bye july

Time to say goodbye to July, it has been a lovely, relaxing summer month of rain and sun which has been so good for nature. And sleep.

I know most Swedes are total weather grumps - all year round, no matter what the weather is, complaining is the thing. People are just boring and weird that way. - and of course they have been complaining and whining all summer long that it hasn't been a proper summer yada yada yada. But you know what, nature loves it! And there have been quite a few sunny days and decent temperatures around +25. The perfect mix. Much preferred over the last three summers which have been incredibly hot and left the gardens and nature in a dry mess. Plus seriously sleep depriving. I'm grateful I don't live in the south of Europe, the temperatures there seems crazy high this year too with no relief days.

If I would say one negative thing about the summer of 2015 so far it would be that on the cloudy days there has been a distinct, un-summery chill in the air. But still, why so many people dress in high boots (!) and thick jackets for that I have no idea, that's just crazy summer kill joy behaviour.

That said it has been a rather slow month, much like June (with the grand exception of Berlin then of course). I've treasured that slowness a lot. Reading, sleeping in, drinking tea, listening to music on the sunbed, watching movies - and a great style documentary -, eating strawberries, those are good activities.

• I cut my hair. Much shorter than I usually do. I needed a change. Not really visible in the picture, but it's assymetric and much shorter in the back than in the front. And I can still do a ponytail. Though, let's face it, if I don't do anything really drastic to my hair and diligently style it (which I rarely have the time or inclination for, despite all my awesome hair products) it will look pretty much the same - ie the curse of the the curly hair

• There was the tiny frog - whom I haven't seen since.
• There was the hedgehog 2015 - whom I have sadly not seen since either for some reason.
• My new cosy, colourful garden corner
• Three + two new bobs arriving - yes, two tiny more that have yet to be introduced...
• I've found not only one but two new great dresses of the Marimekko kind.
• Plus a cardigan and a frilly blouse.
• I've played tourist in my own city.

• I've enjoyed my blue sandals a lot, they have been truly wonderful to walk in.

• There have been regular eating of good brunches - and by that I mean a sleep in followed by a sandwich and pastry at a sweet garden cafe of choice.
• There has been working and ooing over my snazzy new office equipment, thank you Berlin.
• There is a bobbaloo car in da house.
• As well as a new but second hand wardrobe for all important recycling (plastic, tins, glass, paper, cardboard, deposit etc). The old sofa I thrifted when I moved to my second apartment 24 years (!) ago and then did a fine job re-upholstering, a job that through the years have been properly destroyed by various cats has finally been put down and sent to sofa heaven. I feel both sad and relieved. But is is cleansing. Finally I seem to be getting the hallway in practical and pleasing order, adapted to cat owning factors.
• Got an unexpected and pleasing email from a long term project-client. It's nice to be appreciated.
• But sadly no month without the madness of heartless people doing vile things to animals, I've cried over the horrific end for Cecil the lion. And for all the other poor animals who never ever get a chance of life because the is such a despicable thing as canned hunting. Hopefully some good things will come out of this from all the justified outrage and great people who work against the madness of vile hunters and animal abusers.

Now I'm looking forward to August with excitement. Even if I have worked all through summer it has of course not been as intense as it can be, I'm looking forward for it to be, new business collaborations and new clients, networking, lunches and discussions. It's going to be such fun!

But of course summer is far from over yet. Before all that fun begins there will be other funs, like shorter roadtrips and a visit to the Skåne region - and dinner at lovely Friden gårdskrog - as well as Copenhagen.

Thank you, July 2015, 
you have been a good month for mind and body.
Welcome August, we're going to have such fun together, I'm sure!

the tiniest frog

Caught Zigne playing with something in the garden the other day and I just knew it had to be a frog - since they are terribly "fond" of them...  Luckily Nerdle and I were immediately there to help the tiniest frog I've ever seen. Too cute!

Lifted him/her up and set him/her were the frogs usually appears from under the terrace. Hope s/he'll make it and grow into a big healthy frog able to fight the cats off without bobbaloo or human assistance.

the great frog escape

Clearly someone who is not amused by the presence of cats.

I never knew frogs could actually climb like this, but apparently three little cats who see Mr/s Frog - not sure its the same from previous years, who lives under the veranda, but the he/she is certainly bigger - as a fascinating new toy can do that.

Cats were sprayed with water, froggy is resting in flowerbed after the ordeal, no idea where s/he was heading but hopefully s/he will get there this evening when the cats are indoors.

And before you make a remark on this, no it wasn't the kissing gone terrible wrong yesterday and I turned someone into a frog instead of a prince. Honestly.

three frog princes

 
surely this must be one of the luckiest threesome ever, three frog princes.

i hope your weekend will be of the luckiest kind,
filled with joy and laughter,
the best of company and the loveliest of food,

happy weekend!

frog and hedgehog year 2012

One thing I love about this time of the year is the fact that you get to see old friends in garden. Or possibly new ones, I'm admittedly not too good at identifying the adorable subjects. Be as that may, I love having a garden that apparently is a nice place for all sorts of earthlings, not only kitties and a loaf dog.



A couple of weeks back first frog of the year appeared. Kitties too intrigued. I wonder how many of them that live under the porch. And if it's the same bunch that return. It would probably be nice to make a little pond for them in garden. Not sure where to put it though. And if they'd be left alone by said kitties.

