The Swedish Sewer Project

OMG my garden....😱 it is totally ruined. What a project. We need to make a new sewer, the government decided. It needs to be "trekammerbrunn" because we live close to the lake. I can understand your want to keep the water in the lake as clean as possible, not to pollute it. But we always were already very aware form the fact we live in nature, in the middle of the woods. So we didn't use chemical damaging products, only ECO friendly stuff. Beside of that it is a very expensive job, even more when you know the old one functioned without problems.  

After work....

This is the result just before winter is coming. We didn't know we had clay in our garden until now, I only met a very dry and sandy soil. The driveway, which I spent so much hours on to remove it from all the grass because it was overgrown, has totally disappeared. We need to repair as soon as possible the driveway, because it will be very soft and muddy in wintertime, when the snow is coming. 

my driveway after

We have been working on this property for 3 years already. It will take some time to restore it again by ourselves, without big machines and big money. But we need to see it as a project. Maybe it brings us something we never expected before, something positive.

Jobs to do in your October garden

Still flowering till the frost will come....

What a beautiful flowers, still in my garden. Typical autumn minded flowers like Sedum, Helenium, Gaura Lindheimerii, Hydrangea Annabelle, Autumn Crocus and Trycurtis. I'm enjoying it very much because I know, I have to say goodbye, every day it can be the last one, it can be frosty soon.

Some days ago it already started to get below zero. Only two nights, but all the flowers are gone. Hope to see you next year...


Jobs to do in October:

1. Cut the grass, but not too short. As long as temperatures are above 7 degrees everything is still growing. And mostly also fast because it rains more often in fall. When you cut the grass for the last time think about it. It shouldn't be too short so it can manage frosty times in wintertime. Very important, not only in Sweden.
2. Take inside the pots or plant out the youngsters. Some plants are not hardy enough to stay outside during Winter in Sweden. When they are in a pots, they are even more vulnerable for frost because they will gett more coldness around their feet. I took inside some of them (like the Gaura Lindheimerii). Other ones can stay outside when they are in the open ground. So I plated out some youngsters from the Black Currant, where I took some cuttings last months and they started growing in pots. 
3. Take out as much weeds as possible, as long as possible, when the temperature is still above 7 degrees Celcius and your hands and body can manage. Because the roots are growing fast, while you not see it. But in Spring, then you'll know. they are much faster then you are...
4. Plant a lot of bulbs, they are often extra highlights in your garden. I don't plant tulips, I like them but the deer and mouses as well... But that animals don't like Narcissus, Galanthus and Allium (they smell like onions because they are family). I mostly like the hardy bulbs who can stay in the ground for years. Like Scillas, they will increase anyway (when they like it at your place). All though the deer will eat the flowers, but I like them so much I took the risk and planted them anyway. Just take care in Spring when they come out. The weeds are growing often that fast you do not see the small and tiny bulb leafs coming out.... Mark them very well with names. I'm sure the bulbs will surprise you. 
5. And last but not least....Go inside yourself and prepare for the winter. It's time for fall, also for you. Go inside, make a tea with a heartwarming cake (Mormors Mjuk Pepparkake), light the candles, take a book and start making new plans for next season.

Kanelbullardag

Grattis! Did you know it's Kanelbullensdag today in Sweden?

Foto: Pixabay

Every year on the 4th of October a lot of people eat a sort of cinnamon roll. They sell around  7 million on that day. That means that 51% of the Swedish people are eating them, or get one on their job. They started with this day in 1999 to stimulate people to make homemade sweets and sell more butter, flour and yeast. The cinnamon roll is typical Swedish (1920) and is often eaten with the fika, having coffee and cakes. A very popular daily habit in Sweden. So when you are in Sweden one day, you have to try one, it tastes delicious!

You want to start baking? For 25 buns you need:
35 g (1¼ oz) yeast
100 g (3½ oz) sugar
300 ml (1½ cup) milk
1 egg
120 g (4 oz) butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbs ground cardemom
750 g (26 oz) flour

Filling:
100 g (4 oz) butter
50 g (2 oz) sugar
2 tbs cinammon

Glaze:
1 egg
2 tbs water
pearl sugar

Preparation
Crumble the yeast in a bowl and stir in a few tablespoons of milk. Melt the butter and pour the milk on it. Add the rest of the ingredients and knead the dough in a dough mixer for 10–15 minutes. Let the dough rise while covered at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough so it is about 3 mm (1/8 in) thick and 30 cm (12 in) wide. Spread the room-temperature butter on top. Make a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the dough. Roll the dough the long way and cut the roll into about 25 slices. Place them with the cut edge upward in paper molds. Place on a baking sheet and let rise under a towel for about 60 minutes or until the buns have doubled in size.

Beat together the egg and water, brush the mixture carefully on the buns and sprinkle pearl sugar on top. Bake in the oven (220°C/425°F) for 5–6 minutes. Allow to cool on a rack.