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I remember when I was a child, in the early 70's, when all winters had lots of snow, and all summers were endless and warm. There were few cars about and the streets were our playground, as well as the forest, beach and everybody's gardens.

During the summer we practically lived on the beach. We brought food and drink down, our parents sat around talking and a few of them even went swimming and playing in the water with us. We were taught to swim in that little bay, and when we'd finally learned to keep our heads above water, we wanted to learn how to dive. There were lots of funny sea animals to catch if we were quick enough, and one of the grown-ups always knew a name for it, and maybe a story about it too.

In winter we went tobogganing down the steepest road. There were only two cars in the neighbourhood that had to use that road, so we were fairly safe playing there. Everybody else drove the longer way around. My best friend's father was the coolest because he always shoveled the snow from the drive into a huge, big pile in a corner. There we would excavate a big snow cave to play in for as long as the snow lasted. As far as I can remember, it lasted for months, but probably didn't.

One winter we visited my grandparents further inland. There was so much snow on the ground we could make tunnels without anybody shoveling the snow into heaps first. Luxury! It was also so cold for a couple of days that the engine oil began to freeze, which probably was a serious thing. I can't remember how my father solved that, but we didn't get to stay for an extra couple of days. I still feel a twinge of regret for that lovely tunnel work we had to leave behind.

Spring was used in the forests surrounding our homes. We climbed trees, picked flowers, played cowboy and indians and everything else one can play with big woody areas available and not a chain saw in sight. We waded the boggy areas and got scolded for dirty feet and wet wellies, but the lessons never stuck. We knew where to find lily-of-the-valley, and with a small bouquet of that everything would be forgiven.

In autumn we went berry picking, mostly to eat there and then, but we occasionally managed to bring enough back for making jam too. We especially liked berry picking in the rain, for some strange reason. Both the berries and us children were soaked at the end of the day, but it seemed nobody bothered much after the unavoidable scolding and repeated whining about us getting ill. We undressed and sat in the tub for hours on end while reading Donald Duck, thawing out and using all the hot water.

Life was probably not as uncomplicated as I remember, and the weather was probably a lot more changeable, but this is how I remember it, and this is what I'm trying to give my own girls. I can't do much about lack of snow or too cold summers, but I can still drag them with me outside to pick lily-of-the-valley in the rain come spring.

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Why are new things so frightening?

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:06 pm

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When my last mobile phone started throwing tantrums, I rejoiced. Finally I could order that fancy, little thing with a big screen and heat sensitive buttons! But when the thing arrived it looked scary. New, shiny, totally different from my old one and very fancy. Not my style at all, really. So it sat on the shelf for a couple of months (5!) before I started using it. Not from choice, but from need. The old one finally went bananas and blew something.

The new toy took some getting used to, but I thought that as the weeks passed, we'd be fast friends and function well together. After three months I started the count-down for when I could replace it with something tougher, a dust resistant, splash resistant mobile that could survive falling out of my pocket and onto the concrete. And proper buttons with lights, please! Since I'm outside at all hours and the daylight fails fairly early during winter, a lighted display is a must. As for the heat sensitive panel - well, blah! It works beautifully in cozy cafés, but try punching one with a gloved finger. Totally useless, at least to me.

I started searching for a new companion, and discovered that my former favorite manufacturer had stopped producing mobile phones. Oh, the agony I felt! I would have to change make and didn't know which to choose. So I decided to ask my eldest, and she asked some friends on a forum, and came back to me with a few links (23 I think). So I spent a few days sorting through the links. Some were quickly deleted (too expensive, wrong operator, what - rhinestones?), and others saved pending time to really check them.

After careful concideration I discovered that the most likely candidate went for free if I continued my relationship with my operator, so that seemed like a very good deal to me. When the binding time expired, I quickly renewed and opted for my sturdy, water-and-dust-resistant choice. When it arrived, the unopened package sat in the hall for a few days (about a month) before I opened it up to investigate. Yep, it looked good and simple to use, but it was very different from my present one, and a bit scary to start using right away, so I carefully put it back into the box and put the box on the coffee table, just to get used to the idea of switching phones.

I have dusted the box for two months, and finally gotten round to charging the battery. I've carried my new mobile about a bit, but it's so... well, bulky, and a bit heavy too. So I'm still using the fancy thing which I'm not happy with, and trying to muster the courage to let it go. I really don't like it at all, you see. But will I like the new one better? Will somebody please give me a kick and tell me to stop being so stupid?

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Making the best of it

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:52 pm

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We've had some rather bad weather for a couple of days. The full storm came with hurricane gusts warnings and high water levels to top it off. In addition to that, we were told to expect thunder and lightning as well as lots of rain or sleet. That amounts to lots of weather, even for us here on the north-west coast.

