Sea Gulls

 

It's the time of year when there are not just a lot of birds in the air, but also young ones walking about on the ground. A comment on my post yesterday (about oystercatchers) also reminded me of these photos of a young sea gull that I snapped on my way back from town on Monday. 

A number of sea gulls (Larus canus) always come up the river from the coast in spring to nest and bring up their young here over summer. For me their arrival is always a sign of spring... They can indeed be a bit *too* noisy sometimes - not least in their "parenting" season when they hover above their young ones walking about on the ground. And no doubt probably also sometimes a bit too bold when it comes to snatching scraps of food from outdoor restaurants, or picnics in the park... Now and then our local newspaper reports complaints about them. I think I'd actually miss them if they weren't here in summer, though. It's a bit like they bring a whiff of the seaside to our inland town, for us who don't get to travel to the coast ourselves all that often. :)

Adult gull swimming in the river (photo from 2021) 

 

Links to some previous posts of mine about sea gulls:

Baby News  (16 June 2015)

 

They Grow Up so Fast (22 June 2015) 

 

Young Gulls-Part 3 (17 July 2015)

 

The Oystercatchers

As you've been able to gather from my recent posts: even if we had some rain here lately, it has hardly been of biblical Deluge proportions. So when this morning I spotted some Eurasian Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) on the lawn below my balcony, I kind of wondered if they too have come to rely on human weather apps for information, rather than going by their natural instincts... (The Swedish name for them is strandskata, which would literally translate as "Beach Magpie" in English.) 

The lawns may have been given a decent watering over the past couple of days, but if they were hoping to find oysters, I think they must have been disappointed...

Just joking, of course. The river is only a few hundred meters away, and I have occasionally seen these birds around the neighbourhood before - even if not recently. They are rare guests compared to our usual everyday summer mix of seagulls, pigeons, magpies, crows and jackdaws. But yesterday morning, three or four visiting Oystercatchers seemed to have taken over the territory of this lawn from all the other kinds of big birds usually seen there, and had it all to themselves. And I found this interesting enough to go and fetch my Sony camera with some zoom possibilites, and snap a few photos...

Wikipedia tells me that despite the bird's name, oysters do not form a large part of the Oystercatcher's diet. It still lives up to its name, though, as few (if any) other wading birds are capable of opening oysters. It seems the shape of their bill can vary between individuals. Oystercatchers with broad bill tips open molluscs by prising them apart or hammering through the shell, whereas pointed-bill birds dig up worms.

So I guess what we see here is more a case of  "the early bird hoping the catch the worm"...

 

Unpredictability

 

Coleus plant brought by my friend

My friend E.A. came visiting today, and brought me this coleus plant. Very similar to the one(s) I already have; but not exactly the same:

Coleus plants on my balcony, from cuttings of an older plant of mine.

 As I know coleus can shift quite a lot in colour depending on how much light they get (they get much paler indoors in winter) it will be interesting to see if they will continue to differ, or if they will become more alike with time.

Our original plan for this afternoon was for E to drive us both to a lakeside café on the outskirts of town. However, the weather forecasts for today turned out as threatening as yesterday (i.e. more or less predicting the end of the world by lightning and floods). So I suggested that if she was brave enough to venture out at all, perhaps a cup of tea and a muffin in my flat would be adventure enough. She accepted, and as things turned out, she even managed to get a lift with her husband rather than driving herself. (He had some errands in town and then came back to pick her up again after a couple of hours, when he was done with whatever it was he had planned.) 

Just like yesterday, lightning and floods decided (presumably) to hit on some other spot rather than just around here, and all we got was some rather ordinary rain. My friend and I both agreed that "staying home" was still a better choice for this afternoon, though.

Looking at various weather apps for tomorrow now, it seems that we may then expect warnings for temperatures rapidly rising to "too hot" instead... Ah well. As Scarlett O'Hara (in Gone with the Wind) would have said - "I'll think about that tomorrow"! 

