Ah! Sweden in August is divine

• Some of the many things to do in Skåne in the summer include hanging out with the family having fika, or visiting Malmö to enjoy a coffee or bite to eat
• While in Malmö go to Lilla Torg which is the cutest spot to shop and see "Form och Design" with free exhibits housed in a beautiful old timbered house
• Try paddling the canals or visit one of the many parks in town. Did you know that Malmö is known as Parkernas Stad? With 20 disctinct parks, Slottsparken, Kungsparken, and Pildamnsparken, being the best-known ones it is certainly worthy of that name.

Then there are the beaches, in August the water gets chilly, but it's usually a good chance to access your inner Viking and the sun still feels fine. There are beaches all around the penisula, so many good ones to chose from. My favorite is closet to home, Höllviken, as I can walk there! Speaking of Vikings, there is a Viking musuem in Höllviken with an excellent Viking market at times, good food and demos. Check them out https://www.fotevikenvikingaby.se/en

This is Smygehuk, the southern most tip in Skåne and well known for its art exhibits, Swedish crafts and delicious fish sandwiches. Sit outside if the weather is fine and enjoy a sillamacka. There's lots to see and the harbour is so cute. 

Next we have Lund - a university city near to heart because I went to highschool there and my cousin lives there! We have Domkyrkan which is a magnificent middle ages church (I can't believe that I actually used to sing there!) and tons of good eating and shopping. I highly recommend Saluhallen where you can get a delicious meal and buy some sausages or other goodies for later. Mums!

The fresh air, the cool nights, the people that I love - I will miss you so much. Until next time Sweden! 

 Vi ses (see you) xo, Tina

Sweden ahoy! I'm leaving on a jet plane to Höllviken!

 

The weather is fine. My bag is packed. I have a big week planned. I will be visiting my mamma in Höllviken, Sweden. I hope that we will get some beach time in, and that I'll see my extended family. It will be nice to just laze around for a bit, eat good food and hopefully see some old friends.

I'm staying at Höllvikens Mat and Logi which comes with a full "frukost" (breakfast) and comfy little cottages. My mother lives right down the street from it, which makes life handy. For those of you who might be interested in ever visiting beautiful little Höllviken, here's a link to the Hollviksnas hotel .

Did you know that Swedes get five weeks of paid vacation a year? I think that's just about right. ;) I wish that we Americans did too, but I'll only get to stay for a week. This is the brygga (dock) that I hope to head down to with my coffee and mackor (sandwiches) for a day in the sun. 

Höllviken is South of Malmö on the penisula called "Näset" easily accessbile by bus. There are beaches on all sides, and further down on the spit you will find Falsterbo, a gorgeous community from the middle ages that reached its zenith as a bathing destination for the rich in famous in the 1930's. 

Here's some history from Wikipedia:

"Falsterbo historically enjoyed trading privileges with the Hanseatic League. During the Middle Ages, it was a rich and prestigious town owing to its location in a center of trade and herring fishery. On the beach between Falsterbo and neighboring town Skanör was the Scania Market where merchants from various parts of Europe had fixed market places."

I've been in Falsterbo many times, and I can't wait to go back. We lived not too far away in 2012 - 2013 in Ljunghusen. More on that adventure to follow...

I hope that you have a great end of August and wishing you all some downtime too! Living la vida lagom is harder from the US but we put in good effort to find balance, and carve out some time for what's most important - family. 

Swedish Folk Art Class

Hej! Working at the Birdhouse Amesbury with nine lovely artists is a real treat. Last Wednesday we started by working on our folks art brush strokes and getting to know one another. Many of the participants have a Swedish connection more than half do not. That goes to show that art is universal, especially folk art.

This week is week two and I have a fun lesson planned all around color. They will learn the traditional color palette and then choose whether to use it, or to go with a contemporary one. I strongly feel as an artist you should get to choose. This is one reason why I hate the sip n paint nights where everyone has to do the same thing. It's the rebel in me I guess. 

This is made with the contemporary palette.

This one is traditional. I like them both. Which one would you go for? 

Back home again

When you are multicultural it's sometimes hard to know where is home. Is home with my mother? Is it with my family in the States? Is it where I grew up, or where I made a home? I don't know, I guess that I'm lucky to have a home in two beautiful places, but it can be hard too. You're always missing someone.

