sweden bits

in sweden i saw
lots of brown midsummer poles not yet taken down—holding on to summer
dramatic skies (though mild, lovely weather)
puffy clouds
small, bright green, perfect couch
lots of terriers and strange looking dogs
people baffled by the new locker system at both the göteborg and stockholm train stations
way more tattoos than i've ever seen before in sweden
camilla, morran and ingvar and karin for the first time—all completely charming

i was moved when
as the plane was landing at arlanda airport, i immediately felt safe and home (and not just from having miraculously survived yet another plane flight)
listening to our tour guide describe carl and karin's house and life together at carl larsson gården (unfortunately there are no photos inside the house allowed)
watching beginners (the movie) for the second time
saying goodbye to carin

i like
the black train cars
fika, of course
the smell of the underground
the soft air
how well little things seem to work everywhere—like how the hot water comes on right away
night swimming under an almost full moon in the archipelago
strawberry cake

some more descriptions under my photos.

off to sweden

i will see some of these cousins soon.

i'm off for two weeks to sweden. bought the ticket many months ago and have been looking forward to this trip ever since, and daily for about a month. it's been 5.5 years since i've been back, since mormor died. i wonder how it will feel without her there. i'm happy to be going with friends, so i won't linger too much on the lack of mormor's physical presence. i will visit her sister carin, the last of her generation on either side of my family. i know there is so much i'll later wish i had asked carin, but i think that's just how it goes. i know when i see her, between us will be our missing mormor, and that that will make us cry.

as always, i am nervous about flying. racing around tonight trying not to think about it.

some lovely scandinavian flickrs for a virtual summer visit:
by the water
in the water
at the water's edge
(can you tell i can't wait to jump in?!)
red house on tree legs
astrid's temporary kitchen

see you in a bit!