Travels in the Search of Snow

by

Dear Winter,
where are you?

Lieber Winter,
wo bleibst du denn?

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Tollboden, Fredrikstad, Norway February 2017.  Not a trace of snow and no frost patterns on our window!

We bought those fur parkas in fancy explorer-style and now we are sweating. We didn’t go up North for that! The name Norway goes back to the old Norse word Norðrvegr meaning the way up North. Isn’t the North your kingdom any longer?
The Vikings knew real winters they described euphemistic as times staying at home. But we want to feel snow under our boots and admire northern lights. Dear Winter, could you, please, make that possible! Or is your friend Mother Hulda not well? Or are these signs of the beginning of her dementia that she lets it snow in Spain and Portugal and not here?

Wir haben uns extra Fellparkas im schicksten Amundsen-Stil besorgt und was ist? Wir schwitzen! Dafür machten wir uns doch nicht nach Norwegen auf, dessen Namen vom altnordischen Wort Norðrvegr ‘der Weg nach Norden‘ abstammt. Der Norden ist doch dein Reich der Kälte und des Schnees, oder stimmt das nicht mehr?

Die Wikinger beschrieben die kalte Jahreszeit euphemistisch mit „Im Winter blieb er zu Hause“. Wir dagegen würden gerne Schnee unter unseren Füßen zu spüren und Nordlichter über uns bewundern. Was meinst du, lieber Winter, kannst du bitte wieder Norwegen wie in alten Zeiten in ein schneebedecktes Paradies verwandeln? Fühlt sich denn deine Freundin, die liebe Frau Holle, nicht wohl? Ist sie gar altersverwirrt und schüttet den Schnee in Spanien und Portugal aus und vergisst uns dabei?

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Borredalen, Fredrikstad, Norway, February 2017.  Nature is all mixed up.  Autumn and spring get the better of winter.

Isn’t it beautiful when all the fields and trees are covered with snow like the tiunder a fluffy white blanket? We love this minimalistic monotony! When the lakes are frozen glassy and frost patterns paint the window panes. When it is mysteriously quiet and the time comes to a stop. That’s when we fetch our sleigh, remove the rust from its skids, and down the hills it goes with our colourful scarfs flittering in the clear winter wind.

Ist es nicht schön, wenn Felder und Wälder tief verschneit wie unter flauschig weißer Decke ruhen? Wir lieben diese minimalistische Monotonie verschneiter Natur. Wenn Seen spiegelblank vereist sind und die Eisblumen am Fenster wachsen. Wenn es geheimnisvoll still ist, die Zeit verlangsamt scheint. Dann holen wir unseren Schlitten, der schon so traurig ist, dass seine Kufen rostig wurden, und ab geht’s durch die klare Winterluft den Hügel hinterm Haus hinab, dass unsere bunten Schals lustig uns umwehen.

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We have no idea, dear Winter, why you act so coyly. You are quite venerated in our literature and paintings. Your snow symbolises beauty, innocence and peace. Even our greatest authors like Shakespeare, who in “Cymbile” praises the snow and Thomas Mann, who does the same in “Magic Mountain”, think very high of you. And even more the painters. What a cosy atmosphere in Pieter Bruegel’s painting Hunters in the Snow and how grand Caspar David Friedrich documented your power in his picture of the ice flow. Kandinsky, Munch and Claude Monet painted you, dear Winter, just to name the ones we love best. And we always have to smile seeing Henry Raeburn’s Portrait of The skating Minister. You see, dear winter, you are more than welcome!

Wir wissen gar nicht, warum du, lieber Winter, dich so zierst. In Literatur und bildender Kunst wirst du von uns hoch verehrt. Gerade dein Schnee ist ein Symbol der Schönheit, Unschuld und Ruhe. Selbst unsere größten Dichter wie Shakespeare, der in „Cymbeline“ das Reine des Schnees beschwört, und Thomas Mann, der im „Zauberberg“ Hans Castorp den Winter loben lässt, halten viel von dir und erst einmal die Maler. Wie gemütlich du bei Pieter Bruegels Jäger im Schnee wirkst und wie großartig hat deine Gewalt Caspar David Friedrich mit seinem Eisschollenbild verherrlicht. Kandinsky und Munch wie auch Claude Monet malten dich, um nur die zu nennen, die uns am besten gefallen, und nicht zu vergessen Henry Raeburns witziges Portrait The Scating Minister. Also, lieber Winter, du siehst, du bist bei uns mehr als willkommen.

Bjoerndalsdammene, Fredrikstad 2017 Hanne Siebers

May be we are so under your spell because our culture started at the ice age. Dear Winter, you still make us gather around the fire, which is now cosily represented by the candles. You make us quiet and bethinking. Anyway, please, don’t forget us!
Hoping to see you soon

Immerhin fing unsere Kultur mit der Eiszeit an, weswegen wir vielleicht so fasziniert von dir sind. Lieber Winter, du bringst immer noch innehaltende Einkehr um das Feuer, das nun von Kerzen gemütlich vertreten wird. Du bringst Innenschau und Besinnung. Wie dem auch sei, lass uns bitte, bitte nicht im Stich
In großer Hoffnung
The Fab Four of Cley

Norway, February 2017

P.S.
You wouldn’t believe it but our dear Winter received our letter and answered friendly with snow and frost.
Stellt euch vor, der Winter hat unsere Post erhalten und sie freundlich mit Schneeflocken und Frost beantwortet.

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© Text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers and Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea, 2017

Follow Dina- Hanne Siebers on Instagram!

453 thoughts

  1. The seasons really going so strange… I loved your writing, it was like a snow prayer, (as rain prayer) and seems that it worked. Beautiful photographs, so inspirational too. Thank you, have a nice day and winter, Love, nia

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    • Dear Nia,
      thank you very much for your kind words. Indeed it’s always a bit like a prayer when Siri and Selma ask their friends the weatherfairies for something. And we are so happy that it worked 🙂 🙂
      Wishing you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      Today from Sweden

      Liked by 3 people

    • Dear Nini,
      here are the lovely Bookfayries 🙂 🙂
      Yes, we always try our best to make contact to the edgy weatherfairies. And it worked this time! 🙂 🙂
      With lots of fairy dust for you
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma, the happy Bookfayries

      Liked by 4 people

  3. What a lovely letter to the winter. And it worked… How could it not, with this charming approach! Nature is obviously more sensible than the human nature protesting for deaf ears. This global warming is alarming. I feel so sorry for the Arctic habitat. Per Magnus called me, would you believe, it’s raining in Longyearbyen!
    Enjoy your stay in Norway!
    Kram, Annalena

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

  4. Thanks for the expedition in search of snow with you lovely bunch of people and fayries! ❤ It was great! 🙂
    Looking forward to our winter trip to Sweden by boat this morning. ..also a part of global warming, I suppose. See you on Tollboden later!
    Kisses and hugs,
    Tone ❤ 🙂 ❤

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Dear Tone and all the others,
      have a lovely trip. Well, a girls trip …
      Global warming is really frightning. Now everybody can feel it and let’s hope that it will change attitudes.
      Lots of love and fun
      Klausbernd to rest of the Fab Four and their friends

      Like

  6. I feel a bit sorry for you, coming all the way to Norway and we have so little winter to offer. 😦
    Amazing, across the pond the head of the office denies we are having global warming and changes of climate …
    Have a great sail to Sweden today, see you next week in Oslo!
    Klem, Hjerter ❤

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    • Dear Hjerter,
      we are having a lovely trip 🙂 🙂
      Well, the global warning is frightening, indeed, but at least we have some snow now.
      Fairy dust from
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma, the happy Bookfayries

