Pink Saturday

It's Saturday and time for a new pink post for Beverly's Pink Saturday challenge. For all of you who love anything pink, go and check out all the great links she'll put on her blog today!

My pink picture today is of the Bouganvilla at our front gate here in Spain. My grandparents bought the house in 1970 and I have spent all my happy holidays here since I was 2 years old. For me this is Paradise on earth, not only because it is beautiful, but because of all the happy memories from this place.

I remember watching my mom plant this Bounganvilla one of the first summers we spent here. It was just a tiny little plant, but my mom told me that it would grow big in a few years. She had a picture in her mind of how beautiful it would look against that white wall. Well, it certainly does! My mom is no longer here, but this Bounganvilla is and with it the memories of her.

So in honor of my mom who passed away June of 1996:

You were right...This Bounganvilla takes my breath away!

You loved pink and so do I.

This picture is for you!

Hello Spain!

Finally summer vacation is here and I have arrived in my beloved Spain. Right now the only computer available is my 12 year old's laptop. He has graciously said that I can use it when he is not - which means between 12 AM - 7 AM! I'm realizing that I will not be as often in Blogland as I have gotten used to. However, I'll do my best to share some of the craziness that is going around in our house when we let our hair down.

I'm hoping you all have a lovely summer and that you can have a view as beautiful as mine!

What happiness is?

One of my favorite summer poems is by our norwegian writer Inger Hagerup. Of course it's always difficult to translate a poem. It just looses something when you put it into a new language. Something of the magic of the words, the sounds, the rhythm and the feeling disappears...

But I'm still going to make an attempt. For all my norwegian readers you can find this poem somewhere in norwegian - read it and enjoy. For all you foreign readers; here is my translation:

What happiness is?

Walking on a grassy path through the woods

in delicately soft summer clothes

Scratching new mosquito bites with lazy afterthought

and being young and very rich

in unexperienced love

Having a fragile cobweb caress your mouth and cheek

thinking about weather and wind.

Maybe waiting for a letter

Asking the daisy for advice

and maybe yes – and maybe no

he loves – he doesn't love me so

But still not knowing you

Inger Hagerup

Country Living Giveaway!

Many of you have entered my drawing on Sweeter Homes for a subscription to House Beautiful. Well, now it's time for a nice giveaway on Sweeter Living as well!

This is how it goes:

I'm giving a way a gift subscription to Country Living (10 issues).

I will draw a winner the 15th of July 2009.

You'll get one ticket if you leave a comment.

Two tickets if you become a follower.

Three tickets if you place the contest on your blog with picture and a link.

Four tickets if you place my blog on your blog list.

Please write in your comment what you have chosen to do, so that I can write down the number of tickets you get.

I hope that you'll help me spread the message to other bloggers out there!

I think you'll enjoy this magazine:)

Drawing on the १५थ of July

Good luck to y'all!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Many of you might have seen Nannis post at NannisVerden. She has written beautifully about the day we spent together yesterday here at Hvitsten. She is such a great writer and I feel blessed to count her as one of my best friends.

My yellow collage.

(The kissing couple is actually my friend Nanni and her Nanniman...*giggle*)

Even when it is raining this garden is wonderful. Nanni is taking pictures and I'm jumping over rocks with my beloved Calous.

After spending the whole day together we went to see an evening performance of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream at the Havlyst garden at Ramme Gaard. (If you want to know more about this garden you can see my previous post, The Secret Garden.)

It was a magical evening!

Accompanied by the sound of fountains, exotic birds chirping, wind ruffling the leaves and with a glass of Dom Perignon in my hand, I was exported to an enchanted forest where fairies played and mortals despaired. The setting couldn't have been more perfect and I laughed at the mischievous acts of Puck and the silliness of the amateur actors playing Pyramus and Thisbe.

It was one of those nights that you know that you'll remember for a long time. As we walked through the garden on our way home it was 11.30 at night and still fairly light. It had stopped raining and the sweet smell of flowers lingered in the air

.... oh, those Norwegian summer nights are marvelous.....

I took these pictures on my way out. It was 11.30 at night.

The Royal Shakespeare Company plays at Ramme gard until the 27th of June. There are still tickets available. If you have a chance, get your tickets right now. You won't regret it!

A table challenge

Well, today I'm ending the challenge I gave on Thursday. The task was to send me a picture of a table that described your personal style. It could be one you have decorated yourself or one that you have found online. A few of you have sent me beautiful pictures of tables - thank you so much for participating.

Aase at Aases Fantastiske Verden had a party for her mother-in-law this weekend. She describes her style as eclectic, mixing the old with the new. She likes a simple, but romantic style. The look is elegant with a touch of color and joy.

I think her table is absolutely beautiful and I'm sure the guests thought so too. I especially love the pale roses in the different bowls. Very cute!

Visit Aases blog to look at more tables...

Tiina at Livia Concepts has sent me a picture from Hostesswiththemostess. This is such a fun table! The bright pink and black is elegant, young and fresh! I would love a table like this for a birthday party with all the girls... It begs for a bottle of Dom Perignon! Tiina has an awesome blog with hot trends and interior design that is both funky and classy. You'll love her style! Be sure to visit her blog and check out her other table settings as well!

Nanni at Nannisverden celebrated her daughter's confirmation with tables that were just her style, romantic and shabby chic. She used lots of whites and silver, with little splashes of green. She decorated with white rose petals, pearls and ivy. She also borrowed a crown from her local florist. She ended up loving it so much that she had to buy it!

