Waiting for snow ...

I'm leaving the island in less than a week.

I want to take a picture exactly like this, but with the rooftops, streets and trees all covered in white.

Hurry up snow!

Blue skies, soybean soup and cinnamon buns

It's getting colder and colder ... today the temperature didn't rise above 8°C , so under the swedish motto "there's no bad weather, just bad clothes" we put on an extra layer of clothes before heading out the door.

But out the door we go! This time of year the smallest patch of blue sky is a good enough reason for a walk - soaking up that tiny little bit of sun before vitamin D pills become the only option :)

Last friday I took my couch-surfers to Leva, where we had lunch under the blue sky - in their fantastic greenhouse! 

And for those who need some extra motivation to stretch their legs: their fantastic kanelbullar are also a very good reason for a walk :)

Visby Harbor at Dusk x 4

 

Look who got herself a little toy - Analog :)

In my defense, I was looking for a cheaper alternative to Dreamweaver and got stuck in the mac app store.

Fårö - continued

Picture nr 4: the terrace of Sylvis Döttrar - Fårö's most popular bakery - where we had fika (which btw, is my favourite Swedish word, by far)

nr 5: Kutens Bensin - an old gas station/junk yard turned restaurant - where we had dinner and danced to the rockabilly tunes of the Flat Git it Gang.

... and nr 6&7: details of Ola's mum's adorable summer cottage - more colorful and thus more interesting than the cottage we stayed in :)

For those who remember my post about Ola's school-house: Cool houses obviously run in the family :p

Weekend Getaway

September is the start of low season on Gotland - a chocking change from the busy summer months.

But then there's Fårönatta (on the island of Fårö). One night every September where everyone is up and everything is open.

An event a lot of people are grateful for - and we were there!

We were super lucky with the weather (even though we did spot some intimidating dark clouds at one point) and enjoyed everything the island had to offer.

Visby - City of Roses

Very stormy weather here on Gotland these last days ... I hope the roses survive just a little bit longer to keep the spirit of the passers-by high! 

I went on a second mushroom hunt today by the way! Pictures will follow :)

Rediscovering Fårö

The island of sheep - worth a visit even if you don't necessarily think sheep are that interesting :)

All the pictures above are taken at Crêperie Tati - located inside an old gas station where everything you see takes you back in time!

Perfect Sunday

After a whole summer of flea-markets I was introduced to the world of auctions today!

I think I was a little intimidated by it all ... and left empty handed, but there's always a next time!

And as if one adventure per day wasn't enough the friends I was with took me along to visit Ola who lives in an old school-building.

I've read plenty of articles about people who buy school buildings and turn them into the most amazing homes so I was pretty excited to discover one of those in real life.

I felt like a thief sneaking around with my camera so I don't think I'll post any pictures but just imagine: huge rooms, amazingly high ceilings, loads of windows letting in as much sunlight as possible, a big porch, a balcony outside the kitchen ... plus a fantastic garden with fruit trees, a vegetable patch AND a greenhouse! 

I felt like impulse-buying an old school for myself :) 

(the house on the picture is a miniature version of the real deal & can be found in the back yard)

On our way out of there we picked up a brave hitch-hiker ...

and had a long anticipated & fantastic late lunch at the French-owned Hablingbo Crêperie where we got lattes served in amazing Åsa Lindström-cups :)

Definitely one of the best Sundays I've had this summer! 

Thanks Jon, Kalle & Jenny!

Discovering Vamlingbo

There's many interesting things to see and learn at Vamlingbo Prästgård but what caught my eye this time was their Bee Hotel & Bee Restaurant ... and the butterflies that seem to like to hang there :)

Discovering Burgsvik - Part 2

Picnic by the sea anyone? That's on my wish list - now the sunshine is back I want to enjoy every single minute of it - and for some reason I'm in love with this adorable little harbour.

Discovering Burgsvik - Part 1

As it's now only 2 more weeks before Hamra Krog shuts its doors for the season and we move back to Visby, I decided it's about time I start discovering this part of the island some more! There's loads more to the South of Gotland than Hamra Krog and Ainas Ateljé so it's about time I start exploring a little!

I have decided I will reduce my opening hours a bit and take more time for sightseeing and other fun stuff.

My new plan started off well: dinner at Gåsens Lada (the goose's barn, believe it or not) was just as pleasing to the eye (and camera lens) as to my tummy :)

Some might think we were spying on the competition ... if we were, we have absolutely nothing bad to remark :)

Transition Gotland

Last Sunday Leva was the place to be if you wanted to swap your seedlings and plants with others, if you needed help to get your bike fixed, or if you wanted some inspiration for re-using old clothes or do something creative with left over fabric. (check out the "shorts-bag" in the pictures below!)

We met a teacher who uses these "bottle gardens" to teach his students about ecosystems and planetary boundaries and took time to explain the concept to us as well.

A bottle garden is a closed ecosystem which has the essential requirements of soil and water for the survival of plants that are growing inside it. Water is trapped inside the bottle and unable to evaporate. The carbon dioxide from plant respiration is used for photosynthesis, and the oxygen from photosynthesis is used for respiration. 

Quite impressive how these plants grow without any human interference ... Nothing goes to waste, everything is reused. I think commercial agriculture could learn from this ... as well as every single one of us :)

It's impossible to be at Leva and not be enchanted by their garden. Pretty much exactly as impossible to say no to their sandwiches and chocolate pie!

 I expanded my herb garden with some Coriander/Silantro and bought colouring pencils with FSC-label (made from wood from a sustainable source).

In other words, it's also really hard to go into the shop at Leva without buying anything :p