Day 25 - St John's wort

Phew! I almost forgot about today's picture. I'm so lucky to live this far up north, where daylight lasts longer in the evenings. Say what you will about the dark winters, but the light summers are wonderful!

/MrsHjort

Day 6 - Daylily

Today is the National Day of Sweden so I wanted something with the Swedish colors - yellow and blue. Sadly, I don't have any flowers like that, so I had to settle for yellow, and a little bluish tones in the foliage :)

Compared to other countries, the celebration of the Swedish National Day is quite gentle and muted. I think it may have something to do with our famous neutrality - Sweden hasn't been in a war for well over 200 years (and thank goodness for that) so we don't have the same sense of nationalism and unity that our neighbors do. Sweden is all about inclusion and progressive values. Diversity is celebrated and we take pride in the big melting pot that our country has become. Sometimes it can get a little bit too nontraditional though, as the core of our Swedish culture is something to be celebrated too, especially on our National Day. But there lies the paradox of the Swedish national spirit. Generally, we are very proud of our heritage, but in a very humble way - we want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable. :)

How did I celebrate? Well, I watched a small parade in our city center, and then went to visit my parents for a nice laid back barbecue. It can't get more Swedish than that ;)

Happy National Day!

/MrsHjort

CCC - November: Cold and Dry

I always find it hard to go out to shoot this time of the year. Sweden is cold, dark and colorless in the winter, and not particularly pretty - unless there's snow. I didn't want snow for November's shot though - I wanted something in between to get a nice transition from autumn to winter. Luckily, my laziness in terms of garden related work finally got me something good. I don't like the garden autumn work (once the harvesting has been done). It'd just so boring putting the garden to sleep, cutting away wilting flowers and trimming the stuff that needs trimming. I much prefer the planting in spring and watching new plants pop up every day. Well anyway, this is my wilting garden; it turned out rather pretty in the end, despite all :)

/MrsHjort

CCC - March: Light

I wanted March to be all about new buds springing from the ground. I was quite worried at first - nature didn't exactly cooperate and it wasn't until the end of the month that the buds actually started to pop up. You see, we live on the slopes of a hill, facing north, so spring is usually late here, this year however, it was a bit later than normal. Thankfully I finally got my shot. The name I chose is very typical of how it is here up north that time of year - light finally returns and we crawl out of our homes, like bears waking after a long winter :)

/MrsHjort

CCC - February: Diamond Dust

It's been a while again, real life keeps getting in the way of me blogging I'm afraid. But anyway... February's shot turned out more "wintery" than the one I used for January. I wanted snow, but just snow is a bit too boring, or wouldn't you say? So I went out in the garden and started looking for the perfect blades of grass. Now that's a much harder task than you'd think - either there were too many of them, the background didn't work, the depth of field wouldn't work because the grass was too twisted, the light conditions were bad or the grass was just plain ugly. It took me a while to find something I was satisfied with, and even then it would probably had been better to do some focus stacking - it's a bit rough around the edges. I really like the effect of the glittery snow though, which is why I decided on this one. I hope you like it too.

/MrsHjort

17:13 - Friday Treat

I love Fridays, for obvious reasons. Each Friday I like to sit up late and tinker with stuff on my computer, whilst treating myself for having made it through the week. Ah, I love Fridays!

This is something that is very typical for Sweden - the "Semla". It's a bun filled with almond paste and whipped cream. You can find it in every bakery between November and March, it has even got a day of it's own called "Fettisdagen" which occurs the 9th of February this year - yey, an other excuse to get one, they're so yummy!


Happy Friday!

/MrsHjort

09:25 - Morning Fika

If you've ever been in Sweden, you know of our obsession with fika - sitting down together to eat sandwiches/baked goods while drinking tea/coffee. A work day simply isn't complete without it! It's part of the routine!

My workplace is no exception, and we're very fortunate! Our employer actually lets us buy the fika with company money. Fika has reached whole a new level at my office, advancing into full blown breakfast. Freshly baked brad, cheeses, salamis, and veggies are some of the standard features. Yum yum yum!

