Countdown for Christmas

It is nice to close the door for a while and go inside, waiting for the winter times. Not to be busy with other people or things. But just enjoying your own time. Doing the things you didn't have the time for before or in summer (because there is always something to do in a house on the countryside with a big garden). Time for traveling now and having good times meeting your dearest and nearest. Go out to enjoy a nice winterday with some sun. Go on the frozen ice when possible or making pictures from snowy trees. Or time to travel, having good times with family and friends by the fireplace.

It's also a very good season to clean up your house. Because when you get a bigger house your will get more stuff immediately, specially when you have been living there for some years. Like we, soon nearly 10 years 😏. So last weeks I started to sort out my stuff. It gives a good feeling to get rid of things you do not really need. Maybe I can sell some things in early spring. I want to keep the things what makes my feel happy or keep my busy in a pleasant way.  

For me it means creating nice Christmas decorations by myself. Of course not by buying cheap plastic things from China. I've have got a lot of decoration stuff from the years before. You only need some natural materials for the base. In the Netherlands I used to give workshops flower decorations, all year around but special in Christmas time. 

I love to create a Christmas feeling, to warm yourself with. I started a long time ago. When I would celebrate Christmas at home I started already early in november (when the weather gets dark and boring) with decorating my house, outside and inside. It makes me so happy. Just being busy with your hands. Feeling the creative flow in your body and getting out of your head. Forgetting the time...

I found a lot of traditional Christmas stories in Norway. The start was made when our friends moved to Norway and we had the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in the Norwegian way. The food was cooked in the tradition way, so we had dinner like much Norwegians. We ate pinnekjøtt and svineribbe with beer and aquavit aside. Or like the tradition to take care of your ancestors outside of your house by offering them some rise and a drink. Or to the birds around the house, some food in form of a bun of corn called a Julenek . I really love them. I still think we can learn a lot of this traditions. It's a way of getting through the winter they found out a long time ago. Just go with the flow and be creative. Reflect on the last years experiences. Find some me time, real quality time. Find what feels good for yourself. Never mind the world around you, it will go on turning any way. Better you feel as good as possible. 

That's really me time. No hurry, No worry. Time to slowdown. Like the animals do. Just taking the time to have a very long sleep in wintertime. It would fit me too.

The garden is totally asleep now. Even the weeds stopped growing. I'm lucky I managed to go weeding in autumn for a long time, so nearly the total garden was done. Only the gravelpath needs still some attention, maybe I can fixe it in between partly when we have a single good day (not to cold or wet). The first servere frost arrived last week, only some days. Till that moment, there were some tough guys still flowering but now they are finished. The plants are back in the ground, making new roots for next season to grow and flower again.  For now the garden season is closed. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. 

Hunting spring signs

 

It's a pity, last time I wrote it was a real Nordic winter... some beautiful days. But within one week it was green, raining warm water or very misty in Småland again. We didn't see the sun for weeks. Only some moments we had to go out quickly to catch the sunlight for some minutes. Hopefully now it will change to early spring, don't you think? Maybe spring will come a little bit earlier this year 🙏.

While we keep ourselves busy inside we keep on hunting spring signs, till now we only found the snowdrops. Just now we are busy with next years planning. What days shall we open? What events we will take part of? This is the time to subscribe and upload actual information. I think we will start with Lingonställen beginning of June. They have an Easter event end of March (info is coming soon on the side) but that is really too early for a garden. Would be nice to start some earlier, somewhere in May. I'm hoping every year but I don't think nature will hurry, so it's wishful thinking. But you never know.

End of June it will be time for Tusentradgardar again. A lot of (private) gardens in Sweden open up for every one. An event I really can recommend. Organised it every two years. Full of energy, even more inspiration and meeting only nice people and gardening enthousiasts. 

Half of July I'm happy to join the open garden day 2024 by Land.se again. They have not got the new information on the website yet, but it will come soon. It was a big succes last year, we booked a visitors record!

End of July I'm very honored to welcome the members of  "Värnamo Trädgård Förening" in the garden for a loo around and a fika. 

The event season will end with a Lingonrundan in the beginning of September. 

So it's looking like we will open up every two weeks in summer, maybe some spontaneous openings in between, depending on time and weather. I'm sure the summer won't be as bad and rainy as last year....

But now it's time to get out of my head again. I started with cutting the pelargon. I have some nice English (French for Dutch people 😝) Pelargon. My collection is growing more as I thought. They are so nice to grow here in this climate and they seem to like it in my upstairs room. But last year I managed to sell them also in the small plantmarket att the street side. This year I had also an a refugee, staying over for winter. The neighbors had no place to put it so it had a sort of sabbatical inside with us before getting out at their side again. 

