a fine way to spend a saturday...

... is slowly rocking in the hammock,
sun glistening through the foliage,
birds chirping,
letting one's thoughts wander...

what's your example of a fine way
to spend a summer saturday?

being in a happy place, part II

Over the years, whenever I think a lot about a specific topic, or mull some need-to-be-perfect-wording over, I usually wake up in the middle of the night with the perfect words and context. I rarely write it down, since I tell myself that all that thinking must stick anyway. To be honest, over the years I've realised it's a 50-50 chance it doesn't/does, but I've always realised that even if the original wording doesn't stick there are always new words to get me there on track again.

So when I was to write about being in a happy place, part II those original thoughts and words I woke up with the other day had flown away but I remember the feeling, the sentiment, so I'll go with that.

As blog mentioned over the years, these past plus ten years have been filled with incredible lowpoints, drawbacks, nasty, spiteful people and situations I naïvely didn't think existed. It's been an emotional rollercoaster, questioning, soul-searching, learning, accepting. I've also met a lot of incredible people, found myself in great situations, done things, met beings I would not have done or met had I not been through all those incredible lowpoints and unforeseen drawbacks out of my control (which is, granted, quite an essential part of being alive, things happen that we can't control). And I would have been a poorer person for it.

So whilst I have emotional and physical scars due to that rollercoaster ride, they are no longer open, they are no longer sore, they are experiences that have made me the I I am today and for that I am truly grateful. The drawbacks, the nastiness have also been eyeopening, I look at life differently and I've been blessed with finding my way back to creativity, rediscovered old talents, found new. It has opened up opportunities unknown, my attitude has changed, I dare to challenge myself more regularly - and I find that many (silly) things really aren't as scary as one might think, often the opposite actually. Which push me forward.

I also know that everyone has to find that particular moment in life when and where enough is enough, I need to take charge, I need to change direction. That the surrounding give you more or less well-meaning advice on what to do/be/change won't make a difference, you have to truly realise that for yourself. Realise that, obvious as it is, the people that have used and abused you, pushed you back and forth, forced you into unthinkable situations couldn't care less about your misery, your scarring. They have most likely moved forward, quite possible causing misery for others. To let them win with you turning haggard and bitter, that is to truly let yourself down.

Whilst I agree with Barbara Ehrenreich and the likes that positive thinking without reflection and realisation that life offers both good and bad stuff, be prepared for both, is dangerous in general, I also feel that uncontrollable whining about everything from major to minor is a dangerous way to put yourself into a negative thinking spiral which will never get you anywhere.

In this digital era, constant angry and whining Facebook statuses and Twitter updates is as much offputting to others as are constant bragging and upbeat updates. Most of us know that life is much more diversified than that - a good way to start is actually, easy as it may seem, start looking for small, fine matters and details every day. Instead of constantly looking for, noticing small, unpleasant things and having the urge to share them with others via status updates. It's a bit like the boy who cried wolf, for every time he cried and lied the surrounding began to care less and less and when there was wolf danger for real noone listened.

It's also worth noticing that after I stopped reading newspapers and watching the news I feel much lighter and brighter, more balanced. There will always be incredible, horrific things happening, mankind as a whole isn't very nice, but by doing good things myself, striving to be a better, kinder person, involving myself in good projects, doing my bit to inspire, engage and encourage others to do the same, leave a good and not damaging footprint I create ripples of goodness.

Not wanting to sound like some deranged preacher, but I think we, the compassionate part of humankind, can all create ripples of goodness instead of concentrating on the nastiness all around.

Go read this article on why we should ignore the news, I think it sums it up quite well.

And this one which, amongst many things, argues that following the news is actively unhealthy - some interesting, food for thought quotes from it;

- " ... it scrambled his brain with so many different topics that he couldn’t get any real intellectual work done the rest of the day."

- "Its obsession with the criminal and the deviant makes us less trusting people. Its obsession with the hurry of the day-to-day makes us less reflective thinkers. Its obsession with surfaces makes us shallow."

Now, I think I'll stop here with the being in a happy place, part II - don't you worry, there will be at least one more part - , I have no idea how many of you who made it reading this far, but hopefully some of the thoughts and my personal experiences have resounded in you. Yes, strangely as it may seem sometimes, my life and heart is filled with so much more than happy shoes, bobbaloos, cuddly creatures, pastries, yarn and the obsession of colours.

national day sweden

It was oh so long ago that Sweden as a country was something worth celebrating (sorry to crush your conceptions here), with a heartbreaking dismantling of the once grand welfare system, the education system, with a government trying its very best to polarize the country, where the rich get richer and the poor poorer, where the environmental, gender, animal welfare, integration issues are blatantly ignored or misdirected - Sweden is a country that has lost its compass, direction and heart.

Of course there are fantastic, caring, intelligent, compassionate people adressing this in different ways and levels, unfortunately, so far to not much factual avail.

