.......which wasn't as successful as it could have been.
J needed bait for his crab pots so I tagged along with him in Vulkanen. Oilskin salopettes, wellies - looked the biz!
Went out into the bay which a couple of days ago was heaving with mackerel. They were in for at least two days right up to the moorings and the quays. The water was boiling with them. The little fish they were hunting were jumping out of the water and the balls of mackerel going round and around them. People were fishing everywhere.
So we put the hand lines out. And in. And out. And in. In the space of 20 minutes J had caught 6 mackerel I think and me three.
Went out further into the fjord - the water depth was over 110 metres at one stage - and tried again. Got a few pollock type fish but nothing really happening. J has a fish finder on the boat and there was very little out there. I have been told that, after so many mackerel have been about, the other fish are scared off; but I'm not sure whether that's true or not.
Anyway - J said we'd go back in to get the nets, forgetting that they were in the sea house behind a heap of stuff and also that, because the barge the men have been painting the back of the sea house off is there, he couldn't get Vulkanen directly below the door to take the nets directly on. So we (or rather he, with me unsnagging them every ten seconds as they caught on floorboards, on the gangway, on everything and anything!!) had to move them four times before we got them onto the back of the boat. We then went back out into the bay and let them out. I'm sure that's not the technical term!
The good news was that we had some of the mackerel, baked with lemon and dill, for dinner.I served them with a cabbage and apple slaw and the cucumber pickle which is de rigeur with mackerel. And a baked potato each - yum.
As J was getting up at 6am this morning to bring the nets in and then to check his crab pots and rebait them I declined his kind offer of another outing.
Maybe next time.....
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Summertime
And the living is easy....
Weather has been beautiful the last couple of days and the scenery stunning.
Took a walk out to Domstein (now owned by Norway Pelagic) which is on a little island in what I guess is one of the oldest parts of Kalvaag. They process fish from the big boats, herring or mackerel I presume, salt it and pack it into barrels, pickle it (like the herring you get in jars in Ikea for example), freeze it whole and pack into boxes, or process it into vacuum packs for the likes of Findus.
There's also Larsen Brothers who take all types of fish from the local boats and process/sell it. I must call into their shop and see what they have to offer.
On Friday I took a bike ride out to Nesje at the northern tip of the island. Must be about 5 or 6 miles away so I had a bit of a sore derriere yesterday. The road becomes a rough track about a mile in so it was a bit bumpy, full of sheep and their big lambs (and resulting poo) but the scenery was magnificent. Absolutely stunning. The photos don't do it justice because they can't show the scale. Mountains on one side of the track and the sea on the other. Saw geese, shags, herons, the ever present gulls and - even a snake of the poisonous variety which must have been touched by a car which had just passed me - one of only two that I saw the whole time I was out. It wasn't very happy and I wanted to get a stick (long!!) to flick it into the grass but, because trees don't naturally grow up here much, by the time I had cycled on and found one and returned, it had expired :(
Yesterday a pallet of ceramics arrived at the shop so I unpacked that for P, priced it and broke down the packaging. Then I spent time in the garden in the wonderful sunshine making felt beads and being very lazy. We had belly pork and salad for tea with a few glasses of vino and watched a recording of NRK's coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. After 3hrs and 6 mins it stopped!!!!! So we didn't get to see the end. Couldn't believe it! It finished just as the Arctic Monkeys were starting their second song! So we'll have to see if we can get it from somewhere else. Don't think the BBC iPlayer works abroad but I'll give it a try.
Today's Sunday and the weather's lovely. 18 degs and sunny with a little wind from the south west. J is back tonight from his trip on Haugefisk to a music festival somewhere so I'll be able to tell all you about that in my next post.
x
Weather has been beautiful the last couple of days and the scenery stunning.
Took a walk out to Domstein (now owned by Norway Pelagic) which is on a little island in what I guess is one of the oldest parts of Kalvaag. They process fish from the big boats, herring or mackerel I presume, salt it and pack it into barrels, pickle it (like the herring you get in jars in Ikea for example), freeze it whole and pack into boxes, or process it into vacuum packs for the likes of Findus.
