Alright

So I was told that it is time to update the blog soon and I guess it is, it has been a week. And I have been out and about a bit as well. I still have no job but I have a few hooks out here and there and am not really worried just yet, I am a bit bored though. And one might think that I have all day long to update the blog and should do so at least once a day but hey, I am only human.

And Stephen is not too impressed with all the forecasted raining, but it actually is quite nice outside, and it doesnt rain all the time even if the weather bureau says so. I don't think www.yr.no is that reliable anymore.

Anyway, now it is time for some photos from the last weeks happening.

Dads birthday

We have been back and forth to Dörarp quite a few times lately, or at least I have, but we both went for dads birthday. At the first photo dad is very happy with his IKEA toolbox birthday present, it was more of a prank gift than anything.


My grandparents were there for a meal and Kerstin came a bit later to say hi and "Grattis på födelsedagen".
Dad is getting good use out of his new tools =)

Olles confirmation

On Sunday we went to church for Olle's confirmation. Poor Stephen had to sit there for an hour and not understanding many words. We also got to see the newest member of the family, a foal that was born Friday night and was only 2 days old. She struggled a bit to get up but made it on her third try.


This is the proud mother, Nora, and her little foal named Blues.
This is a photo that Ellen took, it is of my cousin Cajsa (Kerstins daughter) and her boyfriend Henrik.



Here Olle is in church with his confirmation bible. I'd say he looks a bit like his father, and he has grown quite tall.
Malin is helping Ellen and her friend to put on some lipgloss. Malin is the cousing who came to Adelaide to visit a few years ago. She is uncle Johans oldest daughter. Btw Ellen has the same lipgloss as her and all the girls got some in church when we were waiting for the confirmation to start.

I just had to take a photo of this, someone is doing a new facade on his house and has built his own scaffolding which might be considered as a hazard by authorities and has therefore put up signs in both Swedish, German, and English that no one is allowed to take any photos. Lets just say that he is not quite like the rest of us. And lets hope that no one gets injured!
This is Malin and Ellen, hard to say who is the prettiest.
Ellen and the skipping rope, it kept her occupied for quite some time. In the background grandma with one end and Jonas had the other end.

Saturday night barbecue by the lake

On Saturday night we went out to mum and dads for a barbecue, it might have been one of the first ones this summer. They have built a little bbq area by the lake with their neighbours. And because we were going to church at 10am the next morning we thought we might as well go there on Saturday night and not have to get up early on Sun morning and drive there. We had some really nice pork chops on the wood fired bbq and the neighbours on one side was there as well, Lasse and Ann-Britt. Lasse likes fishing and gave Stephen a few tips and ideas on fishing in a lake. He was also happy to take Stephen out fishing some time in a much bigger lake in the area.


The lake was calm like a mirror, I thought it was beautiful with the reflections of the sky.
Calm like a mirror in sunset
The sun shining on a few birches nearby
Dad and Ann-Britt cooking on the barbie.
Lasse and Stephen, probably talking about fishing.
Another birch
And another birch and a reflection =)
The neighbours dog, a 9-year old Golden retriever called Lisa.
Dad with the coffee pot telling a story
Stephen close up in the sunset, I love my lens...

A quick one

Saturday was a perfect day for a bike ride and Jonas got his bike out for the first time this year I think. He keeps it at mum and dads during winter but on Saturday it was time to take it out again.

Linnes Råshult

On Saturday before we went to mum and dads we went for a bike ride to Råshult where the Swedish scientist Carl von Linné grew up. He was the one who gave plants their classification and Latin name back in the day. It was a beautiful day and I took some more pictures of Småland. It was 12 kms one way so we got some exercise as well. In Råshult they have a little cafe and a museum and they also grow things in the same way the did back in the 1700's. We didnt have time for it but there are a few different "walks" around the area where you can look at all different plants etc. Fair to say that Stephen wasnt too interested but I might go back with mum and have a look around.

First out is that picture I told you to visualise a few posts ago, there was supposed to be a gravel road instead of the asphalt road. Well, here it is!

And here is Stephen waiting for me, what you cant hear is "come on Brandty, not another photo!"
Some plants for sale, needless to say that I would have loved to buy them all =) But the balcony is already full...
A close up of the map of the area, thought it might give you a better idea of what it is. For some of you reading this, in a year you may have been there and seen it all with your own eyes.
An old barn or cottage or something, with the traditional fence around and grass roof.
A picture of the garden where you can go for a walk and look at all the different plants

One more!

Last week I went to Växjö to visit cousin Kajsa and I also got to meet her boyfriend Henrik for the first time, they have just moved in together in a 1 brm apartment close to the university.

From their place it is a short walking distance to Teleborgs Castle. It is not a very old castle but still very pretty, and beautiful surroundings, beech which is my favorite tree.

Beech....
Flowers, white daffodils maybe?
The castle from another angle. I think they have graduation ceremonies and student ball's in there, ball as in dressed up in nice dresses and suits and eating fancy food and dancing.
Here is Cajsa!

Ok, just one more

I have to show my sourdough, might as well while I am at it. First is my trusty kitchen assistant from Electrolux. Nothing kneads dough better, well honestly I dont know, there might be better machines out there but this one does the job perfectly well for me!

The initial sourdough and flour and water mix that will be left overnight before the next stage of baking is commenced.
Changing from the old coffee pot to a slightly better and a bit classier glass jar, from IKEA of course =)
The bread is in the oven...
The bread is out of the oven, it tasted fantastic!

Älmhult in spring - mainly vitsippor though...

Here are a few pictures from Älmhult, yesterday we had very nice weather and I took my camera for a bike ride. It was absolutely beautiful. All the little white flowers on the ground are vitsippor and I took the photos in various spots around, they are literally everywhere. Soon they will be gone as they are a flowering in spring only.

This is beech wood, which is the most beautiful tree ever I think. My photographic goal for this summer is to get a really good shot of beech wood that captures the feeling of it, not just what it looks like. Below is just to show what it looks like.

I found 2 tulips flowering in the middle of nowhere, all the white bits behind are vitsippor.

Close up, it amazes me over and over again how sharp the lens is if I focus on the right thing =)

Vitsippor...

Vitsippor...

Well, this was mainly to show the "fence" which is an old style of fencing in Sweden. Imagine that the road to the left is gravel and there is no stoby pole and you have a very representative picture of Småland country side, at least what it looked like maybe 75 years ago.

More vitsippor, it is almost getting a bit boring but I wanted to show that they really are everywhere.

Birch and vitsippor, I really like this shot.

Vitsippor...