Nothing New in Norway

by
Nothing New in Norway
In Norwegen nichts Neues
 
“For many years, it seemed as if nothing changed in Norway. You could leave the country for three months, travel the world, through coups d’etat, assassinations, famines, massacres and tsunamis, and come home to find that the only new thing in the newspapers was the crossword puzzle.“
Jo Nesbø
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This has radically changed by Anders B. Breivik’s assassinations in Juli 2011. These murders could have been a story by Jo Nesbø – but unfortunately they weren’t.
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Das allerdings änderte sich radikal durch die Anschläge des rechtsradikalen Anders B. Breivik am 22. Juli 2011. Es hätte eine Kriminalgeschichte von Jo Nesbø sein können – das war es aber leider nicht.
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.All p(All photos: Bjørndalsdammene in Fredrikstad, Norway, 2016)
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First we associated “Nothing New in Norway” with “All Quiet on the Western Front” (literary translated the title would be ‘Nothing New in the West’) by Erich Maria Remarque. The author describes in his novel realistically the horrors of WWI. It became the most successful German narration ever with 20 mio. sold copies in 50 different languages. When we read “quiet” we use to think of comfort and ease but with literary irony “quiet” means here the horrendous situations on the front in this war. But don’t worry, this post isn’t about war and death – on the contrary!
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„In Norwegen nichts Neues“ erinnerte uns als Buchfeen zuerst an den Roman „Im Westen nichts Neues“ von Erich Maria Remarque, in dem von den Schrecken des Ersten Weltkriegs berichtet wird. Dieses Buch mit über 20 Mio. verkauften Exemplaren in 50 Sprachen ist der erfolgreichste deutsche Erzähltext. Da wird „nichts Neues“ in literarischer Ironie mit den schrecklichen Situationen des Kriegs verbunden, bei uns dagegen mit der behaglichen Ruhe. Keine Angst, uns geht’s in dieser Post keineswegs um so etwas Fürchterliches wie Krieg und Tod – ganz im Gegenteil!
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“The recent past always presents itself as if destroyed by catastrophes“
Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno
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Nothing new from us either. The most exciting was one of our pens stopped writing and that our clock in the kitchen needed a new battery before we left. And in our local radio we love to listen to the soothing mantra “no traffic obstructions in your area“. Isn’t this pleasant, a feeling like in the times long gone?
Just now we are in beautiful Norway, but soon we’ll go back to our small village next the big sea. We know exactly the feeling Nesbø describes. Nothing has changed. Once at home, we immediately make it to the pub to hear the news. But before we have finished our first pint we heard everything including the latest gossip.
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Von uns gibt es auch nichts Neues zu berichten. Das Aufregendste vor unserer Abfahrt war, dass einer unserer Kulis nicht mehr schrieb und die Wanduhr in der Küche eine neue Batterie benötigte. Ist das nicht angenehm und heimatlich gemütlich wie in der guten alten Zeit? Und in unserem lokalen Radio wird mantraartig der Satz wiederholt: “Uns liegen keine Meldungen über Verkehrsstörungen vor, gute Fahrt!”
Gerade weilen wir im schönen Norwegen. Bald fahren wir zurück in unser kleines Dorf am großen Meer. Da können wir Nesbøs Gefühl bestens nachempfinden. Jedes Mal, wenn wir heimkehren, wollen wir sogleich das Neuste hören. Dafür geht’s in den Pub. Aber bereits beim ersten Pint ist alles Neuste trotz epischer Ausschmückung inklusive Klatsch schnell erzählt.
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Well, no news are good news.
Our neighbour will talk about our special soft cheese one can’t get anymore in our nearest supermarket quite agitated. But actually nothing really changed while we were away. Our life is going on like the Fenland’s slow flowing rivers. We cannot imagine any more what it is like living in a city where a lot is changing all the time and then all this traffic. You ask may if we feel bored sometimes. “No, not at all, we find it healing!”
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Wie heißt es so treffend: Keine Nachrichten sind gute Nachrichten.
Unsere Nachbarin wird noch aufgeregt beim zweiten Pint berichten, dass es im nächsten Supermarkt nicht mehr unseren geliebten Quark gibt. Aber eigentlich bleibt, wenn wir weg waren, alles beim Alten. Wie die langsam fließenden Flüsse der Fenlands fließt unser Leben hier ohne große Änderungen dahin. Wir können uns gar nicht mehr vorstellen, wie es wäre in einer Großstadt zu wohnen, wo sich so manches ständig ändert und der Verkehr sich staut. Ob wir das langweilig finden, fragt Ihr. “Nein höchst beruhigend“, antworten wir Euch und gesund scheint’s ebenfalls zu sein.
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Following the assumption ‘being determinates consciousness’, we like novels with little action in which the stream of consciousness is slowly flowing. Nothing distracts us from the beauty of the words and style. We found this recently in “M Train” by Patti Smith and I, Siri Bookfayrie, can recommend “Orkney” by Amy Sackville and of course Marcel Proust looking for the time lost. Could you recommend any books, where the writers know how to turn a phrase, sentence or paragraph into something so brillant that it paints the words on your mind’s eye even though nothing happened?
 
