Jumble ducks and jewelry

While at the jumble sale (english) flea market (american) loppemarked (norwegian) I bought these pretty shiny things for very little money. Also, incidentally, the red velvet skirt they're sitting on, which, incidentally, fits perfectly. So when I get old and die, my one and only daughter will inherit these as part of my extensive and priceless jewel collection. Lucky girl!

Would you believe we went to a similar event the day before. I didn't really find anything I wanted, but had planned to buy something to support the cause, so opted for these two little chaps. Cute, aren't they?

Fleamarkets and flowers

We went to a local village hall that was holding a flea-market to raise funds. I found this large and very sturdy handbag, and some random clothes that I may or may not use, and it cost me 30 Kr, or 3 pounds or 4 dollars.It's just what I've been looking for, with lots of pockets inside, and room for a book, a spare pair of shoes, my camera, an umbrella or whatever. It will be perfect for our forthcoming trip to Edinburgh.

I was really on the lookout for some eggcups for Tamsin and Nick, because their home doesn't seem quite complete somehow. I eventually found these, which I thought were nice. I also found a rather unusual glass which appealed to me, so I bought it for Jeremy.

On the way home we drove through the country lanes, and the banks were spangled with pretty white wood-anemones (hvitveis) which are Tamsin's favourites, or at least I know she loves them and misses them. I didn't have a camera with me, so today. on our way to work I stopped and took a picture of the blue variety. I hope she enjoys seeing these.

What a fun day! After getting lots of bargains, eating lovely waffles with raspberry jam and sour cream, and seeing our first hvitveis, we stopped off at Arild's house and chatted about the Scotland trip. We also visited some neighbours, so spent a whole day doing frivolous things! Fun!

Easter

Today is Easter Sunday, and true to tradition I have done my famous Easter breakfast table, using as much yellow as possible. the tablecloth has a pretty yellow border which doesn't show in the picture. the napkins have cute hens.

When I was little and lived at Roseveth Farm, we had boiled eggs every Sunday morning, and on easter Sunday the eggs were decorated - maybe with faces drawn on, maybe dyed or with funny hats. My granny knitted little woolly hats to keep the eggs warm. We were also given chocolate eggs, quite big ones filled with chocolates. When I moved to Norway my mother soon discovered that these eggs do not travel well in the mail, so instead sent Lindt chocolate figures - bunnies, kittens or butterflies. When I got children of my own I kept the tradition going, and decorated the table with as much yellow as possible (my mother never bothered) and gave them small gifts instead of chocolate eggs, because they were just about impossible to get hold of in Norway. Their granny always sent Lindt figures and maybe a little book, so Easter breakfast was like a little Christmas. We had a large cuddly toy rabbit who sometimes posed as the Easter bunny, and once I even made a treasure hunt, so Jeremy and Tamsin had to solve a series of clues before they found their stash. We always have a Kinder egg in the egg-cup ( chocolate with a small toy inside) and the boring white supermarket eggs get brown by adding papery onions skins to the boiling water.

Easter to me is mostly about the celebration of Spring. The frozen land is waking to life again, and the yellow symbolises the sun. Chicks and lambs mean new life - and we always have a roast leg of lamb for Easter Sunday dinner. We did today, it was sprinkled with rosemary and studded with whole cloves of garlic . The potatoes were par-boiled then lay in the roasting pan, soaking up the meat juices for the last hour of cooking. Yummy!

Happy Easter everyone!