Midsummer Orchid

 

My white orchid is in bloom again - last time was back in winter, around Christmas/New Year; so not very long ago at all. It normally lives in my bedroom window, but I just moved it into the kitchen instead. The weather forecasts for the week ahead are now predicting hot temperatures - which may make me want to keep both blinds and "blackout" curtains in the bedroom closed more than just overnight... 

The Midsummer weekend so far has been a bit "mixed" weather-wise. A massive front of thunder and lightning passed in direction NE over Sweden on Midsummer Day. Just around here we escaped most of the drama, though. It also hasn't been really "hot" yet. But it has still been feeling "clammy", and  I've been having headaches + feeling tired - which I blame on a combination of weather, wind and high grass pollen count (to which I'm allergic). So I haven't been "doing" much. I've been out for short walks but not for very long at a time. 

For me personally, because of the allergy (since my teens), Midsummer was never really my favourite holiday. Wise from past experiences, nowadays I try to avoid making any big plans for it... 

Just staying home, in town, can actually have its own kind of quiet charm - as a lot of other other people prefer to escape to the countryside or the seaside! 

Midsummer

 

In Sweden, we celebrate Midsummer Eve this Friday. Once upon a time it used to always be on 23rd June, whatever day of the week that happened to be. But in 1953 it was decided to always celebrate Midsummer Eve on a Friday; and Midsummer Day on the Saturday. So that's the way it's been my whole life. (Midsummer Eve is not a public holiday, but Midsummer Day is. So Midsummer Eve is treated much like a Saturday as to what's open or closed etc.)

This is a scheduled post; but this year I'm not very likely to attend any big Midsummer celebration. The museum park that I have sometimes visited to listen to some traditional music and watch folk dance performances on this day is too far away for me to walk to now - plus it's always very crowded at Midsummer, so one can't count on finding anywhere to sit down either.

  

I think my best photos from such a Midsummer celebration are those I took back in 2014. One of them copied above, and if you want to see some more, you can revisit my post from 2014 here.

But this year I'll most likely just be going for one of my usual shorter walks closer to home, and then celebrate quietly at home... 

... with Barbie and Skipper... ;)

 

Catching Up

On Saturday (13 June) our King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. There were live TV broadcasts from Stockholm most of the day; but I didn't remember until rather late in the afternoon. In the evening I watched a special one hour concert for them from the Royal Opera House, though (also broadcasted live). 

A royal boat used only on special occasions.

 
They were lucky with the weather in Stockholm that day, and had a beautiful day for the celebration. 

Down here in the south-west it was a rather grey weekend with frequent rain showers; but I managed one or two short walks in the nearby cemetery. The azaleas are past their prime now, but most of the rhododendron are still magnificent:

And new summer flowers had been planted here and there.
 

Today (Tuesday) there seemed to be a chance to get through the day without rain, so I decided to seize the opportunity, and called my hairdresser to ask if she could fit me in for a haircut. She could; so I walked into town for that, and afterwards to the pharmacy for a few items. Before I went back home, I also went by my optician's too book an appointment for an eye exam - as  yesterday I got a text message from them which was not just reminder, but an offer of a free test (for being a long term customer).  

It's been a while, and even if I haven't really felt any deterioration, I had it in mind already last autumn - but then I had that accident with my knee, which left me rather handicapped all winter. (And the optician's examination room is "upstairs"...) And then more recently, I broke a tooth and needed a new crown, so that took priority!

A couple of years ago I was also diagnosed with macular degeneration (but the slow kind, and I haven't felt it getting worse). So I've also been hesitating if best to start a new checkup at the eye doctor's, or with the optician. I had actually just come to the decision that I'd probably better ask about that - when this offer turned up. With a free test at the optician's, nothing to lose by starting there! 

  

Skywatch Friday

 

Wednesday, 10 June, 2026 (21:25)

Thursday, 11 June, 2026 (22:40)

Linking to Skywatch Friday

The Gentle Approach

or "When you feel like quitting"...

Here is an example of a YouTube video by the "PT guy" I mentioned at the end of my post yesterday. I think in this video he pretty much sums up his general "attitude", which is what has made me also try to practice some of his advice in other videos about gentle movements and exercises etc. 

- Gentle Approach
- Aiming Low
- Remember Your "Why"