The Christmas Month

Here in Denmark, the month of December is known as The Christmas Month. It is the busiest month of the year with many, many festivities, parties, and traditional preparations before Christmas Eve. 

While my intentions were to begin my December blogging on the first of the month and write an entry every day, I am obviously getting a late start. The first few days of my Christmas Month have been very busy! I spent the first 2 days of the month (and many, many days leading up to it) getting ready and selling at two holiday craft fairs. It had been a hope of mine to be able to participate in a craft fair and when I was invited to set up at both Rygaards Skole and Copenhagen International School's events, I happily accepted. It was a lot of work to make and craft everything I took but it was well worth the efforts. I learned a lot, sold a lot and made a bunch of new friends (and customers).

We were greeted on the morning of December 2nd by a beautiful blanket of snow. I had gone to bed early on Friday night (12/1) because I was exhausted from that days craft fair. Maggie woke me sometime around 3am to take her outside. In my semi-asleep state, I put her leash on her, pulled on my jacket and slipped my feet into my flip-flops that I keep by the back door. Much to my surprise, I stepped out the back door and into about 4 inches of snow. My only hope was that Maggie make it quick because my winter boots were still packed away! As I stood in the back yard, ignoring my cold toes, I was amazed at the stillness! There wasn't a sound to be heard. The snow was falling and I could see the trees were moving in gentle gusts of wind, however, it was the most silent movement I have ever seen or heard. The moon was shining above and the clouds rushed by overhead and yet not a peep could be heard. It was a beautiful and amazing moment that I have gone back to in my mind many times now. Definitely a memory I will carry with me forever.

The last couple of days have been spent getting my craft room cleaned and organized again. Catching up on some cleaning and household chores and the beginnings of Christmas decorating. With that, out came the Christmas boxes and our new calendar candle. I picked one up last year at one of the street-side florists (blomsterbutik). 

  

Danes take part in the count-down to Christmas Eve by lighting a calendar candle every day. It's just like a tape measure, provided with 24 markings, normally decorated with motives of paper hearts, fir and little pixies with red cheeks, wearing red hats and dancing merrily in yellow clogs. In most families the candles are lit every day from December 1st as a soothing factor in a hectic period, quite often at the breakfast table. Frequently it is the childrens duty to blow out the candle before it burns down too far into the next date. The calendar candle is a Danish tradition which was first suggested as something to make at home with the children in 1935, but since 1942 has been produced industrially. Apart from the calendar candle, the children have one or more Advent calendars, which may either have 24 flaps to be opened one a day or 24 small wrapped-up presents.

Since we had fallen a few days behind when I pulled out our candle, we lit it during dinner on Monday night and let it burn a little longer to the correct date. 

Our family's calendar candle

                         

The Changing Seasons

As we bid farewell to Summer days, 

and welcome Autumn's dwindling rays, 

followed by the Winter's freeze, 

Then, soon enough; Springs warm breeze. 

Let us bear in mind, 

that change is not always kind 

but in the end it surly brings, 

sweet songs of the Promised Spring.

                             -Renee Fister-Lee

My "attempt" at poetry...LOL! Feeling a little blue today...The life of an expat means learning how to say "good-bye" many, many times and somehow it never seems to get any easier. 

Micki Fish came recommended to me by another expat mom who had used her services and learned that I was in need of a pet sitter. We were new to Denmark and Maggie (dog) and Balcony (elderly kitty) had just experienced their first flight overseas and were still insecure in their new surroundings. I did not want to board them at a kennel when we took our planned trip to Sweden and Finland so soon after our arrival. I was looking for someone to come to the house to care for them so they wouldn't have to go somewhere unfamiliar, again.

I called Micki and she came over to meet all of us, including the furry girls. My first impressions were that she was super sweet, caring and very good with the girls. They instantly bonded with her and I knew they would be safe with her while we vacationed.

While we were on our vacation, Micki provided daily emails and updates on the progress of the girls and that made me feel relieved that they were with her and that she was so caring and thorough.

