THE CHRISTMAS MYSTERY

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

The coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent, and I can finally allow myself having that good old Christmas feeling. Although the stores have started weeks ago, it is the last four weeks before Christmas that count.

I am as ever excited about reading my favorite Christmas tale, the book The Christmas Mystery by the Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder who also has written Sophie’s world. It invites you to read a new chapter every day and at the same time open a new window. The book is translated into 32 languages among them Bengali, Thai and Korean.

I really enjoy to read about Joachim who discovers a magic calendar in a a dusty, old bookstore in Norway. When he opens the first window on December first, a small piece of paper falls out containing the story of a little girl named Elisabet. Gaarder has indeed used his historical insight and his beautiful imagination and has created a unique story where he takes us back through history by following two stories.
I really recommend to read the book, and the original Norwegian version can be purchased from here. There are of course an English version, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German version.

– A skilful and lasting achievement, with all the elements of a perfect Christmas tale.
The Times

TILES WITH THE COLOR BLUE

I have always been fascinated by the fine details and colorful patterns on the tiles in Islamic architecture. The other day I stumbled over this picture of the beautiful Blue mosque in Afghanistan and I simply had to google and find a close-up of a pattern on one of the many tiles.

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The tiles show the timeless beauty of the Blue Mosque in Mazar-e Sharif in Afghanistan.

IN LOVE

opera norge

The Oslo Opera House was completed in 2008 and still after so many years I find it breathtaking. When I am in Oslo I always take the time to visit the building which is seated by the ocean covered with Italian marble and constructed by Snøhetta. I do as the rest of the visitors; walk up the roof and enjoy the panoramic view of Oslo.

The Times’ Richard Morrison declared after visiting the house: “I am in love. She’s Norwegian, gorgeous, full of fun, yet with surprising hidden depths. She’s the new Oslo Opera House, an amazing marble and granite vision that rises out of the fjord like a giant ice floe.”

Besides enjoying the Oslo Opera House I do really love opera, and the book that I would like to find under my Christmas tree this year is “The Most Beautiful Opea Houses of the world” by Guillaume de Laubier. From Norway you may order the book from this site, and from other countries here.

PRESSED MEMORIES

When we were hiking in the Alps some years ago, I spent days searching for the well-known mountain flower Edelweiss found only at 1800–3000 meters above sea level. I had read that besides being the national flower of Austria and Switzerland, the “noble white” had a kind of wolly petals and a velvet texture to the touch. All excited I finally found a mound with flowers and picked all five. I turned around and saw the sign: “To pick Edelweiss is forbidden!” Well, the damage was done. I brought them back to where we stayed and pressed them, and framed in our living-room today they remind us of a great vacation.

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

Edelweiss is also a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. And whether you love or hate the film, here is the song once again.

ONE OF THOSE THINGS

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

I don’t particularly like housework except for one thing, ironing. To me the process is very contemplative, you sort of sail away while you actually are making an item look nicer. So when my old ironing board broke down the other day, I bought a new one with a pattern that I liked. Also I have to admit that I spent some hours looking for a steam iron that could match the colors. Luckily I found this cute pink one which you can order from here.

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

GARDEN BOOK THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

I do love my garden book from the 70s where each and every flower is painted down to the very detail. My favorite illustrator of all times is the Danish artist Verner Hancke who died two years ago at the age of 99. He is world famous for his drawings and has illustrated everything from cars to flowers. He is also considered being one of the most significant illustrator of postcards. By the way he belonged to the time when the publishing houses (forlag) had their own drawing rooms.

My sister has this book at a stand on her kitchen table, and every day she turns over a new page to exhibit. Now I do the same thing.

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

The title of the book: “Hagens blomster i farger 2” by Wielgolaski. I ordered it from this Scandinavian website which just sells antiquarian books.

EXHIBITION

Bokutstilling

Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

I have a passionate relationship with books. I love to read and surround myself with bookshelves. I also find a childish joy in displaying books under our glass coffee table…and here are my favorite books nowadays.

MY NEW BABY

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

I stumbled over this quote by Pablo Picasso the other day; “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it” ……and so I bought a guitar.

PREGO !

Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

We are back on our favorite island Sicily, enjoying the sun, the great wine, the lemons, capers, sardines and the pasta with a hint of fennel. Yesterday we had our lunch in Palermo. I loved the street-drawn lunch meny.

LEMONS

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Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen

There’s a saying in Sicily that lemons are not real lemons unless they’re Sicilian. The land around Mount Etna, the Mediterranean climate, sunny hot days and cold nights, coupled with volcanic soil, gives the Sicilian lemon a typical sweetness and taste that is very difficult to find anywhere else in the world.By the way the lemons were brought by the Arabs to Sicily in the 10th century.

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