I must admit I was a bit worried. I never bothered about strong winds until the New Year's Day Hurricane in -91. The town center looked like a war zone, with broken windows and building parts everywhere. Some cars had been thrown together in a heap, and a fishing vessel had been put in the middle of the main road into town. I think seeing that ship there finally made me understand what power a hurricane had. So I've been frightened of high winds ever since.

Anyway, with the extreme weather warning I found it best to be prepared. So I checked our stock of cocoa, candles and chocolate, to make sure we had the essentials. Then I went and got me two crime novels, both of Monty Roberts' books, a book about table decorating, a bit of yarn and a set with all we need to needle-felt eight sheep. We filled the wood bin downstairs and put torches ready in each of the girls' rooms, our bedroom and the bathroom. We also gathered the blankets on the couch for easy access.

Well, the storm and flood tide came and went, and nothing much came of it except a couple of very wet basements and some torn-down gutter pipes. Thankfully we were too busy to tidy away the torches and stuff, because we needed them today. We were not warned about it, but had a nice thunder and lightning show complete with power cuts. Three short ones, to be exact. Very unusual.

I'm thinking it might be too early to put everything back where it should be. I'll just pile the blankets around me, and enjoy some cocoa, chocolate and an exciting novel this evening. Well, we don't want to waste it, now, do we?

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A visit to the aquarium

Category: Pets and other animals | Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 5:30 pm

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We're so lucky we have a big aquarium close by, it only takes about 30 minutes to drive. We are year-card holders, so we visit when we want without additional payment. I do not normally bring the camera, but today I did, for some reason. The batteries didn't last long, but at least I got to photograph the penguins, which arrived just before Christmas:





Here are from some of the tanks:











They've got a huge tank where divers feed the fish. All the children are clustered near the glass to watch, and it's so fun seeing all the different fish eating from the divers's hand.

Also, they have a department for babies, and it's fun to watch shark eggs and newly hatched sharks. The contact pool is very popular too, but the crabs were so full of food that they just didn't want to play today. The girls ended up petting the starfish instead.

As for me, I always leave with a craving for fish soup, crab, lobster, anything sea food related. Shame on me! *lol*

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Mum's the word

Category: Garden | Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:14 pm

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It's my mother's fault! All the chasing about after special plants, buying more than I had planned, ordering plants by the dozens from the spring catalogues, and counting my money afterwards, with a slight tinge of desperation: Where do I put it all?

When mother moved from the wind-swept island to her present home, she thought she had entered paradise. She planted roses - five and five together, in soft gradations from white through to deep red, lovingly composed to their advantage. After a few years she gave in and admitted rose defeat. She discovered the rhododendron, then the primroses, meconopsis, lilies, heathers, hostas, paeonis and lots more. She's made a veritable oasis of her clay-soiled, flat property and I have trouble pronouncing the names of some of her stuff. She, on the other hand, knows where every plant is, their common name, latin name, natural habitat and special requirements. I call her my Gardening Encyclopedia, and must, unwillingly of course, admit that I would be far less successful without her.

She's also got an eye for composition that I didn't inherit, but I'm trying to learn. I'd like to share her garden with you, and hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do:

Wide view to the west:



The big border:



Her clematis grows to the top of a tall birch:



Azaleas, iris and rhododendron:



The azalea and smilacina racemosa smell heavenly:



What I call the Swedish border:



A sweet miniature arrangement for late spring joy:



The only cat tolerated in her garden these days:



Rhododendron yakushimanum and bumble bee:



One of her rare, little gems, Campylogonum var charopoeum,



I mentioned paeonies:





There is more. Much more! But I hope you get an impression on what her garden is like. I've got something to live up to, haven't I?

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More Primula

Category: Garden | Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:25 am

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I went out and bought primroses for inside yesterday. They have a wonderful fragrance and cheery colours, and they remind me of spring. I've posted some of my spring flowering Primula before, but I've also got some that flower later in spring, in summer and early autumn.

The Primula must be made for our climate. They love the wet, fairly cold weather and the humus-rich soil. They sulk if given the wrong conditions. On a hot afternoon, they are a sorry sight, leaves lying flat on the ground and flower heads drooping. I divide them every three-four years and keep them where I can see and smell them.

This is one of the early ones. It started as an indoor plant:



This is a tiny thing called "Johanne". I've nearly lost it several times, but have so far managed to save one rosette or two:



These Primula japonica grow in my mother's garden, and bloom in June:



Also June-flowering, rather tall ones:



Primula sieboldii has hairy leaves and a good variety of colour. White, whitish pink, pink, pale blue and lavender:



The Primula vialii looks a bit strange with the red buds and lavender flowers. It starts flowering in June and keeps at it for a month or so. It likes me, and has self-seeded:





This is a white Primula alpicola which flowers in June/July:



The Primula florinda is the latest and longest bloomer of them all. It starts in June/July, and keeps at it through August and some years to September. It's fairly tall, about 50 cm, and loves moisture. I've got yellow, orange and red.







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