Climatic Changes in Scandinavia


Flowering rape field in November 2009

After October with night frost in several places November has been on the warm side of the freezing point in Denmark. Not one of DMI's meteorological stations has measured just one case of night frost in November and the frost will not appear in the first days to come. Statistically it is unlikely that November ends without frost, this has not happened in Danish weather-history which goes back to 1873. The mildest November until now was in 2000. But today is the 27th of November and still very mild - it seems that the record is about to be beaten.

There were many fields with yellow rape-flowers last Saturday, not as bright yellow as in May of course - and there are small cautious flowers in cherry and magnolia trees.

There is a large focus on the climatic changes and their negative influence on nature. The poles and archipelagos are in risc of being flooded, but the changes are also seen in several other places, i.e. in Scandinavia. The changes do not only strike single species or habitats in the North; the influence is broad on all levels, says a new report about climatic changes in the North, worked out by Nordisk Ministerråd. Their basis were 14 various species, which are indicators and meant to show the influence of the climatic change in various ecosystems. By following these indicators it is possible to follow more general tendencies instead of an indivual development progress. The earlier beginning of the pollen season, the changed distribution of the fish populations and changes in the behaviour pattern of the birds are just a few examples of that the climatic changes have already secured a foothold.

The report is in English and can be downloaded on:

www.norden.org/en/publications/publications/2009-551

Source: DMI, Danmark; Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredning, November 2009.

photo Mols 21. November 2009: grethe bachmann

Soon Christmas Again!


The first Christmas sight is already in the first days of November, when you see the trees packed and ready....


...............for being transported - here on a small truck -to the market places where they sell lots of firs in November and December.
Now its time for creating a cosy Christmas home and time for baking Christmas cakes. The house has to be decorated with Christmas tree and candles and decorations and pixies and hearts and stars etc................. but from where origins Christmas - and who is Father Christmas?

Christmas was originally a midwinter-feast which was transferred to the Christian church and changed into a feast for the birth of Jesus Christ. The Old Norse Jul was celebrated in January and the southern feast for sol invictus (the invincible sun god) was on the 25. December; therefore the Christmas of Christianity was placed at the same time. According to German and Nordic customs the feast was the night before. Actually it was a vigilie (night of wake) from the Catholic period, where people together waited for midnight and the celebration of mess, which was held at the moment of the Nativity.
The earliest known evidence about Jule-feast in the north is from ab. 900. Here is mentioned the Norse king Harald Fairhair and his son Hakon the Good (the first Christian king i Norway) in connection to Christmas. Harald Fairhair was known as a king, who swore not to cut his hair and beard, until he was king of the whole country. Hakon the Good was known as the king, who ordered the Norwegians to celebrate Christmas "at the same time as Christian men", which indicates that the Jul before Christianity arrived was placed at another and earlier time. The character of the Old Norse Jule-feast appears from the expression "to drink jul". Through centuries the clerical understanding of Jul or Christmas fought against the secular or popular understanding. The development of Christmas was marked by modern ideas through the times and many old customs have become a part of Christmas.

Father Christmas or Santa Claus... who brings Christmas gifts to the children. Father Christmas origins from aCatholic idea that the patron saint of children Sankt Nicolaus( Santa Claus) upon his Saint's day 6. December brings gifts to well-behaved children, while the naughty children are being spanked by his companion (German: Knecht Ruprecht, French: Pére Fouettard). The custom and the date origins from the 1200s. But it was not Sankt Nicolaus, who gave the idea for his red-white dress. In frescoes Sankt Nicolaus is never seen in red and white. His red dress, his reindeer-sleigh, the winter-background and his house at the North Pole are modern additions from the environment of the middle-class´Christmas books and similar things for children. In the first American pictures from the representation Santa Claus wore a fur coat; later he got his present dress, but it is first in the 20th century his dress turned red and white.
Advent
...is the time from and with the 4th Sunday before Christmas until 24 December . From the 5th century celebrated as a preparation for Christmas. On the first Sunday of Advent the first of four candles is lit in the Adventskrans (garland), often a garland made of spruce and hung with red silken bands.

1. december
The Christmas calendar is popular with children. The first of 24 lids is being opened . The Christmas calendar has developed into a gift-calendar - sometimes in large proportions! The calendar candle is lit for the first time.

In December:
Many hangs a Christmas Star in the window. In gardens and on balconies are outdoors Christmas trees with lights the whole Christmas month and longer. Christmas decorations are made, i.e. a large candle encircled by spruce twigs , glass globes and other small Christmas things. And now it is the time for baking, especially the little cakes , i.e. vanila-cakes, brown cakes, small pepper biscuits, crullers etc. And it's time for the julegløgg. (mulled wine with raisina and almonds and various spices)

13. december. Lucia-Day
Lucia-procession where a so-called Lucia-brud (bride) in a long, white dress and with a garland of lit candles upon her hair, followed by white-dressed girls with a candle in their hand. This is a tradition which really brings joy to schools, kindergartens, old people's homes and at hospitals.