/MrsHjort

07:45 - Traffic

If you've been following my blog, you probably know of the 30-Day Challenges that used to run on W1K. That tradition has now been carried over to my new home - Dagger Bay. This is not a 30-Day Challenge though, but a Seven Day Challenge! We're starting light so to speak :). The theme om my challenge is, "7 Days in the Life of the Mrs". So, here is day one's shot - traffic on the may to work :)

As one of the Quartermasters of Dagger Bay, I cannot resist the opportunity to promote my new favorite hang-out spot a bit. We've started the very first contest there now! A historic moment! Come! Check out the fun!

With hope to see you soon :)

/MrsHjort 

Day 26 - Night

It seems like it always dark this time of year. Here, up north, the sun is down as I go to work, and it's down when I get home again. Winter makes me feel like a bat, or some other nocturnal creature. It's really quite depressing. I even take extra vitamin D because of the lack of daylight...

December always makes things a bit brighter and happier though. I love it when people start hanging stars in their windows and decorate their gardens with lights. It makes every house look cozy and it brings the promise of Christmas. Even the cold feels just a tad bit warmer when you're surrounded by beauty. The best thing is when we've decorated our Christmas tree. Nothing beats coming home to the pitter patter of cat feet and the twinkling lights of of the tree, decorated "American style" with a gazillion colorful Christmas balls. That's a magical feeling :)

/MrsHjort

Day 24 - Entrance

This is our front door. We've got one of those old fashioned door knockers that you seldom see anymore... or well, at least it's that way here in Sweden.

Strangely, there are people who don't know what to do when they climb the stair up to our door. They stand there confused, scratching their heads, looking for the doorbell button. Sometimes they end up knocking with their fists. Isn't that odd? Maybe they think the knocker is just for show, maybe they're afraid it will make too much noise, or maybe they're so "modern" they don't know what it's for in the first place. Who knows... Either way, the knock is a dead give away of people I don't know, usually they're salesmen, and in that case I like to pretend I didn't hear them. Handy isn't it ;)

/MrsHjort

Day 10 - Lemon

This drink is very typical of Sweden, 10 points to to anyone who can guess what it is. We usually drink it around Christmas and Easter, it's a Swedish tradition and I used to long for the holidays just because I would get to drink this. I'll give you one more clue; it's made from juniper berries and it tastes sweet with a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Can you guess what it is yet?

It's Julmust! And not the ridiculously sweet soft drink version, but the real thing, made from real berries in a small "musteri" in Brunneby. Good stuff, I just love it with lemon :)

Cheers!

/MrsHjort

Day 3 - Wood

This is a subject I just love and have used several times in the past. I never shoot the whole thing though, just bits and pieces of it. This is our grandfather's clock - a lovely piece of furniture with many little details, it's simply marvelous to shoot.

As I hinted at in a comment yesterday, it's really getting dark up here in Sweden now. Sun rises at 7:30 and sets at 4 pm. Ugh! I just hate the darkness of the winter. Anyway, this means that you'll have to plan ahead when it comes to daylight, and therefore I shot this just before I had to run off to get to work, haha.

I hope you like it.

/MrsHjort

High Tides

Water has always fascinated me. You see, I grew up just a stone's throw away from Sweden's second largest lake. It's called Vättern and it's is sort of like a small sea - sometimes its waves are several meters high and it's deepest point is at 128 m. It's a very cold lake, even during the summer, and the temperature very seldom rises above 20 degrees C. That didn't stop me though, no siree! I was in more than I was out growing up, and when I finally came out of the water I was full of goose-bumps with clattering teeth. Nowadays I (mostly) limit myself to shooting water from afar though. It's more comfortable that way :).

Waves are such a joy to shoot. I love the contrasts you get from the foam and the beautiful natural lines. This shot in particular is very special to me. I shot it from Cabo Girão, Madeira, which is the second highest sea cliff in the world (approximately 580 m). Let me tell you, the view from there is breathtaking! It's so high up, that some days you're right among the clouds.