So I'm home from my trip to Sweden, and it was delightful to see everybody, but it seems that Swedish isn't as good (or perhaps my parents hearing isn't as good) as it once was. My mother and my stepfather both had birthdays in the span of a week, and one of them was a BIG one (90!) so we partied hard with my aunts and uncles in Ystad.

Here is a shot of the beautiful beach that I took walks on as often as possible

We went to Vellingeblomman, check out the Easter display! They have Easter witches in Sweden. 

My family above. 

Painting in my sketchbook was relaxing. I enjoyed the downtime in between the two big b-days. It was nice talking walks and catching up with my friends. Plus I enjoyed hanging out with my sister and my mother.  

Note all the dalahästar in a store in Malmö! I went there one day for some shopping. I went to the art gallery too called Konsthallen.

The beach huts in Höllviken are one of my favorite motifs. I'm sure that I'll make something of this photo. Aren't they cute? 

Grattis igen! 

So glad that we got to celebrate with you and I miss you already!

Changes afoot in Sweden

So after months of hoping that "herd immunity" would work the chief epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, threw in the towel and admitted that it wasn't. Sweden had many more deaths than surrounding Nordic countries from Covid-19 due to their lax attitude toward the disease. It appears that they felt asking people nicely to be smart about Covid would stop the spread, or that the resulting "immunity" would work to stop it. I don't know about you but how can you be so sure how a brand new disease works? And why not have people wear masks when it's shown to work. I am pretty disillusioned about the way the pandemic has been handled in one of my favorite places in the world. I thought that they were more caring than what has been demonstrated. Waiting for "immunity" over 6,100 had to die in Sweden, to date, whereas in Denmark only 789 and in Norway 311 lost their lives to this tragic virus.

Anders Tegnell

It is “futile and immoral” to seek herd immunity as a protection from a pandemic, and the transmission of an infectious disease like Covid-19 cannot be fully halted without a vaccine, Sweden's chief epidemiologist Anders Tegnell has said.

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-herd-immunity-sweden-covid-cases-anders-tegnell-b1421541.html 

Stefan Lofgren, Swedish Prime Minister

Stefan Lofgren took to the airwaves to appeal to Swedes to follow stricter messages which was called an "unprecedented" measure deemed necessary curb the spread of the virus. The limit of public gatherings now set between 50 - 300 will be reduced to only eight as of November 24th. (SBS NEWS)

Having older parents that live in Sweden I am glad that they finally made this decision. I only wish that they would require masks like so many other countries, to help stop the spread of the virus until a vaccine is found. It is ridiculous that they do not require masks; people in Sweden simply don't wear them. I wish that they would at least wear them to show concern for others, if not for themselves, but I guess that the kind and generous Sweden that I knew in the 80's has become cold and uncaring. 

I just hope and pray that we all get through this next wave in good health. To the Americans who read my blog I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you are well and that you stay safe this year. Thankful for all of you! And to you Swedes, be well, be smart and stay safe. Glad 1e Advent! 

Post-Corona?

Dear friends,
What a strange and solemn world we live in now. We are living in a pandemic. I never thought I'd say those words, and certainly the reality of it doesn't match up with any preconceived notions that I might have had of it. Pre-Covid-19 I would have thought it would be like a horror movie, but actually for me it's like an old-timey dive into being bored and just hanging out at the house. Kind of like "Groundhog Day" on repeat without the part of getting to so things differently every day!

I am very grateful to be able to have the opportunity to explore new things and stay safe here with my family. I appreciate all the people on the front-line - the posters above are headed to the Boston Convention Center which as been turned into a field hospital called "Boston Hope" for those recovering from Coronavirus Disease.

So how are you handling it? What are the good things about it? What do think life will be like Post-the big-C? I teach art and I'm pivoting on a dime trying to make art videos for my students, selling my art and I kind of like it! That's my good thing. (Check ShopVida.com for my collection of which I'm honestly pretty proud.) But I am worried for the small businesses like restaurants, gyms and small specialty boutiques that I love. For example, I saw this little article online about "Bord for En" (table for one - is this the future of restaurants?! https://www.foodandwine.com/news/one-person-restaurant-meadow

Basically you get a one-person table in a field and they deliver delicious food by basket! It is a clever idea but who really likes eating alone? Even if you are in a field. And what if it rains? It rains a lot in Sweden! I am glad that they are taking social distancing seriously, unlike some other places in Sweden, but maybe a bit too seriously? What do you think? I think that no matter how great online teaching and shopping can be it will NEVER replace person-to-person interaction. Tack och hej!

