Lights in the dark

Most of the people know Rudolf the red nosed rendeer, of course. Influenced by all the american films and videos. But for those who don't know... The rendeer pull the sledge with Santa Claus through the universum to bring the presents all over the world. So that;s why we see their sculptures everywhere in Christmas Time. These ones have been seen in Stockholm City. They put a big effort in Christmas lightning and I want to recommend it to every one, it's worth visiting. 

But did you know the story about the Christmas balls? The one you can see above is a very big old fashioned one, called witches ball. They are about 15 - 20 cm diameter. You can still find them on antique markets. In former times they put them in front of the windows to scare the witches by the glitter. Maybe that's why we still have Christmas balls in the Christmas tree.

As you can see they created a nice lightning of Christmas balls in Malmö. Actually they made a couch in it, so you can sit in it for taking a selfie or picture. 

Beside of the Christmas Balls they made a fantastic lightning in the central park too. With endless presents, bells and hearts in the trees. But also rabbits and rendeer of course. For now I just want to wish every one a very good new year. Or like they say in Sweden "Bra Fortsättning". With beautiful nice travels, chances to meet new people and possibilities to discover.  Don't forget, it is not about making as much money as possible. 

God Jul & Gott Nytt år

 

We wish every one reading this blog a very nice Christmas Time, where ever you are or with whom. I wish you all the warmth you need 💖, with all you're nearest and dearest in the the neighborhood. I will burn some candles for all those who can't be close just now.... We only can hope for better times 🙏

See you next year! With love Brun 😘

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?

Mellandagarna (or In Between days)

Frosty Flyxen

The days between Christmas and New Years Eve in Sweden (Romjul in Norway). Both days in the weekend, so this year not that special because not every one is free of duty. But a lot of organisations and fabrics close down temporary. So time to enjoy the very nice frosty winter weather as long as it stays with us, while we prepare for the final of the real. Time for ice fishing or a long walk on the lake Flyxen. Or have a quick stop with Vittaryd Kyrka to enjoy the forst and the sun coming through, when you are on the way for some New Years Eve shopping.

Vittaryd Kyrka

Frosty tree on a cold winter day

It's Christmas Time again

God Jul! Now when Christmas Time is coming pretty closer (Lille Jul Aften or Little Christmas Eve as they say in Norway) we want to wish every one a very a special Christmas Time. We hope you all can enjoy with all your loved ones, even when that's not possible we hope your can feel them warming your heart. We hope all can find the energy to spread cheer, warmth and happiness around the world around you. We wish you a happy Christmas. 

We also hope all of you can step into the new year with lots of happiness and good health. We hope you take care of the nearest and dearest. Wishing you a merry Christmas and a very happy new year, vi ses!

Because of the snow covered most of the natural materials (and it's not that easy to buy here in Sweden) I couldn't make as much Christmas Decorations as I used to. When you want to take a look, you can find it here: It is beginning to look like Christmas... 

Last weeks, today and the next week we are enjoying the cold weather and the snow around us. It really feels wonderful, like living in a magic Christmas card. From this place we wish you all a very nice and warm Christmas Time starting on Lillejulaften. Vi ses!

God Jul och Gott Nyttår från Småland Sweden

Best Christmas wishes and a very very good new year filt with love for every one we know. We hope you can share the warmth, love and cosines with your dearest family or friends (not only with Christmas). It will be a very different Christmas then other years. Hope you try to be creative, to arrange something within the strict corona rules. Like we will do also. Think we will meet some people outdoor for a walk, or have a hot chocolate outside together, or maybe even have a grilling. Good luck!

But, when looking on the bright side, it's inspire to celebrate in another way you did for (too) many years. New traditions brings new energy too!

First Adventsday

 

It only takes 4 Sundays before it is Christmas Time. Last weeks we still have been busy outside but now it's time to prepare the inside to have it as cosy as possible together with the people you care about. We started to make some Christmas Decorations and most important to create some extra lights in and around the house. A lot of people have the tradition stairs, which we really don not like. We put some Christmas stars in the windows and burn some extra candles, it makes it already very cosy inside. You will need them the whole day this days, because it won't lighten enough outside. It feels very good to stay inside (except the daily very healthy walk outside of course). 

