Returning home to Gotland..

..I found the garden has grown quite wild..

.. and ever so beautiful!
June, June oh June! The peonies are now in full bloom!
May I introduce my "almost domestic" phesant who is constantly yammering and marking his territory in the garden.Today, I managed finally to get a photo of this proud fellow! We have been knowing eachother for quite sometime now! So I am now levelling for a bit with my sister with her 6 peacocks in her neighbouring farm!
The gorgious "Turkish" lilac outside my window! Heavy, heavy..

Tomorrow I will spend quite a few hours on my lawnmower! The weather forecast is great for Tuesday with a warm sunshine predicted - a day for gardening indeed. Friday and Saturday are a bit more uncertain though... There are prognoses for some rain which might interfere for a bit the great Royal wedding that will take place in Stockolm on Saturday! And the Swedes are now keeping their fingers crossed for fair weather and blue skies on this festive occation!

Photos from Runmarö island in mid-June..

Runmarö is one
larger islands in the Stockholm Archipelago.

Lat: N 59º 16' 47.67"
Long: E 18º 45' 38.30"

Runmarö lies at Nämdöfjärden, outside of Stavsnäs on the main land.

There are hundreds of islands and skerries in the archipelago surrounding the island. The main island is one of the largest in the middle archipelago and in the villages, which consist primarily of genuine traditional archipelago buildings, you will find more than one hundred permanent residents.

The island is mentioned in writings from the 13^th century, which tell that Magnus Ladulås gave the island to the Franciscan Order in Stockholm. The existence of limestone on the island was already important at that time and it was quarried and calcinated until the middle of the 17^th century. Limestone from here was used to build the castle Tre Kronor in Stockholm. The island has also played its part in the Swedish military history. From here Gustav II Adolf shipped out some of his fleet of 1400 men in 27 warships to Prussia to participate in the 30 Years War. As in so many other parts of the archipelago, the Russians ravaged the island in the attempt to invade Stockholm in 1719. Remains from that time, Russian ovens, i.e. fire boxes that were used for heat and cooking can still be seen today.
(Excerpts from Visit Skärgården. Click on link for more.)

Strange rockformations at Runmarö.

View towards the island of Sandhamn far away.
On Runmarö you will find plenty of deer, wild boars and some moose on the island.
Today I saw a few deer and only traces of moose and wild boars.
(I am happy to say!)

Almond blossom among reindeer lichen.

Cephalanthera longifolia - the very rare wild orchid

can be found in abundance on Runmarö island just off the mainland outside Stockholm.
In Swedish it is named "Svärdssysla" - in English I think it is called "Lady´s Slipper. "

Strange patterns in the rocks are reminders of the ice age here..

The lightning struck long time ago and the tree is trying to heal..

Excerpts from Värmdö Art Council , Runmarö Lighthouse:

"Runmarö’s main features are its delightful natural surroundings,
scenic walks and cycling routes. An abundance of
orchids, including the impressive lady’s slipper and the
more demure fly orchid, can be found on the island. Carnivorous
plants grow on the ground close to the enchanting
freshwater lake Silverträsk (Silver Swamp), about
which Swedish writer August Strindberg wrote a short story.
Runmarö has nine pristine freshwater lakes, which are
known by islanders as swamps (träsk), although this is
somewhat misleading.
Runmarö is one of the Archipelago’s larger islands and
has been inhabited by fishermen and pilots for centuries.
Runmarö has also attracted a number of writers and artists
over the centuries. Swedish dramatist and novelist
August Strindberg spent some of his summers here, and
other painters, photographers and poets followed in his
footsteps. The Swedish Writers’ Union owns a number of
cabins on the island that are made available to members.
So expect Runmarö to feature in the novels of the future...
The island also has a small privately-run museum, a 17th
century bosun smallholding cottage (Båtsmanstorp nr. 95)
which has been carefully restored. There are a number
of active shipyards on the island. The handicrafts centre
sells handicrafts typical of the Archipelago, local woodwork
and art. There is a weekly film screening in the
heritage community centre during the summer months.
Runmarö has scenic gravel tracks that are ideal for a leisurely
cycling holiday. The island also hosts tennis and
football camps during the summer. There are innumerable
opportunities for bathing and fishing along the island’s
coastline or in the fresh-water lakes. Runmarö serves as
an excellent base for kayaking in the Archipelago during
the spring, summer and autumn, as well as a great place
to start long-distance skating expeditions in the winter.
Winter fishing is also highly recommended, although be
sure to wrap up really warm!
A former limestone quarry provides evidence of Runmarö’s
past as a supplier of limestone to major construction undertakings
such as the former royal palace Tre Kronor (burned
down in the 17th century). A number of open-air brick
hearths, known as Russian ovens, provide evidence of the
attempted Russian invasion in 1719.
Keeping the
Archipelago Beautiful
The Stockholm Archipelago is around 2 billion years old and
encompasses about 24,000 islands, rocks and skerries. The
land is rising by 30-40 cm every 100 years, so the Archipelago
is growing day by day!
Nevertheless, the Stockholm Archipelago is truly unique in
the world. It is a sensitive environment and something we
need to protect, so that future generations can also enjoy
this special place.
Consequently, it is important that our stay in the Archipelago
considers the needs of nature, the environment and our
cultural heritage. It is the islands’ human visitors that have
to adapt.
If you pause for a moment’s thought, what you need to do
to protect the natural environment and cultural heritage on
these special islands becomes obvious.
If you do this, we won’t have to bore you with countless
regulations and pointers about not starting fires, especially
on exposed bedrock, dealing with your litter appropriately
and trying not to disturb other visitors. Just more one thing:
please do bear in mind that drinking water is in short
supply in the Archipelago.

