As I told you already, Ingólfur's dad got a new place to live and we bought his house and are going to renovate it before moving in. Our old flat is sold and Ingólfur was so bold to tell the new owner he could get it around 15th of June... Well, not so long time from now until we are supposed to move out or to be precise 3 weeks from now and there's nothing done yet.
Well actually there was a big family meeting last weekend and the siblings cleared out what Jón had left and didn't want to own. They split everything and things nobody wanted to own will go to a local charity. 
So now we'll have to roll up our sleeves and start working. Our routine will be work - work in the house - sleep - repeat. But I'm sure we'll get excellent help from friends and family. Today we started with the white carpet in the living room. It was glued really well and not so easy to get it out. Had to use a heat gun and spatula for that. The local dumpsite will get quite a few visits from us the next weeks... So let the games begin!

 

 

 

but now not at our place but at Ísólfsstaðir. The bad weather in early December had damaged the fence between Ísólfsstaðir and the neighbouring farm and had to be repaired. So we made half of it and the neighbour the other half. The weather was great and so the work wasn't too bad. I even got so lucky to find the moss I've been looking for in Jóel's pasture. I'll use it for my not so healthy orchids which need to get more/better roots. 
Of course we had a look in the sheep stable at all the colourful lambs. Maybe I can get a new one here...

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few weeks ago we got the news that we would be able to buy Ingólfur's birthplace as his dad finally got a smaller flat and will be moving there, soon. So now we'll have to renovate a whole house, paint, remove old flooring, make a new kitchen and a lot more. Of course I'll try to move as many plants as I can with me to the new garden as our neighbours are not that much into gardening.
Well, we've already spent some time online researching which things we'd like to buy, where to go, what kind of kitchen we want to have and so on. Now we are in the south trying to do most of our shopping, having a look at IKEA and some other stores and deciding what to buy/order. Not so easy and especially not now with this bloody desease going on. But we'll manage. At least we will be able to meet Hjördís and some friends, too.

 

 

 

 

It was Hugleikur's lucky day today! As it started to be rather boring for him inside and neither Ögn nor Flugsvinn got in foal during their stay with a stallion last summer (they were at different places) we decided to fetch them from Ísólfsstaðir and put them in the fence close to the road. Hugleikur got a ride in the trailer, too and was released into the field with these 2 ladies. He of course had to show off, but Flugsvinn taught him a lesson straight away and I think he won't be cheeky with these two. In fact Flugsvinn was in heat and after a short time Hugleikur had found out what he was supposed to do. Now we have to wait and see if he can get these mares in foal. Ösp will meet him a bit later this summer.

 

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to get classes in woodturning basics. Not so easy to get lessons here around so I was happy when I got the opportunity. I've been woodturning quite a bit but never got lessons. Always good to have somebody watch and correct what you are doing. Was quite happy with the outcome and for sure can use a lot in my job.

 

 

 

 

Kept working on our fence today. Managed to finish 2 gates after work. Now there's "just" the windshelter left... Will be quite some work fixing it.
But now we can start moving the horses from the fence closeby the road back to this one. Think they'll really be happy about that!

 

 

 

 

Yes, you read right! Finally after a very long wait my Christmas cactus decided to do me the favour to flower! Lucky me ;)

 

 

After taking care of the riding track (removing stones and levelling it) I took a nice ride down to the beach on Ösp. There I managed to persuade her to vade into the sea. She wasn't too keen on it, but gave in in the end. List loved to do that and even go for a swim. Maybe I can teach Fönix to do that. Anyway it was nice to be in the water with the horse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this horrible winter we have to fix quite a lot of fences and started with the one at the big field today. We had to replace at least 2 gates, so best to do it properly straight away. Ingólfur dug down a huge driftwoodpole, which should withstand quite a some bad weather. At least we hope so... Well, now it's putting everything together the next days. Hope the weather will stay nice.

 

 

If we want to harvest potatoes in autumn we definitely have to prepare now and put the seed potatoes in the right spot to sprout. Luckily there is a bright place in Hjördís' room to do so and so they'll spent the time until planting there. 

 

 

Not us, but our horses. It was time to have a look at the teeth of Sæla and Fönix. We like to let them check at least once a year, but weren't sure if Sæla had gotten that treatment before. Well, good we had a look! There was a huge wolve tooth which had to be removed. Fönix had a somehow crooked bit and the dentist tried to balance it a bit better. That's nothing you do at once, but has to be corrected in small steps. 
We're lucky to have access to this dentist, who's taking good time per horse and especially trying to make it as comfortable for them as possible. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful day today! Beautiful weather and a bunch of riders going for a longer ride on a gravel road. Not only us but the horses, too, enjoyed the possibility to go for a bit longer than just inbetween the stable areas around Saltvík. Should do that more often...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good weather to go for a ride! The riding club paid for the track to be cleaned off snow (usually the community does so, but this winter has been that awful that there was no money left...) so it was possible to take a ride from stable area to stable area. The weather was great, too, so what more to ask? Just enjoy ;)

 

 

 

 

When taking a drive north of town today we made an unexpected discovery. On the meadows close to Héðinshöfði was a large group of Barnacle geese, which is very uncommon at this area and especially so early in the year. Usually they are migrating through Skagafjörður, sometimes we see them on our way to Akureyri in Kinn, but never saw them before north of town. Anyway it was great to watch them a bit. Hope they'll have a safe journey to Greenland.

 

 

Even though it's already April, the sun is rising higher on the sky winter isn't over at all. Had a violent storm yesterday and just so managed to go to the stables and take care of the horses. Today wasn't any better. Despite us trying really hard to go and feed there was no chance, we already got stuck in the next road and had to be towed out. Luckily it's not just us in the stable and so we got a ride with Gunni on his special car. 
The horses had to stay inside today, there was no use in mucking all the snow to let them out to just muck again to let them in about half an hour later completely covered in snow like we did yesterday. 
Now we hope for better times coming and less of those bloody snowstorms.