Hedgehog 2012 has returned for some more food too. Don't think, alas, we'll be as fortunate with a lot of prickly guests as last summer  - six of them at one time! - but still, lots of love for every distinguished one that decideds this is a good place to be.

As I'm writing this I can hear him/her rattling the bowl for a refill outside, better do as s/he likes...

Do you have any extra special summer visitors in your garden?

small bright matters

Today some glimpses of good things lately. Not quite up to writing a perky only post yet. All in due time. This for now.

There may or may not have been the arrival of new woolly settlers when we got home.

There may or may not have been a tad bit of crazy good acquiring of shoes on holiday.

Summer of 2011 may or may not have been time when I decided wearing different nailpolish more often makes the daily grind a tad bit lighter to bear.

To climb plus 277 steps (and the same on the way down) to reach a golden victory angel is not such a small feat. Doing this while wearing golden shoes makes it even better.

Miniscule frogs are adorable. And very, very tiny compared to Big Foot.

Someone kind had cleared the concrete garden path from weeds when we were away. Suddenly it looks presentable, fresh and new. If only life, at least sometimes, could be so easy to clean from rubbish and stupidity, madness and malice.

Be kind to fellow beings ~

froggy 2011

Suddenly something crawled up from under the terrace's splints when we sat their having a cuppa enjoying the fact that summer holidays have at last begun - sigh, I'm lost for words how much I need this, I will make the best of efforts to really enjoy, treasure every moment, yes practise mindfullness galore - it slowly heaved its fat little froggy self up and sat there relaxing.

Before it hoppeti hopped over the terrace and into the lilacs hedge. I only had the iPhone to snap something quick with, which is indeed such a pity. This far wee one would have been nice to have captured in a nicer way. Since last year's frog (below) was such a handsome, large one, quite eager to pose. (And still he didn't get a post of his/her own back then, shame on me.)

There's also froggy 2009



H a p p y     w e e k e n d ~

meet evert, all perky and green

On the last shivering hours of 2010, the pieces of Evert (who had been a work in progress during November), finally came together in the real Evert. Most perky, very green. My first go at the amigurumi crochet style. And I'm reasonably pleased with the way he turned out.

The crocheting part was quite easy and quick, the putting together was really not my cup of yarn. Not that it was complicated, it's just all that tiny delicate work, the filling, the minuscule details plus it's honestly quite hard on you hands. I'm definitely going to make more amigurumi figures and things, it is a charming craft indeed, but for all that above reasons I can't say I'm a huge fan of actually doing it a lot myself.

Yes, at a time it was touch and go, would Evert become a legless frog or not. The jaws of one loaf dog extraordinaire showed interest. But the legs were rescued and the loaf reproved (not that he really cares, wimpish matters, the silliness).

The kissing of a frog, the kissing of Evert, will now commence, not as in wanting a prince but the wanting of a job that I now hope (after a lot of hard work and in incomprehensible vain search) will magically appear. After all it is a new year, good things should happen. 2011, the year when frogs will make magic come true.

the beginning of a frog

I couldn't resist the yarn no more. And what better way to start try working the sore thumb again than by very small steps. Like creating a little green frog. It was much easier to get the amigurumi hang than I had thought, so after having finished the head (above) I had to firmly tell my self not to crochet overdo it.

I have since also made a couple of eyelids and half a froggy body. It's fast and it's fun. Though I'm still having trouble seeing how these parts will become one most perky frog named Evert (yes I thought that would be a nifty name for a quirky kind of frog) when all of them have been stuffed and sewn together.

And creating something like this from a pattern is one thing, I'm in so much awe of the people who just free-form amigurumi-ing. That seems an awful long way to go... Yes I may be a fantastic procrastinator but I'm also quite an impatient nature.

Now, there'll be hand and thumb rest. Possibly with a mug of the world's best hot cocoa. Small step for amigurumi mankind, big steps for sore-thumb-amigurumi-beginner-kind. And one day soon, the cats and the dog will be joined by a frog named Evert.

miniature yarn, come miniature frog

When thumb is back in real action I plan to turn these skeins - which are irresistable in their miniatureness of course - into my very first amigurumi project. A mini frog. I have the yarn for making a amigurumi sheep lying around somewhere too, but given the choice between creating in white, black, grey or green, red, white with tad of black, the outcome is pretty obvious.

I love other people's clever wee amigurumi projects (like carrots), so I'm hoping I'll be hooked for good after one mini-frog.

When he's finished I'll kiss him, not that I need a prince, but a job. So kissing a frog in this residence will be all about good job hunting. Which I think is totally doable, the source of decent income will then magically appear. Frog, frog, frog.

proudly presenting ~ mister frisky froggy

Unfortunately there hasn't been a lot of hedgehog spotting this summer, the food disappears, but I haven't seen this year's model since that day.

But I'm pleased to announce that there's another wee guest in garden now, the non prickly but very warty kind, Mister Frisky Froggy that lives under the terrace.

He has been in close and not very friendly combat with one liquorice fellow - the chocolate inspector, to mention but one of many important tasks -, but he seemed alright when he stopped for a quick posing before he disappeared into his dwellings. Looking mighty cute, quite a showstopper in the realm of froggy matters I should think.

' here froggy froggy, wanna come out and play...?'