(Info provided by: VÄRMDÖ ARTS COUNCIL, RUNMARÖ LIGHTHOUSE)

Mass wedding at Skansen on a rainy Saturday..

Newlyweds!!

In view of the forthcoming Royal wedding in Stockholm - the Swedes are living in a veritable wedding daze! In Skansen , (the first open air museum (1833-1901) to show the way of life in the and zoo in Sweden located on the island Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden.) launched a mass wedding day on Saturday!

About 350 couples showed up waiting for hours in long lines to get married. Among those my niece Stephanie who choose this way to marry her long time fiancee, Roger.
The civil ceremony was estimated to 10 minutes whereas the religious church ceremony took a bit longer! Skanen personel was on their knees because " No one here expected the enormous interest.." And the priests and civil clerks looked a bit tired towards the end of the day - to say the least!

The long lines for registration..

Stephanie and Roger toasting in champagne..

One of the 350 couple who got married at Skanen on Saturady in one of the small wedding tents erected for the occation.

A number of attending people were decked out in their beautiful national costumes.

Long waits for the big step!

And champagne! Mot people brought picknic bakets and a few brought layer cakes to set on the green lawns!

Rain and heavy wind did the waiting a bit teadious for many brides-to-be!

And waiting cold be quite long for a 9-month pregnant young woman too! Here is my daughter Lina resting in waiting for her cousin to get married!

We all congratulate Stephanie and Roger and welcome him into the family! May the sun shine on their marriage forever!

In a quite foggy ..

.. peasoup state of mind I am right now ready to embark the Gotland ferry destined for the mainland. The visibility is about 20 meters right this moment and wow! am I happy they have a radar onboard!
It´s a 3,5 hours cruise to reach the port in Nynäshamn but the cruise can be quite agreeable. (As long as the sea is not rocking too much!) There is a resto and small shop onboard and they always show a film during the trip. And you can close your eyes and take a nap in the comfy reclining chairs. I sure will settle for the latter! Fog make one quite snoooozzzzy!

A kiss is a kiss is a kiss..

"What´s in a name? That which we call a kiss by any other name would still taste as sweet.."
Thalia and Daddy in Washington in May.

In and out of the garden..

Not yet being  quite acquainted with my garden after living here 1,5 years, I was surprised one morning to find the garden brimming with this old fashioned modest tulip with its pretty yellow petals with their red edges. They bear a striking resemblance to the yellow wild tulips in the nearby fields.

Wild strawberries or rather Woodland strawberries carry such pretty flowers!

Fragaria Vesca (Love these old fashioned school charts!)

Butterfly catching ..

..for studying and releasing.

The abundance of orchids on Gotland! They are of course protected species all over Sweden.

Cowslips and wood cranebills are found everywhere.

Wood cranebills and cow parsley in Nature´s own astonishing flower arrangement! This meadow is a true traffic stopper as a road runs nearby..

I have tried to make an account of all the different varieties of lilacs there are in the garden and lost track! Here are two kinds I picked yesterday whose sweet smell fill the entire house! I wish I could send a bouquet like this to all and everyone of you!

A mouthwatering vegetarian..

Lasanga!

Just as I am working my butt off in the presummer garden and forgot everything about shopping for food in distant Visby, my old, dear friend Helmut sends med these photos from his kitchen on the island of Sardinia..

..where he lives.

A mouthwatering Italian vegetarian lasagne is in the making in his cosy kitchen.
Makes me soo hungry! No recipes needed here. Just a few glances will do for anyone who know a little more about cooking than the egg boil!

I just wish I could get my hands on some fresh mozarella to add on top, when I see this. There is a far cry from the fresh Italian stuff Helmut uses and the plastic wrapped versions you get here in Sweden with according taste!

Mmmmm.....can you smell it?
Strange however - this somewhat joyful feeling about the prognoses of rain today on the weather report from Gotland! No work in the graden is possible! Plenty of time to dash off to Visby to buy stuff to make Helmuth´s Sardinian vegetarian lasagne!
Guess what is coming for dinner?

Thank you and keep ´em coming, Helmut!
And this recipe is posted mostly for the music to get into the right Italian cooking mood. 

PS. Speking of boiling eggs, I tried Youtube to see if Julia Child ever had made a flick on egg boiling. Nooo. But found this instead:

You are never too old or experienced to learn new angles! (If you can speak of angles in this context!) I just learned! And I just had to share. Love, DS

The 6th of June encore..

The Swedish flag in focus everywhere today.
This is the farm at Lugnet. My neighbour and sister´s farm! 
(below in her beautiful national costume)

Strawberries are a traditional dessert this day.The sun was shining and the day was quite hot. This, mind you, is not always a tradition in Sweden!

The day called for a dip in the pool,indeed! Mats is clowning a hilarious dive!

And a picture of all the wild flowers close to my house..

A visit is paid to the farm of Vale, Gotland. This old mansion sits today on the ground of a 1000-year old farm. Speaking of history!
Studded with sagas, tales, history significant to the island´s development into Christianity of and of course, of gosts and spirits of people who lived here long ago that made a difference. The couple who now owns the beautiful Vale homestead are people I know from my former days living on the mainland. And they invite the general public to explore their historical, biotropical grounds.

The June 6th excursion to Vale to explore its rare biptope. Butterflies, insects, plants - and Iron Age grave sites..

This is the still visible ground work of three old buildings from the Iron Age around year 500 to be found at Vale..

This is what the area used to look.

 The landscape at Vale, Stenkyrka, Gotland.

A dip in my sister´s pool before June 6 is coming to an end. Now is the time when the sun does not set until 9PM! The long light nights of June in Scandinavia makes it hard to sleep..