      Like

    • We might go up North to have a look there! But we have some snow here now as well, so we are happy for the time being.
      Looking forward seeing you soon 🙂
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  7. What a stunnig view from your window! Even without snow it looks breathtaking. I loved you poetic writing and the photowork of Dina. If Trump and his campaign strategists are smart, they’ll pay attention to what you write!
    Have a wonderful weekend in Norway,
    Sarah x

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  10. You bring the magic of winter to us so beautifully and creativily with this post – it’s as if I can see the the sparkle of the ice crystals on the snow, hear the satisfying crunch of new snowfall beneath my feet. The photos are a tantalising reminder of the season and I was so happy to read your PS – enjoy the winter landscape and hopefully you’ll send us some more photographs. We need it here on these grey, wet, bitter cold mornings! Warmest wishes to you 😀😀

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Annika,
      you don’t live that far from our home, we suppose. So we are happy being here in Norway – actually in Sweden today – and having some snow. We are used of having no snow in Cley next the Sea, but in Norway we always had lots of snow this time of the year. Anyway we will not complain, we have some snow now and we are happy.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      Some more pictures will come …

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Gallivanta,
      as Siri and Selma wrote we are Nordic beings, a kind of Viking breed, and we are used to snow and frost. For us snow and frost are fun. We have been in the tropics once and we don’t know what it was, we felt frightned. How one reacts to weather has to do with what one is used to, we suppose.
      Thanks for commenting and have a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Tish,
      yes, it’s the same here. When Dina and our dear Master were children we had lots and lots of snow and winter was a time of fun building snowmen, skiing, skating and having snowball fights. You still have this in children’s books as you surely know as a children books author. At least in German and Norwegian children books winter is a happy time with lots of outdoor activities. Now winter has changed to a boring time of grey skies and no snow.
      We will try to send you some snow.
      With love from Norway – actually we are in Sweden today – and wishing you a cosy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley xxxx

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Love your read and pictures….
    We’re promised snow for next week …..but seasons are no more what they used to be…..
    Of course Italy is not Norway , you’re right to complain a bit!
    Wish you the best of time, Dina!

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Dear Rob,
      thank you very much for liking our post 🙂
      Dina is very happy that you like her picture No. 3, which is quite Nordic and one can feel the cold watching it.
      Wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  20. Your readers are absolutely right: great pictures and a funny, inspired way to decry the end of seasons as we knew them. But behind this witty post, there’s a sad, terrifying reality, evidenced by increasing global temperatures, year after year: we are reaching a point of no return. Just imagine that all that missing snow is already turning into sea water and invading coastlines all over the world to begin to realize that we need desperately more than wishing thinking: it’s happening at a breathtaking pace and world leaders willing to do something to reverse this catastrophic process are facing incredible odds and powerful enemies. Oil and fossil fuel industries are redoubling their efforts to fund rulers who will continue dismantling regulations and environmental protection laws that have offered, so far, our only hope for the future. Humankind took thousands of years to survive, endure and conquer the elements, so to make possible the art of the great masters to exist, the music of Beethoven, Mozart and so many others to inspire us, and the collective goodwill to make us live and love each other as we do and must. But it took just a few decades to put all of that at risk; it’s now clear that these forces care very little about the wonderful deeds that humans created, and the beautiful dreams they have pursued, and would rather support a powerful minority interested only in the bottom line of profits and egotistical rewards. Don’t bother asking them about their own children; we’re way passed that. It’s not just that we unleashed forces that we can’t control, and threaten to destroy what was given to us out of the grace of evolution; it’s also that despite being the majority, we’re starting to lose the will to fight. Let that not be. Teach your children well, donate your free time toward a collective goal, use whatever just means necessary to get your neighbor, your relatives, your co-workers and colleagues to join in the resistance. I, for one, still have hope and haven’t given it up, but I’m one and not even doing all I can. We need more. Earth is so beautiful, there’s nothing that speaks more strongly to the human heart than seeing the little wonders of nature around us, like when snow is falling and a little sparrow is busy protecting its nest, or a cat or deer race in front us us, after something only they know what. It sounds like just words, but that’s what all I have at this precise moment. Your posts feel me with such joy, thank you. Cheers

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    • Thank you for your commentary. Oh dear, we went to the wrong place.
      Yes, this climate change is frightning. Colltales expressed it very well in his commentary (above yours).
      Wishing you a relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  22. My Fab Four of Cley,
    So happy to read the ending that you finally received snow. The blanket effects create a fantasy image.
    Love the picture of the horse-drawn sleigh!
    Have a wonderful weekend – Enjoy your winter!!
    GP Cox

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Hi, our dear friend GP Cox
      yeah! we are happy having some snow now. But as you see on Dina’s pictures it is not much. Fortunately now we have more, enough to build snow fairies, for skiing and sleighing. Especially Siri and Selma are very happy 🙂 🙂
      We wish you a wonderfull weekend as well. We are just on a little boat trip across the border to Sweden.
      With lots of love from Scandinivia
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you!
      We all do, building snow fairies, skiing, skating, sleighing and having our snowball fights. It’s just great! 🙂
      Lots of love to our dear friend of the other side of the big waters
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  23. Despite your lack of winter, you managed to inspire us with your heartfelt prose. Even someone like me, who detests snow, ended up feeling the pain of your lack of the stuff. Dina’s photography has now made the move into Art, undoubtedly. Those images have gone far beyond any simple representation of your surroundings, and have become things to treasure.
    Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Pete,
      you made Dina VERY happy with your commentary. Thank you 🙂 She invited us to a drink on the little ferry from Norway to Sweden to have drink and toasted our dear friend Pete “Skal! To your health!”
      We are happy having enough snow for skiing, sleighing and building snow fairies – having problems with the wings.
      With lots of love from the Scandinavian winter to Beetley and have a relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • GREAT and thank you! 🙂 🙂
      Your sharing worked well. Now we have enough snow as well and we are happyly enjoying the joys of winter.
      We wish you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Dear Annika,
      we always loved the Montreal winter when we lived in your beautiful city. Skiing and sleighing on Mont Royal …
      But now we have enough snow here in Norway and Sweden as well to enjoy the winter. Not as cold at you have it right now — 10 deg C only, but that’s fine 🙂
      Enjoy the weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Alexandra,
      oh dear, we have chosen the wrong direction. Actually we saw it on the weather charts that you have a real winter at your’s. Our problem with Bugaria would be that none of us speaks your language.
      Now we are happy having enough snow for having fun.
      Wishing you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • you are always welcome for future trips 🙂 language will be no problem, many peeps speak English here, despite my obvious mistake in BulGaria (LOL sorry for the typo :)) have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the snow :))

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you, dear Vicki,
      well, it’s hard to imaging a hot summer’s day here at the border between Norway and Sweden.
      Thank you very much for liking Dina’s photos 🙂
      Have a happy summer’s day, warm greetings from the cold sea to hot Down Under
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  30. Lovely post! I moved to Poland three years ago and this winter is the first time I’ve seen so much snow here. It’s really beautiful and magical ❤ While on the other hand my friend from Helsinki was saying that they have received much less snow than usual this year.. Perhaps she should write a letter to winter too 🙂 But she is not a Finn so I doubt she misses any snow hehe.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Dear John,
      thanks a lot. At least the winter arrived here in Norway. Until now it was the mildest winter for the last 60 years.
      But now we have enough snow to enjoy the winter.
      Thank you and wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      23 C is hard to imagine here. Well, it is not really cold here neither, only minus 10C. We don’t want it colder because that would make the snowing stop.

