Midsommar blommar

Glad Midsommarafton

Sadly, midsummer afternoon was a day that required sweaters.

I was also having such a nice time that I forgot to really document anything for 'online' life.

Therefore, the recipes will have to be repeated another time.

I happily ate all the salads I made!

A bonus to going out before dessert, to gather our flowers was that we saw a young deer, with new antlers having his own mid-day snack.

Glad Midsommar Allihop!

"...try to ride waves of activity...in every direction..."

I've gone out to a couple of live shows.  These days I either want the show to be during the day time, or at least not late at night-I truly know how old I am when I think of myself before the age of thirty, always and I mean always willing to go out to see live music.  I have probably forgotten more shows than most people have ever gone too.

I did get to experience 'Kent' a band that is hugely popular but only in this area.  All the songs were sung in Swedish, which usually I only hear if the song is traditional.  I was really happy to see Junip who I had never seen live before. I also got to see Nina Persson solo, without the Cardigans, and I really admire how much she has grown as an artist.  Even her voice has grown and matured.  

Lastly we saw Flogging Molly who called Zok out -which now almost feels like an annual event.  Flogging Molly is about the only band I ever see now with an active mosh pit.

Tomorrow is midsommarafton and city will empty out, but I won't notice, as I no longer live in the city center.  If the weather holds to rain though, I will go out by train to look at some town train stations that are usually too crowded to really get to see the art...or of course I may stay home and marathon some program or another if Zok is tired and not working all day.

 

Västra Skogen Tågstation konst (west forrest train station art)

I had company, a Swedish native to be exact on this excursion to the train station, this meant for the first time I got an idea of what was written about the art and artist.

I am not really doing this at the proper time of year, but I am trying to really get to more stations than I do normally.  This means I am putting up with the crowds.  Okay, maybe you will think "How bad can the crowds be?" well, let me tell you that no one seems to have sympathy for the girl unable (read, too short) to reach the overhead railing which is about the only spot left when everyone is crammed into subway cars-of course the other side of that situation is no one really blinks as I have to grab their clothing/person to steady myself...

What did I learn?

Well, really we put a lot together ourselves, you might notice that the bell shapes, seem to be the whole of the artists face silhouette, there are also pieces that seem to be middle pieces of tile taken out and place elsewhere on the platform.  This is one of the stations that look as if the artist was excited to use every available space, or at least make the whole station comprehensive.  Sometimes there is only a small area devoted to the art.
Another aspect of the art here was that it evokes the forest spirits-we just liked how the shapes were used/repeated/in whole and in parts.

 

"Får jag också vara med och leka? sa han."

 This is some sort of impermanent art exhibit, in Slussen, using boards that normally hold advertising.

This is 'aspudden', not my favorite subway art, however it is now the stop for our neighborhood friends who moved and have gotten a much nicer, larger apartment

We've been in Sweden almost a week, and of course I feel as if I got here yesterday, and at the same time I feel as if I have been here forever.

Swedish summer, is being well- Swedish, a day of bright, warm beauty then a day of gloomy grey, low clouds, cool to cold.  Although those grey days can become misty in the evenings which is lovely.

Our apartment had work done - the whole building had the two (of four) inner panes of window glass replaced.  There have apparently been improvements in the technology.  We don't have a lot in this apartment but what we did have was all pushed to the center of rooms and hallways.  So we arrived after 32 hours of so, into a bit of chaos.

I decided that the front enclosed balcony needed to be touched up- I knew there was paint left here from the last owner.  Of course, until I started painting, I never noticed just how many shades of white are in this apartment.  Basically the apartment is still 'undone'.

But Friday we are having people over for lunch, it is Sverige nationaldag. The rumor is also that there will be sunny weather.  We have based a lot of entertaining around our large deck, but we've had a bit of rain, so I haven't set up the furniture out there yet.  Hopefully the apartment will be put to right for Friday.

I have planted my sweetpea seeds.  I have potted some herbs and vegetables given to us by friends.  I have grand plans- but you'll have to look here to see if they actually happen.