Lift

Ski slopes in California never looked as sad as this offseason...

Berries

What we'll do for a few blueberries!

It was stormy and wet out (as if the national soul had conjured up weather to describe the feeling of having just lost the Olympic handball Gold to France and their crazy psychic goalkeeper) but we slapped on our slickers and went out searching anyway. Dad knew there wouldn't be any blueberries at this location, but he did pick up a few puny krækjuber (translation anyone?) just for fun.

Country

Just a typical idyllic scene from the Icelandic countryside...

As summer comes to a close and the nights grow longer (when it's cloudless we can even see the moon at midnight) that odd feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop overcomes many. For those who've been on vacation (students, teachers) a new experience is about to start. For those who've use the summer as a transition zone, a switching station between life paths, autumn's new realities are just around the corner. It's always easier to break with the past when days are warm, and slide into the future with the sun's hopeful rays still on your back.

Party

Happy Gay Day to all! Here's Rósa and her band Sometime having a glittering blast on wheels during today's Gay Pride parade. Tonight the town belongs to the Rainbow and anyone and everyone who's ready to party on til dawn...

Wet

Little waterfalls abound all across Iceland, and on warm days it's a blast jumping out of the car and into a roadside cascade. In this land of super-heated thermal hot springs, melting glacial runoff and ubiquitous, any-season rainfall we seem to have enough of the wet stuff, and some would even say too much.

Like any other resource, though, it's all about proper management, distribution, usage and respect for something that none of us could do without. Though not in any way affiliated with them, I think the Saving Iceland website has some interesting information, and is worth a read on the subject of water, water power and their take on the state of the Icelandic environment

Pink

For Pabbi and Mamma...

Arrival

Like a dream come true, Iceland Eyes has made it to the Big Time: printed and bound in a pretty book called Reykjavík, one of two volumes in the Iceland Cool and Crisp series published by Veröld, with more to come.

All the photos in the book are from this blog, though I created the accompanying text to suit the form and intent of the book: something bright and pretty, informative and creative for travelers to take home with them for a decent price. Their editor, Bjarni Þorsteinsson, did a fantastic job of manifesting into physical form two hard-cover excursions into the visitor's Iceland. Kudos to him!

And I have to thank my parents, Þórir and Ásthildur Roff (Thor and Asta) for prompting me often, especially when they were still out in California, to post another photo, to keep on with the blog. Likewise, the steady stream of compliments and comments from around the world, from strangers who believe in and like what Iceland Eyes has to offer, keep me encouraged and inspired to find those sweet visual moments in the bustle of the busy world. Faithful visitors, you know who you are: Many Many Thanks !!! And to my children Valentína and Óðinn: your patience with me as I post is invaluable. When the urge to write takes over and I shush you as I fall into a spell of words, you give me the time to let it happen, even if it means dinner is late. Love and love and love ~.~