      Liked by 2 people

  33. Wonderful photos!!!! I would be happy to see the woodland scene in particular!
    I visited your country in winter, loved it, and am determined to get back there.
    But perhaps you would add a footnote to your note, and remind Winter that it’s already visited us here in New York, very beautiful, but perhaps demanding a bit too much of our attention with shovels and salt? A lovely guest, it would be rude to suggest it’s overstayed it’s welcome, but perhaps dropping by almost too frequently here, and time to bless the other relatives with a visit?? 🙂
    This essay is charming and literally has me smiling away, thank you!

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • Dear Robert,
      thank you very much for kind commentary. Your words reminded us on the times we lived in Vermont. We enjoyed long winters there with lots of snow. And now was the time for getting out into the snowy woods to produce maple syrup. We always found that VERY romantig going out with a horse drawn sleigh.
      Anyway, we have enough snow here to enjoy 🙂
      Wishing you a great weekend
      all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  35. What a lovely love letter to winter and snow! I enjoyed reading it very much! The pictures are just wonderful! And seeing as your letter worked, I should try writing one myself too, maybe the snow will come back too (it´s cold enough!). Enjoy a wonderful snowy weekend! 🙂 xxx

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Dear Miss Gentileschi
      is your name inspired by this Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi?
      Anyway, we have a really nice winter in Norway now and are enjoying it very much 🙂 If you write the winter a letter he might react not only sending father Frost but also the dear snowflakes. Berlin usually has real winters, if we remember it correctly.
      We wish you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Fab Four of Cley,
      indeed it is!! 🙂
      Berlin sometimes had real winters, but more often than not is merely very cold, gray and snowless… But we had already a week of good snow in early January and I´m hoping for more next week! Have a lovely time making snow angels! Sarah 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • We already build two snow fairies, one for Siri and one for Selma. And now we have a hot chocolade for getting warm again. And we’ll go for some cross country skiing until dusk. And tonight we will look at this lunar eclipse and the comet. Oh dear, we are really busy.
      Finest Fairy dust for you from
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma, the happy Bookfayries

      Liked by 1 person

    • Oooh! This sounds all so lovely! 😄 Wish you a fabulous time and hope you can make some nice pictures! 😄 Maybe even from the eclipse and comet if you have the equipment?
      Thank you so much for the Fairy dust – it is very much appreciated!!! 😄😚❄

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much for your commentary 🙂
      A while ago we came in from having fun in the snow. And then it’s especially cosy inside in front of the open fire and with a warm drink.
      Have an easy weekend wishing you
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Sue,
      thanks for not keeping the winter at yours. Now winter has arrived Norway as well. Wow, it took him a while getting over the big waters. We are enjoying snow and cold and we are happy now 🙂 🙂
      Have an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  42. The snow came to Vancouver. We have several snowstorms in a row. The ferries have been cancelled, delayed, the streets have been snarled with traffic (Vancouverites are not used to driving in snow), the mayor has received complaints about snow removal. All the while, photographers have been out documenting the stark beauty of winter’s touch. Cavalia is in town – the white towers embrace and reflect the drama unfolding. Meanwhile, I have a cup of hot tea and watch the crows head back to their roost. I love winter!! And I love my dear friends, the Fab Four of Cley!!!

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • Our dear friend Clanmother,
      Siri and Selma are proposing that next winter we should go to Vancouver.
      But we are happy now having lots of snow. Dina is happy photographing, Siri and Selma are building snow fairies and we have snowball fights – the Bookfayries are vicious! Tomorrow we go skiing around the country. And after such a winter’s day it’s always good coming in, having a hot drink, sit in front of the open fire and just being happy.
      Here people are used driving on snow, no problem. When we lived in Finland we got special driving lessons on the frozen lakes. That was quite fun. Siri and Selma love it when do some skidding with our car.
      It sounds that you have a good time as well.
      We are sending big hugs to our dear friend and now we have to be busy preparing our skis which slept in Dina’s mother’s garage.
      Hugs and Kisses xxx
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • What exciting news! Vancouver awaits your arrival. We are heading over to your side of the world May: York, Lincoln, Norwich & Crewe. Will keep in touch. On a research project and another adventure. Hugs

      Liked by 1 person

    • When in May do you have Norwich on your agenda, Rebecca? We are leaving Norfolk on May 14th to go to Scotland …
      I do sincerely hope it’s before our holiday! ❤ 🙂

      Like

    • Dear John,
      we are very happy now. Siri and Selma, but Dina and our Master as well, love cross country skiing. But there are other funs of the winter, our dear Bookfayries have been skating, built two snow fairies and we had quite a snowball fight. But now we are sitting in in front of a roaring fire with our drinks.
      We send you lots of love from Norway and wishing you a relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  45. Ihr Lieben, so, jetzt kann ich auch kommentieren und nicht nur liken- heute Mittag schon las ich euren wunderbar bebilderten Wintersehnsuchtsbrief, aber nicht bei mir, sondern bei meiner Tochter und nebenan schlief dann auch die kranke Tochter, nebst kranken Kindern und ihre Tastatur ist ein grosses Klickerdiklack, nein pssst, da müssen die fab four noch ein bisschen warten…
    Ich freue mich mit euch über zart tanzende Schneeflöckchen, bei allem Vermissen von “echtem” Winter- vielleicht gibt es ihn nur noch im Südschwarzwald- nachdenklich guck- nein im Erzgebirge und im Thüringer Wald auch und im Harz-
    alles Schöne euch und möge es noch tüchtig für euch schneien, wie haben schon genug 😉
    herzliche Grüsse
    Ulli

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  46. I found Winter for you–it’s in the US. We’re having some of the coldest temperatures on record. Many times, I’ve seen the average US temp at 11 degrees. That includes Florida and CA!California is having such a wet winter, the 5-year drought is just about ended–in two months.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Jacqui,
      here it’s just the other way round: dry and relatively warm – the warmest winter in Scandinavia for the last 60 years.
      But we have winter here in Norway now and are enjoying it very much! 🙂 But the winter didn’t visit our home in Cley next the Sea this year, well,not yet. Actually he hardly ever comes around here, it’s a pitty. Therefore we go Norway to meet our dear friend the winter.
      Wishing you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you for commenting, dear Amy 🙂
      As we wrote in the commentary above this year we don’t have a winter like we had winters before in Scandinavia. You see it on the pictures, there is not much snow. It’s a little bit better now and Siri and Selma can build snow fairies, fight with with snowballs and do some skiing.
      We wish you a relaxed weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley from Norway

      Liked by 2 people

    • It’s really worrying how fast they are changing now! Especially in the polar regions, but in all Nordic countries. Rain on Svalbard in January and February this was never heard of before.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Ventisqueras,
      we suppose in the whole of Western Europe we had no real winters in the last years. You write of 4 years no snow in Pisa it’s where we live the same. But we are now in Norway where one expects a real winter like you know it from the Dolomites.
      But we have snow now and don’t complain. We are happy, especially Siri and Selma 🙂 🙂
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Good morning, dear Louis,
      well, we all are born in the winter in areas of cold climate. Maybe then you need snow and frost at least once a year for being happy. Actually in real winters we spend more time outside than inside, skiing, sleighing, building snow men, skating and figthing with snow balls. And of corse not to forget photographing.
      Now we have got our beloved snow and we are happy 🙂 🙂
      You keep warm and cosy inside.
      We are sending you lots of love from Norway and wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  51. Hallo libe Hanne,
    einmal mehr ganz fantastische Fotos! Frage dazu: sind das HDR-Aufnahmen? Wuerde mich mal interessieren.
    Ansonsten: macht’s gut im warmen Norwegen. Nach der Beschreibung hier haettet Ihr ja wohl besser Badesachen eingepackt! 😉
    Liebe Gruesse,
    Pit