There's also Larsen Brothers who take all types of fish from the local boats and process/sell it. I must call into their shop and see what they have to offer.
On Friday I took a bike ride out to Nesje at the northern tip of the island. Must be about 5 or 6 miles away so I had a bit of a sore derriere yesterday. The road becomes a rough track about a mile in so it was a bit bumpy, full of sheep and their big lambs (and resulting poo) but the scenery was magnificent. Absolutely stunning. The photos don't do it justice because they can't show the scale. Mountains on one side of the track and the sea on the other. Saw geese, shags, herons, the ever present gulls and - even a snake of the poisonous variety which must have been touched by a car which had just passed me - one of only two that I saw the whole time I was out. It wasn't very happy and I wanted to get a stick (long!!) to flick it into the grass but, because trees don't naturally grow up here much, by the time I had cycled on and found one and returned, it had expired :(
Yesterday a pallet of ceramics arrived at the shop so I unpacked that for P, priced it and broke down the packaging. Then I spent time in the garden in the wonderful sunshine making felt beads and being very lazy. We had belly pork and salad for tea with a few glasses of vino and watched a recording of NRK's coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. After 3hrs and 6 mins it stopped!!!!! So we didn't get to see the end. Couldn't believe it! It finished just as the Arctic Monkeys were starting their second song! So we'll have to see if we can get it from somewhere else. Don't think the BBC iPlayer works abroad but I'll give it a try.
Today's Sunday and the weather's lovely. 18 degs and sunny with a little wind from the south west. J is back tonight from his trip on Haugefisk to a music festival somewhere so I'll be able to tell all you about that in my next post.
x
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
First sea eagle sighting :)
Yesterday was the calm after the storm - well, relatively speaking anyway.
After 3 days of unrelenting wind and rain we woke up to blue, blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Still a fresh wind coming from the south west but the sun's really hot when it's out.
I went for a long walk, first to Steinset and then, through the forest, to Froya church. The sound of water was amazing! Everywhere waterfalls, streams and water glistening on the volcanic rocks in the sun.
The forest was the reason P came to Kalvag in 2001 for the first time on a felting project. There had been a hurricane in the 1990s which had felled a lot of trees and then the machinery which was brought in to remove them caused even more damage. So the felters symbolically mended the forest by making roots, tree limbs, fungi, vines, flowers, even fish in nets, from felted wool. (I can just imagine your expression Rocky!!)
Anyway - after that P got work for a couple of months chef ing in Knutholmen: the local bar/restaurant/hotel: and she met J. And that was that. She came home for a little while to sort things out and then moved over here. She worked in Domstein, the local fish processing factory, until they renovated the seahouse, which was J's grandparents', and she opened the shop at Easter 2003.
So - back to the sea eagle sighting. They are rearing their young at present on the little skerries in the fjords so I was really pleased to see the one yesterday coming over the top of the hill behind the forest. It didn't have a white tail so I am reliably informed that it would have been a juvenile.
I spent the afternoon sitting in the garden reading - just like being on my hols! Had trout burgers and home grown pak choi stirfry for tea. Washed down with lovely chilled white wine (and it was only Tuesday!).
x
After 3 days of unrelenting wind and rain we woke up to blue, blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Still a fresh wind coming from the south west but the sun's really hot when it's out.
I went for a long walk, first to Steinset and then, through the forest, to Froya church. The sound of water was amazing! Everywhere waterfalls, streams and water glistening on the volcanic rocks in the sun.
The forest was the reason P came to Kalvag in 2001 for the first time on a felting project. There had been a hurricane in the 1990s which had felled a lot of trees and then the machinery which was brought in to remove them caused even more damage. So the felters symbolically mended the forest by making roots, tree limbs, fungi, vines, flowers, even fish in nets, from felted wool. (I can just imagine your expression Rocky!!)
Anyway - after that P got work for a couple of months chef ing in Knutholmen: the local bar/restaurant/hotel: and she met J. And that was that. She came home for a little while to sort things out and then moved over here. She worked in Domstein, the local fish processing factory, until they renovated the seahouse, which was J's grandparents', and she opened the shop at Easter 2003.
