Nesøya

28 Jun 2011 – Happy Bdays to Jeff HALL & John WILSON

Herodd is located on Nesøya and is the home of the renowned architect Magnus POULSSON (1881-1951), who designed the Oslo & Bærum City Halls + many more well-known buildings here in Norway. Also Ellen’s father and the L&M’s great-grandfather. The house is now a Heritage house, thus protected.

Yesterday was a rainy walk from Sandvika to Nesøya (app 1hr) to visit L&M‘s grandmother, Ellen. We had a lovely afternoon chatting away over a pot of tea with smoked salmon, cheese and her delicious home-made oatmeal biscuits which are the best. She will still insist on having a perfectly pressed linen table-cloth and napkins. Looking thru’ her childhood pix accompanied with the stories was one of the high points. Thank you Ellen for her graciousness and time. She will be 87 in Oct.

1974-1976, lived in Ellen and John’s Nesøya house, 3mins walk to Herodd and with the use of a private beach. They were then living in Tromsø. Nesøya in 1974 was and still is an island app 3 km². When we lived there, Linn was the only a baby and we had just moved from Dublin. It was difficult times, not understanding the language, culture etc. Without immediate family or friends did not help to the feeling of isolation.

The few familiar sights, like that of Kolberg farm is still the same, otherwise many changes. The Kolberg family are one of the known families (importers of Mazda & Hyundai) who have lived here for 4 generations. Took pix in 2008 during winter (Oct 2008 posting, Winter Wonderland) and the winter and summer views are quite a contrast. The colourful variety of wild and garden flowers are a feast for the eyes!