koselig / hygge

I think back so fondly on the time I spent in Bergen. So many things about that experience stick with me as being truly sensational - train rides to Voss Fjellheisar, exploring the Lofoten Islands, bopping around the archipelagos, kayaking through epic fjords, visiting distant relatives & their fjord-side saunas outside Oslo, admiring the stavkirkes, the plentiful ski trips to DNT (Norwegian Trekking Association) cabins, and brewing our own beer because we couldn't afford to buy any. Perhaps one common theme across my fond memories is the value of comfort, peace, and warmth.

In Norwegian, there is a special term for this:

koselig

a concept that is central to Norway's national character... it is a combination of nature, companionship, and coziness, promoting personal well-being

The Danish have their own, similar (but nuanced) version of this:

hygge

a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment

I seem to have re-invited koselig & hygge back into my life as of late. I've been spending lots of time at my partner's place (an off-grid tiny-ish home). It's a place where you wake up to the sounds of birds chirping. The loudest noise is the barking of the dogs or the occasional (faint) sound of the train passing across the valley. There's a light dusting of snow on the ground right now which transports me into the Koselig mood. I think something about the OSB wood walls makes me feel closer to nature. 

I once read that an important element of the koselig feeling is an open fire (many Norwegian homes and cabins have wood burners). While this house doesn't have an internal wood stove, it is still heated by wood fire in an external wood boiler that then heats the floors with it's hot water. Even though you don't have the coziness of visually seeing the wood stove; there's something about knowing that wood is keeping me warm that's both comforting and strangely peaceful. ... maybe because I'm not the one who has to fetch the firewood, chop the wood, and keep the fire stoked.

With my new job, I have the luxury of working from home. This means, I sometimes get to be in this hygge environment while I write long reports for ICBC or WorkSafe BC. It's amazing how much more enjoyable tedious reporting can be when you are in an environment that screams tranquillity.

Not to mention my dog Monty is in absolute heaven here - endless space to roam and play with the other dogs! Workdays are much less boring for the sweet guy.

Here's a taste of the koselig. Frosted tree branches, hut booties and all.