Freda's Girl

Summer's turning to autumn ever so slowly. I'm back in the South, and should be glad, but right now my life has turned a corner, and I would just prefer to turn back the clock, or hide somewhere dark and quiet. My dear friend is gone and I will never ever see her again.
Most of us have friends we've had forever, or at least since our schooldays. That's quite common and we never question it. To find a new friend when we're already grown up is rare. Of course we have aquaintances, and friends to have a nice time with, and that's perfectly fine. But then there comes that person that makes you think " Ah, there you are, my friend,I didn't know, but I think I might have been missing you for some time now".
 Karen was that friend in my world, and I am so very happy we had what short time we did before her life ended. I will not write about the violence of the end, or the past week of sorrow.
Instead I want to celebrate this special and beautiful person who went through so much hardship in her life, and yet came out smiling and generous, to share her wisdom and understanding, and her joy in life. She set me on a path that I need to continue to follow, and for that I'm greatful.
I could go on and on, but I won't. Nothing will be changed now anyway.

There once was a small yellow play-house covered in clinging blue flowers...

Here's to Freda's Girl with my love.
Nin

Between Everything

Summer's here! It's hot, finally, and I hope it'll stay that way. The heat both gives and takes away my energy; I huff and I puff, and I prune my apple-trees, work on my upcoming "exhibit", and train the dog, feed the birds, bake bread... the list goes ever on!
I haven't taken a lot of pictures this summer. The weather's been against me, and frankly, I've seen all this before. I hope for a trip in August that will broaden my horizon, and hopefully give me a kick, picture-wise. While wailting for that, I can at least go through, and post some earlier stuff:

I've been looking at a friend's meadow, planning to do something with some of the pictures. We'll see, how, and when....

Lilac and Clematis, memories of June.

As soon's I get my hands on some good plywood, these guys are going to become a garden-table!

The Sisters and the Porcelain

I've re-visited Hovdala Slott, the place where I shot my "Orangerie" pictures. This time there was a pretty exhibition of ancient china a porcelain.  The sisters Eherenborg painted  the pretty china on the picture with the tiny green glasses, and there was some fine silverware and linnen as well. I only  managed to capture some small part of it to share;

Into the Wild

The beech-forests in the south of Sweden always take me back to my childhood. The tales of C.S Lewis and Tolkien have shaped me like nothing else, and I just love to stroll throught that soft filtered light of a forest full of majestically tall smooth trunks.

My Holiday in the South, part I

Midsummer in the South has more or less become a tradition by now. Well maybe not the Midsummer as such, seeing as I'm not really the celebrating kind, and here in Sweden this weekend is all about eating, drinking, dancing around the Maypole slapping away the mosquitoes all rolled into one.
This year's stay has mostly been damp, as the rain comes and goes willy nilly, and we haven't really been able to be outdoors as much as planned. Still, there's been some clear moments spent walking thru the forest, or picking strawberries, or just around the very pretty garden at my dear friends house;

Mixie giving me the slip...

Queen Anne's Lace, and Buttercups

Pretty little bird-bath

A very good place to be!

A Damp Walk thru the Garden

As most years around this time I almost despair. It rains, and then there's wind, and then it rains some more. Oddly enogh I forget from one year to the next that this it the way it is. Still, the garden's thriving, even more so as I don't have neither the time nor the inclination to weed my way thru it. It's lush, green and wild, and when I do try to reclaim it for myself I'm met with surprises everywhere.
This morning I decided to record it after some day's of rain. Hopefully next time I write, it will be a completely different set of pictures I'll share. We'll see though...

Yeah I know, some are quite fuzzy, but still...it'll have to do.

Favourite Things II

This season is drawing to a close for me. Soon I'll be able to be free, to come and go as I please, to listen to the silence in the forest...Breathe! But there's still some weeks to go, and Spring is rolling along here. It rolls in a slightly chilly way this year, but there are still much to enjoy. So, some more of my favourite things...