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Guten Morgen, lieber Pit,
      ich antworte schon einmal, da Dina irgendwie anders beschäftigt ist.
      Zum Glück hat sich das in den letzten Tagen hier geändert und der liebe Winter ist doch auf einen Besuch gekommen. Es liegt Schnee, zwar ist es nicht nicht kalt, nur minus 5 Grad C um die Mittagszeit, aber das ist die ideale Temperatur für mehr Schnee. Nächste Woche soll’s aber schön kalt werden, so minus 20 C und kälter. Solche Temperaturen lieben wir, wenn die Luft so klar und rein ist.
      Wir senden dir gaaaanz liebe Grüße von Norwegen nach Texas
      Mach’s gut
      The Fab Four of Cley
      Deine Frage wird Dina bald beantworten.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hallo KLausbernd,
      danke fuer die “Vorab Anttwort”! 😉 Schoen, dass Ihr jetzt den erhofften Winter bekommen habt. Geniesst ihn! Also haben Siri und Selma wohl ihre Norweger- bzw Wikingerparkas angezogen. Laufen sie draussen eigentlich auf Schneeschuhen oder Skiern herum? 😉 Wie auh immer, ich wuensche Euch Allen eine gute Zeit dort.
      Habt ein feines Wochenende,
      Pit

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lieber Pit,
      unsere beiden geliebten Flatterwesen lieben ihre Langlaufski. Wir haben zwar etwas Schnee, aber mit Schneeschuhen herumzulaufen wäre wohl sehr exzentrisch.
      Auch dir und Mary eine wunderschöne Zeit. Liebe Grüße vom Wikingerland
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hallihallo, lieber Pit,
      vielen Dank für dein Lob!! 🙂 Insbesondere das Bild von den Pferden mag wie eine in HDR bearbeitetes Foto aussehen, aber nein. Es war ein grauer Tag. Der Himmel grau, ohne Wolken und ich entschied mich für die künstlerische Variante. Die Fotos sind im Lightroom (überwiegend) und Photoshop entwickelt worden. Ich mache nur RAW aufnahmen und alle RAWs müssen später leicht korrigiert werden was Licht, Kontrast etc betreffen. Diesmal habe ich übertrieben; viel Licht (High Key), Kontrast und Farbe, darum erscheint das letzet Foto wie HDR.
      Zu den Pferden; plötzlich kamen die Pferde. Die tauchten so plötzliche auf und waren ebenso schnell weg. Ich habe sehr wenig Zeit für alle Einstellungen gehabt (fotografiere im M-Modus) und das Bild sah langweilig aus, fast düster/melancholisch, fand Klausbernd. Das erste Pferd sah fast schwarz aus und ich habe es im Lightroom aufgelichtet. Du kannst clone tool googlen, es ist sehr wirkungsvoll!
      Liebe Grüße an dich und Mary aus Fredrikstad
      Hanne

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hallo liebe Dina,
      danke fuer die “Aufklaerung”! 😉 Diese Nachbearbeitung macht – so finde ich – ein sehr interessantes Bild daraus. Gefaellt mir sehr.
      Ich bearbeite meine Bilder relativ wenig nach. Hauptsaechlich Veraenderung/Verkleinerung des Ausschnitts und Entfernen der Sensorflecken. Und gelegentlich noch etwas Aufhellen. Das ist schon Alles. Dafuer reicht, was mir mein ACDsee Ultimate bietet. Bzw Inpaint fuer’s Entfernen der Sensorflecken. Bisher habe ich Fotos kaum im RAW-Format abgespeichert. Wenn ich – gelegentlich – mal beides [RAW und jpg] gleichzeitig gemacht habe, dann habe ich keinen Unterschied feststellen koennen. Muss an meinen Augen liegen. Nur RAW ist mir zu aufwendig, weil ich jedes Bild zumindest in einem anderen Format speichern muss, damit ich es in anderen Programmen verwenden kann. Also bleibe ich bei jpg in der Maximalaufloesung. Fuer meine Amateurfotos reicht das voll und ganz.
      Liebe Gruesse, auch an die restlichen 3/4 der Fab Four, und viel Spass in Frederikstadt,
      Pit

      Liked by 1 person

  52. Hallo,

    wieder einmal wunderschöne Fotos. Als Tierfreund hat mir besonders das Foto mit den Pferden gefallen. Schön zu hören, dass ihr nun doch Schnee bekommen habt. Wir hatten hier auch Schnee dieses Jahr, nun ist das Meiste aber schon wieder weggetaut. Auf den Frühling freue ich mich aber dann trotzdem wieder.

    LG, Susanne

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Guten Morgen, liebe Susanne,
      wir hoffen sehr, dass es hier in Norwegen mit dem Winter erst richtig losgeht. Aber wir wollen uns nicht beklagen, es liegt Schnee, und wir sind froh. Es ist auch noch mehr Winter angesagt. Wo wir leben, in Nord Norfolk gibt es leider höchst selten Schnee und Frost, deswegen reisen wir im Winter dem Schnee entgegen – meist nach Norwegen.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom kalten Meer und den besten Wünschen für ein angenehmes Wochenende
      The Fab Fourof Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • … but he reacted to our letter 🙂 We have quite some snow now and enjoying real wintertime.
      However basically you are right, winter is stubborn.
      All the best to you.
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Tina
      we need our dose of winter at least once a year. As we live in quite a mild climate we go North in the wintertime to meet a real winter with frost, snow and ice. We love winter, it’s the season we spend most of our time outside with all this winter activities.
      Anyway, as you see, we are very Nordic, all born in cold areas in winter – maybe that’s why?
      With lots of love from Norway.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  56. Guten Morgen,liebe Hanne und lieber Klausbernd,
    wir wünschen euch viele, viele Schneeflocken, die die Landschaft weiß färben.
    In Berlin ist alles grau in grau, wir wissen noch nicht, wie wir das Wochenende verbringen, entweder ganz faul, oder doch nach den schwarzen Stiefeln, die ich so dringend brauche, im Schlussverkauf schauen oder durch die Landschaft streichen, fotografieren und zeichnen. Wie schön, das mag ich am Samstag Vormittag – alles ist offen.
    Liebe Grüße von Susanne und Micha

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Liebe Susanne, lieber Micha,
      bei uns diktieren heute Siri und Selma das Programm – und was für ein Programm: von Schneefeen bauen, über Skilanglaufen bis zur Schneeballschlacht. Sie sind soooo froh über den Schnee. Und es ist auch gar nicht kalt, nur minus 5 Grad C, die ideale Temperatur für noch mehr Schnee. Heute Abend werden wir dann in die Sauna gehen und danach vorm offenen Feuer am Kamin hocken und skandinavische Gemütlichkeit genießen.
      Dir, liebe Susanne, wünschen wir, dass du Schnäppchen findest und besonders schöne Stiefel.
      Mit lieben Grüßen aus Norwegen
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  57. My dear friends,
    I’m so happy to find you in Norway again! 🙂 I really like you kind and poetic letter to winter with Hanne’s beautiful images. I only wish winter would come to Svalbard as well. As you have heard, Svalbard was a news topic every day lately. It’s the warmest place in Norway!!- and it’s raining, raining, would you believe. Angel’s tears indeed, we’re very upset to put it mildly.
    Girls, please ask the frost fairies to spend some magic dust north of the Arctic Circle, please! The arctic habitat is suffering immensly.
    Have a wonderful weekend, we’ll talk later.
    Per Magnus

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

    • Our dear friend,
      we were quite shocked reading about the rain in the Norwegian press. That’s desastrous. Our beloved Siri and Selma immediately made contact with their friends, the weather fairies, asking them to send Father Frost and old man Winter up North. Are they too lazy visiting you? Well, our beloved Bookfayries will find out.
      The effects of global warming are horrible, especially in the Polar regions. Of course, we have to change our lifestyles. Colltales wrote a long commentary about this problem (quite some commentaries above).
      We send you lots of love xxxxx
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  58. I am so pleased Winter received your letter and answered in Snow and Frost.. Such pretty scenes the snow makes.. And I think Winter heard your call right here today in the UK.. For today we awoke to snow and it is still falling..
    Such beautiful script and wonderful images..