Frei nach der These, dass das Sein das Bewusstsein schafft, lieben wir Romane, in denen nichts geschieht, indem der Bewusstseinstrom sich träge erzählt und nichts von der Schönheit von Wort und Stil ablenkt. So empfinden wir “M Train” die Autobiographie von Patti Smith und ich – Siri – liebe Amy Sackvilles “Orkney“, hier wäre auch noch Altmeister Marcel Proust zu nennen, der die verlorene Zeit sucht. Kennt ihr auch solche Romane?
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Nothing new from Cley next the Sea
Bei uns nichts Neues
The Fab Four of Cley
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© Text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers and Klausbernd Vollmar, Norway and Cley next the Sea, 2016

178 thoughts

  3. Hein FF! Vielleicht ist leben wirklich so (-schade das es hier von mir u/o anderen keine Betonung gibt!) Welch schöne Bilder. Ich möchte die Welt, solange ich kann, geniessen. Ihr macht es mir mit Eurem Beitrag deutlich. Wunderbar! Kram Ruth

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    Reply

    • Dankeschön, liebe Ruth 🙂
      Dann genieße ‘mal die Ruhe! Für uns ist es zugegebenermaßen leicht, da Dina und Masterchen nicht mehr arbeiten, außer im Garten, und Siri und Selma noch nicht.
      Hab ein feines Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • @Susanne

      Danke, liebe Susanne 🙂
      ja, Norwegen ist SUPER! Ein Paradies für Fotografen.
      Auch dir und Micha eine wunderschöne Zeit
      Arbeite nicht zu viel, das versaut einem nur das Leben 😉
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Aber die Arbeit inspiriert auch 🙂 Es ist heute jedoch viel zu schönes Wetter um viel zu arbeiten. Das mag man nur faul geniessen.
      Liebe Grüße senden dir Susanne und Micha

      Liked by 1 person

    • Liebe Susanne,
      hier ist auch wunderschönes Wetter. Da müssen wir uns einfach der Natur zeigen! 🙂
      Naja, mit dem Inspirieren ist schon richtig, aber inspirieren wozu? Zu noch mehr Arbeit 😉 Okay, wir spielen hier die kleinen Advokaten des Teufels, aber es ist doch erstaunlich, womit wir unsere verinnerlichte Arbeitsmoral alles rationalisieren. Mal andersherum gesagt, wie es die liebkluge Selma kürzlich bedauerte: “Wir haben gar keine Kultur der Faulheit”. Es ist in unserer Gesellschaft ein Tabu, den Müßiggang zu loben und mehr noch ihn zu leben.Wir wollen immer etwas leisten und erreichen, aber wofür denn?
      Das waren unsere lästerlichen Gedanken zum Sonntag.
      Ganz liebe Grüße an dich und Micha
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ja, Klausbernd, Faulheit fällt mir auch schwer, halt … nicht Faulheit, Müßiggang. Ich finde das Wort Faulheit ist negativ belegt. Es sind schöne Gedanken zum Sonntag. Für mich ist der Müßiggang auch das Lesen von Büchern, sogar manchmal das Lesen von Fachbüchern. Deshalb lese ich jetzt von den Unterschiede zwischen Fake, Hoax und Appropriate Art und werde mich dazu gemütlich auf Michas Couch setzen 🙂 🙂 🙂 Einen scönen Sonntag!!!!!!

      Liked by 1 person

    • @ Ingrid

      Liebe Ingrid,
      auch dir herzlichen Dank.
      Unsere Buchfeen Siri und Selma lieben den Namen deines Blogs SEHR! 🙂
      Herzliche Grüße vom heute grauen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Hi, liebe Susanne,
      als ob du übersinnliche Fähigkeiten hättest: Gerade während du diesen Kommentar schriebst, haben wir Fab Four beschlossen, über das entspannende Lesen zu schreiben und zu recherchieren, da darüber unsere nächste Post geplant ist. Wir sind baff! Also weiterhin frohes Lesen!
      Übrigens die Unterschiede zwischen Fake, Hoax und Appropriate Art würden uns auch interessieren. Gestern Abend hörten wir Neil Mac Gregor, den Direktor des Britischen Museums, über die Deutschen. In seinem lesenswerten Buch “Deutschland. Erinnerungen einer Nation” lobt er besonders Goethe, weil er sich für alles interessierte. Das hat uns gefallen!
      Noch einen gemütlichen Sonntag wüschen dir und Micha
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Dear Sue,
      thank you 🙂
      Well, Dina and our Master privatise and Siri and Selma are Bookfayries and they don’t have to work – except reading of course. That makes it easy living a peaceful life. But Dina and our Master were very active before, they lived a stressful life until some years ago, jetting constantly from here to there, working at night etc. And now we love the not-doing which the Daoists call WU-WEI.
      Wishing you a Great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  6. Yeah a good pointe, that’s what’s so amazing talking Norway – norwegians may have bought new shoes, new skirt or even cut their hair – but the norwegian landscape still the same – the wonderful amazing same… 😀