23. december. Lillejuleaften (Little Christmas Evening)
The Christmas tree is being decorated. - Many eat apple-cakes and drink gløgg.

24. december. Juleaften (Christmas Evening)
Many goes to church in the daytime. In the evening Christmas dinner, i.e. goose, duck or turkey - or roast pork or neck of pork. Dessert: mostly ris-á lá mande with cherry sauce and with an almond (he/she who gets the almond gets a gift).Dancing and singing around the Christmas tree. The only light in the house at that point are all the lit candles upon the tree and in the decorations. Handing out the gifts. The children are told that Father Christmas brought them!

25. december. Juledag (1. Christmas Day)
Holy Day. Family get-together. Det store kolde bord med små lune retter. (Cold dishes and small warm dishes) Drink: often the strong special Christmas beer. The start of the lunch is various herring with snaps.

26. december. Anden juledag (2. Christmas Day).
Holy Day. Family get-together. Again cold and warm dishes, but now at someone else's house!

Source: Jul i Dannevang 2009, Juleretter 1977, Mad og Bolig Dec. 1996.

Potpourri

Small Chinese jars with lid, decorated with golden dragons, red dragons or blue dragons and filled with potpourri create a lovely atmosphere in the winter season. The base in a potpourri is always dried rose-leaves, a large handful in a jar with a little salt in the bottom, then rose-leaves, again a little salt a.s.o. Put lid on and stir in it five times a day for five days. When you take off the lid a faint scent of roses is floating out into the room.

A stronger scent: Put some already salted rose leaves in a jar and pour a few drops geranium oil, some whole cloves, a little crushed nutmeg, some coriander seeds, a cut cinnamon stick and a little crushed violrod (Iris florentina at pharmacy). Stir and let it stand for a week, and it is ready to fill the room with a delicate scent when removing the lid in the daytime.

Fill little home-sewed sachets with dried rose leaves, dried thyme flowers and dried sweet gale leaves. Bind the sachets with silken bands. For your own use hang them on the hangers in the wardrobe or put them in draws or under your pillow. Or use them as a fine little gift for the hostess when you're out on Christmas visits in December.

Turkish Meringues: Common meringue paste , mix it with finely crushed dried rose leaves and bake the meringues as you use to. It looks delicate and give a lovely scent.

Source: Annemarta Borgen, Krydderurtehaven på Knatten, 1992.

photo Boller slot 2008: grethe bachmann

Hollyhock/Almindelig Stokrose

Hollyhock/Garden Mallow/Almindelig Stokrose
Alcea rosea/Althaea rosea

Marsh Mallow/Læge-Stokrose
Althaea officinalis

Hollyhock comes from southern Europe and the East,where it grows wild in glades in the forests. The plant can be dated back to the English garden books from 1440 and seeds were brought to Europe from China. Remains of hollyhocks have been found in a Neanderthal burial site. Alcea is an old Greek plant name and rosea means rosy red. The Danish name Stokrose refers to the rose-like flowers which are placed upon a long stok. (stem)

Folk Medicine (Marsh Mallow/Læge-Stokrose/Althaea officinalis)
Both flowers, leaves and roots were used. The boiled roots were effective against coughing, but also an extract from flowers and leaves in alcohol or as a tea was good against coughing and inflammation of the oral cavity. The extract could also ease a tootache. The dark coloured flowers were said to be the best, and the red colour told that it was especially meant for diseases of the blood. Roots were chewed for digestive problems, and the green leaves were used in order to soothe the pain from burns. Extract from the leaves were used against scurvy.

Today:
The flowers can be cut and sprinkled in salads.

Superstition.
The red marsh-mallow was drunk in tea against blood-diseases. If you eat the seed you were protected against the bite from poisonous animals. In the old days people planted the marsh-mallow close to the house because they meant it prevented lightning.

Others:
Hollyhoc was used for plant dye, where the flowers can give a blue-black colour, the plant fibres were used for rope. Flowers were cooked in soups.

Source: Anemette Olesen,Danske klosterurter, 2001.

photo ⓒStokrose 2007/2008: grethe bachmann

Nature in Trouble

Lapwing, Vilsted Sø


Skylark, Ertebølle

Many years ago, in 1986, a plan for pesticides was introduced in DK. The purpose was to lower the use of pesticides in order to keep the diversity of nature. Unfortunately it has developed in the wrong direction. I.e. has the population of lapwing, skylark, partridge and hare minimized severely, caused by the barren landscape. The waterworks state that more and more drillings contain rests of pesticides. The agriculture says that the use of pesticides is necessary caused by "hunger in the world", while *DN 's representative says "rubbish", cause 85% of the Danish corn-production is used for animal-fodder.

