Missed MY MidSommar!! NAAA, NOT THIS TIME...

The post was first published in June 22, 2019. I post here to share the delight that not only did I attend but I actually planned my mid summer. 

None of the friends were around, most of them out of town. I had an invitation to join a friend in another town, but I did not feel like travelling. So I went to the closest place of celebration. 

It was a 12 minute bike ride, half of it through the woods. I packed a sandwich, a banana and an orange, a mat and a padded cushion.  A bottle of Mango Lime. 

But most importantly my cameras and a tripod. Even though I have a gazillion pics of midsummer already.

I chose to go to Alters Herrgård (Alters Manor. Alster is a lake in our town).

Alsters Herrgård, the house that belonged to Gustav Fröding a very famous poet from our town. 

For anyone who wants to visit, CLICK ON THIS LINK, book a free guided tour, come for summer dances and concerts. 

It was a stunningly beautiful day. People of all ages danced around the maypole singing 'små grodarna' the frog song and danced. The best was to see children with their grandparents. 

Here are some pics. At the end of this post, you have links to some old midsummer posts. Enjoy....it is truly a magical time of the year. 

PS: NO MATTER HOW SLOW IT GOES, I WILL NOT ABANDON THIS BLOG. EVEN THOUGH AS YOU ALL KNOW I AM WORKING ON ANOTHER ONE CURRENTLY. THIS ONE REMAINS DEAR. THIS WAS MY TESTING GROUND FOR A DECADE, AND I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL. 

BTW, THIS MONTH ALONE, I GOT 1.52 K HITS. 1.39 FROM SOMEONE IN SINGAPORE....XIE-XIE, DHANYAVAADAM, THANKS....

This is from June 6, 2023. Swedish National Day Celebration

Its a family day

The house that Gustav Fröding used to live in has been turned into an art gallery and a gift shop that sells only hand made materials from local artists.

Summer and flowers are synonymous. I got this one on my walk last week with my neighbour. 

Flowers in the hair, and love in the air....

Floral dresses and wreaths always go together in mid summer

His first midsummer, mommy made sure they matched!

June 22, 2019

So yesterday was midsummer's eve and today is midsummer. I am so tuned into the concept of weekend that I forgot that for sometime now midsummer has been celebrated on fridays. I was lost in finishing a paper that needs to be sent in. And I waste much time on laptop.  My mind jumps somedays from one point to another of all the things that I have to do.

Infact, I have bought a program called rescue time which blocks all internet on my computer.

I realised post 5 pm that it was actually the day of midsummer party. Aaaarrgggh....there is nothing new and usually after it ends one just wonders (its really family holiday).  So, if you have seen it once and have no plans to be with friends, then you have seen it all.

But I had planned to take some fresh video as I am making one of my short films for the YouTube channel.

So instead, I just sat in my own yard, meditated for about ...well two sets of 25 minutes, stared at the flowers and felt somewhat sad.

As I had lost something important.

It is midsummer after all.  I must do something soon to recover from this sadness, because it reminded me that if I had a family --I would have planned something.  I could have called friends, but I didn't only because my plans were to make a video.  In which case one needs to be alone.

Arrggh...not a nice thing to miss midsummer.  Today is the longest day and Sweden is happy in all its glory.

So, I added this above picture.  Stole it from twitter.  @Sweden.se  The day after the crazy party of midsummer, people relax and spend time with family.  

Here are some old entries on midsummer--enjoy!!  And I am going to imagine that I was there all over again.  And console myself that there was nothing new that I missed...and so this is what I drew for you all ......

Magic of Midsummer

Midsummer Midsommar sights in Sweden

Midsummer Signs

Mid Sommar MayPole

Sunsets and Sunrises

I know, I know I am slipping, but I am not giving up on this blog. Never will, not matter how rare this becomes. Just to let you know that I do have another active blog, which is 'public' and I will be dedicating more time to that, but this one remains dear and some very dear posts will be shared here only, because I share them with a few special friends who continue to visit this space. 

First published on May 9, 2012, these pictures were taken in Spring of 2009. The first picture is etched in my memory, as one of the most magical moments in my travel. I was on my own that evening, there is a bagpipe show in the town square and as the sunset, it reflected the stunningness of the town in one image. I knew I had to make a memory of it. Hope you all enjoy it too. 

have a beautiful day, wherever you are...and notice the sunsets and sunrises..