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  8. Atemberaubend schöne Fotos, die super zu eurem Beitrag passen. Ich habe vor Kurzem “Der Fremde” von Albert Camus gelesen, Obwohl daran teils ja recht viel passiert, hat der Roman einen so ruhigen Erzählstil, der mir sehr gefallen hat.
    Ha en fin fin helg! 🙂

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    Reply

    • Ja, die Synchronisierung von Bild und Text ist immer eine Herausforderung. Wir merken übrigens, dass es einfacher ist, wenn wir vom Bild ausgehend den Text schreiben als umgekehrt.
      Den Camus las Masterchen als Schüler, da müssen wir ‘mal mit ihm wieder hineingucken. Dieser rote Band steht in unserer Bibliothek, wir wissen sogar auf Anhieb wo.
      Auch dir ein wunderbar feines Wochenende and Takk
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  9. Spot on. A peaceful and tranquil, almost adagio-like post in a stunning setting. I feel refreshed after my visit, ready to go back to my life and increase the tempo again. 🙂
    I once visited Norway, too short and many years ago. We’d all like to go again soon.
    Have a great weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Hi, dear Peter
      it’s worthwhile visting Norway! You will love it, we are sure.
      Thanks for commenting 🙂
      We wish you a slow and relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Good morning, dear Sue,
      Thank you!
      Great that you like our post 🙂 For us the North is clarity and these magic blues.
      By the way our dear Master was just interviewed about this saturated blue which is the fashionable colour of the season – as the interviewer told him. As a colour of your cloths it makes you look younger and radiates a stunning freshness.
      We wish you a quiet relaxed fine weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Do you know a clear lake nearby?
      And some people have eyes like those lakes …
      Medieval glas windows in churches show this colour sometimes as well.
      You will find it – in “Heinrich von Ofterdingen” the hero was searching for this blue of the blue flower of the romanticism and he found it!
      Good luck!

      Liked by 2 people

  11. Of course I know Bjørndalsdammene in Fredrikstad! 🙂 I don’t think I have ever seen so nice photos of the area. You four seem to have great almost summer-like weather, in Stockholm it has turned grey again.
    Not only the weather has changed in Sweden. The last year was a turmoil, especially for the southern part of the country. The quote by Theodor Adorno describes it so well.
    Like most of the weekends, I’m off to my stuga in the archipelago this afternoon. It’s the only place where I can recharge my batteries in a tranquil setting. A big city is hectic and noisy and filled with to-do’s and obligations. And traffic jams. 🙂
    God helg!
    KRAM
    Annalena

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    Reply

    • Good morning, our dear friend 🙂
      in Cley it’s grey today as well as we heard. But we had a great spring until now, we cannot complain. In Norway we have quite mixed weather right now: Quite nice in the last few days. – Oh dear, we have to hurry, it’s raining and our washing is hanging outside.
      Everything is saved now 🙂 We thought you would like the Adorno-quote. You always liked Adorno’s writings as our dear Master did as well.
      Have a great weekend in your peaceful stuga
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  12. Norway has a lot of scenic landscapes that can be nice to see and visit, but at the same time Norway is quite boring. I have a love/hate relationship with this country. Being a single-dad, living in a rented flat, I don’t participate the same way in the economic bliss that most people seem to be in around here. An outsider.

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    Reply

    • Well, we couldn’t live in Norway as well for the reason that’s much too expensive for us.
      We can just afford to live a peaceful life because we don’t work anymore (except blogging 😉 ) and because we lived quite a hectic life before. So nowadays we love to be bored. We see it as a luxury to enjoy being bored.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Nothing new?!!! There is always something new, fresh and exciting on this blog. We are celebrating Queen Victoria’s Birthday by heading over to Victoria BC to attend the Highland Games. There were be bagpipes, drummers, tartans and Highland dancers. I think there will be a tutorial on how to sheer a sheep. You never know when that skill set will be needed in the future. Hugs and love to my dear friends, the Fab Four of Cley…

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    Reply

    • Dear Clanmother,
      we had to look it up: Queen Victoria’s birthday is on the 24th May. We didn’t know. It sounds very much British how you celebrate it. Actually it sounds much more British then we are here nowadays. But Britishness is the great question here right now as there is this referendum if the UK will stay a part of the EU or not. It’s very emotional, not rational at all. To think about it leaving the EU the UK would become a third world country. But for some people the Britishness, what ever that is, is more important than economical facts.
      It’s true here in Cley hardly anything happens and we love it. Well, we will have a village fete soon …
      With a big Hug and Love to our dear friend that far away and happy learning to sheer a sheep
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • We are watching the drama unfold from our side of the world. We live in complex times that strains our very existence! I am so glad that I am connected the the Fab Four of Cley!💛💛💛

      Liked by 2 people

  15. Beautiful work, FF! In my eyes, you live a rich life. Not as big spenders, but it’s a conscious living and a loving compassion for what you do. Without it, village life could easily end up being boring, don’t you think?
    I too feel very privileged, being able to commute, just the one side would be rather monotone. I’m always happy to escape to Spitsbergen and Tromsø.