The top picture was shot using my Sigma lens. It's shot straight down, at maximum zoom (300 mm). I'm very glad it turned out so crisp, and I just love the angle - it really brings out the drama.

The photo to the right is shot with the Nikon lens at minimum zoom (18 mm). It allowed me to get the whole scope of the place. I had to wait a while for the clouds to clear a bit though, but I think they add a whole new dimension to the shot - landscapes tend to look flat in pictures, and they very often loose their drama. This way however, the size becomes more tangible. I just love the context a cloud or two can bring to a shot.

I've started carrying both my trusty lenses lately - ever since I got a small lens case that I can wear on my belt. I just love the flexibility you get that way. I've been thinking of getting a one legged stand too - they're not as bulky as the tripods are, and it would fit my trekking habits a lot better. Maybe I'll put it on my X-mas list ;).

What's your favorite gear?

/MrsHjort

Day 23 - Golden Moments

I've been meaning to shoot these rose hips for a long time now, but the lighting hasn't been favorable until today. They grow in a place that is usually shaded at the time I when go to work (and they're shaded when I walk home too), but the light has drawn nearer and nearer each morning, as the days grow shorter. Today was the day, today they finally glowed as the early sun rays hit them.

Today has been filled with those little moments of happiness. I just love days like that. Somehow my Mondays are usually very stressful and I come home with a frown on my face, but Tuesdays, Tuesdays are very nice. Fridays are even better though, for obvious reasons ;). There's nothing like sitting back with a hot cuppa (or a nice glass of wine) on a Friday afternoon, plus, Fridays are "fika days" at work. If you've ever been in Sweden you'll know what I'm talking about haha.

What's your favorite day of the week?

/MrsHjort

Snowdrops - February's White Jade

As you may have noticed, my calendar of macros is set outside and features seasonal flowers. This has worked well so far, but I'm a little nervous about autumn, and the upcoming winter - particularly about December, since practically nothing grows outside at that point. We'll see. I'll manage somehow. I really want to make it this year.

Last year I sort of didn't make it. I write "sort of" because I actually have a shot belonging to each month but because W1K was doomed at one point (and was closing down), and a deadline was moved up, I didn't have time or opportunity to shoot anything before the early deadline (sometimes life gets in the way of things). Ironically, I shot a gorgeous shot the day after, but, at that point it was too late to enter it into the monthly contest. So my 2013 calender was complete, but only unofficially - the September shot was shot in September even though it didn't make it to W1K.

Now however, W1K is under new management and we don't really know what is going to happen. Thankfully, the new owners are wise enough not to take any rash decisions, and they try to listen to what we (the users) think, but the uncertainty is a bit unsettling. I hope for the best though, like I always do :).

Anyway, enough with the "background" to the calendar. February has always been the month of the year when I desperately search for signs of spring. It's usually one of those boring months when the snow has melted away and everything is brown and wilted, which really depresses me. I waited and waited looking hard for something to shoot, growing more nervous each day, but finally, at the end of the month the snowdrops started popping up. Oh joy! Those little buds spread such anticipation and optimism. They carry the promise of spring, longer daylight and color in the otherwise naked brown nature. This spring I really took the time to enjoy the sweet air of change and watch all those little changes each day. Spring is my favorite time of the year. What's yours?

/MrsHjort

Day 28 - "Summertime"

You know it's summer when you start seeing these things to the right. To some they are a symbol of holidays, and to some they are a curse. I've never had one myself, but I've used one and I must admit that I liked it.

Today was t-shirt weather, and the trees are green, can you believe it! For a Swede, who lives in darkness for months in the wintertime, the spring is always welcomed with joy, and relief haha! In December we all fell like bats - the sun is down when we get to work and it's down again when we get home. That means no sunlight whatsoever, if you don't go out on your lunch break. Ah, but joy! Now the days are growing longer and longer. In northern Sweden the sun soon won't go down at all. I've never seen it though - I live down south - but it would certainly be cool. Sometime, maybe, for now I'm satisfied with watching the daily changes outside in the garden. Summer is here and the flowers are blooming :)

/MrsHjort