My grandfather…wrote songs and verses, in two books when he was at sea, and they have been lost for 37 years. My uncle took care of them when my grandmother died, and promised to return them after copying them.
I often reminded him about those books, but he didn’t know where they were. My uncle died some years ago without ever returning the books. Today we attended the funeral for his wife. a wonderfully strong woman who had a life worthy of a novel. It was a beautiful funeral with many friends, music and flowers.
And – the two books were found among their things in the apartment. They are finally returned to us! They were written in 1924-1925, so almost precisely a hundred years old. As a child I was enchanted by the beautiful handwritten pages in ink, and the many colourful sketches he made on almost every page.
Here’s a couple of quick shots with my phone:
Life is indeed using mysterious ways to connect us. I am immensely grateful to her nieces who finally found the books and returned them to me. I am the only relative left who have seen them before and remembers them. I feel so rich and blessed today.
Gratefully,
Ann-Christine
It’s snowing outside now. Soft white flakes sailing through the air. These beauties below will be covered tomorrow and gone – so, one last look at the little world that surrounds us. I feel there is something special with mushrooms – they sparkle fairy tales, and knowing how important they are to the trees and the forest, we must send them our love –
through this gallery. Maybe only white pictures next!
There is something special with autumn roads. Wet, colourful and misty. And the larch trees are the last ones to keep their colours intact.
The sheep are still out –
and the geese are gathering.
Robins are roaming my garden, the forests and parks. I hear their clicking sound where ever I walk. It is very comforting to have them around.
Many fields are still green – today we have 14 degrees C. Normally it should have been around 5.
Strange times, strange climate, strange world. I do not recognize it anymore. I cling to the beauty still there.
They are here – the frosty nights and glorious days. Usually they will last for a couple of days only, if it doesn’t start raining or gets windy. Enjoying it to the full!
I go visit my favourite spots and I go alone…
Sometimes you find new places, new paths, but I always start where I know what I can find. Time is short before the sun – and the temperature – rises too high.
No wind, only the clear sky and the beautiful sun trying its best to melt the frosty stems and restore the colours.
The magic of cold and warm colours together!
I was thinking of how easily our safe world is shaken. We, who live in a ”safe” part of the world cannot understand the horrors of those in unstable countries with war, devastation, starvation. Where people, nature and wild animals pay a high price every day. But we can imagine. We see it every day in the media. It is not easy to turn it off, to fend it off, to ignore it.
In my blog, as in my life, I try to focus on beauty and harmony. It makes me feel better, and I believe it makes others feel better too. Our children and grandchildren need us to be strong and calm. Here are only a couple of great quotes of yours that I often use:
“Here we are, the most clever species ever to have lived. So how is it we can destroy the only planet we have?”
― Jane Goodall
You urge us not to lose hope. ”If you lose hope, you become apathetic and do nothing. And if you want to save what is still beautiful in this world – if you want to save the planet for the future generations, your grandchildren, their grandchildren – then think about the actions you take each day.”
“Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”
So, remember –
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Dear Jane, with you, one of our brightest lights is gone. Thank you for everything you have given to us. Your kind eyes, soft voice and clear wisdom will stay with us – a legacy that will last forever. I am grateful to have lived in a time when you were here too. On planet Earth.
Love, Ann-Christine. Emma and David
I have not been online much this week. The worst scenario happened Monday evening – a pitbull came running towards us, caught Milo and would not let go. The owner of the dog soon turned up, apologizing that he had let the dog slip from him. He tried to break up the jaws of his dog, but those jaws are made for Not letting go.
After a seemingly endless fight, the pitbull finally let go – only to run around us and attack Milo’s hind leg and groin. I don’t know how the owner made the dog stop, but he did. Blood everywhere.
Milo limped with me to the car and we drove to the vet at the town hospital. We stayed until morning broke, and they had operated him. I don’t know how many stiches, but at least in 4-5 places on his body. Shaved clean and a drainage set.
I am still in a state of shock, but Milo is alive – that is the most important thing. I am home alone since two weeks, (my husband in Taiwan) but I do wish I wasn’t…
So, I am writing this now, when Milo is safely asleep beside me. Grateful for his life. Grateful for a responsible owner, who immediately paid all expenses the day after, and – promised to let the pitbull be euthanized. He was badly hurt in arms and fingers himself, and had spent some hours at the hospital too that night.
Why do people buy dogs that are deadly weapons? I know several people, and even friends, who have lost their dogs or got bitten themselves (or their child) after such a meeting. People always say that it is the dog owner’s fault, who cannot handle those breeds correctly. But – there will always be people who ”cannot handle it”. The injuries will not be that disastrous though, if you have an ordinary breed and not one that is trained to kill.
I think Denmark has forbidden those killer breeds, but here – no. How many lives must be spilled before there is a law against breeding and having them?
Every year I am eagerly looking for a little creature that I first met in France, and then – in September 2022 it visited my own garden!
The Hummingbird Hawkmoth. When I first saw it in that European garden many years ago, I thought it was a hummingbird – but knew it couldn’t be… So fast, so energetic and so beautiful.
Then a couple of these fasciating creatures visited my garden, 2022 and 2023. Nothing last year…I even planted this particular salvia to make them come back to me.
Then suddenly, last week, when we had a spell of summer again – I saw one of them in my Buddleia! The salvias were almost gone, so I really had given up hope for this year too. It was too dark for photos though – you have to make do with the old ones.
Little things – they make me happy. And – we should never give up hope, should we?
I am dreaming myself back to Madeira again… We’ve had a wonderful summer here in Sweden, but now Autumn is in full swing with wind, rain, and much cooler temperatures.
So, I allow myself to contemplate for a while, just like this lady among flowers and lush greenery.
But, I love wandering in cactus and succulent gardens too. These are from the cacti collection in the Botanical Garden of Madeira.
I have some cacti in my home, but mostly epiphyllums – no spikes! My biggest cactus (with huge spikes…)has fallen and hit me hard a couple of times – it is taller than me.
Begonias in splendid show at Monte Gardens.
I just had to have one of these, so, I brought one home, now sitting in my window waiting to come outside next summer.
I love Madeira for many reasons – one of them is their exquisite stone layered streets. Here together with exquisite Bougainvillea too. Grey colours and the vibrance of this flower/tree go so well together.
There are some forgotten gardens as well…and houses. But even those ones are lush and quite beautiful. This one was carefully guarded by fiercely barking dogs.
Ferns have a special place in my heart. Big or small – any size.
And one of my favourite ferns grow abundantly in Madeira. Back home in June, I promptly bought two Dicksonia Antarctica. A friend of mine has successfully brought up one of this species, but they have to stay in an orangerie to manage our winters. I will give it a try too. At least the summer went well for both of them!
Leya 
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