    Have a beautiful day..
    Sue ❤

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Sue,
      isn’t it funny we travelled from the UK to Norway meeting the winter and meanwhile the winter arrived at the UK. We have a nice winter here as well. Not that cold, minus 5 degr. C. only, but that’s the ideal temperature for more snow to come. The snow is fine, enough for skiing and all the funs of winter the Dutch painters like Bruegel liked to document.
      Enjoy the snow! 🙂
      We wish you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  60. Bonjour ou bonsoir DINA
    Je t’emmène du bonheur
    il est à côté de toi
    Surtout ne bouge pas
    Tiens ! il s’est glissé dans ton sourire
    Oh ! Le voilà dans ta belle demeure
    Pour embellir ta journée de joie et que ta soirée te soit de tout repos
    Pour toi je me dis que c’est la meilleure raison
    Alors partageons ensemble ce bonheur avec tous ceux que l’on aime et que l’on apprécie
    Regarde il brille soit comme le soleil au lever du jour ou une étoile dans la nuit
    Que Ce Bonheur restent l’histoire d’un beau jour
    Je te souhaite
    Une très belle journée ou une belle soirée

    Bisous Bernard Ton Ami

    Bisous

    ​

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Mabel
      we are a lot outside in the snow but then we come in, sitting in front of the open fire enjoying a hot drink or going into the sauna. So we are keeping warm although it’s freezing outside. That must be strange for you reading about the winter when you are in the middle of summer.
      Thanks for your kind words, we really appreciate 🙂
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  62. beautifully expressed catastophe, dear Klausbernd!
    wishing you and all supportive, kind actions
    to weather the unseasonable weather there.
    i believe it most useful for those being effected
    by changing climate to write love letters
    to each other. and importantly to nations, such as the USA,
    and corporations that are not taking actions
    which help protect and preserve our precious planet, david 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear David,
      quite some comments above you can read a longer commentary by Colltales you would like to read, we suppose.
      At least our letter to the winter showed effects. We have some snow and freezing temperatures now, just like we love it. We are enjoying the snow but at the same time we are worried about the climate changes. One can’t oversee them.
      Thanks for commenting and have an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • wonderful hearing of glimpses of normalcy. thanks for the invitation to read the insightful comment, yes i’m in accordance with these insights! usually i don’t read other’s comments.
      may your day be well 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Well, well, we are two little fayries but not unrealistic – only romantic.
      We know that global warming can’t be stopped with letters to dear old winter. Don’t worry.
      With lots of fairy dust from
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma, the clever Bookfayries

      Liked by 2 people

    • Yes, we got some nice snow now and we have happily enjoyed this winter day. We need snow, ice and frost, without we are missing something important in our lifes. Therefore we travel up North in the winter or visiting the High Arctic.
      The problem is that East Anglia, where we live, doesn’t know real winters. Here winter is boring, grey skys and sleet or snow which doesn’t last long. But real cold weather produces clear skys and the white snow in sunshine is magic. And we love winter for all the outside activities like skiing, sleighing, building snow men and having snowball fights. And afterwards you come inside in the cosy house, having a hot drink in front of a roaring fire, go into the sauna and just feel great.
      So we’ll look if our Bookfayries can practise some magic that you get one great winter’s day.
      Thanks and enjoy the weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 3 people

    • It is a real winter you are talking about, and you are right, it is so fun to have a real winter. Unfortunately, our countries don’t have distinctive season changes, and it is something we have to live with. I am not sure that Fairies can do anything to change out sad situation 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

    • Good evening, dear Curt,
      we heard that you got lots of snow, oh dear, you took it all.
      But now we have a beautiful winter in Norway as well. Old Man Winter came to us in the end, well, he is old and therefore it took him some time.
      All the best from Norway and have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • We suppose the Winter is quite old by now and he doesn’t realy know what he is doing. You have to see he was born in the ice age which is ages ago.
      We like your letter to him 🙂
      All the best and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

  69. Beautiful pictures. I had wondered where winter had gone as well, as Wednesday it was 60 F here. Then the next day it dropped over 40 degress and we got 10 inches of snow. With more tomorrow. You’re right…winter heard you 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Barb,
      yes, our dear Bookfayries Siri and Selma know how to communicate with the winter. That’s their magic but highly secret.
      We hope you enjoy the snow as much as we do 🙂 🙂 🙂
      With lots of love from Norway, where we are travelling right now in the search of winter, and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  70. In der Sauna hatte ich gestern wieder eine “Erscheinung”, eine etwas rundliche Frau mit weißem Kleid( unten 2 dicke schwarze Knöpfe und oben ein schwarzer Besatz, trotzdem nicht gerade modisch uptodate, finde ich) und dicken Kirschohrringen, sie lächelte und auf ihrem linken Arm saß ein großer schwarzer Vogel, sie sah wirklich toll aus, oben an der Saunadecke….
    Wenn es nicht genug schneit, haben wir einen Sommer mit zu viel Insekten, blöd!
    Ich wünsche euch Schnee! Viel!
    Ansonsten würde ich gerne Mutter Natur ihren Job machen lassen, so wie sie weiß, dass es funktioniert….zur Entgiftung besuche ich die Saune jetzt regelmäßiger…
    Ich grüße euch und sende viel Liebe, kann nicht schaden!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, liebe Pia,
      wir werden ebenfalls auch heute Abend in die Sauna gehen.
      Naja, Mother Nature wird ja sehr durch menschliches Tun gestört. Ließe man sie in Ruhe, wäre alles fein, aber es ist halt nicht so. Wir geben Colltale recht, der einiges weiter oben länger kommentierte und die politische Dimension von Global Warming aufzeigte.
      Mit lieben Grüßen aus Norwegen
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • hmmm, das könnte man auch als populistische Aussage sehen.
      I don’t know – gefährliches Eis. Faschismus und Antiintellektualismus gingen stets Hand in Hand.
      Aber natürlich gibt es auch äußerst gefährliche Gedanken – jedoch, wie schon die 48er Revolutionäre sagen:
      Die Gedanken sind frei …
      Mach’s gut.
      Ich gehe in die Sauna denken …
      Klausbernd

      Like

    • Viel Freude beim Denken, ich denke, er meinte die, die sich mit ihrem Gehirn fürchterliche Dinge ausdenken! (und dabei glauben, es sei gut!)

      Like

  71. The photos are lovely, yes, we went x-country skiing at a local NY state forest yesterday, tree roots and ground water still exposed, with some individuals attempting ice fishing, water still not frozen. Winter is a time of deep, inner reflection, so let us pray for the cleansing of its purity input lives. Blessings, Lori D. (Marchell)Carlsen

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Lori,
      we have snow and floating ice on the river. It’s great! The sun is shining and there is a light frost. We fully enjoy the winter now. Soon we will visit our hot sauna (cleasing) with friends and have a nice meal and drink in front of the open fire.
      As you mention “Purity” – it’s an coincidence, we are just reading “Purity” this novel by Jonathan Franzen.
      Thanks for commenting.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • You are so blessed to live in such a holistic environment! My husband’s family is from Oslo, Norway. His grandparents came to the USA. Enjoy the sauna and thanks for the book suggestion! We received more Snow, so I assist the wildlife as best as I can. This time of year reminds me of Psalm 51…”Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me…cleanse me with…make me as pure as snow” (paraphrased) Blessings! Lori

