In Search of a Home

Welcome!! Swagat, Dumela, Valkommen, Jee Aayan Noo, Tashreef, Bula, Swasdee, Bienvenido, Tashi Delek. Thanks for joining me......


Friday, June 17, 2022

Magic of MidSummer



Ah, one of the oldest posts on this blog on Mid-Summer...can you believe this? These young ladies are ten years older, wonder where they are... I still remember them...and their beautiful wreaths....First published on June 24, 2012, here it is again, because next week is midsummer....




Girls (both above and below) with home made Midsommar Krans, on their head.  Other than the whole 'midsommar mood'  what made me walk up to these girls was the 'uniformity' of their 'kröns'.  And the simplicity of the 'kröns'.   





The above two pictures from the side of my house.  The grass was up to a feet tall and to the side this beautiful flower was blooming.  We get such short time for such beauty that I had to capture it!!


Wild flowers picked by the roadside, in a vase from a andra hand kop (second hand shop)!! Looks pretty cool, yeah? 




A woman dressed in traditional swedish outfit at the local Midsommar celebration.  I love the combination of green and orange, both colors abundant at this time of the year!!



Midsommar Maypole. I am thinking of buying a mini-metallic version, which can be decorated 



A family taking pictures around the maypole.


To the other side of the 'celebration/performance site' is park where families have a day long picnic--if weather allows 

And here, you can see children swinging away. It was an unbelievably warm day.  Today, two days later, we are already down to 10 degrees C!!


Just a regular picture of the Karlstad Central Station?  Well sort of...this was one of the first buildings I noticed. I stayed in the hotel right across from it.  But this picture was taken because of what I noticed.  See the picture below..


The blue and gold is actually a crown, and you see three crowns in the center.  This is Swedish symbol that you see all over the country.  However, this was my first time to notice it at the train station.  




Karlstad train station, 2012





Toy train ride:  a midsommar special.....not sure if they have it over christmas time...what would be great, with Santa as the driver....


Crowd at midsommar celebrations!!



Smiley, Smiley....


Midsummer Maypole!!

The following videos were just taken at Mariebegskogan.  Skogan, pronounced Skoogan, means forest.  The forest is named after the family that donated it to the city, with a condition that it be preserved and kept open to the public, for free.  This remains the center of many festivals and celebrations in the town, including Walprugis night, celebrated April 30th to commemorate spring.  We had our faculty dinner last year in the restaurant in the park!!


Friday, June 10, 2022

A Mountain with 900 temples

 The picture is self explanatory.  Pardon the short posts. But I would rather have at least an image for you all, rather than nothing.

Things have been hectic. I have had COVID. I had beaten it...but this recent travel.....Well, I have never had to wear masks in Sweden.


So, pardon me. I am tired and exhausted and disoriented. Still working half days.


Hope you all are well and taking care of yourself. 






Friday, June 3, 2022

This is Also Paris



Like every city.  There are those who never belonged. Yet, see the beauty and the heart. There was arabic music playing. Quite soulful.  I did not have the courage to try to look at the man's face. Not right, not appropriate not kind. I was not even going to take a picture.  Then I saw the dog and a beautiful container for him. Two bowls in a stand. One for water, other for his food. 

Ah, the heart of a homeless man. We have to bow to that. I took a picture to honor him.

Yes, this is also Paris.....