Finished!

The house 

Well except for the fact that we still need to paint the footings of the house and install the new downpipe at the front and the new front door. And except for the fact, that we would really like a new roof, and, and, and…. No truly, we’re so happy with the way it looks now, it’s excactly the way we wanted it from the beginning. But we won’t be finished for a while – there are still lots of projects – big and small – to throw ourselves at. It just looks a lot more finished. Check out the little bathing nymph by the picket fence.  :)

Celebrating Mads' birthday in the garden 

Yesterday was a great day! We had Mads’ grandmother, mother, and sister down for celebrating his birthday, and the weather was just awesome. We brought out Ronja’s pool, and she spent very close to the entire day in there… I also think Frida enjoyed watching her! (By the way, Frida is wearing this little apron – I just love it!) The first thing Ronja said this morning when getting up was “Where’s my swim suit?” – and right now she’s jumping around in the water.

Ronja in the pool with Frida watching 

The rest of us were benefitting from the good company with drinks, fruit, rolls, and cake. After the guests were gone, Mads and I sat in the garden, just relaxing and enjoying! Ronja was singing and splashing in the pool, Frida was taking a nap, the house was white washed all over, and the garden was just a perfect little oasis with no sounds except for the singing Ronja. Total bliss!

Right now Mads is out biking with the cycling club, but he will be back a bit later, and we’re going to have a quiet day together doing nothing except what we feel like. MMmmmmmm…….

The house 


Ronja was blowing soap bubbles earlier in the garden. She likes it when there are many, and she can follow them to see where they go. I loved the expressions that went over her face, so even though I was weeding the garden, I went inside to get my camera.

Blowing soap bubbles - mosaic 

Earlier in the day we had all spent some time at Ronja’s kindergarten. They had arranged this afternoon when all the parents were invited to give a hand in restoring the playground. The playhouses needed some fixing and paint, and the bikes also needed a bit of maintenance. Not that many people had signed up beforehand, so it was a wonderful surprise to find the kindergarten packed with happy parents and children throughout the afternoon. Everyone was working and socializing and it was a great success! ;)

Ready - set - eat! 

Our first strawberries are ripe – early this year, due to the very warm and sunny weather we’re having. Mmmmmm, can’t wait until we’re having strawberries and cream for dessert!

Finally, Mads finished white washing the house tonight. Completely! But I’ll have to tell you more about that tomorrow, because it is sooooo past my bedtime. XOXO!  :)


We had a wonderful evening yesterday. In spite of it being a bit windy, it was quite warm enough to have dinner in the garden, and I think Mads enjoyed his birthday a great deal.

Today the peonies have been popping out all around me. They’re so beautiful, I just thought I’d share…

Peony in bloom 

Peony in bloom 

Peony in bloom 

The old lady who lived in this house before us really knew what she was doing!

The days and weeks to come, we’re going to have lots and lots of these around – pink, red, white, cream, soft rose… I just love them. And Ronja actually didn’t pick any – yet! :)

- – -

Addition: Ronja just saw the last picture and said: “Awwww, Mom – there’s a bird in there!” And what do you know – I think she’s right!  :)


Happy Birthday  

♥ Happy Birthday, Mads! ♥

The girls and I woke up Mads at around 6:30 singing birthday song and bringing his present. He has gone off to work now, but we had breakfast together and we’ll continue celebrating him, when he gets home. He has been a really good boy – there’s not a single cloud in the sky, and the weather forecast for today says dry and sunny.

This evening we’re just going to relax together, barbecueing in the garden – no reason to go anywhere when our garden is the best place to be!

An evening of summer in the garden 

Peony 

So happy birthday Mads – hugs and kisses from your girls!  :)


Tomorrow we’re really moving on to summer. And what a way to do it – May has officially been the sun-richest month in Denmark since DMI (the Danish Meteorological Institute) started measuring in 1920. The last record is from 1947 – back then it was followed by a warm, sun-rich and fairly dry summer according to DMI - so let’s hope we’ll repeat that pattern!

Today Mads left for a bachelor party early, and the girls and I had a nice, slow morning. I had made an appointment with my good friend Karen to meet up at the Open Air Museum in Kongens Lyngby with the kids, so I spent some time packing food, beverages, diapers, bottles for Frida, and all the other stuff that you need, when you’re going on an outing with two small children. The pram was in the back of the car, so the rest had to fit in elsewhere – it totally looked like we were going on vacation for a week… ;)

  The Open Air Museum - mosaic

We met with Karen and her 6 year old daughter Rosa (her older son had made different appointments) early in the afternoon and started by finding a nice spot for having lunch. The Open Air Museum is part of the National Museum in Denmark, showing old houses, farms, and mills from the period 1650-1950. These old buildings come from all parts of Denmark and the Faroe Islands, and they’re spread out on 86 acres of land, leaving many walks to be walked in that area. It’s a place with great scenic beauty, so it’s a pleasure to go there anytime, and with weather like today, it just tops it off! It is possible to enter the houses and see how everything was arranged and furnished, and it’s great to have the children show an interest in how people lived in “the old days”. Basically it’s just great fun for children as well as adults!