Of course i started with the seedlings. Maybe to early but  just can't wait. I started with the experimental ones. Some difficult plants I want to seed, some plants who need warmth inside on my kitchen floor and cold outside to germ or seeds I hope they will flower this season too though they are two years plants. So experiments first. After it i started with Hollyhocks and Sunhats because i like to sell them flowering. But then they need to be quick unless I'm so quick to seed them more early. 

Hollyhocks

Outside we started with all cuttings. A nice part is always the Willow trees. Because it triggers me always to make something nice out of it. Those tranches are so fresh and beautiful colored and easy to work with. I already have some ideas in mind, you will see later. Beside of the water in the garden, it really needs to go down because now it's like a swimmingpool. But also in the lake is very high water. At lease we have no problems with drinking water next summer season. As soon as the temperature will go up to 7 degrees or above it will go fast and all jobs need to be at the same time. Before you know you are in the middle of summer (when you take a rest for midsummer). 

After the snow i'v been looking for Spring signs every day. It took a while but I'm very happy to tell you I found some: 

• Last week I was waken up very early by a singel crane in the lake nearby. The very first one a heard. It's looking like his/her partner is not back yet. When I look for the place where they collect before spreading after migrating from Europa I can read the first one was seen the 19th of February 2024.
• The snowdrops I told you already about but I even found the new buds in the Clematis Alpine what is climbing on the iron stairs. It's growing in the total open air in the back of the yard, so a very cold micro climate you could say. But maybe this is a tough cookie. 
• The Alliums bulbs started growing already... that's the sign we will need to prepare for closing the garden. Otherwise the hares will eat all of it. Or even worse they will find a place to make their nest. 

I really hope the water will disappear soon. Because it is too wet at the moment. We will ruin the grass by walking to much on it, it's very weak. The good ting is you can see the very nice mosses all around. Some people think they only grow on sick trees. But in contrary, they only grown in very healthy areas with clean air. I think they are beautiful. I call them trollenmos, but I don't know their real name. 

Do you want to read about last year spring time, please follow this link: Following natures steps last year. Or we will meet next time again, same place same time 😊.

Typical winter magic

 

It's Advent time. Every week one more candle to burn till we have four burning the last Sunday before Christmas. Only some days to go before we get more daylight again. It feel like time flies in some ways (Though the very dark days could go little faster when yo ask me...). But anyway, soon another year is gone. I really hope you can enjoy these weeks, together with friends and family. For me it's ok to get inside more and enjoy the warmth inside. Take a book to read, a very sweet film and prepare the house for Christmas visitors. Maybe even think about last year, before I start planning for next year. 

We've been visiting some places of Lingonställen last weekend with my neighbor friend. We bought good meat for Christmas at Kastebergs Gard and a special natural Christmas present at Lamm och Lera in Lagan. We also planned a short visit at the original hometown of Ikea, in Älmhult. A very small village in the middle of Småland where most of all companies belong to Ikea or are working for Ikea. Such as a Ikea of Sweden (including the Design Company), Ikea distribution, Ikea hotel, Ikea Congres Centre, Ikea Museum, Ikea Fyndis (special offer area) and finally also a normal Ikea store. They serve the traditional Julbord these weeks and it looked very popular because people were queuing to take part of it. We didn't taste this time, I'm happy we just had a quick visit. 

On the way to Älmhult we passed a very nice lighted marketplace in Liatorp. We went there for a visit on the way back. We visited both the loppisplace you can find beside of the postbox for Santa Claus and had a very nice fika in a Smålandsk atmosphere. We even trained our Smålands dialect...

Some weeks ago we were surprised by the spectacular Northern Light from my home in the western part of Småland Sweden. Of course we live in the woods, so there's not that much disturbing light. No streetlight, only around the houses. But I didn't know I just needed to walk about 200 meters to be able to spot it. Last winter a went to another lake in the neighborhood. I think I was very lucky too, it could have been in the middle of the night too. Now I just went out in the beginning of the evening, looked for the north, waited some minutes and the Northern Light show started. I even managed to make pictures with my mobile. 

Before the snow I managed to make a wonderful picture of the beautiful frozen winter lake. Mostly when it's frozen, there is also snow. But not this time, it was perfect black ice! Only shortly, before I could try out to skate is was covered with snow. When I finish snow shuffling around my house and drive way, I didn't have the energy left to clean the ice too for a skating lane. 

I made a sort of workplace inside, because of the coldness and snow outside in November and December. After autumn, I just can't wait preparing for Christmas (before the first of Advent). I could spend all days making Christmas Decorations. To decorate my house inside and outside, to try out new things and make some decorations for the people around me. Even my friend Petra, who was some days in Sweden in the neighborhood (only one hour driving one way 😜) visit me to make something together. Because we both like it so much. The result was a very nice natural green Christmas star. 