So - back to the sea eagle sighting. They are rearing their young at present on the little skerries in the fjords so I was really pleased to see the one yesterday coming over the top of the hill behind the forest. It didn't have a white tail so I am reliably informed that it would have been a juvenile.
I spent the afternoon sitting in the garden reading - just like being on my hols! Had trout burgers and home grown pak choi stirfry for tea. Washed down with lovely chilled white wine (and it was only Tuesday!).
x
Sunday, 22 July 2012
22nd JULY
Today is the first anniversary of the 2011 Norway attacks.
The first was the car bomb outside the Prime Minister's office and other government buildings which killed 8 people and injured at least 209.
The second was on the island of Utoya at a AUF summer camp. 69 people were killed and 110 injured.
Anders Behring Breivik was arrested on Utoya.
Wikipedia describes his subsequent trial as follows:
'The trial began on 16 April 2012 and lasted until 19 June 2012. 170 media organisations were accredited to cover the proceedings. Anders Behring Breivik acknowledged that he had committed the offences but pleaded not guilty as he believed the killing was needed. The main issue for Breivik was that he was not to be deemed "insane" or "psychotic", because that would lose the meaning of his message. The sentencing is set to take place on 24 August 2012.'
All of the Norwegian main TV channels are covering the memorial events throughout all of today.
So I have spent the afternoon crocheting and listening to Radio 2 on my notebook. The rain is coming horizontal and the wind is getting stronger and stronger. Could be at home, eh?!!
Just about to cook smoked cod and cauliflower cheese for tea and am going to make a plum crumble (lots of fruits in the deep freeze) for afters.
Early night tucked up with my Kindle I think :-O
Hope the weather is better where you are. x
The first was the car bomb outside the Prime Minister's office and other government buildings which killed 8 people and injured at least 209.
The second was on the island of Utoya at a AUF summer camp. 69 people were killed and 110 injured.
Anders Behring Breivik was arrested on Utoya.
Wikipedia describes his subsequent trial as follows:
'The trial began on 16 April 2012 and lasted until 19 June 2012. 170 media organisations were accredited to cover the proceedings. Anders Behring Breivik acknowledged that he had committed the offences but pleaded not guilty as he believed the killing was needed. The main issue for Breivik was that he was not to be deemed "insane" or "psychotic", because that would lose the meaning of his message. The sentencing is set to take place on 24 August 2012.'
All of the Norwegian main TV channels are covering the memorial events throughout all of today.
So I have spent the afternoon crocheting and listening to Radio 2 on my notebook. The rain is coming horizontal and the wind is getting stronger and stronger. Could be at home, eh?!!
Just about to cook smoked cod and cauliflower cheese for tea and am going to make a plum crumble (lots of fruits in the deep freeze) for afters.
Early night tucked up with my Kindle I think :-O
Hope the weather is better where you are. x
Saturday, 21 July 2012
A wet Saturday - just like home
Hard to believe that, after we were able to eat our dinner on the patio last evening in bright sunshine, today is like winter. 12 c outside at the minute with horizontal rain. It was 9 c at 9 a.m. I've made a pot of lentil soup and lit the new wood burning stove so the cats and I are alright.
Poor J is on Haugefisk with a group of Russians on a fishing trip. Or perhaps the fishing will be better because it's raining?
Talking about Haugefisk: a while ago a dead whale was washed by the tide right up the fjord and was starting to go off. Haugefisk towed it, under the bridges and past Kalvaag, out into the sea. They had a modicum of difficulty in sinking it but, once that was achieved, they went on down the coast to pick up a house on a pontoon and towed that back to Bremanger. P said it was really funny seeing the ship come back towing a building!! I'll try and get some photos of both the whale and the house uploaded.
Some friends are coming over for tea tonight.
This day last week we ate outside: crab claws, fresh mackerel poached in sea water with peppercorns, cucumber pickle (I'll make that for you all when I come home), melon and Westfaler skinke (like parma ham), salady things, cheese and biscuits, plenty of wine and some lovely norwegian chocolates Jon and Alvhild brought. We'll do much the same tonight.
P had a lot of orders for crab for early this morning so J and Michael went out yesterday in Vulkanen and kept the crabs alive in barrels under the sea house. The claws were cooked this morning very early and the man who wanted 80 live crabs for a party was able to go and help himself.
