Forestry, the Panorama road, Vaset and Rakfisk

Last week has certainly been busy. After our vaccination programme on Monday, we drove up to the summerhouse for the first time after coming home from Cyprus. We knew that there has been work in the woods around us. The forrest owners have sent in big forrest machines to take out the timber. Normally it takes 40 years for the forrest to be commercial. I still remember way back in time the last time they did it.

When the forrest machines work out there, they make a mess. The tracks they leave can be up to a meter high, and timber not big enough and branches are just left to rot. Luckily I have a good relationship with one of the owner, and I’m allowed to clear up whatever I need. This means I will have firewood for years ahead, just need some har work to get it out. I can take out whatever I find on the ground and take down any tree with leaves on. The only kind of trees the owner find commercial is spruce and pine. My work has just started, not much more i can do now before the winter. So far I’ll guess I may have enough for another winter, just need to cut htem in 30 cm pieces and split them in at least 2 to make them dry. The rest will not go away and will be taken during the spring. During these days we also managed to change one of the filters on our greywater treatment plant, it’s a yearly task. Omg, what a smell when you open the plant 🙁

After some hard days work, we drove over to Kristine and Stians cabin in the Vaset area to spend the weekend there. It takes us about a 2 hour drive, last hour, on a mountain plateau, along one of the most scenic roads we have, the Panorama road. Kind of special to see the already frozen lakes and snow in the mountains. Phil and Sheila, will take you up here next year.

Always nice to spend some time with the family, and specially with the grand children. Kristine and Stian has made some big works on their mountain cabin, installed sewage and grey-water treatment. The cabin now appears totally new with inlet water, a water closet and a decent bathroom with shower and sink.

On Sunday, we drove down to the neighbouring town Fagernes. This town hosts once a year, first wekend in November, the biggest food fair in Norway, Rakfisk festivalen (the fermented fish festival). If you have been to the eco festival in Büyük Konuck and think that is crowded, it is not any way near it. Looks like all people in Norway is in these few streets. Just getting a place to park your car, was difficult and time consuming.

We spent considerable time inside the tasting tent. Here all the producers have stalls and you can taste and eat as much ads you can after an entry fee of 50kr. Credit to young Sebastian who tasted absolutely every kind of fish they have, you’re a hero. Rakfisk always comes in 3 different flavours, mild, stored and matured. Matured is at least 9 months old and can be strong. After tasting fish from all producers, Tove and I decided who we liked best and bought a couple to take home. Our palate is obvious very sensitive, as the one we liked best was chosen as this years winner. In addition we ended up, as we always do, buying some goods from the stalls that we probably don’t need.

In the afternoon we drove up into the mountains again to their cabin. Stian and Kristine cooked a lovely meal of pinnekjøtt, dried lamb ribs. This is a meal that most likely originates from the western parts of Norway. With this meal, it is mandatory with aquavit and beer. Lovely.

After the meal, we ended a perfect day with a game of Okey.

And, btw, all weekend has been sunny, cool and crisp.