Växtloppis always open

By the way... the växtloppis is always open 😉

Outside our garden we have a växtloppis (plantmarket) where you can find seedlings and cutting for sale which I have been growing last months. You are welcome to take a look even when the garden is not opened. 

Outside our garden we have a växtloppis (plantmarket) where you can find seedlings and cutting for sale which I have been growing last months. We have some annuals like Cosmea, Verbena and Tobaccoplants. But also Salvia (lila), Big Campanula's, Jacobsladder, Goatbeard, etc. Every week I will have some new stuff. 

You are always welcome to take a look even when the garden is not opened. 

God fortsättning

Afbeelding van Dorothe via Pixabay 

God fortsättning...Tack det samma!

That's what they say here in Sweden in januari (what I learned last weeks from my neighbors 😉). It means: all the best for the new year. Thanks, same to you!

I hope you all had a really good free time with family and friends. Lot's of laughter, relaxmoments and warmth. Experiencing celebrating by tasting new or traditional Christmas recipes and played some old fashioned table games together. Maybe you have got some dreams in mind for the next year.

We enjoyed the very nice frozen world and snowy times just before X-mas, it was beautiful. I'm so glad we still have the memories. Later we got really challenged by the weather. It started raining before Christmas, till now. Already more then 3 weeks with very dark cloudy days and lots of rain. In between I only saw some sun twice - for some hours. It very hard to wake up in the morning or to stay awake during daytime when the darkness feels like it's evening time. Even worse, your body system will slow down even more and your brains are not in the mood for doing anything 😴. The good news is though that all the water wells in this neighborhood finally are filled up again for the first time in some years (Many around us still had problems in summertime). The ground waterlevel is normal again, the level in the lake is high.

Next week it's Blue Monday, the most depressing Monday of the year. I can understand why they call it like that. All the joyful times seems to be far away now, next holiday are far away too and there are a lot of must do's now. The days are still short and dark. This rainy weather isn't helping to make it more comfortable. So if your not in the mood for wintersleep or simply don't have the time: Come on and let's bust the blues... 

• Keep active outside. Go outside as much as possible. Take that walk in lunchtime, even when it's raining (you only get wet). Outside it's much more light then inside your house or office.
• Move. Start with your body exercise, join an internet side for a fitness or yoga session at home. 
• Ignore. Try not to look outside too much (things grow bigger when they get attention) and keep busy with something you like.
• Make plans.  Plans you really enjoy and can look forward to for short- and long terms.
• Set goals, to fill up your next days to start with. With funny things, new challenges, a try out hobby or something different you just never did before. When you enjoy it it will fill up your next months too, because you will forget the time. 
• Keep dreaming. Like me, I'm longing for spring. I can't wait for the plants to come out again and starting growing for the new season. I'm dreaming about new creations to make one day. I'm making planting plans, thinking about the jobs to do and preparing inside for sowing seeds. So if real winter doesn't want to come anymore let's start dreaming about spring soon...😄.

Let be spring soon 🙏

For now it's already dark again (around 16 o'clock), time to start my yoga session of the day. We went outside during lunchtime for some kilometers walk, worked on our projects and did our fitness session. I hope you will find your way too! 

PS: I've been writing about winter blues before, so if you want to have some more tips or information you can find it here. 

First of Advent again

Start of the Christmas Time in Sweden. And I can say: It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

In the shops it's totally Christmas, as well on the streets in the city and the private houses along the road. Only some weeks to go. Hoping for some snow to come.

I've been very creatieve last time (I was inside anyway 😜) and I have been working on Christmas decorations to create a real Christmas house. I like working with natural materials of course. I like them very much (the ferns, the mossa and pine cones) but it's also so difficult to buy suitable natural decorating stuff and very expensive too, when it is possible to buy it at all. Beside of that the assortment on the countryside in Sweden is very small, in the cities it is much better. 

For me it's always the best time of year. I like to decorate, to make new creations, to use new colors. It's like party time packing out all boxes with Christmas stuff. With a good herbs tea (filled up with pomorans, kardemomma, cinnamom and fresh ginger). a fresh baked almonds cake and a warm fireplace the ideal start of this time. When you need some inspiration, have a look on my earlier posts about Christmas decorations. And of course Pinterest is a good source to find extra inspiration. You can find me there too!

Meanwhile we take the time to visit some Lingonställer in the neighborhood, worth recommendation. Late Sunday afternoon there's the yearly Julskyltning in Ljungby. It's sort of partytime, with Christmas market, opened shops, Santa Claus and time to put on the lights of the enormous Christmas tree. 

We wish you lot's of luck next weeks. I know in working times it is always the most busy time of the year. We try to keep busy in the dark, starting to count down for Christmas....only 4 weeks to go.