Second Bloom

 

The geraniums I bought for my balcony some time back in late spring are now springing into their "second bloom" (after a period of rest). 

 

Today I haven't been out except on the balcony, because for one thing I had the laundry room booked for the afternoon, and for another it's been a day of severe weather warnings issued: threatening us with storm, heavy downpour, flooding and traffic problems. However, in my immediate neighbourhood, one clash of distant thunder + a few short gentle showers (with the rain falling straight down) have not yet (9:30 pm) lived up to those threats. 

 

But the temperature outdoors has dropped considerably over the past hour or two, so just now I'm letting fresh air in through balcony door and windows before going to bed.

 

Yesterday was sunny and warm. I called my hairdresser in the morning to ask if she could fit me in. I got an appointment for 1 pm, which meant a rather hot walk into town and back; but at least my hair should not need cutting again until September. 

 

Every now and then I'm still dipping into envelopes of old photos from my dad and granddad. Below is one of me that I had half in mind to link to the past weekend's Sepia Saturday as an example of hairdos from the 1950's... (I didn't get round to it, though, and now it's already a new week.) The thing is, I have just about the same "look" after washing my hair now as I had at the age of 2! (Just not quite as amused about it now as back then!) 😄

 

 

 

 

 

Weekend Reflections

 

After some rainy and windy days, Wednesday brought back the sun, blue skies, fluffy clouds, and rather perfect conditions for some river reflections... 

The second photo was taken from the bridge you see in the background of the first one, looking in the opposite direction.

I must have posted hundreds of photos of the same views over my years of blogging - and yet, because of ever changing skies and seasons, they're never exactly the same... :)

"Nature gives to every time and season unique beauty;
 from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, 
it’s just a succession of changes so soft and comfortable 
that we hardly notice the progress." 
— Charles Dickens 

 Linking to Weekend Reflections and Skywatch Friday

Postcrossing, Unicorns and Bubble Tea

 

 I've been a member of Postcrossing since May 2013. When I started, it was because I had inherited a lot of unused, but still usable, stamps from my dad (who died in 2011); and I arrived at the conclusion that the most fun I could have with them was to send them out into the world on postcards - and get interesting postcards from strangers all over the globe in return. In Postcrossing, you don't get to choose to whom you send your own card  (you just get an adress allotted to you), and it is also not an exchange in the sense that you get a card back from the same person that you send yours to. But the system does keep count, and you do get a card back for every card you send. (Unless the postal services happen to lose it somewhere on the way... That does occur, but not often.) 

Over the past decade, postage has kept going up, up, up, though - and having run out of old "free" stamps of usable value, in later years it has instead become quite an expensive hobby. Besides, my collection of received cards has also grown - and requires a lot more space than the old stamps ever did! So, I've gradually been cutting down a lot on my participation, compared to the early years. I still send (and receive) perhaps one per month or so, though.

Last week I received two. The one above, with the unicorn and the postbox, comes from Poland, and the sender writes: "This is a postcard from last year's [Postcrossing] meeting* in Lodz. 'Unicorn' was theme of it because in Lodz is big monument of unicorn."

* A Postcrossing Meeting is when postcrossers in the same city/country get together in real life and write and send a lot of cards at the same time. Often they also have a special card printed for the occasion. I have received a number of such cards from various countries over the years. If actually written at the meeting, also usually signed by lots of people. 

Photo by "Zorro 20212" (Wikimedia Commons)

A tourist website from Lodz gives further background on the unicorn statue:

"We all believe in unicorns. Yes, we do. In the centre of Lodz, at the intersection of Piotrkowska and Mickiewicza streets, a large, pastel-coloured, optimistic tram shelter catches the eye of passers-by. Because of its colourful canopy and unique visual qualities, the locals call it - applause for imagination - the Unicorn Stable. The name quickly caught on and has stuck to the building ever since. --- Thanks to the popularity of the Unicorn Stable, the Unicorn Monument by Japanese artist Tomohiro Inaba was erected nearby in 2019. It depicts the unicorn in dynamic motion, giving the impression that it is dematerialising in front of our eyes. Right next to the monument is one of the most popular selfie spots in Lodz."

