A mother of four, photographer, nature lover. Someone trying to make sense of it all, through photos and stories. 

I try to be free in all senses of the word, so I made the leap and now work with what I love doing; taking pictures, storing this life in moments, both for myself and for clients. My heart is in photographing birth and motherhood, but I take on just about any photography job. 
(See my birth photos at www.birth.no and the rest of my work portfolio at www.mariavatne.no.)

I live on a farm in Norway with my man Nik and my children Ronja, Freja, Falk and Ulv, plus a bunch of animals. We grow our own food as far as the seasons allow it, we don't go to kindergarten, the three youngest ones will be homeschooled.

We govern our own lives, we strive for independence, we want to be in this life wild and free and full of love.

Signs of Christmas.

I'm not the most "christmassy" (or shall we say "-messy"?) of people, but some things stay on the list of to-do's before the 24th. In and around our house there are a few small traces of the holidays to come...
Pippi's horse in the disguise of a gingerbread cookie, for example.

...or the remains of our gingerbread house on the bird feeder. Ronja and I decided promptly after making it, that we are no gingerbread-house-making-artists, and part ate part demolished it.
Can't be great at everything, right?

Ronja made a mini Christmas tree at school today! She claims that she is going to bring it with her wherever she goes, so that anyone who has gifts for her can easily put them under the tree.

Cookies in a jar.

And last, the full moon over the hill. Not specific for Christmas, but still worth looking at.

Good evening to all!

More signs of Christmas.

Today: