A lazy Sunday

These days when you feel like a zombie, when you walk around in your favourite leggings (you love them, no one else would like them even if they would get them for free), super lazy and super tired. Today I did not do much more than some daydreaming about the upcoming vacation to Åstol and Croatia, but that was not bad either.

From my vacation to Croatia with Kathi two years ago.

In flower mood

I have done a small little sewing project and this is the result. A flower dress ready to be used for a party tonight. We will leave the forest in Småland and drive to the sea and the fields outside Båstad where we will dance all night long. 

My helping hand...

Is home where I lay my head?

I have been good at waking up early these days. Today I woke up at 5.30, to drive through the forest to a small place outside Älmhult to take care of a sweet little dog. I was not good at taking pictures here, though... Maybe because I was busy with reading, almost falling asleep, counting the raindrops, listening to the trees, going for walks with Fritz and getting ready with a dress that I will wear at a party tomorrow...

I have also been reflecting on the question if home is where I lay my head. Fritz's place will be the fourth place where I stay overnight this week, and I immediately felt at home. I would say, I have done so at all places where I have been during my sabbatical. I think it is with people as with people's homes: if we connect, then I quickly take them to my heart. 

 

3.30 AM

No matter if you're not an early bird, I would suggest everyone to wake up early once in awhile. And then I mean really early. So early that you can't say if it's night or morning. This picture was not planned to be taken, but when my cat kept me awake this night, I escaped and went out to the lake, taking some pictures. 

Vittsjö in snake-shoes

I am in Vittsjö right now, and I really enjoy. It has been some rain and the temperature is chilly here, but it does not really matter as long as I can spend time with my parents, with August the tiger, the forest and the lake.

It is always a good idea to wear good shoes so that the snakes can't attack you ;)

One day, this small house will become either a sauna or my small castle where you can read books or just enjoy the lake view

It's spring time! 

I am back

I am back in Stora Hult. I enjoyed the sun and the sand and the sea today. I took some pictures as well and tried to catch some Scandinavian simplicity.

Between Ängelholm & Båstad

I can't stop thinking about yesterday even if we have a great day in Malmö today. We enjoyed the sunshine on the balcony and we hung out in town, but I miss the nature from yesterday and the best café the world has ever seen...

Dagshög

There was a dog joining us as well, flirting with the sheep

Torekov

Lillaro

My sweet photographer and me

Anna & Michalis

Does life feel grey and boring? I have the solution! Spend a day with Anna and Michalis! I promise, life will feel so much brighter, you will get tons of kisses from Michalis and he is always ready to wrestle you down. 

 

It made my day

I usually don´t really like going for walks. At least not on my own. But today, it was such a great start of this Wednesday, going for a walk with my camera. To smell some more flowers and to walk through  the allotment gardens which are just next to our place, but where I had never been before. This walk made my day, even though I did some other good stuff like going to Helsingborg and visiting a kayak store. I am in paddling mood and thought it was good to do some research on this.

Syrénkärlek

Malmö is full of lilac blossom. I was out smelling some of the flowers tonight.

Purple beauties

Time for celebration: we have decorated the balcony and these purple beauties are my clear favourites. So please show up a bit more often dear sun, and this will be the place to hang out.

A mega-fika

Just before I left Switzerland, talking about my plans for my sabbatical, someone suggested me to organize a mega-fika while being in Sweden. I thought the idea was great, so I wrote it down on a sticky note and put it in my wallet. The post-it note is still there and today it became reality. The event was not organised by me, but I was one of many volunteers. Elderly people were invited to participate at this fika which was for free, taking place in the beautiful Pildammsparken in Malmö, with the aim to tackle social isolation and bring people together. More than hundred people had signed up which was the limit of participants.

If you like this idea, please write it down on a post-it note, place it in your wallet for a while and then turn it into reality. It will be a great event, I promise.

In the cherry tree valley

Taken here by Håkan

In love with Ven

Ven, a small island between Sweden and Denmark, where we went today. Some hundred yellow bikes welcome you when you arrive, we rented two of them and discovered this sweet island, we had a beautiful picnic and jumped into the fields of rapeseed. The more problematic part of it: I realised that I would like to live here. An island with far too expensive houses and something like five ferry connections a day to the mainland. 

Me and the flowers

Birchblur

Black & white and everything in between

I know I can be categorical, but, believe me or not, there are also many situations when I try to see all the grey colours in between. And all the colourful colours too. Like this evening when me and Anna went to a concert with Deva Premal and Miten, singing mantra music. I am not very much into new age, but I love mantra music and I loved being at this concert. I also think it´s not only about being open for new things, but also a lot about balance. After a phase of practising hard for a run, I may have the need of spending every evening in my sofa reading books, far away from the trails. I can also appreciate going to the restaurant for some really good food, but the next evening, I can appreciate staying at home for yogurt and müsli just as much. I also surprised myself with buying Dr Martens the other day. Yes, I use to be more into the romantic and feminine style, but sometimes it just feels so good to be cool, and here they are, my new red boots.

On our way to the Icelandic horses

Our favourite neighbours

Let me present our dear friends, the rabbits. They are around in our neighbourhood during the night as well as during daytime and they are always so friendly and cute. Not very talkative, but I would say they are our favourite neighbours anyhow.

Sometimes they are a bit shy...

...but most of the time they are social. And hungry. 

Even a rabbit seems stressed sometimes. 

Where we have been resting

Yes, I am a pensioner in many ways and we have definitely been this weekend, staying at "Drottning Victorias vilohem". This was such a lovely place, with the sweetest co-workers, a big garden and a tile stove in almost every room. My recommendation: go here before you retire!

 

Öland

I had never really been to Öland before, and my first impression was that this place is made for summer, and not for spring. But after a day or two, I realised that many cafés and flea markets had already opened for the season and the good thing with being here in preseason was the calm and peacefulness. Peaceful, except for three jogging elks next to the street and some other adventures... 

Trollskogen - magical forest on Öland´s north-eastern cape