Nanni also sent me a picture of the cake made by her friend. A dream in chocolate with angels. Beautiful!

Nanni took some fun pictures yesterday and I think that she is going to feature a special handbag hanger later today. Go to her blog and take a look - you'll be surprised...

Andria invited us all to a buffet style barbeque. Even though she didn't set a formal table she made little displays that were so beautiful. Splashes of color and lights caught our eyes and gave an informal meal her own special expression.

I had a small dinner here at our summerhouse yesterday. I started out with just white and silver thinking that I was going for something elegant and airy. But when it comes down to it - I'm a girl that loves color. And before I could stop myself the table ended up sort of colorful - just like me;)

To those who have participated, those who have said they'll have a go next time and to the ones that have left encouraging comments I say a heartfelt thank you. You are the ones that make blogging so much fun!

The little princess with the rose colored glasses

My daughter never ceases to amaze me.

Of course she is wonderful simply because she is my little girl, but there is one quality that I envy. You know that expression: "to see the world through rose colored glasses"?

Well, my little girl sees herself through pink glasses. And in her own eyes she is absolutely a princess. When passing a mirror she catches a glimpse of herself, and she'll stop and admire what she sees. No matter what she is wearing she'll be twirling and looking at herself from every angle with a content smile.

*

This summer we went to a street fair in Spain. Late at night there was a concert with hundreds of people watching a man play his guitar. Without any fear or intimidation my little girl stepped out in front of the crowd and DANCED! She dance and twirled with her eyes fixed on the stars and her hands lifted in the air. I watched with amazement.

But my favorite part was when the guitarist ended his song and the whole crowd started clapping and shouting. My daughter looked at the crowd with pride and smiled graciously as she gave a bow. To her she was the star of the show!

*

She is the center of her own universe and there is no doubt in her mind that she is beautiful.

Was I like her?

Did I use to feel like a princess?

Did I smile happily at my own reflection knowing that I was perfect?

Was I star in my own world?

*

A couple of weeks ago I found this old (and I do mean OLD!) picture and it hit me.

Yes, I used to feel like a princess too....

What happened?

When do little princesses stop feeling beautiful and start feeling inadequate?

Why do little princesses wake up one morning and look in the mirror with disgust?

Why does admiration turn to criticism?

Was it something somebody said?

Was it something somebody did?

Or was growing up the same thing as loosing those pink glasses?

*

I wish every little girl could grow up and know that she is perfect just the way she is. That she is beautiful and gifted and that she is the center of her universe.

*

So to all you princesses out there - let's put those pink glasses back on!

Let's dance with our eyes fixed on the stars.

Let's be proud of our achievements and receive the applause with a gracious bow.

Let's celebrate our beauty.

Let's take a look in the mirror - and smile!

L'arte della vita italiana - challenge

Today I came across the latest issue of Veranda Magazine. These pictures just immediately caught my eye and I knew I had to share them on my blog.

The article is by Carolyne Roehm. She has spent 5 weeks in Tuscany and upon her arrival at her home in Connecticut she decided to arrange a Tuscan inspired luncheon.

I love the colors she has chosen - I think blue and white is just so crisp, elegant and exquisite. The display of italian food looks mmmm... so good.

If you want to read the whole article you can check it out at Veranda.

I have a challenge for you all. Take a picture of your perfect table and send it to me on mail. (It can also be a table you have seen in a magazine or online - just let me know.) I'll post the pictures I get on Sunday with your name and a link to your blog. I'm excited to see your personal styles!

PHOTO CREDIT: CAROLYNE ROEHM

If you're ever in Berlin...

Well, if you are an ice-cream lover like myself, there is only ONE place to go.

At the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden (a big shopping mall) there is an ice-cream place on the second floor that will not disappoint you.

By the looks of it, you'll think it isn't much. It looks like any other mall café. But the ice-cream... oh, lala.... it's to die for.

My husband and I ate until we could eat no more. And believe me; they tasted as good as they looked.

Not on the High Street

Looking around in "Blogworld" I happened upon an internet shop I have never seen before. www.notonthehighstreet.com is filled with goodies! And quite a few of the items they ship to Norway.

Here are some of my favorite things:

Personalized signs of all sorts.

I would come up with a sign that was only mine - like:

A happy, but disorganized family lives here!

Guests bringing chocolate are always welcome!

Don't bother taking your shoes off, the floor is already dirty.

Live, dream, love and eat!

A personalized plantbox for one of my gardening friends. Maybe Nooria...

A tin of love cookies for my lover.

A tin of bugs cookies for my son!

A tin of handbag cookies for my girlfriend Nanni!

A dreamy summer kaftan for those walks on the beach. I think Marit would like it...

A shopping bag for Domestic Diva. She likes to shop...

A pair of cufflinks for my superhero.

A sewing kit so I would know where to find a needle and thread next time I loose a button.

A cake stand so I could invite my girlfriend FruNelia for "5 o'clock tea".

A romantic chalkboard for the messages I need to give my family when I sleep in.

Romantic plates that are just Oh, so Girly!

A pink glitter tutu for my little princess - she would wear it every day!

I would never use a yellow post-it again!

A beautiful birdhouse - o, my gosh!

And my absolute favorite: a wooden swing with my own personalized text. I can just picture it dangling from a branch under an old oak tree...

Se anything you like?