Glad Påsk and Happy Easter too

Cock-a-doodle-doo to you all!

Here we go again!  Our city is decorated to the hilt with not only amazing flower arrangements but also the Feather arrangements.  So fun, so bright, so Swedish!  When I think of how creative people have been through the ages.  In an effort to welcome Easter and with a desire to brighten homes when flowers were not available this was it!  Wonder if it started with just chicken feathers, since the chickens generally molt at this time.  However the idea was born it is bright and fun.

Eggs will be consumed in large quantities, decorated and deviled.  Here the variations of herring will play a lead role also along with ham or lamb for the meat eaters.  Another food fest for sure.

Time flies, days and weeks pass quickly and the landscape is changing even quicker around here.  Farmers are planting and kids have Easter Vacation.

Many people have time for family gatherings and out door activities since there are three RED (holidays) days between now and the 10th of April.

It is impossible for me to not think of Annika at Easter, remembering her disappointment and or surprise when she discovered there were no days free from work in America for Easter celebration.  Here most will go home early on Thursday and will not have to go back to work until Tuesday.  Nice!

The weather is a bit fickle!  Some snow today.  Windy!  Chilly!  Beautiful none the less.  Walked along Landborgspromenaden this morning with its fabulous vistas.  Awesome to say the least.

Looking forward to the Rhododendron blooming in the park at Sofiero and a visit with Mary coming all the way from Montana.

by:  Karen- The Graphics Fairy

Kuckeliku alla Ni!

"It's The Water" At Ramlösa Brunn!

The water from this well is still in our opinion one of the BEST tasting bottled waters you can find anywhere.  It is.... Oh YES..   Delicious!

All the houses shown here are in Ramlösa Park.

We four, Ralle, David, Mister (though he waited for us in the car) and I visited here today as we have many times before.  Another favorite spot.

A ceramic vase made in Höganäs

Stories about the effects of this iron and mineral rich water dates back as far as 1675 and earlier..... King Karl XI's soldiers came to this well for Rest and Relaxation just as an example of recorded history.

Tales  abound about the healing effects this water has had on everything from scurvy, heart palpitations, kidney and liver ailments, parasites, "the shakes", jaundice, headaches and mental and manic imbalance not forgetting some of the ills of women from fainting spells  to menstruation.  With the exception of eye problems it seemed a virtual cure all.

Johan Jacob Döbelius (1674 - 1743) studied and researched the water at Ramlösa Well for it's healing effects from the year 1700.  The Spa was established in June 1707 and during the early 1700s grew in popularity until the hight of activity and demand during the 1800s.

In the beginning visitors who came to drink and bathe in the water would find a place to stay with the local and private population, until in the middle of the 1700s when the hotel and bath houses were built.

The Hotel

Guests in need of "the cure" came from near and far.

These activities continued until the end of the 1800s and at that time the water was again analyzed and found to be extremely rich in minerals.  A factory was built near the original well and sales of bottled water started.

Around 1920 more money was generated from  the sale of bottled water than from  the Spa and Bath facility and the upkeep became an economic drag.  More investment and energy was spent on the water export.
The bottled water was purchased by customers from Finland, England, Holland, France, Mesopotamia, Turkey, Syria, Palestine and Egypt.

Ralle drank and drank of this water today!  He, "The Beautiful One" should live forever!

As a footnote I might mention that from my recollection at family gatherings when I was growing up my Grandparents would have bottled water on the dining room table too.  But it was water from Vichy, France.  Is it not funny how we consumers have preferred "exotics" how even then we imported and exported WATER of all things, from far and away places.

We sold Ramlösa bottled water in our little Scandinavian section at Oakhurst Feed and I was especially thrilled to have it both to sell and for my/our own consumption.  Until my cousin pointed out how absurd I was not to drink my own water!  How right she was.  Somehow I did not think of it in those terms until she mentioned it.  We did of course drink our own water as well,  we had a fabulous well of our own in Mariposa.  The bottled water was a treat not an every day drink and be aware we did drink bottled water from California too, Calistoga water most often and Italy's Pellegrino as well.

Ralle meets a new friend

Is Cherry Garcia in Viken ?

Hey, what's that... a new chew toy... do you think there is a cat in there ???
My somewhat "Chubby Hubby" and I went to visit the Ben and Jerry litter at Kennel Vi'Skaly's along with our "Vanilla Dream" of a dog Ralph Lauren.  He is truly a "Vanilla Dream"! ( From the Designer Litter of long ago or so I think  Ralph Lauren's group of litter mates were called?).
Ben and Jerry is  a company that  have always used such different and fun names for their various ice cream delights such as "Cheesecake Brownie", "Cinnamon Bun", "Wavy Gravy" or "Honey I'm Home" ..

Cleverly this new litter was named after various Ben and Jerry ice cream flavors.  These puppies are just as hard to resist and just as sweet as their names.  "Fairy nuts"?  "Berry N 'Ice"?

Hey there Big Fellow , who are you, may I get to know you?

 "Schweddy Balls"?  It was impossible not to think of that skit  when I looked at this cute picture.

"Schweddy Balls" is the name of a  silly limited Ben and Jerry flavor in honor of that Saturday Night Live  skit with Alec Baldwin from way back in the day.  Laughed so hard my stomach ached the first time I saw that.  Have laughed equally hard several times since........  fortunately  none of these new adorable little lives had to be burdened with just that crazy name.

Ralle, sweet and gentle.

"Butterscotch Swirl"?

"Chunky Monkey"?

What a baby sitter he -  the Ralle Man.  What sweet fluff balls these cute ones are!

then a  walk in Viken,

past the church,

down the main "drag",

down to the harbor,

along the ocean,

flying swans,

swimming birds,

past the dressing rooms,

all in a row.......  we go,   my slightly Chubby Hubby and I    ----  and --

no,  no "Cherry Garcia"  in Viken ... we looked , yes we did.

Foggy Farhult and Great Granola !!

There is something so neat about the images in the fog,

veils and shifting layers of gray,

trees dripping of moisture,

and moss soaking it up like sponge.

It is hard to see where the road leads,

where the sky begins or ends,

we walk on crushed shells and wet sand,

and wonder  if people are coming or going.

We pick up fresh eggs in Farhult,

where the chickens enjoy green grass and live a happy life,

where you can purchase pansy's and other SPRING flowers in every color for a very nice price,

while the farmers are out in the fields

planting potatoes and strawberries,

hoping to have New Potatoes for our enjoyment in early May.  The first golden little delights selling for  around 700 crowns ($104) per kilo or more........  at the start of the season.

Until then we will be happy with a  "dose"  of  home made  "Great Granola" a "Sunny Day Starter" or "Neta's Great  Health Mix"  loaded with dried cherries, cranberries, apricots, almonds, sunflower seeds, linseed, and all sorts of other goodies.  Don't forget , those in the know say that almonds and 'cots will extend  your life.... :-,) so make some Granola  !