Oh my goodness - it's getting brighter outside. I think I'll go out for a walk while the rain's off.
Enjoy your weekends.
xx
Poor J is on Haugefisk with a group of Russians on a fishing trip. Or perhaps the fishing will be better because it's raining?
Talking about Haugefisk: a while ago a dead whale was washed by the tide right up the fjord and was starting to go off. Haugefisk towed it, under the bridges and past Kalvaag, out into the sea. They had a modicum of difficulty in sinking it but, once that was achieved, they went on down the coast to pick up a house on a pontoon and towed that back to Bremanger. P said it was really funny seeing the ship come back towing a building!! I'll try and get some photos of both the whale and the house uploaded.
Some friends are coming over for tea tonight.
This day last week we ate outside: crab claws, fresh mackerel poached in sea water with peppercorns, cucumber pickle (I'll make that for you all when I come home), melon and Westfaler skinke (like parma ham), salady things, cheese and biscuits, plenty of wine and some lovely norwegian chocolates Jon and Alvhild brought. We'll do much the same tonight.
P had a lot of orders for crab for early this morning so J and Michael went out yesterday in Vulkanen and kept the crabs alive in barrels under the sea house. The claws were cooked this morning very early and the man who wanted 80 live crabs for a party was able to go and help himself.
Oh my goodness - it's getting brighter outside. I think I'll go out for a walk while the rain's off.
Enjoy your weekends.
xx
Horray!!
Success! Only took a week :)but I did do it all by myself.
Link to the Picasa Web Album above this post to the left.
Just click on it.
Link to the Picasa Web Album above this post to the left.
Just click on it.
Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Magical Mystery Tour
I'm way behind with updating you all 'cos we have been socialising so much the past few days so I'm starting with Monday.
J took a couple from Shetland and I out for a drive. Began with taking the ferry from Oldeide to Maloy (hope you're all keeping a detailed map beside you at all times!!) and then travelling all the way up the Selje peninsula to Stad mountain from the top of which we might see all the way to Alesund in the north. Well: we could have done if the summit hadn't been in the clouds! We drove back down and went to a surfing beach (could have been in Strandhill) and noticed that Stad was clear of cloud so J insisted in driving us up again and - guess what? - when we got to the top: cloud. He was so disappointed 'cos he really wanted to share the views with us :( Never mind. We got to meet some very friendly horses which appeared out of the mist and seemed intent on getting into the car with us. They probably had had enough of the cloud as well.
It was a long but lovely day: came back in the ferry from Starheim to Isane. The distances are so huge here. Just like the scenery.
Tuesday we went to Bremanger, about 20 minutes away, to see Haugefisk: a vintage long liner which is now a Museum piece of sorts (www.haugesfisk.no). J is the Captain.
Had coffee with some of the gentlemen working on it and then went to Anne-Karin's house for svele (big scotch pancakes) served with sour cream and homemade jams - blueberry, raspberry and strawberry. There were also rhubarb cake and apple cake, brunost (brown cheese made of caramelised goat's milk) and pots, and pots of black coffee.
We were back just in time to go for coffee and waffles with a lovely couple from Nordfjordeid who have a loft apartment above the Spar shop in the village.
(They were here for dinner last Saturday night when we had crab, mackerel and other yummy things)
And: guess what we did today: Wednesday.
Took the ferry from Kjelkenes to Myklebust so that J could get a trailerload of birch wood for the winter. Whilst that was being loaded we went to a friend called Kare's house for - tra da - coffee and waffles!!!!!!
They were absolutely gorgeous - he also hot smokes the most fabulous trout so we had some of that on flatbread with sour cream - but, if I don't have another cup of coffee or waffle for the next two weeks, I'll not be too sad.
His house is in the most amazing position overlooking the fjord. Wonderful views and his cruiser moored nearby.
OK - that's us up to date so bye for now.