    @ Cardinal Guzman: One thing for sure, as I spend more than half the year in Germany and travel a bit otherwise too; Norway is expensive and you can easily feel intimated and restricted, especially in a big town. And the “cheap money” in the bank these days causes almost a riot on the housing market. There’s something terribly wrong with the system.

    Ha en god helg, mine venner! 🙂
    Per Magnus

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    Reply

    • Our dear friend Per Magnus,
      well, we are happy living here. But you are right we love our voluntary work – the writing – and our hobby – the reading. And for us, Siri and Selma, life is never boring. Do you know that Bookfayries don’t know boredom? We even haven’t a word for it in our fayrie-language.
      Lots of love
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • We should make a list.
      👭 Bookfayries are not allergic to cats
      👭 Bookfayries are never bored …
      👭 Bookfayries are the sweetest creatures on this planet.💕

      Liked by 1 person

    • Guten Tag, liebe Maren,
      naja, wir können uns dieses Paradies nur leisten, da wir zuvor ein viel zu hecktisch beschleunigtes Leben gelebt haben. Und wir wissen auch nicht, wenn das nicht gewesen wäre, ob wir dann diese Ruhe genießen könnten. So haben wir nicht das Gefühl, etwas versäumt zu haben.
      Auch dir herzliche Grüße und ein wunderschönes Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  19. Great to see Bjørndalsdammene like this, I have been there one or two times with Dina. 🙂
    I just love the work of Amy Sackville! Have you read her first prize-winning novel, “The Still Point”? If not, it’s my recommandation. 🙂 Love and landscape and luminous descriptions of the Arctic. You’ll love it too.
    Klem,
    Hjerter ❤

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    Reply

    • Tusen takk for dette tipset, Hjerter. ❤
      Jeg har bestilt "Ruhepol" av Amy Sackville på tysk. 🙂
      Ha en fin helg, selv om det regner,
      Klem fra oss fire,
      Dina & co

      Like

    • Dear Hjerter,
      thanks for your kind words 🙂
      I read Amy Sackville’s “Stillpoint” not that long ago. It’s about my interests the Arctic exploration and I agree this novel is as brilliant as “Orkney”.
      Maybe you are here the only person besides us who knows this area – and even lives there. A lot of readers will envy you for this, I am sure.
      Lots of love and see you in the afternoon
      Klausbernd and the rest of the gang xxx

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Pete,
      thanks for your kind commentary 🙂 and for recommending this film. We are looking forward seeing it tonight.
      We wish you and Ollie a peacefull weekend as well
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  22. My Fab Four of Cley;
    I am happy to hear there is no news from Cley, that means nothing has disrupted the beauty of such a tranquil place in our world! Thank you for the magnificent photographs to confirm that.
    Have an outstanding weekend,
    GP Cox

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    Reply

  23. These scenes are new to me, but they have a sense of having always been just so forever and ever. Peaceful and tranquil. I think you must wary of the village fete…….in British crime fiction/TV, the fete i often seems to be a place for mayhem and misadventure, and murder.

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    Reply

    • Dear Gallivanta,
      oh dear, you are right! Good to remind us, midsummer murders of course! But we Bookfayries can watch our beloved Dina and Master from above and warn them in case of danger of mayhem and murder. Our village green next the church would be the ideal scenery for a crime story. Just a few step away is the church yard where scenes of “The Eagle has Landed” were set by Higgins. Well, well this place only seems to be peaceful but …
      Wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  24. Hui, hier ist ja schon mords was los…schon so viele Kommentare!! Schön – der Perspektivenwechsel in den Bildern, sieht einladend aus der Steg zum kleinen Häuschen auf dem Wasser. Und erst das Schattenspiel!
    Man könnte annehmen, dass alles ruhig und friedlich ist in Norwegen.
    Hier in Deutschland fühlt es sich auch ruhig und friedlich an, aber eher wie die Ruhe vor dem Sturm, es kommt eben immer auf das Insiderwissen an…
    Aber wer geht schon hinüber über das Wasser zum Häuschen? Ob man da mit dem Geist des Sees sprechen kann? Das wäre ja mal was!
    Dann muss ich die lesen, die erwähnten Bücher mit dem ruhigen Erzählverlauf!
    Sende herzliche Grüße nach Cley und Norwegen..o mist schon wieder ein doofer Ohrwurm inside outside USA, surfingusa…haiaiai…
    Schnell ein Seelied dagegen…oder lieber wieder eins über Bäume
    Lasst es euch gut gehen! Alles Liebe von Pia