 From Taiwan I received this card about "bubble tea".  

 

The sender writes: "... the most popular drink in Taiwan, Bubble Tea. It's invented in the 1980s. We put milk tea and tapioca pearls together o make bubble tea."

I love tea, but have never come across "bubble" tea. As for tapioca, I don't really know what that is either, even if I've heard/seen the word...

Google AI to the rescue! Tapioca is "a starch extracted from the root of the cassava plant, a shrub native to South America. It's a versatile ingredient used in various cuisines, often as a thickener in both sweet and savory dishes. Tapioca is naturally gluten-free and can be found in different forms, including pearls, flakes, and flour" - BUT... "Tapioca starch has a high glycemic index, which means it can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels". 

As I prefer my tea without both milk and sugar, I don't think bubble tea is really my kind of drink. But both these postcards were reminders that Postcrossing (just like blogs) can be quite educational! :)
 

The Beast of Littleton Woods (Book Review)

 

 A "cosy" murder mystery series that I have enjoyed following in later years is T.E. Kinsey's books about Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid Florence Armstrong (more like best friends than employer and employee, really). The books are set in the beginning of the 20th century,  in a small village in Gloucestershire, where (in the first book) the two women came with the intent to live a quieter (hm) life after a number of adventurous years abroad (including them both having been involved in espionage). But English village life turns out to offer its own challenges, and they soon find themselves frequently "helping the police" to solve murders and other mysteries...

One reason that I felt drawn to this charming series to begin with is probably that in my own family history, there is a sister of my grandmother's who worked as travelling lady's maid  in the same time period (and onward). (I don't think she was exactly involved in political espionage, though...) 

Anyway, I just finished listening to the 12th installment in the Lady Hardcastle series, entitled The Beast of Littleton Woods. 

It is the year 1912, and after a prized sheep has been found mysteriously mauled to death, rumours start circulating in the village about some mysterious wild animal stalking the countryside. And when the owner of the sheep is killed in a similar way, the terror spreads...  Is there actually a dangerous wild beast on the loose? Or is there some other possible explanation? 

Meanwhile, there are also some comparatively "minor" mysteries going on in the village, but none the less causing a great deal of headache - like someone regularly messing with the post sorted at the local post office, so that letters end up delivered to the wrong people.

Lady Hardcastle and Florence don't hesitate to offer their help solving any kind of mystery, big or "small"... And I thoroughly enjoyed following their efforts, and some rather unexpected findings and answers.

I also don't think you really need to start from the beginning with this whole series, but could probably just jump right in with this one, if you're feeling tempted. 

Weekend Reflections

 

A "leftover" reflection photo from Monday, 30 June. An old curved factory building that always makes irresistible reflections in the river on a calm and sunny day...

Somehow, 30 June already feels like a long time ago, as since then, the weather has gone from sunny and pleasant, to too hot, to thunder and cooling off, to raining all day today. Really rather typical of Swedish summer weather; but it can still be quite hard to keep up and adjust, sometimes!

Anyway, today has been an indoors day for me; and too much of it has been spent on trying to adjust to a different kind of change: A lot of settings on my phone needing to be revised (and figured out again), following an update to Android 15 on that device...

Linking to Weekend Street/Reflections # 232  

Thunder (Skywatch Friday)

 

Wednesday Evening - Waiting for Thunder...

 
"I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; 
I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. 
I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, 
I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, 
that this cruelty too shall end,
that peace and tranquility will return once more." 
~ Anne Frank ~

 Thursday afternoon

Linking to Skywatch Friday 

  

 

Hot

 

While here in Sweden we haven't had summer temperatures as high as the southern parts of Europe (and are not very likely to end up there either), we have had a few days a bit above my own "comfort zone".  

On Monday morning it was still quite pleasant, though, and I went for an "early-ish" (as in before lunch) walk into town, and bought Swedish strawberries from a stand in the main square.

