Wand'ring Cows - E

I can't believe how amazing this place is. Ordinary gardening tasks become much more epic with the expansive backdrop of a fjord. In a way this part of Norway really reminds me of Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge, (especially when it's overcast and drizzling...) so it all almost feels familiar, which is very nice. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect setting, or better ice cream. With the cream from the cows that are milked they make ice cream, and sell it at festivals and markets under their own certified organic ice cream label Isrosa. So far we've had it for dessert every dinner- fine living indeed.

Today we started work at 10am, and worked on the hen house Jacintha is building, in preparation for the building of her own house she wants to have on some land a little north of here. Every day have we lunch at noon and start work again at 2, so I took a nap during the break before we worked on the house some more. We turned to pulling giant weeds at the end of the shift, which seem to have taken over a lot of the land. We're going to burn their remains in a big bonfire on Saturday night.


During the afternoon break (4-5:30), Logan and I explored the pastures and said hello to the cows. Even the pasture is beautiful, with tree-covered rocky areas, (good for keeping away from the hungry cows), and buttercup-covered hillsides overlooking the fjord . This cow on the right is taking care of three calves, and they are really cute. But not quite as cute as the cat with three kittens living on the back porch. I don't know how a farm can be any more perfect when it has family of kittens at the back porch emanating cuteness constantly.

Jacintha helped Logan and I do the milking again this evening, and though we're still much slower than her, we're getting better I think. But exciting farm adventures happened when a couple of cows got out, needing to be coaxed back in to the gate with sticks. It was decided that they would do it again eventually, so we installed the electric fence that hadn't been put up yet. No more cow excursions.

I wish we were staying here longer than two weeks- it will go by much too fast. I'll miss this view from our window, 10:30pm and the sun still setting...