* Dansk Naturfredning


Partridge, Rugård

Hare, Oudrup Hede

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, nr. 4, Nov. 2009.

photos ⓒ 2007-2009: grethe bachmann

The Polar Bear is Growing Smaller

The polar bear grows grows smaller and smaller. Compared to its relatives from the beginning of the 1900s, the polar bear is 2-9 % smaller. The cause is connected to the increased pollution and the strong recduction of the ice cap caused by climatic changes. Cranes of the polar bear from various period have been compared. The discovery was made by scientists from Biologisk Institut and Danmark's Miljøundersøgelser (Environment Investigations).

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, nr. 4, Nov. 2009.

photo ⓒ Randers Kulturcenter 2009: grethe bachmann

The Polar Bear is Growing Smaller



The polar bear grows grows smaller and smaller. Compared to its relatives from the beginning of the 1900s, the polar bear is 2-9 % smaller. The cause is connected to the increased pollution and the strong recduction of the ice cap caused by climatic changes. Cranes of the polar bear from various period have been compared. The discovery was made by scientists from Biologisk Institut and Danmark's Miljøundersøgelser (Environment Investigations).

Source: Natur og Miljø, Danmarks Naturfredningsforening, nr. 4, Nov. 2009.

photo Randers Kulturcenter 2009: grethe bachmann

Viking Art

Lindholm Høje, here was the little Urnes-broche found.

The art in the Viking period is a name for the artistic styles in the North and the areas of northern Europe where the vikings settled. The preserved works of art include both carved wooden figures, jewelry , carved stones and in rare cases tapestry; it also includes literary works i.e. poems. The animal motives and the stylized figures are a direct continuation of the styles from earlier periods. In the Viking art is also found Celtic and Romanesque influence.

There are six main styles: Oseberg, Borre, Jelling, Mammen, Ringerike and Urnes Style. The Jelling style is named after the Danish royal grave in Jelling, East Jutland, and features prominent animal designs. The Ringerike style is characterized by elaborate foliage ornament and interlacing and is named after the district in Norway where it is represented in local sandstone. Detailed designs in carved doors of Urnes stave church in the Sognefjord, Norway gave its name to the final style. Urnes style is developed from Ringerikestilen and was used from ab. 1050 til ab. 1140. Large slender animals weaved with snakes and threads are characteristic.

Urnes Style. The fibula was found in Roskilde, a characteristic example of the large animal interlaced with threads and snakes. It is a combination of a dress-buckle or a pendant from the 1100s. The original jewelry is bronze and is exhibited at the National Museum. The copy is Sterling silver (55 mm) and is availbable at i.e. Moesgård Museumsbutikken (on-line).


Urnes Style. The little broche from Lindholm Høje is from ab. year 1000, a fine example of the late Viking period's animal style, the large animal fighting the snake, a symbol of the fight between good and evil. The original jewelry is exhibited at Aalborg Historiske Museum


photo : grethe bachmann

Coppicing/Stævningsskov

Coppicing is a traditional method of woodland management in which young tree stems are repeatedly cut down to near ground level. In subsequent growth years, many new shoots will emerge, and, after a number of years the coppiced tree, or stool, is ready to be harvested, and the cycle begins again.

Coppice management (Stævningsskov) was one of the earliest forms of woodland management in Denmark, traceable back to Stone Age. In the Middle Ages the lord of the manor had the right to the upper sections of the wood, while the peasant had to be content with the lower sections. The coppicing was a smart solution to the peasants, since this forest type never developed into tall trees; if it was cut regularly they could keep their right to use the wood. They used it for fences, fuel, posts, poles etc. To avoid the trees from growing up the wood has to be cut every 15-20 years.

Coppice management favours a range of wildlife, often of species adapted to open woodland. After cutting, the increased light allows existing woodland-floor vegetation such as bluebell, anemone and primrose to grow vigorously. Often brambles grow around the stools, encouraging insects, or various small mammals that can use the brambles as protection from larger predators. Woodpiles (if left in the coppice) encourage insects such as beetles to come into an area. The open area is then colonised by many animals such as nightingale, nightjar and fritillary butterflies. As the coup grows, the canopy closes and it becomes unsuitable for these animals again – but in an actively managed coppice there is always another recently cut coup nearby, and the populations therefore move around, following the coppice management.

Queen of Spain Fritillary/ Storplettet perlemorsommerfugl

photo 2. August 2008 and 31. October 2009: grethe bachmann

Autumn Forest




A day in the autumn forest just before a rough wind came blowing the next day sweeping the leaves like snowflakes to the ground. Although the sky was dark and grey the colours of autumn are shining through. A little rain deepens the shades of the foliage.

photo Fussingø forest 31. Oct. 2009: gb