We went to Mosseberg spa resort for a couple of days. A charming area, and we had some snow too. Relaxing.
This resort was built around the middle of the 19th century, and still has those typical villas of those days. Some of the old houses are now private and not possible to visit. They still have their ”Carpenter’s joy” and built in tile stoves.
This is the main building, where we rented a beautiful room. Walking through the house we found several doors with famous people’s names on them. They had all lived here in periods of their lives. Our neighbours were the author Albert Engström and the next door had Madame Kollontaj’s name on it. She once was a Soviet ambassador, pacifist and feminist.
Mosseberg is a beautiful resort in any season, and I would love to see the park in Spring too.
We visited Västervik this summer, and we happened to visit on the last days of this excellent exhibition of original cirkus posters. They were rather worn, and were to be digitalised and saved for future generations. These original posters come from one of the most extensive collections of cirkus posters in the world. Amazing.
From my childhood memories, cirkus posters mostly looked like the left one, Trolle Rhodin’s cirkus. But here, we found an interesting collection of Polish posters from Cyrk and the Polish School of Posters. See the stunning difference between these two. I just had to post a gallery with some of them. I don’t have to say that my most loved one is the lion having humans jump through the ring… As a child that was my greatest wish…, and a wish for bulls chasing humans in the fighting arena too.
I just loved the simple and clean approach in these Polish artists’ hands. And the hidden messages. I also learned that long ago the cirkuses often had ”real” artists making their posters. Like this left poster by Tolouse Lautrec. The middle one is a poster from a time when ”strange and abnormal” people where shown to the audience. These two girls were albinos. (19th century)
The last advertisment is about Cirkus Madigan (also 19th century) and the beautiful Elvira Madigan. I guess some of you have heard her story or seen the movie on her tragic loveaffair with Sixten Sparre. It is always strange to realise that some movies were built on real persons, and real fates. We will never know the true story of course, but seeing her name there made her come alive to me. I loved that movie.
This Earth is our only home. Together, we must protect and cherish it.
– Ban Ki-moon
Tina is our host this week, and she asks us:
”If a foreigner were to spend a week or a month traveling your home country with you, where would you take them? What sights would you tell them to be sure to see? Where have you found some of your own favorite images? What is it you truly love about where you live, or places you’ve seen in your home country?
This might be the most challenging challenge of all…because I love so many things about my home country. But I will try…starting in the Southern part of Sweden, where I live. Sweden is a very ”long” country, 1 600 kilometers from north to south and 500 kilometers from east to west. This means that it can be winter in the north while it is still late summer in the south.
Spring and apple trees – a must see. Orchards and farmland is the sign of southern Sweden, because we have the best soil in the country. I grew up in an orchard, so this is true home for me.
I would want to show some of our famous parks and gardens, where Ronneby Brunn was voted the most beautiful park in Sweden.
From south to north, we have 30 National parks and 5 342 protected areas/nature reserves. I have visited several of them, and old trees, mostly oaks, are often in my lens.
The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
– Maya Angelou
Those nature gems are indeed worth visiting – and I can bring Milo along too.
Läckö Castle, 13th century. One of the most popular ”fairy tale” castles in Sweden.
Castles, castles – we have many of them in Sweden and many in Skåne, where I live. There are often different activites around them, medieval jousting, games and markets. Hovdala Castle is situated 15 kilometers from my home. It might be ”my home castle”, as I go there about once a month for hiking or other activities.
Our capital, Stockholm, is of course a must if you want to see Sweden. Founded in the 12th century and called the ”Venice of Scandinavia” because it was built on many small islands.
Kosta Boda glass hotel might be needed after this extensive traveling…here I want to show off our famous glass (Orrefors and Kosta Boda), and the hotel and spa is filled with glass art. The bar and chairs are all in blue glass!
Home is the nicest word there is.
– Laura Ingalls Wilder
Hornborgasjön is a gathering place for migrating cranes – and for birders of course. This is an unforgettable experience in April every year. Some 20000 cranes are eating, dancing, mating. The sound is incredible…as is the very sight of them!
Where thou art, that is home.
– Emily Dickinson
Graveyards from the Viking Age has a certain mood around them. The concept of time inevitably hits you. They can be found everywhere in Sweden. This one – a kilometer from my home.
We have to visit Tännforsen, one of our amazing nature reserves that treats us to spectacular beauty any time of the year.
Jokkmokk’s market has a tradition of gathering people for 400 years in a row (not the same people of course…) – this is a place for trade and racing reindeer. Warm clothes are recommended – sometimes the temperature drops to minus 40 C.
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.
– Lin Yutang
Jukkasjärvi Icehotel, the first one in the world, is of course an experience even if you don’t stay the night…They do have famous food too, and every room is specially made with different ice sculptures.
Hiking up north to see the Linnaea borealis, Carolus Linnaeus’ favourite flower.
There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
-Jane Austen
And so, ending our trip at the very north and Lapland, we will return home.
What about a refreshing Forest bath now? Quite an exhausting tour it was, but I hope my guests are happy with their tour!
Home is where the heart is.
– Pliny the Elder
Sincere thanks for your patience as I went through some of my favorite places here in Sweden. Now we’re looking forward to seeing your own favorites! Please remember to link to Tina’s original post and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to help us find you.
Thanks also to Jude for Guest Hosting last week’s Textures Challenge. Both her challenge and your responses were original and beautifully photographed. Thank you for joining in the fun! Our next challenge, Diagonals, will be hosted by Patti on her Pilotfish blog so be sure to check in next Saturday at noon EST. Until then, please stay safe and be kind.
I walk as much as possible in the forest before the last colours are gone. I know too well what is waiting – grey November. This walk was last week – and there was no wind or rain. Only stillness and the occational, faint, sound of a bird. Mostly robins now.
I love the way the colours change with the light and the surroundings. Inside the denser parts of the forest, the leaves are still green. Closer to the meadows, the light is brighter and the yellow and brown colours dominate.
When I walked out of the forest and onto the gravel road, the sun came shining through and the slender young birches glowed. They are waiting for next year’s Spring festival.
On the right side of the road, an old gate is standing alone, protecting a seemingly abandoned house…
…immersed in a haven of colours.
A few days later, most of the leaves were gone. I am grateful for this day of harmony – something to remember in grey and moody November.
Leya 
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