The Last Day of Summer

Today was suppose to be the very last day of summer, according to the forecasters. But since they're probably the very one occupational group I trust the least - runner up would presumably be politicians, and guess what, they've really brought that distrust on themselves, no matter what they say... - I don't much listen and believe.

But in *doubtful* case the forecasters are right for a change - even the sun has its spots - it was absolutely essential to say goodbye to summer in style aka have a last Toy Car outing. So here comes the picture cavalcade of this *last* day of summer 2007, from Toy Car point of view -

Late, light sort of brunch at Länsmansgården - here comes a long translation of that word, Head-of-the-county-constabulary farmhouse - in Åkersberga.
Now run by the Åkersberga Garden Society and open weekends 12-16. I liked the place, kind of charming in an unpretentious non-grand way. Most certainly nothing like Vinterviken, neither food- nor flowerwise, but still lovely.

Can you spot the wee one who just happen to pass by in the lower pic?
We continued to discover some new, and old, castles in the area. I'm a major castle buff - partly for business but mainly for pleasure, and really the less touristy the castle the better. Ruins can be quite wonderful to discover on your own, I so love hearing the wingbeats of history amongst the pieces left and envision times past...

- and apart from the major, well known castles in Sweden I've always missed the amplitude of castles in Scotland and England. Until this past year I guess, when somehow castles have had a tendency to emerge both here and there. Many of them now being used as conference facilities, schools, restaurants or golfclub-houses *the blasphemy!*

Ekebyholms castle, now a non-conformist school, quite an eery place, really didn't like the feelings I got wandering about there...

Rånäs slott, hotel and conference facilities, nearby there's also an old mill and Wallon-works

Look at that grumpy old face on the little one - well, I guess it isn't much fun to be robbed of your legs, not being able to run and then forced to hold that silly miniature fountain over your head day in day out, year in year out...

Some adorable ones resting beside the castle pond, the big one was really upset about being "disturbed", rather visible in his posture. But the most fun thing must definitely be the hairdo on the white one to the right, quite the peppy bird!

Such a sprauncy looking stable building!

Love these fields in August! Here's a picture with a field alike I so adore, so if you happen to drive past a field like this in the Stockholm vicinity spotting a lady in black with some red on the side it's probably me playing copycat...

And then there was a castle ruin - Mörby castle, quite magical, had the wrong shoes and dress on for going exploring though...

Right next to the fields in August and the castle ruin was lovely Fasterna church. The place felt so desolate, so very beautiful, so very contemplative...

And a return visit to lovely Ekolsunds castle, which showed a certain nondescript enchanting glow in the late afternoon.

And the perfect summer day round off must be a Greek salad dinner - though away with the olives!

How did you spend the supposedly last day of summer?