Upon our return, Micki and I set a date to meet for coffee and that was the real beginning to a great friendship. We met weekly, if not more, for coffee, belly dancing lessons, exercise workouts and walks around Copenhagen, exploring and sharing our knowledge in our new surroundings. The better we got to know each other, we discovered how much we had in common and started to plan more things to do together...our latest has been a Harry Potter "marathon"...LOL!! Micki will often come over for lunch, then we will get settled in on the sofa in front of a Harry Potter movie while our hands are busily cross-stitching, sewing or crocheting!

Micki's husband Jason is a great guy, easy going and so much fun. We have all enjoyed getting together (especially the guys) to watch American football on Sundays, play Kubb (yard game), throw the Frisbee or to experience many of the Danish restaurant choices. Most especially fun have been the adult outings and get-togethers in which there is beer tasting. :o) YUM

Denmark has been "home" to Micki and Jason for close to two years. Jason has been working on his PhD at the university and recently traveled to France to present his work results. Their time is up next week and good-bye is inevitable. It is very bittersweet as I am so happy they will be going back to Colorado and will be reunited with family for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. However, I will miss them dearly!! I won't be able to pass Paludan's (our favorite coffee shop hangout) without thinking of Micki.

The bright side, and upside to this good-bye is that once Randell, the boys and I return to the states, we will have wonderful friends that we will be visiting in Colorado and they will be vacationing with us at the NC coast!! We have promised to make this a tradition!

I LOVE you Micki and Jason!! Godspeed, travel safe and see you again soon!!

Ireland...

Been blogging this morning, drinking coffee, cleaning the house and blogging some more ....about our Ireland trip last week...one more day and I should be finished with the details of the trip :o) Hope you enjoy as much as we did!!

A Star is Born

Last Monday, October 8th, Cameron and some of his fellow school mates were invited to participate as extras in a movie that was being filmed aboard the DFDS Ferry. The boys were to play the part of members in the Kansas City Boys Choir on a field trip. leaving Copenhagen Denmark and sailing to Oslo, Norway. This trip takes 16 1/2 hours which happens to be the name of the movie: "16 1/2 Hours".

The film crew was fantastic and made all of the boys feel comfortable. As we (the parents) were watching, we were asked if we wanted to be in the film. We played passengers walking down the gangway...not a difficult part to play but a lot of walking with each take.

The boys meet the crew and are shown what to do

They change into their "choir shirts"

Nina directs them on when to enter the gangway

The film crew

Quiet on the set...

The Danish actress is at the counter buying "her ticket" and the boys just finished their part...

The boys are working with the sound man

Group picture with the actress Frederikke and Nina (the young lady that invited the boys)

The main actress (Frederikke) with some of the boys

Cameron introduces himself to the actress

One of the boys was having a birthday so everyone including the crew sang him "Happy Birthday"

The movie premieres in April 2013 and will have English sub-titles and the boys will all be invited to see it.

Still, Earlier, and Soon...

WOW...it's after Noon and my boys are STILL sound asleep. They must have stayed up late last night watching movies on Netflix or playing video games...not unusual for the weekend. Randell came home early from work this morning and went right to bed. He has a cold or the flu and started feeling bad yesterday, bless his heart. It's NEVER fun going to work when you feel bad, especially when you can't breath out of your nose! So, it's quiet here and I thought I would write a bit and then get back to my sewing.

Last Sunday, we met our friends Micki and Jason at Kongens Have, which translates to the Kings Garden and is outside of Rosenborg Castle. It's a lovely and expansive garden with many flat areas of green grass. Perfect for a game of Kubb. Kubb is popular here in Denmark and the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at them. In the end, you have to knock over the king. Kubb can be described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes because you are pitching the sticks at the blocks underhandedly. We had a lot of fun, the boys caught right on and actually scored many of the winning points for their teams. 

Right outside of Kongens Have

Old oaks line the road to the castle

Corey, me and Cameron

Randell and I

Jason and Micki set up Kubb

Jason instructs Corey and Cameron on the game how-to's

Frisbee!!

Smile!!

