Bird Nests, Art and Witchcraft

The answer to yesterday’s “Guess What?” is: A magpie’s nest. Not that I can say for sure whether (for the magpies) it counts as one two-storey building, or two separate nests on top of each other… To me, seen from my window, it also rather resembles a big wicker sculpture of a woman’s head and shoulders... Magpie art? ; )

Anyway – the structure has grown since I first blogged about it in March 2014:

There’s also a nest in another tree close by. You can see both of them in this photo from January 2015. Both nests have grown bigger since then, but it is the one to the left that has the “head” added on top now : )

In the cemetery nearby, I recently also noticed this tree:

My first thought was “an apartment tree for birds!” – Not sure, though… Someone yesterday suggested “witch’s broom” for my mystery picture (a kind of tree disease/deformity). While I’m pretty sure that magpies made the wicker sculpture - perhaps this other tree is “bewitched”?

Guess What?

Any idea what you’re looking at here?
I’ll let you have a guess before I give the answer…

Under the Weather

The photos above are from a walk along the river on Monday (6th November). Since then we’ve been through a variation of sun, rain, wind, fog and frost…

Over the weekend I’ve been feeling a bit “under the weather”. Whether really to do with the weather, I’m not sure. Also got my annual flu shot on Thursday. Not been really feverish or anything, just a bit… well, whatever... Anyway, didn’t get round to any blogging - until now (Sunday evening).

Sunday started out foggy and frosty. I waited until the afternoon to go out. But even then I found the ground still treacherously icy and frosty in places (where there had not been enough sun). So my walk was cut short.

Frozen muddy puddle

Frost on the lawn

Shadow Shot Sunday: Halloween

In Sweden we celebrate All Saints’ Day on the first Saturday of November (and All Souls’ Day on the Sunday); with focus on remembering the departed by visiting graves and lighting candles etc. A tradition which does not go back all that far here, but seems to be growing rather than being on the decline.

For those who prefer the American/British Halloween traditions (with pumpkins, scary costumes, parties and candy-begging etc), there is some confusion about which day is the most appropriate for such adventures. Judging from advice I’ve heard/seen given this year, 31st October (whatever day of the week it happens be) seems to be encouraged for that kind of thing now – to avoid mixing it up with the more solemn traditions.

Around here it’s been rather quiet, and I have not noticed any ghosts sneaking around.

For my own part, I preferred to go and visit some family graves earlier in the week, in sunny weather. Which means that over the weekend, I’ve felt at leisure to mostly stay in and put my feet up and ignore the mist and rain outside.

Reading: a novel by Catherine Czerkawska, The Jewel, about Robert Burns (the Scottish poet) (and his wife Jean) in “Scottish English” (i.e. with lots of Scottish dialect in it) + (just started) Het Achterhuis, Anne Frank’s Diary in Dutch (!).

Watching: the Netflix series ‘Velvet’ in Spanish (with Swedish subtexts); and last night the Disney musical movie Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson (‘Hermione’ in the Harry Potter movies), and a number of other great actors as well. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of musical movies in general, but I found myself really enjoying this one. Classic fairytale and modern fantasy in a good mix with musical / action/ romance / comedy.

Shadow Shot Sunday

Postcards for Halloween

I do know who!  
This Halloween card came from Jarina in the Netherlands.

And so did this one – “Kindheitsfantasien” by Gerhard Glück

This Welsh dragon came flying in from Britain - sent by John

Postcards for the Weekend 59: Anything You Wish