Tagged: obiterphotos

23
May
2011

CAPTURED

There’s nothing nicer than going for a walk in May. The lilacs are blooming, the lupines are blooming, the rapeseed is glowing. The weedy edges of the meadows are leggy and exploding; and wisps float on the sunshine-filled air. A blackbird trills ahead of us; a hedge is filled with sparrows fluttering and busily rustling. Beech hedges shine in the sunlight and everyone we meet is smiling. A new neighbor’s brand-new puppy gambols in the dandelions. At first, the kids didn’t really want to go for the walk, but they warmed up to the idea. 🙂 Do I HAVE to...

03
May
2011

WILLOW WEAVING

Now that I see my creations in the cold light of the day after (or rather, the 3rd day after), mostly what I see are the flaws. How uneven they are, how the weave is screwed up, how wobbly and unstable they seem. Still! I am pretty proud that I went to the course, and learned the technique and if my creations don’t look as perfect as the ones the instructor with her 20 years of experience turned out, well, so what? The nasturtiums won’t care! Making a bottomless basket Awaiting nasturtiums!

07
Jan
2011

DOGS & BLOGS

I think we fall a bit in love with every subsequent dog that we babysit. THIS dog, however, was really hard to give up. He was just the most darling thing ever and all of us enjoyed his company so much. I’ve told berchshill that I really hope she’ll keep us in mind the next time they need a dogsitter. The kids were out in the snow with Mental every day, playing fetch. We went for a long walk today in the brilliant sunshine, and later he kept putting his head on my knee to be scritched and I hugged...

30
Dec
2010

ICE ICE BABY

I suppose it’s that time of year again. To look both backward and forward; to make resolutions and promises and open your eyes wide to the wonder of what will come next. This morning, the white world was whiter: covered in thick hoarfrost, fat and full and frozen. Chickadees flock to the frozen feeder, grabbing seed and flinging themselves to the top of the bird cherry. From the bedroom window I could see a bird with a very red body and strained to make out what it was; there are no cardinals here and the red-breasted robins aren’t that red....

25
Dec
2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This has been a cold, white, frozen Christmas…on the outside. On the inside? Warm, relaxing, and full of food, family and fun. Full Swedish julbord yesterday with Anders’ family here and a leisurely-ish American-style Christmas this morning, complete with stockings full of perfect stuffers, great gifts that had everyone smiling, an afternoon spent enjoying the new massage chair that Anders got me (!) and an evening at the movie premiere of Narnia, Voyage of the Dawn Treader in English AND 3D! A very merry holiday from us to you!

23
Dec
2010

THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SNOW BUSINESS

This has been a cold and snowy winter so far. It started snowing in early November and it hasn’t let up yet. In fact, it’s snowing now; it’s been snowing all day. We’re supposed to get another foot or so, which brings us up to at least 3 feet, at least. And with the wind sculpting the snow into wild white piles, some of the drifts are up to my waist. I love the snow—you won’t catch me complaining. It brightens everything up…there’s no way I’d trade this brilliant brightness for another rainy dark cloud-covered SkÃ¥ne winter. And even with...

20
Dec
2010

LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY

I bought Christmas presents for my in-laws today: theater tickets to see Madame Butterfly at the Malmö Opera in January. All I have left to get are a couple of small stocking stuffers and I’ll do that tomorrow or Wednesday. Everything else is done, except wrapping. And even half of that is done already! Cookies have been baked (4 kinds: Rice Krispie Holly Bars, Reindeer poop, Holiday balls and tonight, frosted sugar cookies) and all the cards were mailed last week. We haven’t received several envelopes/packages that are supposedly en route, so I sure hope they get here in time!...

26
Nov
2010

‘TIS NEARLY THE SEASON

It’s been snowing for several days. We’ve had the big fat flakes, the tiny polka-dotted blizzard conditions, full-on rain mixed with snow, which is the literal description the Swedes use for sleet. I wasn’t exactly excited by the first snowfall this year because I had to drive in it, twice. People get stupid in cars the first time the snow falls. They slow WAY down, they brake too hard, and some of them still have their summer tires on. I’m coming around slowly to enjoyment…it just seems too early for snow! Karin has been out sledding on the hill at...

23
Nov
2010

PERFECT PISA

I was in Pisa in the early 80s, as part of a choir concert tour. We were a busload of high school juniors and seniors, traveling around Italy for a week, sleeping on the floors of gymnasiums and churches and singing at various military bases. I have lots of fun memories of that trip, augmented by a travel diary and photos but after this week in Italy I realized that most of my memories had frayed and tattered around the edges. Things I thought I remembered had softened, blurred, sometimes been completely skewed by the passing years. We only stopped...

21
Nov
2010

SUNNY CINQUE TERRE

After 3 days of drizzle, downpours and cloud cover, the sun finally broke through and lit up Italy for us. We took the train from Rapallo about an hour south to Cinque Terre. After consulting the guidebook, we decided to skip the northernmost village of the 5 coastal towns that make up Cinque Terre and started at Vernazza, which was touted as the “most quaint”. Our plan was to walk around town, eat lunch and when we were ready to move on, hike the mountain footpath to the next village south. But after alighting from the train and stepping into...

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