Thursday Thoughts – Why you should go see this movie…

15 mars, 201815 mars, 2018 / Leya / 10 kommentarer

The Death of Stalin (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4686844/)

“The distribution certificate for the film The Death of Stalin has been withdrawn,” a culture ministry spokeswoman told Agence France-Presse.

Russia’s Communist party, the second largest party in parliament, has called the film, which revolves around the vicious infighting that followed Stalin’s death in 1953, “a form of psychological pressure against our country”.

Nadezhda Usmanova, head of the Russian Military-Historical Society’s department of information, told Reuters that the film was “despicable”. “It’s a bad film, it’s a boring film, and it’s vile, repugnant and insulting,” Usmanova said.

Just looking at these few quotes -made us watch this movie. A word of warning though, the laughs are not as frequent as the trailer may portray, but if you’re in any way into war comedy based on true events in history, you should go. And if you, like me, have forgotten a great deal about Russian history since leaving school, and maybe believe that much of this is applicable on today’s politics/society – (and not only in Russia…) what are you waiting for? Just go see it.

This film had to walk on thin ice to balance Comedy, Seriousness and Satire.. And in my opinion it does so – Brilliantly. The actors all do a great job, and I ended up searching more facts for hours afterwards. Good. That is just the way it should be.

The Death of Stalin, which picked up four British Independent Film awards last year, stars Steve Buscemi as Nikita Khrushchev, Stalin’s successor, and Michael Palin as Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet diplomat. Zhukov is played by Jason Isaacs.

The Stories they tell – in Your Heart

9 mars, 2018 / Leya / 32 kommentarer

As the morning dog walk was finished and we were warming up in the kitchen, I began to think about why I keep the things I keep on the old sideboard …and maybe they are not as beautiful as they once were…Why don’t I throw away faded roses…or faded twigs from an asparagus? And why do I keep a ceramic owl that cannot stand on its own feet?

Memories. Memories of a dear friend who gave me the loveliest roses – 10 years ago. Now they are resting in an beautiful bowl inherited from one of my oldest friends.

The owl is leaning against a ceramic bottle (from my grandmother). A gift from someone who listened to a lecture about some faraway country.

The three old bears were inherited from my mother-in-law. Somehow I love their expressions and I remember exactly where they were placed in her home. Now I let them sit together, contemplating life, on the golden crocheted tablecloths made by my husband’s grandmother, Anna.

The vase was a gift from another old friend, and the flowers – common cotton grass – were picked on my second trip to Iceland in 2006. They are still just as beautiful!

Things may fade, but memories don’t. They may change…but they will never leave you.

So, tell me – what do you keep on your sideboard, and what are their stories?

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Large Subjects

8 mars, 20188 mars, 2018 / Leya / 19 kommentarer

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Large Subjects

Early Morning Discoveries

3 mars, 2018 / Leya / 23 kommentarer

Early morning, and our private guide arrived again.

Today we went to see the snow sculptures and some interesting shops and cafés.

There was an outdoors movie, the award winning ”Sameblod”. Luckily we had seen it before, so it seemed unnecessary to sit down for some hours in -20 degrees C…

After some researching, we found there were no snow sculptures this winter – only a playground and a maze. But they seemed much frequented!

Emma guided us to her favorite store, a paper shop with lovely cards, pencils, parcel papers and origami. And more – plus a lovely lady behind the desk.

Some hours later, there was a sudden need for warming up toes, fingers and cheeks…and we ventured up to ”Nya Konditoriet”…

…an old patisserie, opened in 1927 and still looking almost the same.

Very tasty – and their team won the Nordic Pastry Cup in 2017! The old chandeliers and decorated windows totally won my heart. Brought back something of my childhood.

Gammlia – Umeå

2 mars, 2018 / Leya / 15 kommentarer

A beautiful place for showing Västerbottens cultural history – Gammlia. The word means ”the old hill”, or ”the old mountain hill”.

We spent a lovely hour here, walking through the area, enjoying the old houses and snowy surroundings. My favorite kind of fences everywhere.

Good walking

Colourful houses in the sunshine

Take a close look at this one…isn’t it Santa Claus over there…?No – a skier!

Who would not fall in love with Helena Elisabeth?

The church has got an interesting story as well.

– 20 degrees C – gives you the opportunity to preserve things just as they are…

…but only as long as the cold stays.

Going North

10 februari, 2018 / Leya / 27 kommentarer

In a week or two from now, I will go up north to visit my daughter. Last year we went in February as well, and visited the Sapmi market, Kiruna and the ice hotel too.

This time we will only visit Umeå, where Emma is studying. Umeå is called ”The city of birch trees” and is a very lovely city even when the birches are covered in snow. Looking forward to going there again! Umeå is a city of culture and has hosted many spectacular events. This February we hope to see the famous snow sculptures.

CFFC: Letter X

30 januari, 2018 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Letter X – X needs to be anywhere in the word or shaped like the letter X

For Cee’s challenge this week – I go for shape. A mountain meadow in Switzerland – flowers and steep hills. There is need for an X- fence.

Oh…Which one?

26 januari, 201826 januari, 2018 / Leya / 7 kommentarer

I happened to overhear this couple in a store in Dublin, Ireland – about the difficulties of choosing the right cap… Somehow, this is of course a human dilemma that hits us all sometimes…which one should I buy?

In Sweden almost everyone my age is familiar with a famous humour dialogue with Gösta Ekman and a newspaper salesman, about which evening paper to buy: Aftonbladet eller Expressen.

Unfortunately Gösta Ekman passed away recently, but his legacy is that of a giant in the Swedish comedy genre.

I cannot post the dialogue, since it is only in Swedish, but chose this clip instead. Among all his movies and comedies, Ekman invented his own, middle aged, clumsy figure called ”Papphammar”. Papphammar is the average man, who sometimes wants to try new things…with not so very great success.

Gösta Ekman did all his ”stunts” himself, and his body had to take a great deal over the years. Our greatest comedian, actor, director. We are grateful for all his unforgettable gifts to us.

Cee’s B&W Photo Challenge: Walls – Indoors or Outdoors

25 januari, 201825 januari, 2018 / Leya / 17 kommentarer

Walls – Indoors or Outdoors. Some of my favorite walls are covered in books. Dublin.

Thursday Thoughts – Memories From A Year Ago

18 januari, 2018 / Leya / 4 kommentarer

I thought I would share some memories posted in January 2017 – My dream trip to Quito, the Amazon Basin and Galapagos. Let us start in Quito – a city of festivities that week!