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How many sunsets and sunrises will we see before we tire of them?  I have not come to a conclusion yet.  Because even today, after have numerous pictures of sunsets and sunrises whenever I look at one, I stop, sigh and smile.  And I click. I sigh and smile again before moving on my way.  In a life of uncertainties, there are a few things I can count on.  That these simple-everyday miracles, will leave me breathless is one of them!

The above picture was taken in Queensland, New Zealand.  I was backpacking through the south island, since I knew I was going to be leaving the Pacific soon.  I never regretted it.  Only I travelled so much that year I have only faint memories of NZ.  But what I do remember clearly is--this one sunset in Queensland and one sunrise, above Lake Matheson, from behind the mountains.  I will put up those pictures later. For now, I just wanted to share this sunset reflected in a window.  Almost looked like a painting mounted on a brick wall!! Queensland, New Zealand, 2009. 

The above picture was taken from a plane.  This was important in more than one ways. I was heading towards New Zealand to visit my friends Pat and Peggy.  I had a lecture at Victoria University and  a week later I was to head towards my unplanned backpacking trip of South East Asia.  Those two months remain the highlight of my life so far.  I will write notes some other time. For now, I hope that this bright star makes you do what it makes me do everytime....stop, sigh and smile.  New Zealand, 2009.

So, how many sunsets and sunrises do we see  before we get tired?  Before we say, 'Oh no?" Before we look at it and roll our eyes in 'So what?"... I don't think there is a number yet....so far....like the uncertainty and infinity of Pi, these natural wonders take me to something deep inside me, where I am too insignificant, yet an important piece in the puzzle.....

So, for me, until now, it is Stop, Sigh and Smile....Click!! Share..with you all...

Celebrating a Decade: Paskris: Swedish Easter Tradition (4th most popular)

First Published on March 28, 2015--and republished a few times since, here it is, as we approach easter, a post on how easter is celebrated in Sweden 

So, last published on July 31, 2019--this is being published again for two reasons. Because it is time.  Because it is spring and feathers are around, and I do not need a thick coat, and not having gloves or hats on me is not dangerous. 

But also because even though I have been talking to you all in my head, I know that I want to write this next one properly.   

Btw, for the first time I thinking I need to sell my articles to magazines for money.  I mean I write so much.  It must be age, I start to think about 'the time'.  I love this blog.  But I write for other online portals, all free.  And it can take about 3-5 days for a proper article.  I never asked for money.  But now I think I might want to publish where they will pay.....:)) 

(What do you guys think? Will someone be willing to pay me?? :)

Regardless, whoever you all are, stay safe--this virus thing is nothing but toxicity in the air.  I think it is going to die down soon, Very soon. I will connect again soon.

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First published in 2015--last published last year on March 30, 2018--here is the fourth most popular post. Gives a bit of culture and color

First published on March 28, 2015--republished here because its bright, its easter and spring is back..with its bright and yet somehow annoying million watt light!!  Living the magical life!!

Feathers, Colors, Eggs and Birds: Happy Spring

Come Spring, in Sweden you start to hear the birds in the forests and around your house (although funnily enough you hear some throughout the winter--truly swedish birds).feathers on sticks start to be sold in the shops, along with many wreaths made of feathers….

Paskris, or easter twigs (literally easter-rice) is an Easter tradition in Sweden.  The twigs are taken from supple birch trees that are finally enjoying being able to feel the sap in their veins, and are standing erect in affirmation of their own life. 

As, we all know, many of the Christian holidays/celebrations were imposed on pagan celebrations to convert/transform Pagan celebrations to christian celebrations. So, easter is actually a celebration of resurrection of nature from the dead.  Sweden, is one of the few countries, though christianised as kept many of its pagan traditions. 

Swedish Easter Witches---one of Sweden's and parts of Finnland tradition--is a celebrated by dressing young girls as witches and boys as old men.  Some of its traditions are similar to Halloween--as in trick or treat. Girls and boys dressed as Häxa (witch) or Gubbe (old man) go door to door with a  copper kettle (not that common anymore) looking for treats, in exchange for hand drawn paintings. The tradition comes from old belief that witches would fly to a German mountain the weekend before Easter to meet with Satan, and on their way would pick up young children for their meal.  Swedes would light fires to scare them --a practice still prevalent today to light bonfires--and dress young children as witches and old men to confuse the witches. Every easter there are also Påsk (easter) parades, where children, dressed up in costumes, accompanied by parents and a loud band, announce the arrival of spring.  The above pictures were taken at the parade last year.