 

Yesterday was warmer still, but as it was laundry day for me, I didn't really feel it all that much until after 4 pm, when I was done with that and went outside... "Not a cloud was in the sky", and it was beautiful - but I cut my walk short (and did not go out again later, either).

Today I woke up to 26'C indoors (in spite of fans going all night and a window or two slightly ajar); and outdoors feeling clammy, with threat of thunder. I decided to go out before lunch rather than later, and again that was no doubt the right decision. This time I found my strawberries (and a few other things) closer to home - there is a small "corner" grocery shop only 5 minutes away, which I've come to appreciate more and more... They don't have "everything", but they do have a wide assortment of fruit and vegs. This time of year, with a lot of it on display outdoors, it also almost gives me a feeling of being on holiday somewhere exotic, without going through the actual hassle of travelling!

Tonight there are weather warnings for thunder and heavy rain in the southern parts of Sweden, including the area where I live. Not having to be out in it, no serious worries for my own part, though. (Better keep my windows closed, though!)

 If I'm finding it too warm even at 26'C (78.8F), I dare not even think how I'd feel about 46'C (114.8F), like they've been experiencing in southern Spain and Portugal...

 

(Map from one of our major Swedish newspapers, DN, 1 July)

Coping with Changes

  

Ill: Tove Jansson

In coping with various changes in life, I often find my thoughts wandering off to the Moomin Valley and the characters living there. The Moomins were created by Tove Jansson, a Swedish-speaking Finnish author, novelist, painter, illustrator and comic strip author. She wrote several books about them, and later also comic strips. Drawing the comic strip adventures was later continued by her brother Lars Jansson. Back in my childhood/youth, these comic strips were published in the daily newspaper my parents subscribed to. Later on, I bought some of the comic strips adventures collected in albums. From early childhood I also remember some of Tove's illustrated children's books; and a bit later on in life, I collected her novels about the same characters. 

Anyway. One of the comic strip adventures (by Lars Jansson) that tend to turn up in my head in times of change is one where some strangers turn up in the Moomin Valley, and persuade Moominpappa that it would be a good idea to turn their valley into a "nature park". It also turns out that there are certain requirements to make this happen, though. One of those is that a nature park ought to include "hot springs". So Moominpappa sets out to arrange that - "borrowing some hot water from Gaffsie" (while covering up his intent with lies).

It works, and the hot water comes up at a hot spring outside; but at the same time, Gaffsie's shower stops working, while she's using it. However, when she goes out to investigate, she sees the"hot spring", and decides that this will work just as well for her needs - and just puts up a shower curtain in front of it, outdoors. Her comment: "I have always believed in Providence - although not this much..."

Various other troubles turn up with the idea of creating a Nature Park as well, though; and in the end, it is not approved, and Moominpappa decides to restore things to their natural order - including getting rid of the "hot spring".

 

Of course this happens just as Gaffsie is using the "hot spring" for her shower. Her reaction: "Oops, now the hot water ran out here too! ... But perhaps the shower is working again? ... Providence must really like me!"

I'm sure there are more examples of similar attitudes to life to be found in the Moomin books and comics, but this is a favourite of mine that for some reason I keep coming back to - like when something I've been used to changes, and I need to find new routines... 

Thankful Thursday

 

 

Hydrangea, also known as hortensia, on a stone wall in the cemetery

Yesterday was the first day of the new policy of locked entrance doors 24/7 where I live; and today was my first experience of putting new routines for receiving the home deliveries from my supermarket to the test - the locked entrance making it even more important than before for me to keep track of their ETA (expected time of arrival) and watch out for the actual arrival, as I now also have to go downstairs to open the entrance for them - and just have to hope that they'll still understand that I also need help carrying the bags up to my flat. 

Thankfully, when entering my digital order (on Tuesday), after some "head-scratching" I did finally manage to find a space to enter extra notes concerning deliveries. I had feared there would only be room for an entrance pincode - which would be no help in my case, since my building does not have that system. But they had actually allowed enough space for a somehwat longer message.

