Lyngdalsheidi

Well, because of a lack of snow down at Holmasel--the farmhouse in Southern Iceland where we were living--the boss has moved headquarters here, to a place called Lyngdalsheidi.  The five of us (Siggi--the owner, Claire--his girlfriend, Mirko--the German musher, Keith and I) now live in the one-room cabin pictured above with no electricity or running water.  The place has it's inconveniences (pooping in a bucket and breathing propane all day), but is really a much more beautiful location and I have enjoyed taking many panoramic pictures lately of the valley--I tried to upload, but the files were too large.  We have arranged to take two days off a week to freshen up and attend church, etc.  So I am making use of the internet while I can to give this update.

The cabin life offers few distractions and I spend much time curled up in my blanket reading.  I am currently reading "Travels in Alaska" by John Muir.  What a phenomenal writer/thinker/being.  I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys history, philosophy, and the wonders of the natural world.  I wish we had more writers and scientists today that see and are awed by God's hand in everything, as he does.  Keith and I are also reading together "Walden, or Life in the Woods" by Henry David Thoreau.  Interesting to read the two together--both from about the same time, wonderful observers, thinkers, and writers. One focusing on the natural world with humans as a part of it, one focusing on human attitudes and behavior with the natural world as a part of it--especially at a time when we are living as if it were the 1800s, seeing by candlelight and boiling water for the rare washing of some dishes.

Anyway, there's the update.

Keith's first "Time Lapse"

Keith set the GoPro outside on a snow bluff next to the farmhouse at Holmasel where we are living.  Here is a nice day in Iceland with "Walking in the Air" from The Snowman (what's kind of funny is that this shot actually reminds me of the beginning of The Snowman where that weird guy is talking by those trees...)

Our Cross-Canada Video Tour!

Using the footage Keith shot with our GoPro camera mounted on our handle bars (he would turn it on at various times throughout each day for a few minutes) and sped up 64 times to a condensed Cross-Canada tour (our perspective this summer) in 17 minutes!  Every bit of it brings to mind memories for us--we had some amazing days and love looking back on it.  Enjoy : )

Our depiction of the Republican Race for President

 

Joking last night Keith called Newt Gingrich, whom we truly despise, Jabba the Newt, and we proceeded to decide who each of the candidates would be in Star Wars-- Darth Obama, the good guy gone bad--a matter of troubled ideas--must face one of these four challengers.  And since we have quite a bit of time on our hands, made this.  With Keith's super Paint skills, it turned out alright!  Sarah Palin has happily chained herself to Newt, with her recognizable... name she irresponsibly throws her influence in his direction, having been promised a cabinet seat if he is elected, some say.  Why else on earth would she do that?  Anyway, we tried to capture the caricatures of these candidates--real or media-imposed.  We have been tuning in to all the debates (here in Iceland at 2 A.M.), watching the polls closely, and reading many articles--trying to be good American citizens from way over here. 

Strange Eats in Iceland

 Southern Iceland received a unusually large quantity of snow last week-- here's the view from our bedroom window, though it may be misleading because it is not very far from ground level.  I walked out of our front door and there was a huge drift of snow almost completely blocking our entrance.  Now the snow is completely gone due to incessant rain.

 This is a bucket of "Salted Horse Meat"--a delicacy in Iceland, mostly eaten in January and February--a celebratory season when most traditional foods are eaten.  Siggi presented us with a special dinner : )

 Pictured along with the Icelandic horses we were watching out the kitchen window.  Cruel?

 DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here's the chef.  Recipe: dump horse meat in pot of water, boil for about an hour.  Served with Siggi's special "diet potatoes" seasoned and fried in butter.

 It was SOOOOOOO good-- tender, salty, rich, wonderful.  The Super-RED meat.

 We got to use the car to go to Selfoss and buy some wool (Keith's knitting a sweater) and explore a bit.  We went to a thrift shop, and bought some of our favorite Icelandic foods at the grocery store and had a picnic in the car.  This is a fermented shark sandwich Keith put together.  The shark smells AWEFUL--I begged Keith not to get it (I won't touch it--I Have tried it--Never again), but we are in Iceland after all-- you have to let your husband eat rotten shark SOMETIMES.

 Brie and Shark on Baguette.

 I DO love the moist smoked herring you can buy for very cheap.  Why don't we eat this at home?! It's great!  We sell all of our herring to the Japanese or use it for bait, but they're really on to something here.

 Skyr-- a definite favorite.  Like yogurt, but thicker--like it holds it's shape--and richer.  This one is melon and tropical something flavored.  Really good.

Our housemates and family for the time being at our usual meeting place.

Back in Iceland

 So... This blog isn't all about animals, as it may seem from this picture selection, but these are the only photos we've taken so far.  We are in Iceland for a few months this spring while Keith works for the dog sledding operation he has worked for twice before here with his good friend, Siggy, the owner.  The kennel site, along with the farm house we are staying in, is now near a town called Selfoss, yet actually quite isolated (we are).  Without a car, we have been here at this small farmhouse all week with one companion (besides the horses, dogs, and tourists that come to visit), Mirko, a German, who also is mushing for Siggy.  The tourists liven things up a bit though--like yesterday--I hosted a tea party for seven old-school Englishmen/women who offered me my first "Jammy Dodgers."

One thing to do--a chance to get outside--is to feed the Icelandic horses that are right outside our house.  We've brought them some apples and carrots and other food items that are stale, or going bad and they seem to love it.  Beautiful creatures.

This colt is so adorable--I love his curly hair on his head.  I can see them from the kitchen window and I watch him often jumping around, playing outside.  Today he finally trusted me enough to eat out of my hand. 

One good story: the first day we were here I took a run on the road--it is a small black gravel road just going through the farm fields--there are just farmhouses at spaced intervals along the way.  On the way back I noticed some people standing on the road, as I got closer I saw that they were herding about a hundred Icelandic horses across the road, but when the horses got to the road, they didn't cross, but started running down the road straight towards me.  On my I-pod (on shuffle) started playing a song from Braveheart, "The Legend Spreads," and as the music triumphantly picked up I saw them turn and had to get off the road and one hundred beautiful shaggy horses ran past me, manes flying, hooves hitting the gravel--it was unbelievable--all the while, Braveheart.  I had a HUGE smile on my face, I couldn't believe how beautiful and perfect that was!  And my husband was there to watch from the other side, he had come to meet me on the road.  A nice welcome to Iceland.

Harnessing the dogs for a midnight run with just the three of us--a chance to look at the Northern Lights and scout a track for tours in the fresh snow.

Christmas Time at Togwotee, WY

 Currently, we are in Wyoming about an hour outside Jackson Hole at a lodge called Togwotee, where Keith has spent four Christmas seasons (last year I was with him) working for Billy Snodgrass, an Iditerod racer who operates a dog sled tour kennel here.  We're here only for a few weeks--the busy season.  Keith has been doing two tours a day and having some interesting experiences, as always (yesterday he took a Saudi prince and his enterage out).  He loves mushing, it is Beautiful up here (though so far, less snow than usual), and I get to just Relax!  I have had the time and space to do those things I always want to do and seldom do:  reading, writing in my journal, doing yoga, knitting, up-dating the blog : ) and going on some photo/snow-shoe expeditions (internet too slow to post more pictures now). It is really quite like a little "holiday" for us.

Here's Keith doing what he does... just coming in from the afternoon tour and feeding the dogs.

This is the mushers' cabin and the kennel.  However, Keith and I actually stay in the lodge employee dorms--more comfortable for married couples!