Sunny Iceland

Sunny days are here (finally) and seem to be sticking around give or take a day here or there.

The weekend before last I spent a Sunday afternoon at Glaumbær which was open free to the public.  There were people in national costume, providing demonstrations in the old ways of doing, plus market stalls where handicrafts, cakes and second hand items were for sale.

 Sigga making butter in an old fashioned butter churn (Ross and Olga found an antique one of these in their shed).

 Kristin [Olga's grandmother(83years)] and her sister Guja (90years) demonstrating the art of knitting

I found a lovely spot to sit in the sunshine out of the wind where a play area was being set up.  Children were being introduced to toys that their parents and grandparents would have played with.  Basically all that is required for hours of fun is a few sheep bones, sheep horns, bits of wood and some string.   

This is a farm...(in case your imagination is not up to the task) the long thin bones are horses, the sheep jaw bones are cows, the large horns ewes, smaller horns are the lambs and any tiny bones could be chickens, pigs etc, the paddocks are all marked out with sticks and string.

 Children were fascinated

 and played happily for quite sometime while parents went through the museum.

 This young lad was not content to just play with the farm animals he had to become one and very convincing he was too.

I also showed them how to play knuckle bones (Jacks) a game that I used to play back in the day. 

Although playing with sheep's bones was a pastime of yesteryear's children they are still found in some kindergartens and play corners today and if parents are not happy for children to be playing with the real thing they can purchase the plastic versions.

Children's play corner at the local tannery in Sauðárkrókur

pic by Gill

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Ok back to sunshine, last Thursday it was a warm 15c, people were sunbaking in backyards in bikini tops and walking around town in tanktops....I kid you not Australians.  I did take a photo of someone sunbaking in their backyard that I took from up on a hill looking over the town, they were in a bikini but I refrain from posting as it does seem a little voyeuristic and invasive of their privacy...so I have no real proof to show you...you will just have to take my word for it. I must be acclimatising as it felt gloriously warm to me as well.

P.S. Just found proof...there has been a heatwave in Reykjavik and yesterday (Sunday), was a sweltering 16c and everybody flocked to the beach.

pic source from here