Around 6:30 p.m. I arrived at home with two sleeping girls in the back. It didn’t take long before they were both sound asleep in their beds, and even if Ronja did get up a few times, I’ve been having a nice evening to myself.

After unpacking, I took a walk in the garden, and I just have to show you what I found:

First peony - in bloom! 

My first blooming peony! This morning it was still just a bud, but I’m sure the sun helped it well on the way!

Tomorrow Mads will be home sometime in the afternoon. The weather is supposed to be just as good as it has been today, so another day in the garden coming up!  :)


Poppies - Ronja is drawing in the background 

What you see here is my very first blooming poppy (yep, that’s the one I posted about last time) - and another one with it. That must have been the second one, and I never got to see it in the garden. Why? Well…..

 This morning I got up to feed Frida at 5:10 a.m. Ronja got up a bit later, and immediately got dressed, because she wanted to go out to play – early, yes, but no problem! When I had finished feeding Frida and was on my way upstairs to change her and get her dressed, I was just looking out the window to check on Ronja. And what did I see? Ronja with a bucket full of flowers she had picked, mostly tulips but among those was our very first blooming poppy – as well as the second one which must have come out today. I ran downstairs and out into the garden to tell her to please leave the rest of the flowers where they belong. Once I got outside she stood there with her wild morning hair, arranging the flowers on the garden table for me! ;)   What can you possibly say to that!

WOW - poppies are beautiful

We agreed that next time she wants to pick flowers, she should check with me first, because if she picks my peonies once they start blooming, we may come to a more severe difference of opinion.

 But it was actually really sweet of her and we put all of the flowers in water – now they’ll just last as long as they can.


Frida is sleeping in her pram in the shade under the japanese cherry tree, and I just went to have a look at this tiny miracle.

Giant poppy 

The first poppy this year. All the others look like it’ll be a while for them yet, and this one is just standing there in the middle, flaunting it’s beauty.

Before I join it outside, I just have a short note on the house. Now that the colour is dry, it’s much easier to get the right colour impression. And you know what; I think I love it. For a while, we were discussing whether it was just slightly to dark, but the warmth and depth of it, and the way it lights up our garden is just spot on. Doesn’t this look idyllic?

The new colour 

And now if you’ll excuse me – I have to get out into my garden!  ;)


So! Yesterday was the day when Ronja started to write!

It began at lunch when Ronja was looking at the different wrappings on the table and suddenly going: “That’s the same letter as in my name”. I was impressed and asked her if she knew what the letter was called, and to my great surprise, she did! So we went on finding the letters for her name on all the different wrappings and cartons on the table. Lots of fun!
Then at dinner, we had a bottle of wine on the table (after all it was Saturday), and she went on to do the same thing finding the letters for her name. When we had finished our dinner, we were talking about it, and Ronja wanted to try writing something. Mads and I showed her how to write our names, and she just did! I was amazed – what a proud mom! Here are the results: (“mor” = mom and “far” = dad).

Today Ronja started writing

She has a funny technique which I think kind of shows an overview. When she doesn’t really know where to start with a letter, she turns it into a dot-to-dot drawing by marking the dots first, and then connecting them. You see this very clearly in the ‘M’ for MOR. Very appropriate in this “Connecting the dots”-blog.

I have taken a walk in the garden, armed with my camera. Inspired by many other blogs at the moment, I wanted to show you what is “going on” in our garden at the moment. I ended up taking so many pictures, that it turned into a garden mosaic. So here you are – isn’t a garden a wonderful place?

The garden right now

Starting from the middle and continuing from the top, left to right, this is: 1. Blue cornflower, 2. Giant poppy, 3. Lilac, 4. Frida’s Katsura tree, 5. Globe-flower, 6. Red tulip, 7. Apple flower on the old apple tree, 8. Rhubarb, 9. Strawberry flowers, 10. Dandelion, 11. A snail found it’s way to one of the new apple trees, 12. Peony, 13. Pink tulips
Mind you, I didn’t forget the dandelions – we have more than plenty! :)

Finally, I promised you a modeled pic of the “China grass” dress, so here it is.