My 100 days of blogging are over. I’m glad I joined the challenge #blogg100 but right now I’m also relieved it’s over! I’ve tried to keep most posts on the subjects of expats, TCKs and Swedish/language learning. Sometimes I’ve posted photos of Sweden; simply sharing this beautiful country with you.
Over and out for now!
Good night!
Yesterday I took the international playgroup to enjoy the early spring in the forest. There’s a special place I know of where you can find the beautiful and rare spring flower Anemone Hepatica (blåsippa). We spent the afternoon in a natural clearing, enjoying the sun, nature and of course fika (fruit and biscuits). Climbing tree trunks and rocks, picking flowers (the non protected vitsippa) and learning about the Swedish nature made a great start of the weekend.
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) issues national protection orders for wild plants and flowers. Additional regional rules may also apply. Together these regulate how you may handle certain protected species; pick but not collect to sell, no digging up by roots, no picking at all.
The Anemone Hepatica is protected in parts of Sweden. In some counties it must not be picked at all. The blåsippa is a rare and cherished spring flower in Sweden. It even has its own children’s song “Blåsippan ute i backarna står”!
Link to protected plants and wildlife in Sweden; Swedish only.
Starting tomorrow Liseberg invites us to its annual Garden Fair, ending Sunday. Exhibitors within the garden field (;)), lots of flowers and a chance to have a nice stroll through the beautiful park. Attractions open in the afternoon.
Why not take the chance to experience a spring we haven’t quite seen here yet?
The world’s largest expat survey opens its annual questionnaire today. It remains open until May 31st and encourages expatriates to share their experiences to form the much appreciated and award-winning comparison of expat life in different countries. To take part go here.
In 2012 more than 5300 expats took part in the HSBC Expat Explorer survey.
My selection for #worldcolors April – yellow – is a poor one. But I decided to post a few of my photos rather than none at all!
Today I’ll provide a link to one of my favorite musical songs. It describes the life of an expat mother, but an expatriate life of past times and of much hardship. Expatriating today can be tough too, but hopefully not on all the levels Kristina experiences.
Listen to Kristina
From the musical “Kristina from Duvemåla” by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulveus (the Bs in ABBA).
These are the books I’m enjoying this week! I deliberately choose the word ‘enjoy’ since actually reading a book is not always the only way to love and savor books! Looking at photos in gorgeous coffee table size volumes is an obvious way, but I also use books for art journaling; altering books by giving them a second life. 🙂
From top left:
Journal Spilling by Diana Trout -wonderful to just let your mind flow away; colors and creativity. Love the pictures.
My project: preparing a rescued and unwanted book with gesso (whitening the pages to make it a base for art journaling)
Nina av en slump (Nina par hasard) by Michele Lesbre
Collage workbook by Randel Plowman – a library order; like a bag of candy! Collages were big as I grew up but it is still fun!
Välkommen till virkligheten by Annika Messing – I’ve done lots from this crochet pattern book and a robot has to be finished tomorrow 🙂
Cracks in my foundation by Marian Keyes – I love Marian’s short stories. What can I say. Also perfect in lenght before bedtime when there’s also twitter …
Third Culture Kids by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken – TCK gurus. Use it in life and work; always something to come back to every now and then; hence always out on the desk.
Så gör jag. Konsten att skriva by Bodil Malmsten – This is a book I like. Phenomenal and very modern visual content; anecdotes about writing and lots of related material. Creatively done. Not just text.
Allt om trädgård by Marie & Björn Hansson et al. – one of my best books on all things garden. Colors and info!
