AN ISLAND, A LIGHTHOUSE, ROOTS

Night train towards the North. A bus and a ferry to the landscapes of mist and rain. A small trip to see where my grandfather's mother was born. The thick clouds disappearing from the island, the sun tickling, wind calming down. Beautiful music festival just by the lighthouse. Sunset by the beach listening to the waves.

Middle of the island a village with kind people, good food, tiny piglet and a goat that became a mother for an orphan calf. Light violet harebell meadows everywhere. Sunshine on shoulders, a birch branch to keep the insects away.

Traditional houses painted with Falu red, flea markets and the scent of bent-in-the-wind Scots pines in sunshine.

Afternoon walk in the warm sea.

With a friend. With sun tan.

Evening walk.

Sunset and the songs of seagulls and terns. The horizon disappearing.

Sleeping next to the lighthouse and dreaming of the times when my grandfather's mother lived here. Maybe now I understand why I dream of islands and the blinking towers.

Summer trips with never setting sun.

Greetings from the island!

And warm and sunny July to you!

SUNSET WAVES

Summer nights. Thunder storms and the scent of rain on dry asphalt. More sunny and warm days. Train trips, dear friends, sailing boats, parks, cafés by the sea, sunsets. Gazing the sun to rise above the city lights.

A few rain drops today make the summer to scent more magical. Birch trees.

Sweet Tuesday greetings!

POSTCARDS FROM THREE SOUTHERN CITIES BY TRAIN, CHAPTER II, THE MARKET

Lunch time greetings from a trip two weeks ago. Fresh scents middle of salty sea winds. Bright colors, hunger growing. Always playing a game in markets, imagining how things that are next to each other would taste together. From these a favorite might be radishes with beetroots (beetroots cut in very thin slices, olive oil, black pepper and salt over and to oven to make them to crispy chips, accompanied by fresh radish salad). Or White is White -tea (blend of grapefruit and aloe vera) and Amande -sugar (almond sugar).


For today, mushroom sauce with potatoes, cantaloupe-cucumber salad and rhubarb soup with whipped oat cream. 


Blueberry leaves are drying for a winter´s tea blend. Maybe this weekend some raspberry leaves could be found to be dried too. The weather map shows rain for the days ahead. Many books waiting to be read.


Have a sunny weekend!
Bon appétit!

POSTCARDS FROM THREE SOUTHERN CITIES BY TRAIN, CHAPTER I, THE LAST STOP, THE SEA

Greetings from the South! Sunshine, warmth, new fresh tastes, scents of salty sea and lavender. Pebbles and steep staircases under feet. Dark nights. Warm waves, wind in hair. Tasting the sea from a finger tip to believe that it really is a sea. Clear waters. Turquoise color.


Three Southern cities by train, a small summer holiday. Every trip should have a lighthouse on its way. The last stop of this trip ended by the sea. 


Already feeling unreal.


The sun shines and warms back here at home. Swimming waters getting warmer too. Light in the summer nights.