Siland!

Sunniva has just spent her first week in Vikedal, at the height of the short Norwegian summer - seven days of seventy degree weather (20+), swimming every day for me, and the whole cabin painted sunshine yellow. Our resident European Robin kept a close watch as she slept in her stroller outside on the lawn, where she fortunately avoided meeting another Vikedal baby - the European adder (hoggorm). A tiny one was spotted on the terrace, but a quick shovel sent his soul to Allah. Other than that, Sunniva also got a tiny tick on the nape of her neck, but we took it off without too much panic and seemingly no harm done. So it goes in wild places, and thus must parents and children always be alert. We are, of course, not only alert to danger, but also to beauty, as this video of a red-breasted merganser mother with her four ducklings shows. This is the third summer in a row I've observed them in our little bay (Smesvik) but the first time with a family.