Frequenting the Friday Country market in the community centre on Conduit Hill, it is always a pleasure to have a coffee after the frantic purchases before they everything is bought up. But apart from that, one can always meet new people who join the table and get surprised by what is actually happening around Rye and what interesting projects have been ongoing for years but not known.
One such surprise was to meet a new person to the Country market who brought her Norwegian friend, Tove. Both loved what was going on socially and Tove said she had been a month in Winchelsea and absolutely loves Rye and surrounding area and being so close to the sea. She explained that, sadly, she had to leave in two days but did so with more dresses and other things she bought in the shops here. She even experienced Glyndebourne, having been invited.
It turns out that Mike, the potter, several years ago lived in Norway and when he returned bought a property with enough room to start a project receiving Norwegian writers and translators for a month each. Tove explained that the Norwegian Association of Literary Translators got in touch with Mike about sending translators for a month to be able to do their work in a beautiful and peaceful environment. Mike and his wife started the project several years ago and Tove said that each individual who enjoyed this privilege, the isolation of the place and independence which the two separate living areas of the house and gardens allowed, wanted to come back. Her time will be again next summer so other Norwegians can come over and do their translations of books and poetry.
Sadly, Mike died eight years ago but his wife, though very private, is continuing the project with one month in between visitors to regroup, saying that she does like having such interesting people, to show the beaches, natural environment, introducing them to neighbours and again the farmers market, as well as hearing the stories of their lives in Norway. She also has started art classes in some of the annexes Mike built.
Tove described the place: “His wife works hard to keep the place up, and Mike’s ‘kingdom’ now seems to me even more beautiful and magical than ever. The workshop is left as it was, full of pots in different stages of completion. I can’t wait for summer 2023.”
Image Credits: Heidi Foster , A Norwegen friend .