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Lori,
      oh dear, we have to warn you. Jonathan Franzen’s “Purity”is probably totally different as you might espect reading the title.
      We don’live in Norway, we live in another holistic environment, in the AONB (area of outstanding natural beauty – rating by the EU) of the North Norfolk coast. It’s quite a big nature reserve. And by the way we have a sauna there in our garden too. Well, our dear Master found it first work in Finland. And everybody who has lived in Finland is getting hooked on saunas.
      Our dear Dina is Norwegian and that’s our connection besides having studied and taught Scandinavistic and especially Nordic literature and philosophy.
      Anyway we enjoy this Norwegian winter very much.
      Love from the clean air and purity of nature
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Julie
      yes the dear winter answered our letter. We are sooo happy and enjoying the snow, even with sunshine today!
      Wishing you an easy week.
      Thanks and lots of love from Norway
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ja, wir haben das so am Rande mitbekommen. Da wird doch wohl nicht der alte Winter schusselig und weiß nicht mehr so recht, wo er hingehört. Aber wir können uns nun nicht mehr beklagen, wir haben feinstes Winterwetter mit Schnee, Eis und Sonnenschein, Postkartenwetter,
      Wenn der ÖPNV streikt, musst du dann zu Fuß gehen? Na, wenn wir den Schuh auf deinem Gravatar sehen, ist das ja schon eine Leistung 😉
      Hab Dank für’s Kommentieren und eine höchst angenehme Woche
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • So Schneeluft ist echt super! Macht rote Bäckchen 🙂 und ich finde auch gute Laune. Naja, beim deutschen Schneesturm wird’s wohl kein white out geben. Aber tapfer, tapfer, echt eine Leistung. 10 km finden wir 4 beachtlich. Du hast unsere volle Bewunderung.
      Liebe Grüße aus Norwegen
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Elinor
      thanks for your kind commentary. Yes, we can imagine that you love this horse picture. Actually we even like it more if a horse draws a sleigh. But there wasn’t enough snow when Dina took this picture.
      We wishing you an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Elinor
      No,no, it was really, really desperate. But we are so happy that it worked. Well, it could be a little bit colder, but as long as it is freezing it’s fine.
      Great to hear that reading our post made you smile. That’s important and we are happy about.
      Go on smiling 🙂
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  76. Liebe Dina und Familie, gerne würden wir euch mit all den Überschüssen an Schnee aushelfen, der sich auf Hof, Feld und Straßen hier im Westen Kanadas bei uns angesammelt hat. Jedes mal, wenn ich vom Schneeschippen müde geworden bin, wünsche ich mir ein bisschen weniger Schnee für den Winter. Doch wenn die Sonne scheint und alles so herrlich glänzt, dann kommt doch die Freude auf. Da habt ihr wieder mal wunderbare und einzigartige Fotos (das mit der Kutsche gefällt mir am besten) ausgestellt. Ich bin sicher, sie werden ein kleiner Trost für euch sein. Herzliche Grüße aus dem winterlichen Kanada!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Lieber Peter,
      wir sind so froh, dass wir jetzt auch Schnee, Eis auf den Seen und Flüssen und dazu noch Sonnenschein haben.
      Unser Masterchen kennt das mit dem Schneeschippen aus seiner Kindheit im Bergischen Land und Schweden. Für’s Schneeschippen, erzählte er uns, gab’s immer Taschengeld und so schippte und schippte er für seine Eltern, Großeltern und bisweilen sogar für die Nachbarn. Obwohl irgendwie scheint ihm das Schneeschippen auch Spaß gemacht zu haben.
      Er hat ja auch in Quebec und Vermont wunderschöne Winter erlebt, von denen er noch heute schwärmt.
      Hier an der Küste Nord Norfolks, wo wir seit vielen Jahren wohnen, kommt der Winter gar nicht vorbei. Das warme Meer ist ihm wohl zu ungemütlich. Selbst Temperaturen in der Nacht von unter null sind eine Seltenheit. Wir haben ein ausgeprägt maritimes Klima, sehr ausgeglichen.
      Ja, dann übernimm dich nicht beim Schneeschippen. Mach’s langsam.
      Alles Gute und hezliche Grüße aus Norwegen
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Lieber Klausbernd, nach einigen schrecklichen Schneestürmen genießen wir jetzt das schönste Winterwetter. Vielleicht schaust du mal rein wie es bei strahlendem Sonnenschein bei uns am Arrow See aussieht. Vielen Dank für deinen lieben Kommentar!

      Liked by 2 people

    • Oh, wie schön ihr es habt am Arrow See, lieber Peter,
      wir erblassen vor Neid! Einfach herrliche Aufnahmen vom Traumwinterwetterschneelandschaften! ❤
      Da geht uns das Herz auf. Und das am Valentines Tag … 🙂 ❤
      Liebe Grüße an euch beide aus Norwegen
      The Fab Four of Cley. x

      Like

  77. hello dina its dennis the vizsla dog hay hmm it luks like winter is maybe just stopping by their on its way sumware else!!! posibly to the northeest of the us ware my mimmier and grandpa liv they hav ben gitting klobberd by winter laytly!!! ok bye

    Liked by 6 people

    Reply

    • Hi Vizsla Dennis
      yes the winter did indeed like the US this year, he doesn’t seem to mind this Donald.
      But now we have a great winter here as well, like on a postcard with snow and sun.
      Have fun, all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Hi, dear Dave,
      indeed the global warming story is not a fairy tale – unfortunately not.
      But nevertheless we have a fine winter here now and are enjoying it very much 🙂
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • Well, we are 4 running this blog: there is Dina the photographer, Master Klausbernd the writer and our two beloved Bookfayries Siri and Selma. We have a kind of division of labour, f.e. who is visiting other blogs and answers the commentaries, who does the photography and who does the writing. We think that helps because otherwise it would be much too much work for one of us only. We can hold a certain quality by blogging fortnightly, a higher frequence would mean a decrease of quality, at least in our way of working.
      But first of all your blog has to be YOU, it has to be individual and not like a lot of blogs full with stereotypes – on both levels pictures as well words.
      We wish you lots of luck, happyness and connections with your new blog
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • Your blog is truely remarkable and i love how you divide the work between you, it’s true what they say you can’t spin a thread from a single strand of silk and you can’t clap one-handed, that what makes your blog so special, you know i desgin my blog to write stories, i’m a big fan of fun-fiction and people say i have wide imagination so i design characters whom are the heroes of most of my stories and i wrote about their daily life as a reflection of the sort of life i imagine, i use sense of humor to keep my stories interesting as well as some fictional exciting events so the reader won’t get bored, i also desgin a whole different persona for each lead character to reflect my perspective and point of view, i consider them to be part of me and like you say i’m trying to keep it unique and new, i will keep follow your work and i hope you’ll keep follow mine😊😊😊