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, liebe Pia,
      Siri und Selma lieben es, zu dem Häuschen zu huschen und dort mit ihren Freundinnen, den grünäugigen Nixen zu plaudern und spielen. Diese Wesen, unsere Buchfeen wie auch die Nixen, leben beneidenswert außerhalb der Zeit. Sie verstehen gar nicht, was ein Vorher und ein Nachher seien könnte. Ignorance is bliss, sag ich nur.
      Der Perspektivwechsel, das ist das Aufregende, das hast du genau bemerkt, weil du es wahrscheinlich auch kennst. Ändere die Perspektive und das Langweilige wird zum Spannenden. That’s all the magic there is!
      Hab’s fein, ganz liebe Grüße
      The Fab Four of Cley 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Siri und Selma stellt euch vor, im Ballettsaal ist gerade das Fernsehen und dreht für eine neue Sendung bei einem gaaaaaanz reichen Fernsehsender, ihr müsst unbedingt mal vorbei flattern, ganz neue Perspektiven…super lustig!
      Meine Augen werden auch schon langsam ganz grün…..

      Liked by 1 person

    • Klasse, liebe Pia‼️
      Demnächst seid ihr 👯👯👯 weltberühmt, wie aufregend! 🙂 👍 Wir freuen uns sehr mit euch. Ihr habt auch hart dafür gearbeitet. Wo und wann können wir es sehen?
      Liebe Grüße aus Fredrikstad,
      Hanne

      Like

  26. Sorry to say, Dina, but that’s the kind of so-called ‘first world problems’ that don’t get much mileage with, say Latin Americans. Lol. To have the same-old, same-old is sometimes an impossible dream and I should know it: just look at what just happened in Brazil. But I get the feeling, and your absolutely Zen pics help anyone get the full meaning of what you say. Regardless whether this is really something that gets you up at night, you may take comfort on knowing that to many people, just to know that there others out there experiencing something fulfilling and peaceful, is enough to give them hope. Have a wonderful weekend.

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    Reply

    • Dear Colltales
      thanks a lot we don’t live a third world country. We have the priviledge to live in Northern Europe. Well, we had to live in Mexico many years ago. We admit we couldn’t stand the speed, the excitement and the noise there.
      But nevertheless our post shouldn’t be a celebration of the past but a celebration of a peaceful life, a life in which achieving and being fast is not a priority. Actually it should rather be a celebration of the here and now. And you are right, we want to give HOPE – to show that living peacefully relaxed is an option in our world and not only fiction.
      Wishing you a peaceful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • I totally understand. More than to envy someone else’s lot in life, the important thing to do is to make your own worth living. We all count, and there would never be a time when living in peace and harmony would be considered superfluous. All the best.

      Liked by 2 people

    • @ Colltales:

      today I saw a t-shirt quoting Kurt Cobain in a window in N-Fredrikstad :

      Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.

      How very true! 🙂
      All the best,
      Dina

      Liked by 1 person

    • Well, to cut it short: If everyone is trying to make his or her place to a little paradise then the world would be a much better place, we suppose. We just want to show it’s possible and not an utopia. We believe everybody is entitled to a peaceful life.
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  28. Hallo Ihr Lieben,
    Ihr seid also in Norwegen! Da passt ja der Artikel aus der “Welt”, zu dem ich Dina einen Link [http://tinyurl.com/hvddfes] geschickt hatte.
    Habt’s fein, erholt Euch gut, und kommt heil und gesund aus dem Land der Trolle wieder zurück ins kleine Dorf am großen Meer,
    Pit

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Gaaaaanz herzlichen Dank, lieber Pit!
      Wir halten uns wacker. Darauf achten schon Siri und Selma. Irgendwie werden die ja manchmal wie die Eltern, nur ihr Liebmeinen ist mehr gekonnt 😉
      Die herzlichsten Grüße aus dem Land der Trolle, wo es heute immer wieder schauert – das ist Troll-Wetter –
      The Fab Four of Cley, fröhlich unterwegs 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    • Ja, sehr passend, lieber Pit. Vielen Dank. Wenn Sunnmøre nicht 25 Autostunden ++ von hier wäre, säßen wir schon im Volvochen. 🙂
      Alles Gute,
      Hanne

      Like

    • Thank you very much, dear Anneli
      yes, we will enjoy our life in North Norfok and Norway very much! 🙂 It would be ungrateful not to.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  30. I just love Dina’s superb landscapes, especially her Norwegian ones, they exude peace and solitude and freshness. There is nothing quite like standing on top of a mountain looking down at a valley, a fjord, and breathing in the clean air. I’m glad nothing changes in Norway.

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    Reply

  31. Wieder einmal wunderschöne Fotos und ein lesenswerter (Bei-)Text. Meine Wertschätzung für euren Blog lasse ich heute einmal schriftlich hier. Danke. LG Wolfgang

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Truels
      Thank you!
      We keep our fingers crossed that you soon will make to Norway!
      Lots of love
      Have a relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  35. Ihr Lieben, wir genießen auch die Ruhe in unserem beschaulichen Greenwich. Dennoch zieht es mich immer wieder nach London. Und auch bei Büchern mag ich eine Mischung aus Ruhe und Action. Habt ein geruhsames Wochenende, Peggy

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Guten Morgen, liebe Peggy,
      herzlichen Dank für deinen Kommentar. Wir wissen nicht, ob es daran liegt, dass wir lange in Großstädten wie New York, Berlin, Hamburg und Monteal lebten, oder dass es einfach das Alter ist, aber wir empfinden es als Befreiung, der Action entkommen zu sein und singen fröhlich unser Loblied auf die Ruhe.
      Dann wünschen wir dir ein feines Mischwochenende Ruhe & Action
      The Fab Four of Cley aus Norwegen

      Like

    • Thank you very much for your kind commentary 🙂
      Wishing you a peaceful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      P.S.
      We like that you write under interested ‘Love’. Great!