Once upon a time I was proud to be Swedish, living in Sweden, today I would go as far as to say Sweden is one of the least bad countries to live in. And yes, I know, it seems like the whole world is crumbling somehow, I know many people all over the world feel jaded about the way of the world, its not a Swedish thing per se. But on a day like a national day, it is a Swedish issue.

But, as I am currently in a happy place, yes I am, I'm also adamantly discarding these feelings, lifting my spoon, taking a bite of the Swedish cream pastry and saying;

Any excuse for a pastry is a good excuse!

dog on a bike

this was one of the highlights, if not THE highlight, of my day. on this motorbike waiting at the redlight is a guy with his jack russel terrier riding in a backpack on the seat in front of him.

when stopping at the redlight the dog began to bark (he might have been looking for attention, was anxious or showing off his cool position) and the driver immediately showered the little dog in love, kisses, hugs, cuddles. it was such an immensely endearing and sweet scene.

guys who love, care and show public affection for animals, oh they are seriously attractive in my book.

being in a happy place, part I

These past few months have been great in several minor and major ways (like I briefly mentioned the other day). Amidst it all I've been thinking quite a lot about the reasons why I'm feeling I'm in such a happy place in my life right now. I've come to some eye- and mind opening conclusions and it's actually quite simple as well as mind boggling somehow.

I'm also well aware of the fact that life regularly offers expected and unexpected dips, so I am really trying to make the most of this happy place feeling, refill as much energy as possible.

This is such a goody good feeling, especially welcome after last year and the first months of this year revolving around many heartbreaking, energy draining matters, and as sharing in general is caring I will write a few posts about my "ingredients" for being in a happy state of mind and body. This is obviously part I.



One of those things that I feel makes me really happy is the fact that I regularly have business meetings at cafes, sipping soy lattes, teas, smoothies. When fika is so much more than a cake and a good conversation with a friend, when you actually have inspirational talks with (potential) business partners in much better places than boring office environments. Who knew that there could/would be as much fun, inspiration and all important freedom in a seemingly simple and silly thing as that?



Today I've had business breakfast, elevensies and coffee. It has all been very lovely, enlightening, unpretentious and inspiring. Business and pleasure in perfect harmony.

Feel free to share your personal recipe for being in a a happy place!
I'd love to get more ingredients to mull over and try out.

grassy green day

you know those days when things seem to go one special colour way?

(possibly a colour nerd thing, i know)

they're rather awesome, those days. either they compliment an otherwise lovely day or the help lift the spirits of a day not so great in other ways.

my today was grassy green. lovely green.

(i also had a green little my patch on my toe.)

to potter with pottery, part II

If your memory is really really good (exceptionally so actually), you might remember the collaboration I planned with my talented friend the potter last autumn? My very humble and seemingly simple contribution were to be making different, quirky knobs to the lids of her sweet pots.

Well, I sure did have ideas already back then -

which I always do, it's the follow through, actually turning them into reality that sometimes might be my stumble issue. These days I've come to the clever, ahrm, better late than never, conclusion that if I talk about it with others, involve other people there's really no escape to actually DOING it. Better late than never realisation, I guess you have to reach a certain point in life to go for the "little less conversation and more action" bit... -

but it never seemed the right time or situation to actually turn those knob-ideas into reality. Even if there was neither any time limit nor any limits to what I could do knobwise it just never felt right. And admittedly, not feeling the creative juices flowing, seeing the pretty pots on the shelf was a constant reminder of not fulfilling a promise, a nagging source of bad conscience.



But lately several really lovely things have happened - I haven't blogged about them because they are still not ready to be revealed, but they are truly happiness instigating and more than ever I think about that "when the stars align" thing, with opportunities happening in odd and fun ways - and I've felt borderline madly creative (but not to worry, all the best people are more or less bonkers, deems Alice in Wonderland). So just the other day it was time to feel creative urges for the pot lids.



The pink lid got a polka striped crocheted cotton string knob.

The green lid got a little wooden elephant and tiny shells on waxed linen string knob (elephant and shells I got in South Africa, apart from making a necklace once upon a time I haven't used them until now. Making that knob I realised how much I'd like to get back into making jewellery again.)

The white lid got a slithering snake kind of knob made of cotton yarn and glass beads.



Bobbaloo approved, enthusiastic little woolly thumbs up. Although at a time it nearly turned into a scary sequel of the curious incident with the cat in the daytime.





But thankfully, no bobbaloos were harmed by a little redhead in the taking of these pictures.



Do you have a favourite one
of these pots with knobs?

raining today

possibly one might say that june didn't start off in the best of weatherways, but i think a quiet summer rain is rather enjoyable. not only good for nature, fun rain-gear and pleasant shoes always make for an enjoyable day, wouldn't you agree?

how was your june 1st?

a strawberry pastry

'caus i was worth it (ain't one always?)

'caus i could faintly smell the lilacs again

'caus the sun shone and it was the last day of may

have a lovely weekend one and all!

garden triplets

Just because they are such darlings, with a seemingly endless amount of energy as far as garden life goes. Zigne, Ågot and Ztina.