Picture from Bord För En https://www.bordforen.com/

Knäckebröd recipe - crispbread the Swedish way!

I love knäckebröd, don't you? It lasts forever so perfect for a pandemic. Maybe making this recipe will help you feel just a little bit more productive and happy. It is so good, and flexible with the types of flours you chose which is helpful given the state of the supermarket shelves. I'm going to skip trying to find "Strong Bread Flour" (?) because I already have a nice white wheat flour, but instant yeast may be tricky. I don't know about you but in Massachusetts yeast is on the list of items that are hard to find during Covid-19. We have been trying for the past two weeks to buy it at Market Basket! Hopefully Amazon will come to the rescue so I can make my knäcke and kanelbullar! (Cinnamon buns). I will let you know! Please take care friends and stay safe. 🌷💐 The recipe is under this cute ad from Wasa that features the song "Strövtåg i Hembygden", enjoy!

From The Local --
Traditionally, Swedes wanted a bread that was easy to bake and would keep well - most therefore chose to bake crispbread. Nowadays it is easy to store in airtight containers, but originally they were made with a hole in the centre so that they could be hung over the oven to keep dry.

These delightfully wobbly crispbreads are irresistible and perfect for breaking and sharing. Serve them simply with good quality butter, cheese and fruit, or elegantly with salmon, cold meats, pâtés and dips.
Summary
Makes 6 large breads
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Ingredients
200 ml (1 cup) whipping cream
300 ml (1 1/4 cup) water
260 g (2 1/2 cups) dark wholemeal rye flour
320 g (2 1/2 cups) strong bread flour
1 tsp salt
14 g (4 1/2 tsp) instant dried yeast
Topping
1 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp cumin or caraway seeds
Method
1. Heat the cream and water together until warm to the touch.
2. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast and stir.
3. Add the cream and water mixture and mix together to form a dough.
4. Using the rye flour for dusting, turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 2-3 minutes.
5. Cut the dough into six equal pieces, then knead them into round balls.
6. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet, cover with a cloth and leave somewhere warm for 20-30 minutes.
7. Preheat the oven to 250C (475F, gas 9, fan 200C)
8. Using the rye flour for dusting, knock back a dough ball and then roll it out using an ordinary rolling pin to about 15cm (6in) diameter. Then transfer to a sheet of baking parchment and continue rolling out with an ordinary rolling pin until it is as thin as possible or at least 30cm (12in) diameter. Don't worry too much if the dough does not end up circular. You can trim roughly if you want, but the shape is not critical.
9. Sprinkle with the salt, sesame seeds and cumin seeds. Roll again to help the topping stick.
10. Make a pattern on the surface using a fork or a patterned rolling pin.
11. Bake for five minutes and then turn over and bake for about three minutes or until dry and hard. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
12. Repeat with the other dough balls.
13. When the oven has cooled to about 50C (122 F) pop the crispbreads back in to dry out. This will help to make them nice and crisp.
14. Store the crispbreads in an airtight container.
Tips
- Use any flour you want. If you want to go rustic, use stoneground, and if you want to go healthy, use fine rye, spelt or barley flour.
- Other toppings to try include linseed, sunflower seeds, rosemary or just salt.
Recipe courtesy of John Duxbury, editor and founder of Swedish Food.

Swedish Midsummer!

Hej! As I write this post, I am missing Sweden. It is experiencing record breaking warmth this spring, and I can just imagine lying on the soft white beach near my mother's house while listening to the children play and the sounds of the surf. Ahhh! There's nothing like a good Swedish summer. This year, unfortunately, we won't be able to go as we're staying on American soil all summer, but I'm unfolding my Swedish flag and celebrating Midsommar nonetheless (on Friday June 22, 2018)!

Below are some photos from our last summer excursion to Sweden in 2017. It rained quite a lot, but that didn't dampen our spirits. It took me a while to post these because I was getting quick a lot of weird spam comments about all kind of strange things and frankly, it freaked me out.  I had to remove the ability to post comments. But please enjoy the pictures, I am thinking of you all in sunny Sweden as I write this and wish you all a "GLAD MIDSOMMAR"!  Love the place that you live, it's truly magical, especially this time of year.

