Ahh, summer in southern Norway. Det er en helt fantastisk tid! The most fantastic time of the year, in my opinion. It's like an awesome reward for enduring winter. The weather has been a little hit and miss so far, but I think sunny days have outnumbered rainy days and that's really all I ask.

Husband and I have been busy in the garden and in the house but have also managed a few really good bike rides and even a swim in the fjord, which was surprisingly not freezing.

Gunnar, our newest kitty, is enjoying his summer from the inside looking out, especially at birds.




We've kept true to our intention of making Gunnar an indoor cat for the time-being and don't regret it, as he seems quite happy and content. And safe, which is important to us. He's super sweet and playful but still a bit shy; we've learned from experience it can take a long time for a cat born in the wild to trust people, so we're taking it slow with him and giving him the space he needs. Which is sometimes just a bag to hide in.*



As for animal action going on outside the house, look what turned up in our strawberry patch the other day:




As handsome a fellow (gal?) as this deer was, we couldn't allow him to eat all of our berries, so Husband went outside to ask him to please move along. I like how the deer seems to be thinking, "Shit! Busted!"


"Run!"


Unfortunately, we have learned that once a deer discovers a strawberry patch, he can't stay away. After catching him feeding two more times, Husband put up a rudimentary tree-and-rope fence. It seems to be working so far but, sadly, many of the plants were pretty chewed up, so our strawberry crop won't be the bounty it was last year. Oh well. The deer has every right to wander around and eat what it finds; it doesn't know what is "his" and what is "ours." Anyway, after my last post, I'd seem a right a**hole to complain about a wild animal, right? Right!


* I know it can be dangerous for Gunnar to play with a plastic bag; I took this one away from him before I left the room. Just so you know.