      Like

  39. Dear FF,
    I love your Norwegian vistas and your poetic, peaceful text. I take it in, word by word. After many years with speed reading, I now enjoy and treasure slow reading.
    My reccomendation for you: Jean Echenoz, “Piano”.
    Enjoy your weekend up North,
    Sarah 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Sarah,
      thank you very much. We suppose we have “Piano” by Echenoz somewhere in our library. We’ll find and read it! 🙂
      Thank you very much for your kind words 🙂
      Have a GREAT peaceful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  40. Wunderschön viel euer Ruhe einflössender Beitrag! Ich lese gerade in Peter Bichsels Buch Über Gott und die Welt”: Ich grüsse gern, und ich geniesse es, im kleinen Ort zu wohnen, wo sich die meisten grüssen. Es heisst nicht nur, dass ich den anderen wahrgenommen habe, es is auch ein gegenseitiges Zeichen des Dazugehörens. Solche Sätze bleiben in meinem Herzen.:) Ich grüsse euch deshalb ganz herzlich aus dem Tessin. Cari saluti Martina

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    • Guten Morgen, liebe Martina,
      so eine Schande, wir haben noch nie etwas von Peter Bichsel gelesen. Die Passage über das Grüßen, gefällt uns – so wahr!
      So grüßen wir auch dich weit im fernen Süden und wünschen dir ein angenehm ruhiges Wochenende
      Cheers and thanks
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  41. How can anyone tire of scenery like this? I could easily sit in your second photo and just ‘be’. Not enough of that in this world. Maybe if there were more incidents like the murders would never arise.
    Have you by any chance read Matt Haig’s ‘Reasons to stay alive’? The book held me tightly in its grip The subject is one close to my heart and the writing is powerful.
    Wishing you all a splendid laziness! It sounds to me quite idyllic. 🙂

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    • Good afternoon, dear Jo,
      thanks for telling us about Matt Haig’s ‘Reasons to stay alive’. We didn’t come across this book before. Now we are curious …
      This Norwegian scenery is great, isn’t it! You are right one can’t get tired of it.
      Wishing you a peaceful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      who just couching down on the sofas reading, talking a bit, drinking and having a piece of cake

      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  42. There is beauty in Norway that I hope doesn’t change. The fjords might be an example as well as a metaphor. As for the recent assassination, that is horrible. Like a sin committed in Eden. Remarque’s novel, as you note, is ironic about quiet. Things are quiet because there’s nothing living left to change–or so it looks and feels. i have rarely read a story to match this novel’s power. As for your life, I deeply hope it continues peaceably. Thanks for your narrative!

    Liked by 2 people

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    • Good evening 🙂
      a sin commited in Eden, the fall of the Norwegian mankind, exactly that were Breivik’s assassinations.
      The fjords along the western coast are another of these ‘Edens’ in Norway and then, of course, the Arctic North, like Svalbard. Norway has a lot of great scenery and a lot of unpopulated and hardly ever changing areas.
      When I first read Remarque’s novel as a young lad I could hardly stand it. It’s one of the most powerful anti-war novels I know of.
      We wish you a peaceful and happy weekend and thanks for commenting
      Klausbernd and the Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Tiny,
      you are right, it reminds me on my happy year in Finland as well. All the Scandinavian countries have such peaceful landscapes and that’s the charme of these northern countries, at least for us. And we agree it’s healing!
      Thank you for commenting 🙂
      We wish you a peaceful week to come
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Dear Mohammad,
      thanks for commenting 🙂 and your kind words.
      You have similar landscapes as well f.e. on the archipelago around beautiful Stockholm. This is why we like Scandinavia, you find those peaceful landscape there quite often. Our dear Dina loves those places, therefore she can photograph them that well.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Klaus, Thanks alot for your quick and kind response. I do see Dinas regularly to get lot of inspiration. There are beautiful shots for different angels, great text/explanations and of course beautiful subjects. I do agree there are lots os beautiful places, subject, nature in all countries and within the Scandinavia. Believe me every summer i found new beautiful angels in Stockholm where I lived during the past 30 years.
      Wish you all the best and again thanks for sharing shots.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Mohammad
      we know Stockholm quite well and think it is the most beautiful city in Europe. You are really lucky living there.
      Enjoy it
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Dear Klaus, Thank you, yes I am very lucky to be living in Stockholm a beautiful city with lots of beautiful nature regardless of the seasons and great architecture and history.