So everything went smoothly, after all. I kept checking ETA on my phone, looked out for the van, and was able to go down and open while the guy got the bags out. The guy also turned out to be of the "angelic" kind (writing that with a wink to Sandra). He was nice and polite and had probably read my instructions, as he obviously had no problem understanding that I needed help all the way up to my flat. - Before I opened the entrance I had also pressed the button for the lift, so that was already on the ground floor, and we both smoothly went up with that, and he waited for me to open my own door, and carried the bags into the hall for me. I told him on the way up that the locked entrance is a new routine and he just said something like well, probably safer that way - one never knows these days!

So I guess I can now relax a bit about future deliveries probably continuing to work out, too; and for that I'm thankful, as I really don't know how I'd cope without them! (I've been using this service for over ten years by now, twice a month - and it's literally "a huge weight off my shoulders"...) 

 

Skywatch on a Wednesday

 

From the same bridge today, the first photo looking north, and the second one south.

And why not "wrap up" with this view at the eastern end of the same bridge...

I suppose just some renovations going on here; but it made me think of the works of Christo and Jeanne-Claude - artists famous for wrapping various kinds of famous buildings and other landmarks in fabric...  For example the Berlin Reichstag building (1995); and an installation of 7,503 gates made of saffron-colored fabric in Central Park in New York (2005) - and many more examples can be found in the Wikipedia article linked to above. I also see there that Christo died in 2020, though; and his partner already in 2009. So I suppose I can't blame them for this one... ;-) 

Paradise?

 

I'm not sure of the name of these flowering bushes, but my Google Image searches indicate that it's pobably what you call Beauty bush in English, while in Swedish it is known as Paradise Bush (paradisbuske). Anyway, there are lots of these in bloom in the old cemetery just now; and that's as far as my walks took me over the weekend. Heat + grass allergy had me rather tired, and uninspired for longer outings.

On Saturday, I made the discovery that there now seem to be at least three hares living in the cemetery, because first I spotted the two I already "knew" to the left of me, but disappearing into a hedge before I got the camera out - but then when I turned my head, there was this one sitting on the other side of the path... 

(Little fountain in the cemetery)

Today the midsummer heatwave broke. I haven't heard any actual clashes of thunder nearby, but we had some torrential showers, and the temperature has now dropped considerably. I optimistically thought I'd manage a short walk to a convenience shop 5 minutes away before the worst of the rain... But ended up in one of the worst downpours - and even if if somewhat protected by my umbrella, that does not help much against additional sudden flooding on the ground... My shoes (supposed to be fairly weatherproof) and socks got thorougly soaked in just a couple of minutes... 

As I was so close to home, no major disaster, though! ;-) 
 

Midsummer Eve

 

It's Midsummer Eve; and after varying weather forecasts earlier in the week, it actually turned out quite a nice day for traditional Swedish Midsummer celebrations - even if  windy, and a bit on the chilly side towards evening. 

For my own part, however, I did not feel tempted this year to go for a long afternoon walk to watch people dancing around a maypole. So if you're curious to see some of that, I'll just refer you to what is probably my best blog post from another such an occasion in the past -way back in 2014. It even has a video with folk dancers in traditional costumes (recorded by me). 

There's been a lot of grass pollen in the air this week, and sometimes when I've been out for a while, I find that I've lost my voice when I get back in (like when a neighbour started talking to me in the lift, and I could not produce much of an answer), and I've also had various violent attacks of sneezing. (In spite of taking my allergy meds.) And I guess feeling generally rather tired (for no other obvious reason) can probably be ascribed to the same cause as well. (I've been allergic to grass pollen ever since my teens.)

So tonight I felt content to just let Barbie and Skipper dress up for Midsummer Eve, while I'm just going to stay home and have a cup of tea and some strawberries, and watch TV or some film... (Not quite decided yet.)

 

 Happy Midsummer!

(The mug has motives from Midsummer in the Moomin Valley)