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 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. 

Take your chance for special Christmas presents

Last time to go out and visit one of the Lingonställen in your surroundings this year. I've been looking at some of these places, they really offer nice and special presents. Take your chance!

Stegaryd Sjöbygget is closed this time of the year but we warmly 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! 

But next year we like to welcome you again in our garden for a coffee, a cake or some plants. All homemade of course! Depending on the weather we will open soner or later in spring, Vi ses!

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....😏

Typical november days?

Strange times, every thing keeps growing... So I have been cutting the gras again by hand, the robot was already in wintersleep so I did it myself. It is the beginning of november.... some years we already had snow. Or we had very grey days, below 7 degrees. But til half of November it was daytime 10-12 degrees. 

The birds start singing again, we even saw some flying around with nesting materials 😂. We are lucky too.... we have been sowing gras , its already growing. It looks totally green right now. We still could plant, also on the new empty places. 

Later it got a little more cold, no sun at all anymore and very grey, misty and wet as usual in November. Real Småland colors. Must difficult time of the year for us. It feels like being dark whole day, getting a little light late and very early dark again. Your body doesn't wake up anymore and wants to sleep all day. We tried to be outside as possible to get more light but we still needed our blue light again, to keep fit. We fixed all the before winter jobs, like closing the watertaps, empty the rain barrels and protect some special plants. I was very happy i could place them in one of my neighbors places for winter time. We also spread a lot of compost around the whole garden, covered by a leaf deck. It protects the plants for the frost and it creates a mulch layer for next year, so the ground won't dry out that quick. One of the last jobs was to clean the gras form leaves,which we managed, just in time.

Suddenly winter came and we got some very cold nights and snow. Beautiful, it really lights the days here in Småland. I really enjoyed the days outside, cleaning the paths (no more fitnesstraining needed now 😅) and making pictures from the snow, sending to friends and family. It is so beautiful, it filled my heart with so much warmth. And you know what? The good thing is, less then 5 weeks to go and the days will get longer and lighter again.

Time to start with Christmas decorations soon, let's put the music on....

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

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!

Enjoy the Vinterglädje (or winterpleasure)

What a beautiful weeks, what a lot of people I saw, just enjoying the winter atmosphere. I've never seen it so busy in this neighborhood around lake Flyxen. The grills beside of the lake were often used, they even had a grilling on the ice.... which I didn't understand.... was the ice that tick? 

There were people out for ice fishing whole day of very early in the morning. Some people went on skis or walked around the lake with sledges. With the badplats they had a icehockeyfield and the old traintrack was transformed to a real (langlauf) skiing path. Even we crossed the lake to the isle on the other side in the end. It was very good ice last weeks (because it was -18 at night) and because of the sun is was not cold at all. It was like a very healthy sunbath after winter. You could here the very special sound of the shouting of the ice. You could see the very well special shaped ice flocks or flowers on our windows in the house. 

In former times this was the time to clean your handwoven woolen carpets from inside. The snow needs to be very dry and powdery. You lay them outside, clean them with snow over it. Leave them a while to dry. put the snow off and take them inside again. It will refresh the colors and the winterdust/sand will stay behind. 

I walked to the rock I'm always looking at (You can not reach it bij boat because it's too less deep). Normally quit big, but not now. We even saw a scooter with a skiing person behind 😂. Enjoy it yourself.... 

Do you want ot know what it was like last year about the same time? Just take a look!

Goodbye 2020, can not wait for 2021

 

Just a little about the old year because it's not making sense to say to much about this year. The only thing I can say, I can not wait for the new year to come... 

What a year... 2020. What a beautiful dreams we had, a lot of great plans we all made... Old dreams 2020. Nothing came true. Most things got cancelled. Our lives stood still. We never expected it to be a year like this. We never believed it could be like this, it would ever happen... but it happened. It was very confrontating. To meet yourself. No one to  blame. Just deal with the things happening. Make the best out of it. Find out what is important for you. I learned to be happy with the small things (with the ones I love around me), go back to nature and my garden and just feel happy. Not only chasing money, buying more and losing your self. We need to respect Mother Nature much more, learn to live more in balance with Father Earth. Bye bye 2020!

Hello, welcome fresh and new 2021... New time for making new plans, new dreams and new memories, while Corona is still moving around. We need a little patience but there is hope and light in this year. We wish you all to stay safe, take care of yourself, give love to your nearest and dearest and the other ones around you. Belief it can happen, it will be better, never loose hope. We wish all the best to all of you, to be open to each other with lots of warmth and kindness. It doesn't cost anything to be kind and friendly and it can make your day. May all our dreams come true. Hope to meet you again...

For now... let's shoot away 2020 💥

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!

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😍 

Autumn Colors & Halloween

Autumn Colors, now it's time to enjoy and fill your soul with the autumn colors and to harvest the year😄 - before winter starts. Last week I saw beautiful trees, with colorful leaves in strong orange and yellow... Like nature celebrating last days of the year. My eyes could really absorb the colors and it made me feel good. Untill this week I still had a lot of flowers in my Swedish garden (though a lot was eaten by the deer 😢).

Today I started collect some green and orange to make a nice arrangement for All Saints Day tomorrow and I felt the proces of rotting and melting away for wintertime already started. It was a big difference with some days before. It feels also a little like the end of the year... Days getting shorter and darker, weather getting more and more wet. That's not strange because because actually in northern countries, Gaelic and Nordic people lived with and from nature, with a Runic calendar (13th century) based on the sun. According this calendar it was the end of the year, the start of the winter. That's where Halloween (also called Samhain) comes from, the festival of darkness, based on the sun (solstice). Funny your still can find those names and celebrations today.

So the good thing is, only 1,5 month to go, then it will be lighter again and the days starting to be longer. Now it's time to go inside, inside your house, take some rest, think about last year (which has been very strange) about the good thing and the bad, for evaluation and make plans for the new year again....

Time for a Swedish Fika

 

What's Fika?

The most heard translation in Sweden is: "Fika is a Swedish word that you can translate as taking a break for coffee or tea and a bit to eat." But after some yours living in Sweden, I learned, it is much more than that. "It is not only an moment to relax, to catch up with your family and to laugh with your friends. It is part of daily ritual, a cosy escape or a refreshing pause. It is the time between meals, the place between destinations. There is always time for Fika." Mostly the Swedes drink coffee (they really drink a lot of very strong coffee) and they will eat something sweat, like Kanel or Kardemombullar (look here for the recipe: Kanelbullensdag in Sweden). Where? When you are living in Sweden you will find out you will meet the Fika everywhere, in your company, in some local trädgårdscafe (you can find all over the country at least in summertime) or in the local bakeryshop. 

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?