postcard from eskilstuna

23 june 08 eskilstuna

so, what have we been doing in sweden?
dancing around the midsommar pole
visiting the royal castle of Gripshom
meeting The Phantom at the zoo
riding a nice fat Haflinger through the forest
playing the old Viking game 'Kubb'
drinking schnapps made by our chemist host
putting our feet in the chilly Baltic sea
hearing a trio play midsommar music in an old church
watching the 'wallender' crime series on tv in swedish
riding all around town on bicycles
checking out the Red Cross resale shop
but best of all, seeing our friends and talking
talking eating talking drinking talking
sleeping late talking power naps talking
eating drinking talking...

some photos to come.

love to all, j

rain, reindeer, and shrimp glue

postcard from flåm, norway: here in the fjords it is chilly and raining and the salami on the hotel buffet is reindeer. the fjords are just as everyone says: amazing, dramatic, awe-inspiring, sublime, and they go on and on and on and on. i hadn't expected snow-capped mountains, but they appear everywhere high in the background. and so many waterfalls; almost too many waterfalls. so much fish and other sea creatures to eat; almost too much fish. certainly too many of those little shrimp with the mayonaise the swedes call 'shrimp glue' on sandwiches. yes, of course we bought sweaters. love to all, j and j

where am i?

it's hot and dry and very sunny with a bright blue sky. the natives have well established tans and the tourists have the boiled shrimp look. natives are in flip flops or barefoot. tourists are in hiking boots, outside the museum a young woman in a black bikini throws a stick for a black dog. the 'weekend' supplement from the newspaper paper has an article on how to sharpen your chainsaw and an ad for a fall tour based in minot, n.d.. where am i? in oslo, of course.

postcard from the pond

frog bog, june 2, 9 am: warm in the sun, cool in the shade; goldfish lazing about; no sign of the turtles but they come out when the sun hits the water more fully. robins and sparrow taking little sips around the edge; a few early rising frogs. light breeze. the sky a perfect blue, leaves a perfect green. lovely.

but like monty python's dead parrot, we've been "pinin' for the fjords,' so we're off soon and will be sending postcards from abroad, just like the tourists that we are. or maybe they should be called blogcards.

love to all, j

and, speaking of babies

Now we're happy to welcome a new neighbor and small friend, Cadell James Robinson, born May 30th. Norah seems happy to see her little brother, unlike the swan and heron babies who only think of food for themselves. Cadell's nickname is Cade; he entered at 8 lb 7 oz, and was delivered by c-section. Mary and Cade are doing fine, as are Scott and Norah, and all the critters on the farm.