Last gasp of earth cellar progress for the summer?

The great earth cellar project of 2013 is going to have to be paused for the winter and resumed next summer. We have known for a while that it was becoming time to return lord_kjar's dad's tractor to him, so, in preparation for that some days back we used the tractor to bring some of the remaining large rocks (a number of which are rectangular cut, having had a previous role as foundation stones elsewhere). These were put down on the walls in the spots they would go and left there till this weekend, when we finally had a chunk of time long enough to mix concrete, and there was a pause in the autumn rains.

Therefore we spent pretty much all of Saturday working on the earth cellar. This time we used a block and tackle (purchased recently because we knew we had to give back the tractor and we might want to lift large rocks thereafter). It turns out that it is MUCH easier to get the rocks exactly where we want them using a block and tackle than hanging it from a chain from the forks of the tractor.

Since we hadn't actually returned the tractor yet, when the sun set and it got dark we kept working by tractor light, which turned out to be, just, good enough to take a photo of the progress:



This photo is looking down from above, and one can easily tell which blocks are new (concrete is still wet and dark) and which have been there awhile. That back wall is just about waist height now, and we have filled in behind it with gravel (next to the wall), and dirt (further back).

Since we didn't get the whole project done the plan is to cover the walls themselves with a tarp, so that when the snow melts in the spring any dirt that gets carried down from the sides of the hole above doesn't land on the gravel fill or wind up inside the earth cellar (which already has a gravel floor). The more fun part of the plan is, as soon as we have enough snow accumulated I plan to build myself a grand snow fort inside the earth cellar in progress. Anyone want to come play in it with me? I figure having such a play ground will make up for not having managed to finish the project in a single summer.

There lives a baker; a comparison of a Norwegian and Swedish children's songs

Back in the summer of 1989 I attended the Oslo International Summer School, where I took a class in basic Norwegian. One of the things I still remember from that class was a children's song. That song also exists here in Sweden, and I find it interesting to compare the two different versions. Since I am not the only person here on LJ who enjoys looking at language, I thought I would share:

The Norwegian version is:

Der bor en baker

Der bor en baker I Østre Aker
There lives a baker in east Aker
Han baker kringler og julekaker.
he bakes pastries and Yule cakes
Han baker store han baker små
he bakes large, he bakes small
Han baker noen med sukker på.
he bakes some with sugar on

Og i hans vindu står rare saker,
and in his window stand wonderful things
Tenk hester, griser og pepperkaker.
think: horses, pigs, and spice cookies
Og har du penger så kan du få,
and if you have money you can have some
Og har du ikke, så kan du gå.
and if you have none, you can go

and the Swedish version:

Sockerbagaren

En sockerbagare här bor i staden
a desert baker lives here in the city
han bakar kakor mest hela dagen.
he bakes cookies most of the day
Han bakar stora, han bakar små
he bakes large, he bakes small
han bakar några med socker på.
he bakes some with sugar on
Och i hans fönster hänga julgranssaker
and in his window hang Christmas things
och hästar, grisar och pepparkakor.
and horses, pigs, and spice cookies
Och är du snäller så kan du få
and if you are sweet/kind/nice you can have some
men är du stygger så får du gå!
but if you are bad/misbehaving you may leave

I am amused to see how alike some of the lines are--only the spelling of those words changes as one crosses the border, but other bits are totally different. I wonder if it is a sign of cultural difference that in Norway one needs cash in hand to get holiday cookies, but in Sweden just being a good kid will get you them.


Wow, three posts in one day, one can tell that lord_kjar is on his computer this evening. I often think of that many things to say, but it is rare these days that I actually sit down and type them. (If you saw only two you aren't on that filter; ask if you want to be.)