valborg, welcoming spring

stefan and i biked to the forest last night to celebrate valborg - the swedish tradition of welcoming the arrival of spring after a very long winter - with a bonfire, songs, and marshmallows. 🔥🌼

the restaurant hellas storstugan is a favourite and the owners had a more intimate bonfire than other places around the city. the small gathering was really nice, with the swedes singing songs and the kids roasting their marshmallows in the fire.

but, stefan and i couldn't help but think how unsafe the whole thing was. the bonfire was built right onto the path in the middle of the forest (there was a hose ready if needed but it didn't provide us any comfort). then, the littles were freely walking toward the fire with ash falling on them and us without a parent snatching them away. our jaws dropped in disbelief at the whole thing. welcome to sweden :)

thankfully no one danced around the bonfire! 

despite the safety concern, valberg is such a lovely tradtion that we happily engage in, every april 30th.

where are you spring?

the instagram photos from vancouver that show up on my phone are showing lots of blossoms.  surly, the cherry trees on my street have begun blooming too.  while here in stockholm we are still in a wintry state.  

i'm about ready for spring... i can't wait for the season to arrive in stockholm.

from here

from here

from here

from here

from here

from here

how about you, ready for spring?

already autumn

do you feel the first signs of autumn already?  it will be my first one in stockholm but i feel the mornings are colder already, that specific smell in the air, the darkness coming earlier. and i definitely felt the change of season during this 'summer' picnic with friends.  

for me, autumn has always been a favourite season.  it's cozy, the leaves change colour, the temperature is perfectly cool.  i'm counting on you, stockholm, to provide us with a marvelous fall.  pretty please.

and you?  how do you feel about the change of the seasons?

spring cleaning

spring happened yesterday (and vancouver actually welcomed it with sunshine!) and so it's time to lighten up, freshen up, and reorganize my closets, drawers, and jewelry box!  going to palm springs next week is the added boost i need to get going with this spring cleaning of the closets. 

 exactly how many jeans do i need!?

 

i look forward to this task each year and have gotten better with the "if you don't wear it for six months, it must go" rule.  letting go is a hard one... i just need to loose five pounds and that cute tunic that i have never worn will fit perfectly i tell myself.  oh, how about the sentimental value of things... i bought that scarf in tahiti during my honeymoon yet i haven't worn it in over a decade! 
 
i do have a system that helps me de-clutter.
* i devote a few hours to the task, getting it done in one go so i don't loose momentum
* i try everything on... everything
* i make piles for storing (usually out of season wear), tossing, consigning, donating, tailoring, and keeping
* i answer honestly to these questions, 'does it excite me?' 'does it work with my other pieces?' 'does it make me feel great?'

although it makes me thoroughly happy to cleanse the closets, it is exhausting.  it would be lovely to splurge on a wardrobe stylist/organizer (or maybe this stylist) to come to the house and help me with the task... maybe next year? 





from here

de-cluttering brings such satisfaction. well, you know what i will be doing this weekend.  whether or not you will also de-clutter your closet this weekend, make it a lovely one.

colour please!

it has been grey in vancouver for too long.  rain, rain, and more rain. i am longing for colour... blossoming trees and flowers, blue sky, and a yellow happy sun please.  is that too much to ask?

this home, full of exploding colour, is gorgeous.



these colourful magnets would look great on our kitchen board.



wearing this bangle would provide the right amount of colour to an outfit.



i would join the colour run in a second; so awesome!





yes, every home can definitely use a colourful moroccan pouf



 

seeing someone wear this pink and white skirt would make me smile.



colour-coded books... love.



i have seen these colourful bunting balls at a number of local shops and want a string of my own.

a rose coloured / flower decorated cake... yum!



have a lovely weekend. hope it's colourful wherever you live!

off to a desert oasis



image of ace hotel from here



for ages i have really wanted to go to palm springs, which seems like an awesome place.  and i finally get my wish... my boys and i will spend a little time there during spring break.  i'm excited to start the planning which involves researching some of the things we would like to do, see, and eat all neatly written up in my notebook.  but mostly, i am looking forward to some heat.

have a lovely weekend!  can you believe it's already march?  february was a very wet, gray, cold month here in vancouver so i don't mind leaving it behind.  hopefully march will bring some sunshine but if not i will have palm springs soon enough...

crocuses in february

what a sight!  in the fifteen years that i have been living in vancouver, the sight of the crocus in february always puts a smile on my face.  not only are they pretty flowers and one of the first to bloom during our winter but they are also a lovely reminder that spring is not far behind.  i am pretty sure i have written about the crocus each february that i have been blogging... and i probably will keep doing so.

winter solstice

today is the shortest day (and darkest/longest night) of the year in north america. in vancouver, the sun will set at 4:16pm leaving us with only about 8 hours of sunlight. 

officially the beginning of the winter season this means colder days, pots of soup, cozy blankets, snowy mountains, hot chocolate, and hibernation.  sounds good, yes? 

my little guy is happy too... today is the last day of school for winter break (2 weeks!).


photo from here


the winter solstice also means that the days, from now on, will get brighter every day.  i like my soup and cozy blankets but very excited for spring to show up.  to celebrate i hope to partake in the lantern festival tonight... if i can fit it in between a late afternoon tea with a friend and a holiday party...

have a lovely weekend.

summer

summer is just a couple of days away. are you ready?  we vancouverites are so hoping the sun will show up and stay awhile.  fingers crossed.

beach romance



eating lots of ice cream, yum!



sea side (dressed exquisitely in a swimsuit)

flowers

raspberry picking and then devouring pints full

relaxing and lounging

raining cherry blossoms

the last of the cherry blossoms fell. i love it when rains flowers instead of water.

view images of raining cherry blossoms here, here, here, here and here.  one of my travel fantasies is to visit japan during cherry blossom season.  i think it would be pretty amazing, don't you?

spring forward

get ready to enjoy longer days and sunnier skies, i certainly am.  wish i had somewhere to wear this gorgeous poppy dress!  the poppy is such a spectacular flower and this dress would be perfect for spring... if i had a very fancy event to attend.  love it.

image from here

don’t forget to set your clocks forward on sunday and have a lovely weekend.