Room with a view

This is what I saw when looking out the window yesterday morning. Not exactly what one expects to see from a flat on the 8th floor.

Shadows.

Ta'raah!

I'm back among the living. Someone said that you have to be healthy to survive a stay in hospital. I agree with that.

Our good friend Åke passed Stockholm yesterday on his way north for the shoot. Moose. He took time for a visit and brought this lovely autumn coloured bouquet.

After grey skies and rain one appreciates the sun all the more. This morning I took a walk outside for the first time in weeks. Heavenly. I was glad of the borrowed warm jacket, exactly what was needed as it's only 5 degrees today.

They are renovating the house we live in and there are scaffolding and plastic sheeting everywhere. They have not yet reached the balcony so we can still enjoy the sun shining through.

But next week it will probably look like this on the seaside of the house as well. That it will look good in the end can be seen from the parts already completed.

Walking

We are walking most every day. Sometimes a long walk, sometimes a shorter one. Maybe that's why they have put up this warning sign?

This is quite fun. The building is a ski-hire hut and they have covered the wall with old skis and boards.

From Åsengården the view is extensive. Lake Siljan in the background. Only, I don't like the swimming pool, it looks out of place in this environment.

This is an old mill with it's own mill pond.

The actual building is several hundred years old, but it's still standing.

Not much water in the stream feeding the mill pond.

I think there are plenty of beavers this year. You can see from all the felled trees along the water. Strong teeth!

A shortish walk to Lomudden felt good in the sunshine.

And to sit a while by the water's edge.

We sauntered through the woods

and found a "modern convenience" for those in need.

And talking of needs, this is perhaps something for the winter?

The woods around here are full of moss. This is white moss. I picked some this morning to decorate a christmas candel holder. Well, it's only 3 months left!

Newly mowed lawn. Looks nice, doesn't it? This summer has been fabulous and as always I feel sad to be leaving Forsen. The day after tomorrow we're going down to Sockholm, and I will not come here again until next year.

A sad day

This morning Heather called with very sad news. She had found Winnie, drowned, in the fish pond! Winnie, who during the last years never wanted to go out to the back garden, not even when we all were sitting there. Why did she venture there this morning? We shall never know. 

Winnie will always live in our hearts

                                           ----------------------------------------------------

A cultural Saturday

This weekend is harvest festival weekend in Leksand, and we drove off to get us a piece of the festivities.

We turned off at a sign offering cider pressing and produce market, only to find that we were one day too early at BuffilsAnnas.

Fabulous view, isn't it?

We drove on to Leksand and the Hildasholm Manor.

Here, there were people everywhere.

.

They were milling around the lovely garden and browsing the many stands offering homegrown vegetables, flowers, condiments,

and home made rugs and keramics.

We continued on to the folk museum. Here too there were lots of people.

And look, here's a stand from Bondgården in Siljansnäs (where we usually shop). We bought their very tasty cardamom cake.

All morning we had looked for somewhere to have our morning coffee, but no luck, and before we knew it it was lunchtime. This is the restaurant Spejaren across the road from the museum, they served us a lovely meal.

 We passed by the marina our way home.

Before we drove off, the old fashioned steamer Engelbrekt came chugging along and mored at the jetty.

There are lots of great houses in this little town. This one is close by the river and above the jetty.

We're back in Forsen

Well, it didn't turn out as planned. The answer from Falun was such that we had to go back and open up the house again, start the electricity and water. I think Gunnar was stressed because he actually forgot to close a valve and water poured out into the attic and through the ceiling in the bedrooms.

Luckily, we have a lot of buckets to place where needed!

Today we took a tour up the road to our special lingon-place.

There's no need to walk very far in order to pick a bucket full.

How much have I got in here?

We call it "the red gold of the forest".

After the work, a cup of tea and a cinnamon bun tasted good.

The fern is changing colour, autumn is here.

This area has recently been cut. Not a tree in sight. It doesn't look nice.

Then it's time to clean the berries. We had picked 4 kilos. Tomorrow we'll make jam.

Afterwards we rewarded ourselves with "surströmming", the fermented fish we like so much, (yes I know, we're mad). The sun continued warming us. At around 7pm it was still 18 degrees. What a lovely summer/autumn we're having!

Bye bye Forsen

On Tuesday we wandered down through the forest to Kållsjön. It's a lovely crisp day, autumn's approaching.

The path winds through the forest where soft  green moss is everywhere.

Strong winds have felled several trees across the path.

Not edible mushrooms, unfortunately.

We went over to Conny to say good bye. He has already stacked a lot of birch firewood for the winter. He is an artist, isn't it beautiful?

Underneath this oak tree he has burried three dogs, Malin, Hamliton och  Tamsin. He loves his dogs.

He's also very fond of signs. This one is new.

Tomorrow we're off to Stockholm via Falun, and on Saturday we leave for Cyprus. I'm homesick.

Fermented fish, yummy

Clear and sunny again in Forsen, and today our friends from Älvdalen are here.

We pack a picnic basket and start out on the trail. There has been a lot of logging around our area this winter, and I hardly recognize where we are. Before, this trail went through thick forest like a tunnel, but now you have a clear view for ever and ever. The magic's gone.

We unpack the coffee and cardamom buns at lake Kollsjön.

We've brought a GeoCoin from Cyprus to place here.

Naturally we have one of our caches at this perfect spot. It's the fake bird nestingbox.

Then we admire the scenery.

Home again it's time for a traditional feast of fermented fish, a delicacy in the north of Sweden. All the traditional accessories are on the table; finely chopped onion, creme fraiche, flat crispy bread, a well matured cheese, new potatoes, tomatoes. And of course a little snapps. Home made 12 years ago with special herbs.