Skiing and the elk

 

The weekend before last I went skiing for my first time in Norway! It was amazing, very beautiful and sunny day which made it very plesant. It was very different to skiing in New Zealand. First the trees... Who put those there?! But it made it more exciting because you couldn`t tell where you might end up. But I also came to realise why we have so many forigners skiing at the Snow Farm. In Norway it is croweded and my speed didn`t really get past a shuffle most of the time, not bad for a Sunday ski but I can imagine it would be annoying for others. I guess you don`t appriciate what you have until it is gone! But now all the snow is melted and everyone says they are expecting a mild winter so I might have to wait a bit.

Last weekend I helped my host parents cut up an elk which they had bought, unbutchered. Acting like the tough New Zealander I am, I got stuck in and helped cut up the beast. It took three of us over three hours to get everything bagged, minced and in the freezer but we made it. The white kitchen required quite a bit of cleaning but it is now back to normal and I no longer have elk blood under my fingernails either which is a bonus!

I have a good idea for my next blog post so you shouldn`t have to wait too long for the next one. Sorry I haven`t been posting as much as I should but when there is snow to be skied and elk to be cut it has to wait!

 

And an update on the knitting: I am nearly ready to start the top pattern. As of last night I had 8cm to go so I will keep you posted after I start the design!!!!

 

Knitting!!!

I have been pretty bad at this blogging thing recently and I am sorry if you have been faithfully checking back to find no updates! But I'm not just lazy there is a reason I have not been blogging (well, mostly), it is because I have started traditional Norwegian knitting! I think it is possibly the most under rated craft in the world. For those who don't know the famous designs a quick google search of 'norwegian knitting' will clear up your curiosity.

Since I arrived here I have made two hats and I have started on a jumper which I am very proud of! My host family's grandmother has been helping me and she even included me when she made socks for all the grandkids! It is very nice to have the help because I know if I tried to do this back in New Zealand I might have got a little confused.

My first hat with Norwegian design

Socks that Kine knitted for me

                                 

My sweater I'm knitting