Finding North

Ah, Midsummer. The second biggest holiday in Sweden ( after Christmas ) and the one I had been eagerly wanting to experience for the past six years. I know, quite the buildup right? And so far in life I've learnt that the bigger the expectation, the bigger the fall. So to ensure that disappointment didn't swallow me whole on this most gracious day, I tried to lower my anticipation and just tried to enjoy it as best as I could.  We opted for simplicity and decided to follow my boyfriend's family to Bonnstan ( the old Church Town ) to watch the celebrations. I wanted a real, authentic feel of what this day was really about and I have to say that it was as traditional as it gets, with the big pole in the center, a lot of singing and, of course, dancing.  Midsummer is all about greeting the arrival of summer, whilst celebrating life, light and fertility on the longest day of the year. Originally, nature was seen has having special powers that would ensure good heal...

Swedes take their gardening very seriously. And the main attraction in any garden could only be - the flowers of course . Now that winter is behind us, there are bright and colorful flowers everywhere. Nature has been incredibly generous and everything has been in full bloom for a few weeks. Which means that no self-respecting swede wants to be left behind when it comes to their pride and joy, oh no. The sun, the Spring and the ( mild ) heat are like blessings that need to be treasured and preserved, since we all know they're not going to last very long. It is like a very fleeting, passing moment and before we know it, it's gone as fast as it appeared. I should tell you I don't know much about flowers, neither their names nor their specific properties, but I do know that I love to smell them and above everything else, how they look. Their aesthetic brings me so much joy, I could just stare at them for hours at a time. So when my boyfriend's dad invited me to join ...

Swedes like to mark the occasion on the evening between the 30th of April and the 1st of May during a holiday called Valborgsmässoafton. Apparently it is celebrated throughout a few European countries and its meaning varies according to several factors, including location and religious myth. Here, many people commemorate by burning bonfires or fireworks, this tradition being linked to the concept of light and spring, the very literal symbol of " burning the old and making room for the new ". Personally, I was quite fond of that idea... Our celebrating didn't involve starting any fires, but it sure had plenty of light, fresh air and nature. We went to a friend's house to have an outdoor barbecue and it was a most magical evening. I got to feed sheep for the first time in my life, enjoy delicious food and be in the forest again. Couldn't really ask for anything better from this experience, which was the first in many ways. My heart fluttered for the entire ti...

The birds are chirping, the sky is infinitely blue and most importantly, the sun is shining ( don't worry, this isn't about to turn into a Disney movie ). April started cloudy and cold, as I reported in one of the previous posts, but spring arrived unannounced and the weather changed abruptly. As you can probably guess, I was more than delighted .  I welcomed the warmth with open arms and started to enjoy the cozy garden sofa we put out on the balcony. I sat there with our dog almost every morning for a week, listening to music and soaking in the sun. Whenever I'm out there, I feel much happier and light. A slight breeze goes through my hair, keeping me cool under the hot sun and it makes me smile. Life is beautiful and I'm lucky to be alive. It's a blessing that I intend to treasure and this glorious weather makes me that much more thankful .  Our dog really loves it as well, so he takes advantage of any little sunny spots he can find. As soon as ...