      Liked by 1 person

    • Of course we’ll do.
      By the way our dear Master is an author as well. He sometimes says smiling, he writes in our blog all this what his editor and agents would have deleted 😉
      And humor is always GREAT! 🙂
      Have fun blogging
      wishing you
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • With lots of love to Down Under!
      We begged for the cold and you are begging for it too. We cannot imagine 40 deg. C here right now. We have a little bit under 0 deg. C right now but would like it a bit colder too. Maybe Siri and Selma have to write another letter?
      Thanks and all the best, keep cool
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Guten Abend, lieber Pit,
      in Cley war es auch sehr trocken. Das letzte Vierteljahr war das trockenste der letzten 75 Jahre. Allerdings heute hat es tropisch geregnet, wie uns unsere lieben Nachbarn freudig mailten. Hier in Norwegen, scheinen Ende der Woche die Winterfreuden auch beendet sein. Es soll über null Grad werden, was Siri und Selma gleich veranlasste sich hinzusetzen, um einen Brief an Väterchen Frost und seine Schneeflockenkinder zu schreiben.
      Ich schreibe auch und zwar seit einiger Zeit an einem Roman mit dem Arbeitstitel “Weiss wie Eis”. Das kommt mir wie eine Beschwörung vor oder wie irgendein Prager Strukturalist einst als erster schrieb: “Man schreibt immer über das, was man vermisst.”
      Mit lieben Grüßen an dich und Mary
      Klausbernd
      P.S.
      Huch, noch eine kühne Anfrage: Wenn ich das Manuskript des Romans fertig gestellt habe, was sicher noch einen Monat dauern wird, hättest du dann Lust, es lesen und mir zu sagen, wo es hapert? Nur bei Lust und Zeit, of course!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hallo Klausbernd,
      also lesen wuerde ich das Manuskript gerne. Und ich koennte wohl auch sagen, ob es mir gefaellt, moeglicherweise sogar, warum. Aber ob ich wirklich sagen kann, woran es hapert? Ich weiss nicht. Aber wir koennen ja gerne mal sehen.
      Noch eine schoene Zeit in Norwegen wuensche ich dem gesamten Quartett,
      Pit

      Liked by 2 people

    • Lieber Pit,
      danke sehr! 🙂
      Mir geht’s eigentlich nur darum, ob’s dir gefällt, vielleicht auch warum. Woran es hapert, brauchst du nicht zu schreiben, wenn’s dir nicht spontan einfällt.
      Etwa zwei Wochen benötige ich noch, bis der Text eine lesbare Form aufweist. Ich arbeite emsig daran.
      Mit lieben Grüßen aus Norwegen
      Klausbernd

      Liked by 1 person

    • Well, old man winter did immediately with quite some snow and ice we really enjoy very much. But, oh dear, temperatures above freezing are forecasted for the end of the week. Anyway, Siri and Selma are already contemplating writing another letter this time to Father Frost and his little snowflake children.
      A happy evening wishing you
      The Fab Four of Cley from Norway right now

      Liked by 2 people

    • Lucky you. We have barely had any snow in Northampton except for a day! So I think I need to be sending out urgent letter for a dusting of snowflakes at the very least 🙂 A lovely evening to your fab foursome too from rainy Northampton.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hi Dippy-Dotty Girl,
      what a GREAT name 🙂
      Feel free to reblog our post. We feel very much honoured 🙂
      The Fab Four Cley, just sitting in front of a roaring fire to defrost from being outside most of the day and having an evening drink – hot chocolate with rum for the beloved Dina and our dear Master and with whipped cream for our Bookfayries Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma

      Liked by 1 person

  91. It has been a mild winter in Sweden too. You have to go even further north for the good stuff this year. Your photos are fabulous and I’m glad you’re finally getting some lovely snow and cold!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Lady Fi,
      yes, it’s a pity with this global warming.
      Thank you for liking Dina’s photos 🙂
      Oh dear, following the forecast the snow will be gone here by this weekend. But we are still enjoying the snow and ice and when it’s gone it’s gone.
      We wish you a happy day
      with lots of love
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Otto,
      we are very happy about it and enjoying the winter. Actually just now a cosy Norwegian home. But when we came here we were quite crossed. Winter let us down, a scandal!
      We wish you a happy evening and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  96. I love the peacefulness and light brought about by snow. Although I live in the south, I expect snow to be there when I travel north (here or in Scandinavia) in winter time. Now most often disappointed…like earlier this week when I was up north here, no trace of snow mid February. Happy you had some so that Dina got these beautiful pictures 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good evening, dear Tiny,
      when we came to Norway in the beginning of this month it was rather spring than winter. But a week ago it changed, winter had answered our letter with snow. But she is quite lazy, as you we were used to much more snow in February up North. Well, we will not complain, we have our winter right now, although for the weekend warm temperatures above freezing are forecasted.
      Are you at home in Finland right now?
      Thanks for liking Dina’s pictures 🙂
      We wish you a happy evening
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • I was up in North East US this week. When I used to live there, we had blizzards in February, but now they had no snow and temperatures hovering between 5 and 10C. Last time when I was in Finland in December, I only saw a few light snow flurries – and a ‘dusting’ on the ground. I hope you will keep your whiteness for a while 🙂 Happy weekend to all four Fabs!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Oh dear, dear Tiny,
      the snow is nearly gone, it got warm here over night as well. Siri and Selma are just writing quite a rude protest letter to the weather fairies.
      We wish you a happy weekend
      Love
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Good evening, dear Elizabeth,
      thank you for your kind commentary 🙂
      Our dear Master likes to write. It was his job but now it’s fun for him and Siri and Dina are inspiring quite a bit.
      We are enjoying the Norwegian winter as long as it lasts. Unfortunately warm weather is forecasted for the end of this week. Anyway, as Selma says “winter is lazy this year”, Siri rather calls it global warming.
      We wish you a relaxing evening
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  98. I enjoyed reading your letter to Winter, as well as seeing the photographs that you shared. It is snowing here in Northwestern Pennsylvania, as I write this. There is snow on the ground too, not a lot but some. We have had a mild Winter here…not near as much snow as past years. It hasn’t been as cold a Winter as in past years either. I live not far from one of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie. By this time of the year, Lake Erie would be about 60% ice covered. I read today that there is little to no ice on Lake Erie!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Linda,
      oh dear, the snow went over night here in Norway as well. We never ever experienced such a mild winter in the North. And it’s world wide, well global warming it is and as further north you go as more obvious it is.
      We miss the real winters!
      Wishing you a happy weekend and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  102. Even here in Houston, we used to have snow from time to time — sometimes, a good bit. This year, we had only a couple of freezes, and not hard freezes at that. I grew up with snow, and loved it. Even a blizzard is beautiful, and the quiet when the wind shops and it’s possible to have lovely walks. Well, I hope winter comes again to you. The photos are beautiful, but I can feel the longing for images with a little more white in them!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • We feel like you do concerning winter and snow. Indeed, there is not much snow on these pictures here, but it got much better – unfortunately only for a short time. Now the snow is melting again, it’s too warm and more like spring.
      But we hope that this wasn’t the end of winter yet.
      Thanks for commenting.
      We wish you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Good morning, dear Robbie,
      thank you very much for liking our post.
      We don’t know why the Vikings have such a frightful image. They haven’t been more cruel than other groups in the early middle ages. They were great traders, seafarers and artists. Our ancestors were Vikings and we are proud having such noble ancestors.
      We suppose that’s all Christian PR as the Vikings were pagan.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Dear Thorsaurus,
      you lucky are! And thanks for the hint with the Jack London novel. We tried this with Michener’s Alaska and it worked as well.
      We wish you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  105. Glas bedeutet gälisch blau, grün? Ist das so?
    Das wäre heute meine Frage des Tages…
    Morgen wird in unserem Kino der neue Tatort “Babbeldasch” gezeigt. Völlig off topic…
    Oder doch nicht?
    Wisst ihr, dass wir hier manchmal Chemie-Schnee haben?! Darüber kann ich mich allerdings nur begrenzt freuen.
    Es grüßt euch herzlich
    Pia

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Liebe Pia
      glas heißt auf schottisch Gälisch grau oder grün, obwohl die Hauptbedeutung mit verschließen zusammenhängt. Die Übersetzung von Farbwörtern bietet deswegen Schwierigkeiten, da Farben zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten und in unterschiedlichen Kulturen verschieden differenziert wurden.
      Mach’s gut.
      Ein schönes Wochenene dir
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • P.S.
      schnell noch einen Zusatz
      dieses schottisch-gälische Farbwort ‘glas’ hängt keineswegs mit unserem germanischen Wort ‘Glas’ zusammen, was schottisch-gälisch ‘gloinne’ wäre. Du siehst hier eine völlig andere Stammsilbe. Das wird oft von Laien in naiver Weise übersehen.

