Here in Lapland

I arrived here in Ammarnus after what seemed like a long trip before I even got here.  

Doug and me in Santa Barbara last January.  Couldn't fine a pixs with Scott

 I spent a couple days in Seattle with my friends Doug and Scott.  They were wonderful - helping to relive the pre-trip stresses - including Scotty fixing my new computer.  Somehow the wi-fi  antenna wasn't connected.  Then it was on to the flight(s) and Stockholm.  Maggie wasn't in town - he and Oscar are spending much time in Paris right now. 
 
But my good friends Lars Magnus and Tommy were in town and we had a wonderful couple days paling around like 3 teenagers.  LM helped me  get on the right train which left Stockholm at 11:00pm.  I got to somewhere around 6:30am, got on a bus for five hours and then changed to the bus that brought me to Ammarnas.

The last leg of the trip, on the buss to Ammarnas driven by my bosses husband Gunnar!

I brought a terrible cough - which had been plaguing for about a week.  Helena suggested that I see a Naturopathic physician who lives about half a mile up the road.  This is a place that has almost no medical care - amounting to 1/2 day a week with an RN!  She's been helping me a lot and right now I'm feeling pretty great!

Out my front door!

My cabin after a couple days here.

My cabin after a week.

My cabin after two weeks here.

There was lots of winter left when I got here.  The snow is going down and the lake which was frozen when I got here has no more ice as of last Sunday.
 

The "work" has been horse care and getting to know their names - which are hard for me because they are all Icelandic names!

Riding my favorite - Hrekkur

These falls are between the village and the farm.

The church in the village amazingly beautiful.  I hope to get a tour of the inside tomorrow.

We went back today to shoot the interior of the church.

 Around the church are cabins which were used be people coming to festivals at the church.

 This hut is actually a Sami cabin.  The Sami people are the indigenous people of northern Norway, Sweden and Lapland (and a little of Russia.)  

 

This meadow is by the village and is a great place to ride.

 I rode Hrekkur to the store in the village.  The ONLY store and currently the only business open.  That will change in June as restaurants and the hotel open.

The store here reminds me of the Nordland Store on Marrowstone Island!

 My "boss" Helena (right) and Connie from Germany, our first guest.  

We're on top of Potato Hill right in town.  It's a natural hill that's used

for growing potatoes.

We've ridden where we can and some of the lower trails are opening up. I've learned how to "turn on" the Icelandic gate which is really wonderful.  I've also learned that Icelandic's have temperament  just like any horse - and that's more pronounced in Spring.  I even got thrown off with no damage to me except my pride.Last weekend we had our first guest - a woman from Germany.  She was delightful and I began to see how the summer operation works.

 

We rode out to an old homestead today.

 Lunch in this amazingly beautiful spot.

There was a lovely waterfall on the way home.