By the way, we got just a little sun last week (just before going down again). I saw it on the perfect spot, at lake Flyxen. See you soon....😏

Advents Time is coming closer

Nearly time to go out and visit one of the Lingonställen in your surroundings. We are closed this time of the year but we recommend the places who have opened this time. You can find places of your interest here: Lingonrundan Jul 26-27-11 & 17/12/2022

It's really worth your visit! 

Very recently I saw already a glimpse of the Santa Claus office somewhere....Did you see it too?

September moods

Don't you think it's to early to think about autumn? For me it is, I really need some more time to prepare for wintertime.

But you can feel the autumn coming anyway... The appels were ready to harvest, both the yellow as the red ones. The ferns are starting to get brown (I still hope I can make a wreath out of it) , the beech is starting to get yellow leaves (but they don't fall down yet) and we've got a lot of flowers still around us. The moose is bellowing around all night, in the woods around us. Their calendar is telling them, it's time to mate again...They are very close this year, the moose is already been spotted twice by our neighbour just in the back of their house. Peter went out walking, just before sundown, he heart them very close to him (it's a pity he couldn't see). Maybe they were just laughing about Peter 😂. 

From gardening perspective, even in this part of Sweden we have a long winter, nearly 5 months, från november till april. It can be frosty and snowy, plants mostly don't like it and will wait for better times.  The rest of the year it feels like June or September weather, with some hot summer days in between, mostly in July - this year also in August. We were lucky, last weeks (end of August / beginning of September). We had very good summer weeks, blue skies, no wind att all, not too cold and not too warm. Very good for me because I need to collect some more sun and energy for autumn time, it can be dark, grey and misty last months of the year. But of course, I realize, we also need some rain for nature and ourselves, because the lake and the drinkwaterlevel in Sweden is very low. We tried successfully to save some water for watering the plants with the rain barrel. It works perfect as long as we get some rain sometimes. 

Last week I managed to paint and prepare some outside windows, before it's getting too wet for painting. We have still some windows to fix. Beside of that we still have some jobs in the garden before winter. As long as it will be 8 degrees or more I have to fight the growing of the weeds, the more I can take away the less work in spring. I need to change places of some of the plants and collect seeds for next year of course. Some plants need to go inside before frost. Some parts of the garden needs some extra compost (cut gras and home made compost) for better flowering next year. We have to cover the furniture as well before it gets to wet and put some things inside. But for now we still hope for some sunny days in September/Oktober. Maybe we will have a sort of Britt Sommar? When it stays a little sunny with some rain we maybe can find some Chantarelles?

And last but not least? Maybe the best of all jobs? Be creative and making new plans for autumn and winter ... And maybe then after that all, I'm ready for autumn 😜.

See you!

Seen recently....

Glad Midsommar (and next opening times)

 

We wish you al a very nice Midsommar together. Have fun en enjoy the good times with family and friends. We hope to see you (back) one of the next weekends when it's open garden time again. Just to enjoy a coffee and fika outside or walk around in our garden with a view on the beautiful lake.

We will be open next weeks:

Saturday 2 juli 2022      (11-16)

Sunday 3 juli 2022        (10-17)    (Tusen Trädgårdar Sverige)

Saturday 16 juli 2022    (11-16)

Sonday 17 juli 2022      (12-18)    (Land öppen Trädgård Sverige)

Saturday 6 august 2022 (10-15)    (www.lingonrundan.com)

Sunday 7 august 2022   (10-15)    (www.lingonrundan.com)

And maybe some extra openings in between...

Follow the announcements on weblog, (Facebook) or Instagram.

Of course the "växtloppis" is always opened, please take a look. I have made a lot of annual seedlings (blomstermorot, asters, Solros and Ricin) and perennial cuttings from all sorts of grandma's plants. Like daisy, campanula's and Asters. See it yourself when you visit us or you driving by on the way from Vittaryd to Bolmen 😉.

A bitch of Branches

Who's that girl....

One of my latest projects, I've been making a sculpture out of Willow tree branches. I prefer to call it a "bitch of branches" (so called "takkenwijf" in Dutch or "kärring eller häxa av pil" på Svenska). It started with cutting back our willow tree and in the neighborhood a lot of young trees were cut down by our neighbor. So lots of branches available. Years ago I got a picture from my friend Marjolein. Ever since I wanted to make something like this. So this was the moment to start it. 

We started with a wooden frame, covered with chicken wire, a lot of short cut birch branches (bjorkris) and a lot of patience. Just put in the branches round by round, hour for hour, in the early spring sun, til you get too much cold in your fingers. Inside a made the form of a head, out of willow tree. Later a started making the arms and body out of willow tray. 

The finishing touch was the ladies hair, some moss and a shawl of dried Clematis in her neck. I'm very proud about this project, though it took many hours te create it. But as long as you have fun and time, it doesn't matter. But it's too expensive to produce more of them 😄.