      Liked by 1 person

  46. Eigentlich möchte Frau Blum den Milchmann kennen lernen war das erste “Büchlein” von Peter Bichsel, einer meiner Lieblingsautoren (Schweiz). Ja, ich wohne auch fernab einer grösseren Stadt auf dem Lande im “Grünen”. Einer meiner Lieblingsplätze: Draussen in der Bungertwiese unter einem 120 jährigen Gravensteiner-Baum im Schatten Essen oder Kaffee trinken und lesen. Habt eine gute Zeit und viele Grüsse. Ernst

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    • Guten Morgen, lieber Ernst,
      du bist jetzt bereits die zweite Person, die mir ein Buch von Peter Bichsel empfiehlt. Da müssen wir uns doch schnell seine Bücher besorgen. Wir haben immer wieder von diesem Schweizer Autor gehört, aber nie etwas von ihm gelesen. Das werden wir schnellsten ändern. Danke für den Tipp.
      Und jetzt nehmen wir gleich die Gelegenheit wahr, dich Gärtner etwas zu fragen: Wir haben Tomaten, die eigentlich sehr gut gediehen sind. Aber jetzt bekommen sie so hellbraune bis fast weißliche Flecken auf den Blättern und die Blätter rollen sich etwas ein. Was können wir dagegen tun?
      Dann genießen deinen Lieblingsplatz, hab’s schön.
      Wir wünschen dir eine hoch angenehme Woche
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ich vermute, dass es sich um die Mottenschildlaus handelt, ein Kleinlebewesen, das wie die Fliegen ‘fliegen’. Die Läuse saugen den Saft aus den Blättern und die werden weiss oder bräunlich. Du kannst natürlich “Chemie” sprich Pestizide kaufen. Ich bin gegen diese Mittel und versuche heute, bei Befall früh Blattkontrollen zu machen und entferne befallene Blätter. Du könntest Brennessel- oder Beinwellbrühen ansetzen und die Tomatenblätter vorbeugend damit bestäuben, könnte hilfreich sein, ist aber aufwändig. Wir haben das früher mit Erfolg so gehandhabt.
      Wünsche Erfol, eine frohe Zeit und sende viele Grüsse. Ernst

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lieber Ernst,
      habe gaaaaaanz herzlichen Dank! Da der Befall bereits vor einiger Zeit begann, werde ich wohl zur Brennnesselbrühe greifen.
      Auf jeden Fall hat uns dein Rat sehr geholfen.
      Es ist ja dieses Jahr sehr sonnig und trocken. Wir bemerkten, das mögen einige Pflanzen gar nicht so gerne.
      Ganz liebe Grüße und auch dir eine höchst angenehme Zeit
      Klausbernd und The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  47. Norway looks absolutely beautiful every time I see pictures of it. I lived for fifteen years in the mountains of British Columbia, and there is a similarity. Mostly the stillness and the peace. Sorry I can’t recommend any novels of little action due to possibly my favourite author actually being Jo Nesbo – who hasn’t had a new book out for ages! There is a book of poems I love by Robert W Service, who wrote ‘The Spell of the Yukon’ 🙂

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    Reply

    • Hej Jude,
      don’t worry, we love Nesbo’s books as well. “The Spell of the Yukon” sounds interesting. Yukon is such area with the gist of adventure. Unfortunately we have never been there.
      In the mountains of British Colunbia sounds great.
      Wishing you a peaceful week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Für die andere Seite sozusagen fanden wir das gestern beim Lesen des Romans “A Place Called Here” von Cecelia Ahern (S. 167):
    “‘How was your week?’
    ‘Crap.’
    ‘Why crap?’
    ‘Nothing very exciting happened.’
    ‘What did you do?’
    ‘School, ate, slept, school, ate, slept, multiplied by five more times and to be multiplied by a million more weeks in my life. My future looks bleak.'”
    Das ist die andere Sicht auf die Langeweile, die wir als Jugendliche wahrscheinlich auch alle kennengelernt haben. Ob man Langweile und letztendlich Ruhe als positiv oder negativ sieht, ist sicher auch eine Sache des Alters.
    Schönen Wochenbeginn wünschen die
    Fab Four of Cley

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    Reply

    • Good evening, dear Brenda.
      oh dear, Trump …
      We see him as a clown – but maybe a dangerous clown. Just a jester, nobody we know takes him seriously. But maybe we are naive. We were quite lucky with Austria, there was the danger that somebody as populistic as Trump could have won the election. But he didn’t! 🙂 Austria is very special, the birthplace of Hitler – say no more …
      School shootings – the Americans and fire arms, ununderstandable for people here. Actually in England quite a lot of people have shooting guns too. But I have never heard that Englishmen shoot each other – that’s bad style, of course 😉
      Wishing you a peaceful week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • I do believe Englishmen have shot each other, and that’s why guns are banned. One does read of murder in the BBC. Sad that it’s everywhere. Yes, I was relieved by the narrow win of the Green Party candidate in Austria. The refugees are putting a lot of pressure on Europe, just as our constant immigration problems put pressure on us, too. One hopes to build bridges and understanding rather than walls and hatred. Trump is no jester, although I’m afraid some see him that way. He’s incredibly ambitious and a clever marketer. He knows how to say nothing in the most authoritative way. He produces his Bible rather than confirming he’s religious. His wife and daughter are photogenic and compliant in public.