      Like

    • Hi, dear Eddie,
      as you can read in the comments here, quite a lot of people love the winter like we do. We actually need a real winter with frost, lots of snow and ice. That’s the time we enjoy being outside most. We ski, skate, love sleighing with horses, build snowmen, snowwomen and snowfairies and of course having snowball fights. We find winter much more exciting than summer f.e. Therefore we have to go regularly up North to Norway or Greenland. It’s our problem that we live in a mediterranean climate we love in summer, as it’s never to hot here, but we have blue skys with sunshine and temperatures far above freezing in winter here as well, which we don’t like. That’s the time for escaping up North.
      Thank you very much for commenting. Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • It wasn’t until living in Quebec that Winter was was actually enjoy for me for the same reasons you stated. I never realized that it could be ‘fun’ and exciting. Before then, while in Chicago, it was rather dismal. Have a most beautiful day. Eddie

      Liked by 2 people

    • Indeed, Norway is a great country, so much more or less unspoilt nature, friendly folks and grand scenery.
      We keep our fingers crossed that you will come to Norway soon again.
      Have a happy week.
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Gunnar,
      unfortunately the snow is gone here in Norway as well. But we don’t think neither that this is the winter’s end.
      All the best and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  111. For a Montrealer living in the warmer Toronto area, I miss the cold that let us make skating rinks in our back yard or go down the street to a rink with boards for hockey. I also miss the snow clearing and removal in trucks. In Montreal we did not have to shovel snow plowed from the road like we do here. Not just snow at the bottom of our driveway, but big heavy chunks of road ice! I like to tease my neighbours that “Toronto has all of the pesky stuff that goes with winter, but few of its pleasures; they are farther away.” I share your love for the beauty and peace of snow. Thank you for your compliment on my Cinque Terre post. We are visiting Iceland this summer. Norway and Sweden are on our list, too.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • We lived several years in Montreal as well and liked the winter there very much – as we liked living in Montreal 🙂
      We are sure you will love Norway with its great scenery.
      Unfortunately all the snow is gone, it’s more like spring. But soon we have to go home and then we will enjoy Norfolk springtime.
      Thanks for commenting and have a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

  113. Norway – a place unknown and unvisited by me. I love your post and thank you for sharing. Your photos are beautiful and make me want to find out more of your lovely country. My blog posts are not as beautiful as yours but I thank you for deciding to follow me.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Judith,
      Norway is a very beautiful place, grand nature and sparsely populated, the people are fiendly and they have cosy homes. It’s worth visiting. And if you go by car there is the Atlantic Route that was voted the most beautiful road in the world by leading travel photographers.
      Well, you have a different kind of blog. We always like our visits at yours 🙂
      Thanks and have a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  114. Oh that looks so gorgeous. I know it’s cold, but I would welcome cold when we are expecting yet another week of searing heat !
    thank you so much for the follow 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • You are very welcome!
      Well, some like it cold 😉 But we don’t have it that cold right now, just 8 degrees under freezing. We have to leave Norway for our home the day after tomorrow anyway. We have had our winter joys and now it’s fine going back to the mild climate of the North Norfolk coast.
      Have an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Here in Norway minus 20 and below is quite normal in wintertime. We love it when it’s really cold. Under minus 20 the air is so clear and crisp and it’s fun being outside.
      Have an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Noeline,
      well, you probably need the fairy magic. Siri and Selma have their special tricks, we suppose, but they keep those very secret.
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Like

    • Good morning,
      we go regularly to this place in southern Norway twice a year and sometimes even more often. It’s not that cold there. It can get under minus 20 degr. C in some years, but this year it didn’t get colder than minus 15 degr. C, a nice temperature producing a clear air.
      Thanks for commenting and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 2 people

    • HI Fab Four of Cley. Thank you for getting back to us. It looks like a fabulous place to visit. Those temps are what we experience here at times between Dec and March and its fresh and clear like you said.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Weather is all over the dial these years but I guess par when looking at the data from years past. Our winter wasn’t bad this year. The interesting thing was the other day we were walking Emma and the trees were budding and the pussy willows were out. This is not usual for early March?

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thanks, dear Cindy
      we are home and there is some snow where we have been now. But we had quite some snow there in the end as well.
      Here in Cley next the Sea we have spring.
      Wishing you a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  122. I live in North Cyprus and for 40 years in Australia, so heat is my companion. I must admit, I love the look of snow and your prayers were beautiful, but as long as snow stays in the North, I’m quite happy. I would have no idea now how to handle life in a snowy, cold region!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • It’s funny for us it’s the other way round. We couldn’t handle heat and sun most of the year. Once we had to live in Greece for half a year, this sunshine every day and hot weather drove us crazy. Well, we are Nordic and having fun in the snow.
      Thank you very much for commenting.
      Enjoy the sun and have a great week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

  124. Such wonderful photographs – with or without snow! So glad Winter heard your pleas and sent the snow you so wanted. Thank you for the follow and for introducing me to your blog. All the best

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks for commenting.
      We had snow in Norway as well, but not much – except for a couple of days. But the ground was always more or less covered. But now we are happy being at home again.
      Have a happy week
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Thank you very much for commenting 🙂 🙂
      We are just travelling up North in England in the search of snow again. We just arrived at the Lake District but it’s far from being wintery here. But we don’t give up hope.
      Are you from Norway, from Fredrikstad as well?
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Actually, we know a lot of people who like snow very much and a lot of our friends don’t really like sunshine all the time. We, as well, find sunshine quite boring, it’s not good for photography and for enjoying life, we suppose. Snow and ice makes the world interesting, give a clear view and make the world more quiet and beautiful. The landscape becomes minimalistic and last not least driving is much more fun on snow.
      All the best. We are off now for going further north
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Can’t agree more..!! Though on the driving part, I would like to differ. Once drove on ice, “vowed” never to drive again on ice without proper training. Hope that you get a lot of snow and share your experiences regarding the same..!! Happy Travels and Happy Weekend.. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  133. You are most welcome.. 😊
    Well, the lack of snow is a disturbing piece of news. I do hope that this situation goes off at the earliest and help you recieve a good amount of snowfall..!!
    And I am not from Norway.. I am from India.
    I didn’t know of Fredrikstad previously.. Got to know about the place, thanks to your article.. Hope to visit it in near future.. 🙂
    Thanks once again and wish you the Best as well.. Have a great day..!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thank you so much! 🙂 🙂
      We miss the snow very much and can’t understand how people can stand a life without snow. We travelled quite often and stayed for a while all over the High Arctic, Greenland, Svalbard, Hudson Bay, Frans Joseph Land and Bear Island. Bit we have been travelling in India for month as well in our youth. Now we don’t travel far anymore for ecological reasons.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Haha.. You can find many people who despise ice and snow, despite being in tropical countries.. Even I am unable to understand the reason behind this.
      Anyways, glad to know that you have covered the Arctic Region. So far, my Arctic Experience is limited to Murmansk and Teriberka in Russia.
      I would love to visit Norway, during winter of course to experience the white fjords and Aurora Borealis, all over again. Glad to know that you paid a visit to India.. 🙂
      You are welcome to visit India again. There are lots of unique places to see.
      Its sad to know that air travel is not ecologically sustainable, yet. But I opt for other ways to compensate that all the year round, like traveling in trains, public transport, carpools, exercise, less use of air conditioner, planting trees, etc., with the aim to enjoy traveling free from guilt.. 😊
      Happy Travels to you..
      Thank you for your good wishes.. Happy weekend to you too.. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • As Dina is Norwegian we are quite often there. But even in Norway we miss winters as we were used to them years ago and especially during our childhood.
      Have a great time
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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