Below you see a very traditional Advent decoration, with the 4 candles. You have many styles, I prepared my own one with Christmas green. You start the fourth Sunday before Christmas (mostly around the first of December), every week you light one more candle. Just before Christmas you burn all the four candles. You see, we started with the first one today...

Do you want to know what we did some years ago at the same time? Just take a look. You're welcome for a sneak peak...

Something to hope for

I'm so happy I have a lot of fantasy, creativity and interests. As a child I learned to use my fantasy and enjoy myself... Even now, when I have a lot of time for myself (because of Corona a lot of things closed down) I sometimes have too much ideas at the same time that I need to create some more focus. It's hard to imagine people get bored now because everything closed down. I know, for me it was more easy that time because I grow up in a smal village, for long time without any brothers and sisters and there was no internet, no mobile phone and no dvd in the car. I played outside in the garden or in the woods most of the time. When I was inside because of bad weather I started being creative. With writing, drawing, cooking, making lemonade, wine or cakes, designing houses, gardens or planning fantasy holidays. The only thing you need is some space, something you like and belief in your talents what ever they may be. Because when you like something very much you can loose yourself in it, you will forget the time and won't have time to get worried or bored. They will have to call you several times when dinner is ready....

This, when we have to step back because of the Corona pandemi in Europa (and lockdown everywhere), is a good moment to go back to basic again and find your talents, creativity and yourself again. Even in Sweden we have very serious rules now. But we live in Sweden in the woods, nobody around so we have a lot of space around the house and a very nice house to spend time in. We realise that's a very comfortable position, not everyone is in. We decided already we will start painting and decorate all around the house. When it's not possible to travel to our family in the Netherlands we will create a Christmas Home ourselves. We will prepare the garden outside as much as possible (depending on the weather), create new ideas or make plans on paper for next garden season. In between we bake our own bread and granola. And last but not least, we will go and sport a lot, inside gym and yoga and outside walking ans running. Because most important of all: be healthy (take good sleep, eat healthy and keep sporting no matter what weather).

I already started to paint some furniture I want to sell on the digital market next months. Last but not least, we want to make and finish a businessplan for our own small company for a open garden with small koffiecorner and plantmarket. In Sweden they call it "Trädgårdscafe" where you can have "Fika" (What's Fika) in spring and summertime and can visit a "växtloppis". We wanted to start it last year already, but then Corona came in between... and we stopped planning. We are not sure where it would go... and actually we still don't know. But let's hope it will be better one day...

Anyway, I will be busy next months. I hope, there will be one day finally, the world will be more normal again. I wish you the same. Good luck with finding your talents and creativity, it is worth it, because it will bring you lots of luck and satisfaction😍 

New year, new dreams & new chances

Skål! This year 2020 is the beginning of anything you want... For us it will be the year of making dreams come through. To live the life we would love in the middle of nature, with respect for nature. A little bit back to basic. Less is more. We like to share our happy feeling with people around us, who ever they are. We like to show that the luck is in the small things. It doesn't cost anything to be friendly. You do not need much, only something to do, something to love and some dreams...
We wish you all the best this year, greetings from Peter and Brun form Småland Sweden.

It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas decoration  with the front door

Only some days to go and then it is Christmas again. But we already have been in Christmas atmosphere for weeks in Sweden. Not only because they start playing Christmas songs on the radio every day since november. Or you can visite Christmas markets around every corner in November These are also the darkest days of the year, maybe this year it is even worse then other years. Even when we are living in the woods in the south. Because it's very dark and rainy att daytime, you have the feeling it doesn't get light at all. Like somebody forgotten to put the lights on...It is really lowering your energy level, it actually drops down. What helps? Just go with the flow... Take some cocooning time inside with glowing woods in the fireplace and some candles beside of you. . Start reading the book what was waiting for you, start thinking about the year you leave behind or make plans for the new year. 

We started making Christmas decorations outside the house, when it was light and dry for a lite moment. It has been raining for the last weeks since November, whole days lang. Then we made decorations inside. Like they did in former days, because of the long and dark wintertime.

Wintergarden view from the kitchen

Candle lights 

Just a moment of sun

Glowing wood in the fireplace inside

The Christmas tree 

We are also preparing for visitors in the Christmas holiday. The guestrooms are ready, the house is nearly cleaned. The Christmas decorations both inside and outside are finished. Now we are also trying out new recipes for Christmas, like we do every year. Though we are living in Sweden, we still are Dutch. In Sweden they will always have traditional Christmas food every year. I will write about it later. But in The Netherlands we mostly try something new and different or from a special theme, or something you just like to eat. What about you?