      I just wish I didn’t live in a place where nearly anyone can buy an automatic weapon.

      Like

    • Dear Brenda,
      we suppose that’s the difference how Trump is seen in the more intellectual Europe and in the US. But you are surely right, he is underestimated here by many. One just cannot imagine such a person as a president.
      Well, we have murder here like in every country but not those kids running amok – and actually much less shootings than in the US.
      By the way it wasn’t before the EU that the free sale of automatic weapons were banned in the UK. And there was very few reaction against it.
      Anyway have a relaxed time
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  52. This was a lovely post about change, or rather lack of it – only today I saw a wild flower in exactly the same spot as last year and I was so happy to see that some things never change! Is it something that we only appreciate as we get older? I think I used to like change, but now I enjoy continuity. I am not sure if this book I am currently reading falls into the category you mention: Die Enden der Welt by Roger Willemsen. At first I thought it was slow, but now I am adapting to his style of writing and every few pages I think ‘Wow, nobody has ever said it like that before!’ The ‘story’ is definitely ‘Nebensache’. 😉

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    • Dear Cathy,
      we agree, to enjoy continuity you have to have a certain age. We loved changes, actually we needed changes, when we were young. But now we really enjoy continuity 🙂
      Thanks for recommending Roger Willemsen’s book. We read quite a good review about it but haven’t read it yet. That will change soon.
      Have a peaceful week
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  53. Beautiful photographs Hanna and I’m with you, life in the city suits me no more, life in the country is healing! Have a great week and weekend ahead to all of you in Cley and to you hanna in Norway!

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    Reply

    • Dear Chillbrook,
      Thank you very much 🙂
      We wish you a great week ahead as well.
      We are quite happy because Dina is on her way back from Norway to us!
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      (from Cley and Hamburg just now)

      Like

    • Well, at least Jo Nesbø didn’t see it as such important. We suppose he rather thought of other things of the everyday life. And we have to admit we didn’t think of e-mobility neither. But of course you are right.
      Have a great weekend as well wishing you
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Good afternoon, dear Jacqui,
      thank you very much for dropping in 🙂
      We only listen to the local news and there nothing really happens, but if we would listen to the BBC News it is different. Now the main topic is the EU, if the UK stays in or not. We will know in the middle of June.
      Wishing you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very, very much for this hint! We just googled this book. It sounds very interesting. We will surely read it.
      Have a happy Sunday wishing you
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  58. Das sind großartige Eindrücke von Norwegen, Fab Four!
    Zwischen nichts und alles ist ein weites Feld, nicht wahr.
    Ein schönes Wochenende,
    Jürgen

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Also, lieber Jürgen, wir könnten uns ja hinreißen lassen zu schreiben, zwischen Nichts and Alles liegt unsere Welt. Da findet alles statt.
      Wir wünschen dir einen wunderschönen Sonntag
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very much, dear Sophie
      Great that you like our post 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
      Have a happy Sunday and a fine week to come
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  60. I don’t think anything can be boring where you and Klaus live, dear Hanne. Amazing views of a beautiful place and stunning captures. I just love it! 😀 ♥

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Sonel,
      WOW! What a compliment … Thank you very much 🙂
      And our beloved Bookfayries Siri and Selma present always a new view on our world. They taught us that we actually don’t need to travel but to change our view on the known areas to find excitement.
      With warm greetings from the little village next the big sea to South Africa
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • You are very welcome. I always enjoy looking at your stunning photos and I totally agree with the Bookfayries. It is the absolute truth. 😀

      Thanks for the lovely greetings. Wishing you all a great day. ♥

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Tina,
      thanks a lot 🙂
      We love Nesbo’s novels as well.
      Norway is a great country, lots of grand nature.
      Have a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  63. A lovely reflective post – gorgeous photos too. Sorry to come so late to this but i have been away in the Balkans again, climbing over mountain ranges in Albania (as one does!). All the very best from Laurence in Norwich.

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  64. Soothing words and photos. just what I need. City life is maybe for a week or so…for the art and the good food. When I am totally stressed out, I walk the forest and fields of my youth to recover.

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  65. Hehe, I support ‘no news is good news’ philosophy, or as my mom likes to say: “Nothing is good for the eyes.” I used to believe I’d be able to write a novel in which nothing happens but have since decided it’s too strenuous a concept for the first novel. Glad to come across the four of you (or you’ve come across me, not sure which and is not crucial anyway). Also not sure if this is truly four personalities or merely a split one 😀 But I’ll hang around and find out.

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  66. Oh my, here is a prescription: anything by Alice Munro! We especially love “Dear Life” especially now that we are not young… and the stories in “Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage”
    Thank you for this gorgeous post!! 🙂 🙂

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