never-ending gallery

[Geoffrey]

I hope that I didn't offend anybody's sensibilities with my second-last post!

no way! i am following and enjoying everything, and hope it continues. it's just that i cannot participate at the moment, but that's going to change. everybody wants to visit my new place, a couple of them even stayed for dinner today, pollock with carrots and sour cream on a bed of buttered mashed potato. also all my new neighbours popping in and inviting me to their apartments.

i have now emptied all the boxes, put most of the things where i think they should belong.

love those christmas penguins. at first i thought they were easter eggs, but that was before reading the accompanying message. it might be worth asking the shop people why they bother sending out questionnaires if the feedback is ignored. perhaps the majority of people who responded said they didn't want change, and liked everything just as it always was - but i doubt it.

[LisaLCFan]

...everybody wants to visit my new place ... also all my new neighbours popping in and inviting me to their apartments...

Sounds rather hectic, but I know that you love to socialise, and so it is probably a lot of fun, too!

...love those christmas penguins...

Cheers!

Here's another picture: I was in the mood to do some colourful watercolour pencil stuff this morning, and these little guys were the result.

[its4inthemorning]

Realistic looking bugs, Lisa (except for the colors of course. It made me think that I don't really pay proper attention when I see the things around us. I've seen bugs like these in real life many times and can appreciate the details you've included, but if asked to actually draw one myself from memory, my mind would go blank. Is this normal, or am I just less attentive than most? Geoffrey, glad you are unpacked and at the point you can enjoy your new place. You still haven't told us of the view you see from your balconies.

4

[LisaLCFan]

Realistic looking bugs, Lisa (except for the colors of course)...

No, actually, the colours are not that far off from the real thing: mine are a bit brighter in parts (due to artistic licence, a bit of simplification, and working with the colours that I had available), but Nature is full of amazingly vibrant colours, and bugs are no exception (did you see the photos of the peacock spiders I posted a couple of months ago? Colourful doesn't even begin to describe them!).

Here are the real beetles on which mine were based -- pretty colourful, I'd say.

Beetle 2.JPG (53.58 KiB) Viewed 3500 times

[LisaLCFan]

...It made me think that I don't really pay proper attention when I see the things around us...

Quite possibly.

And, the last one:

[elazar]

I drew this 20 years ago. Better late than never.

Elazar

[LisaLCFan]

I drew this 20 years ago.

Thanks for sharing!

[Geoffrey]

thanks for the kind messages while i've been moving into a new apartment, and for keeping this column alive. more later.

"Born in the USA!"

"i didn't come all this way just to fool ya!"

[Geoffrey]

computer art

[Geoffrey]

Geoffrey, glad you are unpacked and at the point you can enjoy your new place. You still haven't told us of the view you see from your balconies.

i can no longer see across the fjord to the village of langevåg. not true(!), i can see a little of it, as well as a chilren's play park - but right in front of me there is an apartment block, quite near, and i can see right into the windows. far more interesting! the occupiers can see me and i can see them, nobody has any curtains. a great feeling of freedom and transparency

I was in the mood to do some colourful watercolour pencil stuff this morning, and these little guys were the result.

i love those beetles, lisa. in a way it's good they are not so colourful in reality, because then an artist's imagination would be unused.

[Geoffrey]

I drew this 20 years ago. Better late than never.

i like your drawing. one can easily see that it is leonard cohen. it has a special naivety about it, and that is meant as a compliment - much more interesting to look at than mimetic art. thank you for showing it to us

[LisaLCFan]

...right in front of me there is an apartment block, quite near, and i can see right into the windows....the occupiers can see me and i can see them, nobody has any curtains. a great feeling of freedom and transparency

Hmmm, "freedom and transparency" are not the first sentiments that would come to my mind under those circumstances! Is that another of those idiosyncratic Norwegian things, like Janteloven: a lack of privacy and voyeurism are considered to be desirable? To each their own, I guess, but I'd be buying curtains ASAP!

[LisaLCFan]

PS., I should have said, "vouyerism and a lack of privacy" to avoid ambiguity -- I did not mean a lack of voyeurism!

...i love those beetles, lisa...

Cheers! They were a lot of fun to do!

[Geoffrey]

Hmmm, "freedom and transparency" are not the first sentiments that would come to my mind under those circumstances! Is that another of those idiosyncratic Norwegian things, like Janteloven: a lack of privacy and voyeurism are considered to be desirable? To each their own, I guess, but I'd be buying curtains ASAP!

it's not so bad, lisa. janteloven is a suffocating and restrictive unwritten law, but living without secrets and with nothing to hide feels liberating. i do have venetian blinds fixed to a couple of windows, but they are not lowered down, and one lady with two scottish terriers sometimes waves to me with a big smile when she's eating breakfast. living here is very pleasant, and so modern - like a luxery hotel. the fridge defrosts itself when necessary, the cupboard doors and drawers all gently close themselves if they are left open about 10 centimeters, and the bathroom is always warm because the heat comes up from the floor. when i moved in, the dial near the door was on 24 degrees, so i lowered it to 21.5 degrees because it was too warm. also, there are saucer-sized circular white plastic things stuck to the ceilings in a couple of the rooms. one of the neighbours told me it's something to do with fire. apparently they will make a noise if i am asleep and there is some smoke. he said they are connected to the fire station, and firemen will come and save me if i can't get out.

yesterday my friend annika invited me to her home. she had made a delicious 'prinsefisk' dinner with carrots, potatoes, turnips, prawns and white sauce. there were also some sprigs of green grass-looking stuff(*) mixed in it, but i can't remember its name. for pudding she served ice cream with black espresso coffee. the ice cream was shaped like a big chocolate-covered horseshoe, and one had to just cut a slice with a silver spatula. today i visited a gallery in spjelkavik that featured four lady artists presenting their christmas exhibition.
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(*) i found out that green stuff is called 'dill'! it doesn't have a lot of flavour, its purpose is mostly decorative, i would reckon.

[LisaLCFan]

...there are saucer-sized circular white plastic things stuck to the ceilings in a couple of the rooms. one of the neighbours told me it's something to do with fire. apparently they will make a noise if i am asleep and there is some smoke...

Yes, those would be smoke detectors. They are ubiquitous around here -- I have had them in my home(s) for many years, and I am pretty sure that they are mandatory in all apartment buildings and public buildings, but legislation and habits will vary in different places, of course.

...there were also some sprigs of green grass-looking stuff(*) mixed in it...(*) i found out that green stuff is called 'dill'! it doesn't have a lot of flavour, its purpose is mostly decorative, i would reckon.

I love dill, it's one of my favourite herbs! Its purpose is most definitely not just decorative -- it has a wonderful flavour! (Well, I think so, anyway!). I use it a lot in my cooking: it is fabulous with fish/seafood and vegetables (such as what your friend made, with a white/cream sauce -- delicious!), it's great in salads, especially if cucumbers or beans are involved, or beets, iceburg lettuce, cabbage, etc., as well as egg salad and potato salad... the list goes on. And, pickles -- it is frequently used in many varieties of pickles.

In Canada, "dill pickle" is a very popular flavour for snacks like potato chips/crisps, crackers and other non-fried crispy snacks, roasted bean snacks, and even almonds and other nuts! It is also a common flavour in dips and cream cheese. I have also seen "dill pickle soup" on the menu at a few local restaurants. Lots of love for dill where I live!