What is "Sinterklaas"? A sort of Santa Claus?

The 5th of December it's Sinterklaasavond (or Pakjesavond) in The Netherlands. It is a sort of Santa Claus evening (or Presents evening). They celebrate the birthday of Saint Nicolaas. It is a traditional day about a very old man arriving each year from Spain with white beard and hair, a red cape always riding a white horse. He arrives mostly by boat. He has a lot of helping men, called Pieten. They have very colored dresses and faces. They arrive in most of the cities and villages in The Netherlands, often by boat. They deliver presents to the small children, when they did well last year. Otherwise you have the chance they will take them with them to Spain. The story tells also the presents come in the house because they are thrown in the chimney.

When children are getting older, then the are told that it's just a fairy tail story. But then they still celebrate and buy gifts to each other, within the familie, with friends or on school. Then you have a chance to make a surprise (a nice special packed present) or poem for some one you bought a gift for. While celebrating you eat a lot of special sweets, such as gingerbread, almond bar, chocolate letters and speculaas (spiced biscuits). There are special TV program (already weeks before), telling the events of this year around Sinterklaas and the Pieten. All the shops and houses are decorated with Sinterklaas stuff, they will change it on the 6th of December. It is not done to prepare for Christmas with Christmas Decorations (as you can see in a lot of surrounding countries) before Sinterklaas has left the country, on the 5th of December. So I will prepare for Christmas tomorrow.



When you are in The Netherlands the 5th of December (or the weeks before), have a look around, maybe you can meet them....

Tips how to handle your winter dip

Remember the colors of summertime

Are you in a winter dip? Just pamper your senses...
When you are living in Sweden, the days are very short and dark, sometimes even very rainy and cloudy. It is not always easy, because you can feel it in your body. You are getting in the mood for sleeping whole winter time. I have some tips to handle it for you:

1. Surround your self with nice smelling candles, a winter fragrance parfum, some summer herbs, flowers or incenses, where ever you are...
2. Take some time off to have a spa experience, with a massage, scrub your skin, use a nice soap, you will feel the new energy, even though it has to be in your own bathroom. 
3. Try out and taste a lot of new recipes you may like, such as cakes, cookies or a new self made meal and save the best to make and share for Christmas.
4. Find some music your are in the mood for in this moment, go where the mood flows for a while, play it load or just very calm as long as you need.
5. Have a look in all the summer pictures you made, see the nice fresh colors and remember the memories, create a new album or wall paper to color your life with and make new plans for next year. 
6. Start a conversation from your heart with someone, while you have a big heartwarming herb tea, you feel the warmth of the candles, the burning fire and even your dearest friends and family around you.
7. Start creating Christmas decorations, before you realize, it's Christmas again😜

The best you can do, is to take out what fits you the best. And always realize, it is just the circle of life, it will be spring one day, in some weeks, just go with the flow...

Summer herbs in my kitchen

Feeling autumn again...

What a Swedish quote... "Autumn learns us how beautiful it can be to let go". I found it on the Land website of land magasin. And it is so true. But it's not easy... You can feel the autumn approaching. It is getting fresher and more wet. But its difficult to imagine you soon will be inside a lot of time. After a very nice, very warm and long summer. It takes a little time to go with the flow.

But ok, it's time to go inside again. I will try to be outside at much as possible, to pick some swamps, get some autumnal leaves and prepare my garden for winter. And stay inside to think about next steps in my life in Sweden. Make new plans, think about a lot of things. When the leafs are falling, it is time to slow down, to take a step back again. To prepare for the next spring again.

I will try to make it as comfortable as possible inside. Maybe there are nice autumn recipes we can have a taste of. I'm more in the mood for tasty cheeses and nuts now. Or to cook a nice pasta with ham, swamps and cream. I can already taste the apple pie with cinnamon and a warm ginger tea. I also left a lot of things inside unfinished because of the nice summer....I have some books to read, some furniture to renovate, and oh yes we we're renovating the old Swedish winter windows.
I think it is ok it wil be autumn soon....I will have some candles on 😄

#autumn #feeling #letitgo #timetoslowdown