Family

Thursday Thoughts – Taktshang Goemba or Tiger’s Nest

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpoche, visited and sanctified Bhutan in the 8th century when evil spirits abounded and harmed people.

Legend has it that Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on a tigress’ back to subdue a local demon. Thereafter, he meditated here for more than three months. Taktshang Goemba or Tiger’s Nest Monastery is one of Bhutan’s most sacred religious sites. It hangs on a cliff 3120 meters above the Paro Valley. Every Bhutanese should visit once during their lifetime.

 

This was our last day in Bhutan, and maybe the one I will keep as the greatest gem

Let there be no sound, no words too many…

 

“Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have”

Buddha 

Family is of greatest importance to the Bhutanese people

Magical forests too…

…Pristine in the fresh air of the Himalayas

Meeting so many lovely friends on my three hours’ journey

Taktshang Goemba

Turning back again, walking alone – but then again, not

“There is no path to Happiness. Happiness is the path.”

Buddha

 

WPC: Place in the World

/ Leya / 34 kommentarer

My Place

”All cities — especially the big ones — have a way of reminding you of your place in the world.” I like that – but I go to Nature for that feeling. The difference is – Nature is not man made, at least it is less man made…

 

 

My place in the world is wherever my family is…and My place is in the great outdoors……where I can feel my own true size – which is that of an ant…

…my total insignificance – and yet, the importance

 

of acting to preserve our Nature, our National Parks,

the animals’ habitats – our heritage…

 

in order to return it with love and pride to our children –

I hope we will not have destroyed all of its magic,

 

its inspiration or its serenity.

I intend to keep loving Nature, my place in the world; trying my best not to leave anything but footprints, and take nothing but photos.

My hope is for the world to realize that we need each other – Man and Nature, Nature and Man. And that in fact, the end of Nature is the end of Man.

 

 

CFFC: Kind and Caring

/ Leya / 23 kommentarer

For Cee this week – Kind. To be kind and caring is essential in my life. And so I believe it should be in everyone’s life. A good start is to teach your children to be kind to animals – and to other people of course. But, especially to animals, because animals cannot defend themselves. Humans have always got the upper hand.

The Galapagos Islands shows kind co-existence and its benefits for everyone. And at home, in Sweden, a good example was Mille’s kindness towards the new puppy, Totti. Mille let him do anything without punishing him…Totti thrashed his ears twice with his extremely sharp little teeth. Mille said nothing. Did nothing. We had to go to the vet both times to open his thickened ears and empty them from all that blood.

If you are taught right from the start, you will emerge a kind person throughout life. Being too kind is not the aim, but being Kind.

 

 

The Siberian Forest Cat

/ Leya / 20 kommentarer

Hopefully a new member of our family! Our son and his girlfriend are thinking of buying a male – and we have already volunteered to have him here – playing with Totti.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siberian_cat

Raining all day? – Poor Dishevelled Me…

/ Leya / 11 kommentarer

…but I know she meant to make the best of it…

It is not very kind taking close-ups though…when I have been fooling around in the last snow while it was raining…

Did you hear me…? Oh, well – I’ll go back to napping…see you later when dried up…

 

 

The Stories they tell – in Your Heart

/ 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?

Sunny City Stroll – Umeå

/ Leya / 11 kommentarer

In the summer, the river banks are lovely to walk – but winter is very interesting as well. And of course it is easier to get to the other side of the city.

Going by car or bus, you have to use the bridges. And there is a bridge for pedestrians as well. We tried both.

There is a shimmering swirl of snow/ice crystals in the air, that we never have in Skane, where I live. I guess it is the crisp cold that does it. Difficult to catch on a photo, but here are two possible ones. I hope you get what I mean!

Some examples of architecture – lovely houses here. Mostly wooden. And a happy guide!

Detta bildspel kräver JavaScript.

One of the most beautiful buildings in Umeå is the Town Hall, built in 1892. The Restaurant and Brasserie, Rex, on the corner, had a sale this Saturday. Old porcelain and cutlery, furniture and miscellaneous. Not a chance of getting inside! The queue went around two blocks…in this cold…

The last day we had dinner at Lottas Krog – and we were all very satisfied with our visit – many thanks to our excellent guide. Lottas too, can be recommended!

Lobster soup with Västerbotten soufflé

Early Morning Discoveries

/ 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.

Going North

/ 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.