Helsingborg, view from the docks

Play area at Tjolöholm Castle - castle is lovely

Göteborg, Castle on Kyrkåsberget

Archipelago of Goteborg

On the old trolley to Liseberg

The Volvo Museum

Nimis in Mölle, Sweden

on the way to Nimis - it's a hike and very steep to the structure

Skåne

Viking tour at Foteviken

Lilla Torg in Malmö

Little bath houses 

Beautiful sunset in Höllviken

Surf and sun!

#metoo in Sweden and let the kids stay!

There are several breaking stories in my homeland, and my friends are involved in both! First there is a massive movement to let young refugees without papers stay in Sweden.  Due to the molasses-like movement of the state many children have been there for so many years that they have learned the Swedish language and assimilated into the country. Now, they are being forcibly removed and sent to war torn countries like Afghanistan.  Would YOU want to go if you were them?  Hell no!  One of my friends is part of the effort in Stockholm to stop that from happening and others across the country are trying to find homes for them.  Wish I was there to help.  I have been following it and I'm impressed by the group's commitment and PR savvy.  Just doing my best to help from here by spreading the news.   #låtdeungastanna. facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vistarinteut/

Welcome to our movement #vistårinteut. Thank you for supporting us by liking our page. Unaccompanied children ran away from life threatening situations and events. They are strong and fantastic - they survived!  The long approvals and waiting in the asylum process is what is breaking them down. We can change that. #letthekidsstay (my translation)

Another important issue that is being taken up just this week concerns the #metoo movement.  Despite Sweden's reputation of being a safe country for women there are nonetheless people who will use their power and sexually assault women either verbally or physically.  Actresses around the country stood up to the abuse and read the real stories of those afflicted on the stage.  One of my friends from Skanör-Falsterbo was involved in this no doubt incredibly moving and poignant event in Malmö. 

#tystnadtagning at Malmo Stadsteatern, November 20

I love how my sisters in Sweden are standing up to the abusers of power and fighting for young people and women.  I feel so powerless in this big, bad country that I live in where your vote doesn't really seem to matter.  It's great that the Weinstein debacle has pushed forward the sexual predators and abusers.  Judging from the list of friends posting #metoo on Facebook it seems that sexual abuse is much more prevalent that anyone could have guessed and no one need be ashamed and hold it in anymore. We need to teach our children to look out for the creeps and speak up!  

I told my 15 year old son about the news anchor's son who allegadly got groped at a Nantucket bar by Kevin Spacey. My son could barely look at me.  He didn't want to talk about it.  Yes, it's upsetting my dears but it happens and evidently all around the world so speak up!  It's time to pull that disgusting bandaid off and disinfect! Good luck in your efforts friends. It's important work that you do!

12000 Swedish women demand zero tolerance for sexual harassment:

6000 lawyers #medvilkenrätt
2200 musicians #närmusikentystnar
1300 politicians #imaktenskorridorer
1100 in tech #teknisktfel
700 actresses #tystnadtagning
700 singers #visjungerut

Norway
550 actresses #stilleforopptak

Beautiful beach scene

Ahhh!  Summer... wish you were still here.  Come back!  :)

Happy Midsummer! Glad Midsommar!

Midsummer at my house, 2015

Hello lovely readers, it finally is the last day of school and I'm celebrating!! It's finally nice weather, I have a beautiful lunch to attend, and a fun movie with a good friend will cap off my night. Tomorrow is "Midsommar" the day when Swedes of all ages wear flower crowns in their hair and jump around like frogs.  Ha, ha!  There's singing, dancing and drinking to be had and it's a lot of fun.  I miss it but I wish all my Swedish friends the best time ever and good weather! Glad Midsommar! More information on the festivities here.

Here are some pictures of the beautiful Swedish summer for those of you who have never been. And if you've never been, go!  The prices are right.  Norwegian Air has entered the market for the Americans would like to go to their "homeland" and WOW! and Icelandair are competing by lowering their prices. Plus the dollar is strong. Let me know if you need advice.  I love playing travel agent, and if I can help you out I'm happy to do so.  I just think more people need to see Sweden for themselves.  Enough of that, here are the pictures - enjoy! (Photo credits below). Thank you I Love Sweden for many of them.

Heart shaped Stockholm archipelago, Sweden
Photo credit: aberrantbeauty

Fjällbacka, Sweden
Photo credit: Nordism

Lappland, the Northern Lights

Lund, Sweden

Malmö, Sweden   Photo credit: foursquare

Mölle, Helsingborg, Sweden
Photo credit: plus.google

Stockholm at night, Sweden
Photo credit: flickr