J took a couple from Shetland and I out for a drive. Began with taking the ferry from Oldeide to Maloy (hope you're all keeping a detailed map beside you at all times!!) and then travelling all the way up the Selje peninsula to Stad mountain from the top of which we might see all the way to Alesund in the north. Well: we could have done if the summit hadn't been in the clouds! We drove back down and went to a surfing beach (could have been in Strandhill) and noticed that Stad was clear of cloud so J insisted in driving us up again and - guess what? - when we got to the top: cloud. He was so disappointed 'cos he really wanted to share the views with us :( Never mind. We got to meet some very friendly horses which appeared out of the mist and seemed intent on getting into the car with us. They probably had had enough of the cloud as well.
It was a long but lovely day: came back in the ferry from Starheim to Isane. The distances are so huge here. Just like the scenery.
Tuesday we went to Bremanger, about 20 minutes away, to see Haugefisk: a vintage long liner which is now a Museum piece of sorts (www.haugesfisk.no). J is the Captain.
Had coffee with some of the gentlemen working on it and then went to Anne-Karin's house for svele (big scotch pancakes) served with sour cream and homemade jams - blueberry, raspberry and strawberry. There were also rhubarb cake and apple cake, brunost (brown cheese made of caramelised goat's milk) and pots, and pots of black coffee.
We were back just in time to go for coffee and waffles with a lovely couple from Nordfjordeid who have a loft apartment above the Spar shop in the village.
(They were here for dinner last Saturday night when we had crab, mackerel and other yummy things)
And: guess what we did today: Wednesday.
Took the ferry from Kjelkenes to Myklebust so that J could get a trailerload of birch wood for the winter. Whilst that was being loaded we went to a friend called Kare's house for - tra da - coffee and waffles!!!!!!
They were absolutely gorgeous - he also hot smokes the most fabulous trout so we had some of that on flatbread with sour cream - but, if I don't have another cup of coffee or waffle for the next two weeks, I'll not be too sad.
His house is in the most amazing position overlooking the fjord. Wonderful views and his cruiser moored nearby.
OK - that's us up to date so bye for now.
Monday, 16 July 2012
Holmen Atelier
Helped P in the shop yesterday afternoon. She has it looking fabulous.
She got the panelling re-stained over the winter and has lots of new display aids and new lines.
Lovely jewellery: from Ronan in Wales, pewter from Reaction in Lisburn, Pam Wilson's latest from Comber (the Dog House Gallery) and - my favourite range - pairs of earrings: one dangly and one stud in each pair - really quirky designs like an elk on the dangly one and an elk triangular warning road sign on the stud: by a lady called Emily from Norway.
Check out P's Facebook page for more details: Pamela Dunbar Atelier.
I've uploaded photos to the Picasa Web Album - link was in email yesterday.
This is her peak season at the minute - that's why I'm here - and she has been really busy.
Lots of cruisers and boats in and out of the moorings at Knutholmen (the bar and restaurant beside the seahouse/shop) - some serious money spent on boats over here. Will post photos in due course.
Then there are tourists coming in and out every day on the routine ferries which are met at Smorhamn by a bus which continues on into Kalvag.
And, of course, people in cars, campers etc. There's a camp site nearby.
There are a few other shops in the village but Holmen Atelier is by far the most attractive with the best selection of really top quality crafts and giftware. And I'm not just saying that because she's my sister! The other gallery in the village has still pieces which were there the last time I was here - three years ago!!
J took a couple of friends of his from Shetland and I on a magical mystery sight seeing tour today. More about that tomorrow........
She got the panelling re-stained over the winter and has lots of new display aids and new lines.
Lovely jewellery: from Ronan in Wales, pewter from Reaction in Lisburn, Pam Wilson's latest from Comber (the Dog House Gallery) and - my favourite range - pairs of earrings: one dangly and one stud in each pair - really quirky designs like an elk on the dangly one and an elk triangular warning road sign on the stud: by a lady called Emily from Norway.
Check out P's Facebook page for more details: Pamela Dunbar Atelier.
I've uploaded photos to the Picasa Web Album - link was in email yesterday.
This is her peak season at the minute - that's why I'm here - and she has been really busy.
Lots of cruisers and boats in and out of the moorings at Knutholmen (the bar and restaurant beside the seahouse/shop) - some serious money spent on boats over here. Will post photos in due course.
Then there are tourists coming in and out every day on the routine ferries which are met at Smorhamn by a bus which continues on into Kalvag.