Then they all played with a Frisbee Jason brought. He is on an ultimate Frisbee team and is quite good at throwing and catching. He helped Randell fine tune his throw and everyone had a great time running around, throwing and catching. There had been the threat of rain all day and about an hour into the Frisbee game, it finally began to sprinkle. We moved to our favorite coffee shop, Paludan's, in Norreport. Jason and I sipped on coffees while everyone else had a refreshing fruit smoothie. We sat and talked and enjoyed each other's company before moving over to Ankara, a Turkish buffet. 

Micki and Jason discovered Ankara and introduced Randell and I to it about a month ago. We knew the boys would love the food, plus, when feeding my boys, buffets work best. After dinner, we drank our beers, sat and talked and "solved all of the world's problems". It was a fun day.

Earlier this week, I finished up and mailed out a custom order for an Etsy customer and continued to create and make new things throughout the week. The weather has been cool and it rained on and off each day through the week. Perfect weather for staying in and spending time in my craft studio!! 

Things wound down with Cameron attending his school disco and acting as DJ on Friday, while Randell worked and Corey and I spent the evening watching movies. The boys both had school friends over yesterday...a house full of boys! There was a lot of laughter, and the volume stayed at a low roar...I bet you can't guess where I held up?? In my studio, of course!! :o)

Today the weather is beautiful and sunny, a great day for getting out. We plan to stay close to home today as the American Embassy sent out a warning to Americans that there is a large Muslim demonstration of about 5,000 in the city today. We have plenty to keep us busy here at home and need to begin to prepare for Fall break and our trip to Dublin, Ireland soon....8 more days!! Yippee!!

A Day With The Deer

Yesterday, Micki and I met for an afternoon of bicycle riding and photo taking in Klampenborg, at Dyrehaven and Bakken. I didn't have any particular theme for my photos, I just wanted to test out the zoom lens and distance shooting. The deer were the perfect subjects yesterday. It is rutting season right now in Dyrehaven. As we rode our bikes into the park, Micki and I were greeted by the loud braying of the male deer.

Our first stop was Dyrehavsbakken, which translates in English to "The Deer Garden's Hill". It is the world's oldest existing amusement park. Bakken has been around for over 400 years. Originally as a Mecca for believers who thought that the Kirsten Piil spring had a life-giving force. Soon all sorts of street performers and bag players lured to the pilgrimage place and eventually the numerous tents became permanent.

It has been closed down for the season which made the empty park all the more interesting to poke around in. We parked our bikes and ventured in. Here are some of my photos...

Santa in glasses, looking more like a "Dead Head" rather than Santa

Murals on a really LONG wall

Peek-a-boo

Huh??

Old wooden roller coaster-kind of ominous 

Fence outside of Haunted House

It was lunch time and we had grown hungry so we went to the Peter Lieps Hus (Peter Liep's House) which is now a well-known restaurant. It is named after Dyrehaven's first sharpshooter, Peter Liep. The house was originally called Kildehuset (Spring house) and is thought to have been built towards the end of the 18th century. The menu was very Danish; Micki had a chicken salad which she didn't enjoy because it had "hidden" mushrooms and lots of mayo and I ordered a homemade sausage open face sandwich. The "homemade sausage" was not what one would think and quite honestly, I have no idea what I ate!! It was tasty, especially on the rye bread along with a bite of onion. Most importantly, everything tastes better with a beer!

Micki's chicken salad is buried under the bacon and my "sausage" is on the right

Once we finished lunch, we rode our bikes towards Eremitageslotte, the hunting palace. We stopped and took a few pictures and learned from some signs and construction materials in the area that the palace will soon be turned into a restaurant. It is nice that it will be used and not just sit vacant but at the same time I think the number of people that it may attract could have an impact on the deer, especially if they are allowed to drive their cars into the park.

This is the field directly behind me when I am facing the palace.

The herds were happily grazing and the young called out to their moms.

I haven't quite figured out my camera yet...LOL!!

We are standing in the field very close to the deer

On our bike ride around the park we saw plenty more deer and were able to get some close up pictures. It was amazing to be so close and to encounter nature in the works. I could have stayed and observed all day but it was time to go home...

This male deer was rounding up his females and keeping them close

He warns another male who was too close

He lays down in the grass