It's a FACT I think!?

Is that a truism or an oxymoron I wonder?

With a tummy full of a most divine dinner, Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Beggars Purses made out of filodough filled with assorted mushrooms and a sprinkle of Garlic/Rosemary Confit. Oh boy! Now I am ready to jot down a little of the "goings on " the last week or so. It has been a busy time with guests from the central part of Sweden a couple of times actually. For me it is always special with guests. There is then extra people to cook for, how fun is that!

Spring is here, that is a fact, I think.  Farmers are out plowing fields, adding calcium to the soil. The trees are showing a tinge of color, the storks in Ingelstrade are nesting, crocus is blooming along with other spring bulbs in our yard, showing blue and yellow around the rocks that John, Garrison and Kevin placed at the edge of the grass, last summer.  Swallows are "drilling" above the fields, creating summer sounds.

On our walks I feel lot's lighter, being able to go out in just a light jacket, no fur hat, no scarf, no mittens,  etc.  Ahhh, the joy of it!  It is light outside until around 8. 20 p m. We can cook on the grill, did so three times in the last several days.  Chicken, steak and last night turkey sausage.  David helps, tells me I get the night off.  Then I wonder what the chances are, that we will get more snow, like we so often did in Mariposa, sometimes as late as Memorial Day in the end of May?  Only time will tell.

Other exciting news is that Brigitte and Denver of Oneida Acres  is getting a Great Pyrenees from ViSkaLys kennel. (We purchased Rontu and Una from Brigitte and Denver.) Is that great or what?  We saw a picture of him, adorable, naturally, his name is Hunter and he should arrive in Michigan later this month. The world seems small sometimes and how fun it is to have been part of the introduction and the connection!  We got Ralle from
ViSkaLs Kennel.

That however is not as jaw dropping as this!  David met a man by the name of George when they both were learning Swedish at Folkuniversitetet in Helsingborg. He lives very near us, in Jonstorp. We ran into him at IKEA, chatted a bit and decided to get together for dinner. He arrives with his beautiful wife IngaLill and we started our evening by asking how he ended up here. Well, he had met a young lady from Sweden who was studying in Kansas about 35 years ago.  Her parents had a furniture factory in Skanes Fagerhult, their name was Torkelsson...................... and the rest, as they say "is history". Yes, it is a long amazing story.  So, here we sat, sipping bubbly wine in our stone room with this man that David met in class in Helsingborg and he is closely connected with Bodil and Anki long time family friends of mine.  How unbelievable is that! How can the world be THAT small and what are the chances of such a happening?? Well, I got so flabbergasted that parts of my planned dinner were never served. But oh, it was for us, a delightful evening.  So, we are back to more miracles and wonders never cease!

We End with Two Best Friends

Easter Påsk

Easter is big here in Sweden.  Here is an article from the "The Local" http://www.thelocal.se/3525/20100401/  Beware the witches.

Ralle meets a new friend in Helsingborg.

Ralle looks out over the sea.

Easter celebrations start Thursday here and go on thru Monday.  Friday and Monday are Holidays.

Eggs are colored here and colored feathers are used to make colored leaves on trees and on branches.

Many households have these decorations outside and inside their homes.

We were invited to our neighbors on Sunday for a special dinner.  We had Boeuf Bourguigon.  It was fantastic.  And for dessert we had Vanilla ice cream with strawberries.  More fantastic.

We walked around Helsingborg and saw much of the Easter decorations the city has put out.  It was a very great Easter weekend.

We had friends drop by and visit and had a wonderful mussel lunch.

The weather keeps teasing us from sunny to cloudy to warm to cold and back again.

Happy Easter to all.