An Early Morning, A New Season Coming

Hi there. My name is Alfdis Jonsdottir. I am a 22 year-old Norsewoman from a small lowland farm located near Viksfjord and Kaupang, Norway. I currently live on the small farm that my father, Jon Brunnsson, and brother, LjúfR Jonsson, run. The farm is primarily focused on raising livestock and some crops. The soil is extremely rocky here and the winters are long; making it difficult to grow and harvest lots of crops. My husband, Leif Eymundrsson, is currently away on a “voyage” to God knows where. I hate when he leaves but he always seems to return with the most beautiful of things; silver broaches, blue silks, and lots of furs. If we are lucky, we get to keep these precious gifts for a short while until the market returns in the summer. Unlike my brother and father, Leif is a trader and a viking. He travels, obtains valuable foreign rarities and trades them at Kaupang, a seasonal market. As a result of his voyages and my father's farm, we live comfortably and hold a fair status within the region. However, I would rather him be at home and working on the farm. I am already 22 and still, have no children. I love being home with my family and helping with the farm, but I am ready for a family of my own.

The days are growing shorter and the nights are growing colder. The winter is soon approaching and my family is preparing for a harsh one. After making our last trip to the market to trade the remaining of our furs, my mother Gunnvor, could sense that this winter was going to be a long and dark one. Although we worked all summer on repairing our turf rooftop and even constructed another fireplace within the long house, the nights in my lofted sleeping quarters have already proved bone chilling. And it is not even winter yet! We have made an addition to our long house for the animals so that they have more room to sleep and so we don’t have to suffer from their stench as much. My brother’s wife, Snotra Brossdottir, and I are ecstatic about the improvement. Especially Snotra! She is pregnant again and has been feeling ill from the smoke and stench of the animals. I hope her baby makes it this time. Last winter she lost her first born after a 15 hour labor. It was heartbreaking. I am just so happy she is still so strong and healthy.

Sometimes I love this place and sometimes I wish I could travel with Leif down south. I wonder what he is doing right now. Last I heard from one of Leif’s fellow sailors, the men found an unprotected house of precious royalties whose only residents were older men in robes. I just hope he returns safely. Although we were arranged to marry by Leif's family with prossion from my Father, I really do have affection for him.

I better go now. It is an early and brisk morning and I need to help my mother, Gunnvor, with the breakfast stew. We also have to take care of the farm today for my brother and father have returned to Kaupang for one last attempt at selling our products to the season’s last travelers and nearby farmers.

Until next time,
Alfdis