And, of course, people in cars, campers etc. There's a camp site nearby.
There are a few other shops in the village but Holmen Atelier is by far the most attractive with the best selection of really top quality crafts and giftware. And I'm not just saying that because she's my sister! The other gallery in the village has still pieces which were there the last time I was here - three years ago!!
J took a couple of friends of his from Shetland and I on a magical mystery sight seeing tour today. More about that tomorrow........
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Kalvag - Sunday 15th
Hi. I have been here for nearly a week and am only now getting around to organising this blog - sorry. I wasn't sure whether I would do one this year but: here goes.....
I have also started an album on Pica
Left Sprucefield at 8.15am last Monday to fly to Oslo from Dublin. Re-checked my baggage at Gardermoen airport - you have to claim your case at point of entry in Norway (as in the USA) and take it thru customs - so I knew it had got that far. You've no doubt guessed what's coming next! I had a pretty tight connection to Floro, on the west coast about a fifth of the way up - but the 'plane was delayed over an hour. A tiny wee plane holding maybe 20 people each side. Because of the delay we were in danger of missing the last fast ferry from Bergen (via Floro) to Maloy (I was getting off at Smorhamn) so the Pilot 'phoned ahead to let the boat know and to organise taxis.
I was being picked up by a friend of P's and her daughter: 'cos Kjellaug's English is as good as my Norwegian! We landed with under ten minutes to spare and, whilst there were plenty of cases coming off the 'plane, very few of them seemed to belong to the passengers waiting :( The ground staff nonchalantly told us they would send them on which caused me more than a little concern because they wouldn't know where I was staying. Anyway - Kjellaug bundled me into a taxi and said she would sort it out. Five minutes later, after a great impression of wacky races by our (female) taxi driver, we were on the ferry with seconds to spare.
Jostein and P were there to meet me on the quay 20 minutes later and J was able to tell me that my case would arrive on the 11.30 ferry on Tuesday. It didn't and then I really started to be concerned! Another 'phone call and we were informed it would be arriving by delivery truck at the Spar shop in Kalvag at 2.30 that afternoon and, thank goodness, it did. Phew!
And: as I'm here in the official capacity of Housekeeper, Cook and bottle washer for the next 6 weeks I've spent the last days doing just that. With time of course for lovely walks and cycle rides and lazy evenings.
So: watch this space - more later.
I have also started an album on Pica
Left Sprucefield at 8.15am last Monday to fly to Oslo from Dublin. Re-checked my baggage at Gardermoen airport - you have to claim your case at point of entry in Norway (as in the USA) and take it thru customs - so I knew it had got that far. You've no doubt guessed what's coming next! I had a pretty tight connection to Floro, on the west coast about a fifth of the way up - but the 'plane was delayed over an hour. A tiny wee plane holding maybe 20 people each side. Because of the delay we were in danger of missing the last fast ferry from Bergen (via Floro) to Maloy (I was getting off at Smorhamn) so the Pilot 'phoned ahead to let the boat know and to organise taxis.
I was being picked up by a friend of P's and her daughter: 'cos Kjellaug's English is as good as my Norwegian! We landed with under ten minutes to spare and, whilst there were plenty of cases coming off the 'plane, very few of them seemed to belong to the passengers waiting :( The ground staff nonchalantly told us they would send them on which caused me more than a little concern because they wouldn't know where I was staying. Anyway - Kjellaug bundled me into a taxi and said she would sort it out. Five minutes later, after a great impression of wacky races by our (female) taxi driver, we were on the ferry with seconds to spare.
Jostein and P were there to meet me on the quay 20 minutes later and J was able to tell me that my case would arrive on the 11.30 ferry on Tuesday. It didn't and then I really started to be concerned! Another 'phone call and we were informed it would be arriving by delivery truck at the Spar shop in Kalvag at 2.30 that afternoon and, thank goodness, it did. Phew!
And: as I'm here in the official capacity of Housekeeper, Cook and bottle washer for the next 6 weeks I've spent the last days doing just that. With time of course for lovely walks and cycle rides and lazy evenings.
So: watch this space - more later.
Wednesday, 11 July 2012
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