december 13th - lucia

This day of Lucia held a well deserved and spirit lifting outdoors hot bubble bath for the latest two rescued by the Fox Rescue Squad - Teddybear Sanctuary, legless teddy rattle and bunny floppy ears.

Currently they hang to dry in front of heat pump. I suspect they're not quite as happy about that part of the introduction treatment, but the squad has done its best to explain the why and the how long.

And that the one loaf shaped sitting below whimpering and drolling with huges jaws ready when/ if they fall will not, under any circumstances whatsoever, be a threat. This is a sanctuary, whatever hardship they have gone through prior to ending up here, they will not have to endure again. Behold two grateful faces.

to be continued...

december 12th - lussekatt

December 12th, the day of baking of Lussekatter (the Swedish saffron buns of season Christmas), the batch of 2009 - recipe here

Snow began falling again a couple of hours ago.

Ground has thin white cover.

Oh how I hope it'll last a while.

december 11th - snow

Walking home from busstop this afternoon there was snow in the air.

Snowflakes refused to pose for pictures, but still, for a few precious moments there was happiness with snow.

Oh how I miss those wonderfully white and wintry Swedish winters now long since lost. Then winters were fun and full of playfull energy, now they're draining and hibernation seems so very appealing. If I was a bear.

december 10th - nobel day

Alas there won't be any fancy three course dinner served in residence of undersigned this evening. Nor will there be any distinguished prize received (darn it, says the knitter of many magical tings. I can't see why there shouldn't be a Nobel Prize in the knitting of magical socks, wristwarmers and other secret things, really).

That said knitter has just ordered a bunch of books though (as it must be deemed prudent to build on book heap for Christmas) including a first (and only or of more remains to be read) novel by Nobel Prize Laureate in literature Herta Müller.

Dinner will probably revolve around beetroots. And cake was eaten yesterday - very close to the Swedish Academy's headquarter one might add. Side note; there's something very lovable about an institution with its main objective being to work for the ’purity, vigour and majesty’ of the Swedish language. Go, Academy! -, I do believe that can be perceived as somewhat reasonably festive too.

Something I've always wondered, the vegetarian guests at the Nobel banquet, what kind of delights do they get served?

Happy Nobel Day ~

december 9th - city cake

Santa was decapitated shortly after posing for picture. He didn't protest too much and tasted lovely (thank you, Santa). So did his throne of covered in pink cream pastry. I was treated to tea and cake at the City Mission café in Old Town - which was quite delightful. Luckily we escaped the premises just before the invasion of starved cake eaters begun.

It was yet another nasty gloomy, damp day in Stockholm. So far December hasn't offered - with one exception - more sun than the all time low November did.

On the very sunny other side of the seasonal coin is the fact that the Christmas cards arrived yesterday and oh they are quite wonderful, the colour reproduction overall reasonable, the cropping overall good. Not a lot left to be desired like last year. I'm so pleased. Let the Christmas cards-writing begin!

december 8th - finds

Happened to walk by a table with this children's room dated wall hanging while at favourite (moo chair) charity shop past weekend. Irresistibly silly and cute it jumped straight into my shopping basket (really). Reminds me of something I could have (but didn't have) when I was little.

Its size makes it perfect as a small curtain at the terrace door. At least over Christmas, after that I'm still pondering about the perfect place to hang it.

This case style shelf I spotted in a bric-a-brac shop some months ago. I've always loved that kind of case and it has been on my mind a lot ever since. Last weekend we happened to be in the vicinity, popped in shop, had a look, it was still there. And at reduced price. So home it came with me.

I have plans for it. It will not be repainted - I imagine its previous life might have been in a small hotel as a holder of keys and messages, I adore its lived-in look as a holder of important matters and possible secrets - but it will still be about lots of colours and textures...

This tin can came to live with me again thanks to the same 'spring cleaning' that brought trolls. I remember this from when I was little. It might have contained cookies at one time. But what I really love about it are the bright colours and most of all the perky looking folklore babusjka ladies. No matter content it's a happy jar.

~

december 7th - pink

A glimpse of a work in progress for self. Pink of course. With delightful surprising streaks of other colours to keep it interesting. As life.

Pink is also my wish for this week. Fresh, promising, full of only good deeds and thoughts. A new dawn.

december 6th - breakfast

Sunday breakfast at Gamla Enskede Bageri. Sourdough bread cheese sandwich, vanilla bun, Saltå Kvarn organic grapefruit juice (favourite) and latte. It was lovely.

Stocked up on some bread so more grand breakfasts can be had at home. A roll of gingerbread dough asked nicely if it could come too. No great fan of ginger snaps or baking them, but the baking itself smells so inviting and Christmassy, so I said yes to the kindly asked question.

december 5th - mittens

It's funny how things that may look appealing to the eye but leave a lot to be desired functionwise can still be one of our most treasured ones.

For me that applies to these lovable sheep mittens. I fell in lust with them about 15 years ago (where did the time go) when Ragamuffin shop in Armadale on Skye was just a shed by the harbour. Wind blows through them, cold seeps in, an extra pair of finger gloves beneath them is needed, but still.

I love their rustic feel, handmadeness and natural colour scheme, I love the pitter patter pattern of walking sheep that makes me think oh Skye, oh Scotland, oh sheep every time I look at them. They're pretty useless as far as practicality goes, but for all the other reasons they are one of my most cherished items in wardrobe. They simply make me happy by looks alone.

Do you know what I mean...?

december 4th - frosty morning

I do love a good, frosty winter morning! With a pale winter sun it gets even better.

The impawtant task of watering of garden this time of year I leave to one loaf dog extraordinaire. As always he does a swell job.