Winter Diary | Slow Living in the Arctic North #46

Hello everyone, welcome to another video from the far north of the island Andoya. Here in the heart of winter the world is frozen, the forest sleeps beneath a heavy blanket of snow, the air is crisp and the arctic stillness surrounds us. Between the steep mountains in this frozen wonderland, I embrace the slow rhythm of arctic winter, finding peace and freedom in its simplicity. We celebrate the return of the light, slowly the sun rises higher, spreading a golden glow over the icy landscape, but winter still lingers in the wild untamed north. Our mornings usually begin with lighting the fire, warming up the house after a cold night. We take the bread dough and place it in the oven to rise before baking. Since we spend more time inside during the winter months, we try to make our mornings warm and cozy. Today we decided to make waffles with our own hand-picked cloudberries. So as we ate the berries we found ourselves longing for summer, thinking back to last year when we picked them together. We are really looking forward to the next season. In Norway it's also very common to eat waffles with brown cheese, a traditional Scandinavian cheese with a caramelized and sweet flavor. After breakfast it was time to clear some snow. With heavy snowfall predicted in the coming days, I try to stay ahead by keeping the area around the house clear. The snow comes and goes this winter and every time it returns the children are filled with excitement. It was Sunday, February 9th, a stormy and wet day, but we went out to celebrate Mother's Day here in Norway. Like last year we decided to visit the Coastal Express Museum, the Hurtigruten Museum. This historic ship is now built inside a modern glass building. The children were very excited to go in. The Hurtigruten ships have been sailing the Norwegian coast for over a century, connecting remote communities and carrying passengers through arctic waters. Walking through the old cabins, dining halls and engine room, we got a glimpse of what life at sea must have been like in the past. The blend of old and new makes this place truly unique, and it was a beautiful way to celebrate Mother's Day as a family. Since we moved in the house last summer, we reached our goal of making the house livable. Now it's time to focus on the details downstairs. Last week we started a new renovation project, laying Italian tiles in the kitchen which will make the space even more beautiful. I am very grateful that while our children are still very young, they can spend so much time together with me and their father. Learning about and appreciating nature, I hope these early experiences will stay with them as they grow, shaping their connection to the mother's world. No matter where life takes them, I hope they will always find a sense of peace and belonging in nature, that it brings them strength, inspiration and a feeling of home wherever they go. So Last week we all had a bit of a cold, a good reminder of how important it is to get enough vitamins during winter. But nature provides us with so much that can nourish both body and mind. One of our favorite winter rituals is making pine needle tea. Gathering the needles, preparing the tea and enjoying its warmth. Rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, it's perfect for the cold and dark season. I like to add a little bit of honey for extra warmth and sweetness. I also made my own natural skin cream this week, using only pure ingredients, because I believe that nature gives us everything we need to take care of ourselves. So Rebuilding our farmhouse by hand, raising our children close to nature and capturing the wild beauty of the North through music and film. I appreciate every one of you being here, and I hope this video brought you a sense of calm and inspiration. I wish you all a wonderful week ahead. Don't forget to subscribe to the channel or become a member on my Patreon page to support my work as an artist.