happy ADVENT to you

On the picture is a thing my Mother made for Advent.

Is advent just a Swedish thing?

This coming Sunday

on the first Sunday of advent,

we will lit one candle in the

advent-candle-holder.

Following Sunday

on the second Sunday of advent,

we will lit two candles in the

advent-candle-holder.

Sunday in three weeks

on the third Sunday of advent,

we will lit three candles in the

advent-candle-holder.

And the Sunday after that,

on the fourth Sunday of advent,

when we lit the fourth candle,

we will have waited long enough

because then it will be CHRISTMAS!

I wonder if you have advent in your country?

This is not a CAPUCHA

This cape I´m wearing alot this winter.
It is very warm wool.
It can be turned inside out
and become black if I want.
I use my green beret
instead of the hood that can be
buttoned on to it.

This cape is used by shepards
I was toled when I bought it
twentytwo years ago
in a little shop
on the portugese countryside.

Read Saloias blog today
about the Portugese capucha!

GOOD paintingday

Yesterday I had a really good paintingday!
This portrait should be finished by christmas.
Feels good this far.

the TRACTORSONG

I always find pictures of hands playing the piano beautiful...

the TILE

Ususally when something break

I tell myself; "Dont griev! it´s just a material thing."

It usually works.
But this morning

when my Catalunian tile broke

I got sad.

Long time ago

I spent five months in Catalunya, Spain.

I often took a walk to a ruin close by

that had the most breathtaking view

of the hills and fields...

I loved the place!

This tile I picked up there.
As a good memory

Now it is broken.

Yes, it was just a material thing.

But this tile was really dear to me...



Now, isn´t the blue paper beautiful??
See more at www.limohandtryck.se/

After being out in the sun
with Melinda, Marjatta, Charlotte (first time we met her).
and their children,
Noak had a nap of over three hours.

the ELEVATOR-boy

When someone who has visited us leaves,

Noak follows them outside,

presses the button

for the elevator to come,

looks at our friends

and says "snart, snart!" ("soon, soon!").

He then follows them inside the elevator,

presses the green button

wich will take them down to the entrance.

After that he steps out,

closing the door behind him,

waving good-bye to them

(through the little window

in the door.)

and goes back inside again

into our appartment.

TRANQUILITY

http://www.sheepish.org/ellie/lushan.php

...by Ellie Davies

AND THIS??

Must try and see what happens

if I send more than one picture

to my blog via mail.

What will that look like?

This is fun!

And then it will definatelly

be time for bed.

It is late.

EASIER

I just realized

that I can simply write an e-mail to my blog

to post a new message to you there!

I must try and see if that really works.

Did YOU know that was possible?

How much easier doesn´t it all get

if I can do it this way!

Thankyou Blogspot!!!

warmth

In this darkest time of the year
it feels like a little spring or summer
is needed.

So here´s a picture of (one of) my favourite-flowers
forget-me-not.

KINDERGARDEN

So.
Now we have been at an introduction
to a kindergarden.
It felt just fine.
(Yes, we want to place Noak
in a good kindergarden
whenever we find a good one)

It was warm and peaceful in there.
A good place for children to be.
Kind people.

But, it takes thirty minutes getting him there in the morning
+ thirty minutes returning home after that.
And the same amount of time in the afternoon.
That makes two hours a day of travelling.

In ten days we are visiting another kindergarden.
Noak is in line for three different ones...

BIRTHDAYGIFT

Melinda and her little Atilla and Amanda
knocked at our door last night.

(This is Mlinda kissing Attila)
They had baked a delicious brown cake
with lots of dried fruits in it.
No sugar.
They brought a drawing by Amanda
and a little wooden flute
for Noak.
For his birthday that just had been.
So dear!!!

(they couldn´t come to the party the day before...)

My little boy has known the sounds of the letters for a while now.
But yesterday was the first time he showd any interest in written words.
More, more, more he said
when I tried stop writing him words
on his little board
on wich he could write and eraze
over and over...

Evelina,

Tatjana,








Vadim,

Benjamin,

Jonathan,

Marjatta,

Göran,

Olga,

Hans

and

Noak

had a

birthdayparty

today

with

singing,

dance,

fishpound

and

a cake.

NEW CAMERA

One of these days
I´ll get a new camera.

I decided long ago,
that when I got
my next commission
I would.
Probobly a Nikon D80.

The house is sleaping now.

Our dear old Britta, our nextdoor neighbour
knocked at our door in the morning.
She had a little something for Noak
who turned two years old today...
He greated her by dancing around.
She said; this is probobly the last time
I will congratulate him.

Maybe that is so.

I remember when Noak was newborn
and Britta sat in our kitchen
holding Noak saying;
imagine when you are that big
that you can come running into me!

She was ninetytwo years young then
Now she has gotten old, our dear Britta.

Noak loves her and has his tour around her home
-things he always wants to do when he runs in there.
First he always takes her hand at the door and bows.

It is beautiful to see how these two have found eachother
at the door of life.
One just entered.
One will soon leave.

Today

a fine day

Noak has a little bit of a cold...
So they didn´t go out
as usual when I was to work.

My man made his
special apple-pie
together with Noak.

And I enjoyed sooo much
painting while
overhearing the two
making pie together.
They were a perfect team!

(Otherwise, this time of the year
is the WORST time for painting.
It is so terribly dark)

.
.
.

And later on when
Noak just had fallen into his nap-sleep,
the phone rung.
I have another commission!
(painting a portrait)

This was the third time
I talked with this man
about this comission.
The first time he called was
the day before I went
to deliver my last portrait.

I enjoyed that timing
because after the portrait
I´m doing now,
I don´t have any more
payed comissions...

The man will come here
on Wednesday.
Then we will discuss the details...

Fathers day today!

(Noak was borned on
Fathers day two years ago
-but that year Fathers day was on the 13:th)

Noak holds a picture of his cousine Karl.

Karls father is Erik Magnusson (my brother)

Eriks father is Gunnar Magnusson (my father).

Gunnars father is Lars Johan Magnusson.

Lars Johan father is Magnus Jonasson.

Magnus father is Jonas Elofsson.

Jonas father is Elof Elofsson.

Elofs father is also Elof Jonsson.

Elofs father is Jon (or Jöns) Elofsson.

Jon (or Jöns) father is Elof Olofsson.

Elofs father is Olof.

Olof was borned in late 1500, something.

They all lived in Värmland
(where I was borned and raised)
within 20 km from eachother...

Happy fathers-day to all fathers!

To Mary

Was lucky!

Got three deep plates
at the autumn-market in our church.
One for Noak.
One for Hans.
One for myself.
Perfect for soup
(Uschi has composed the best soup recepie)


And I also got some
extra plates in different shapes
in the same pattern
as a bonus.

They wanted to get rid of it.

I love porcelain!
Not only the front of it -
the design of the logos
of the pattern
at the back
are often
also a joy!


And I got a blue plate
at the previous market...

-There!
Noak always calls my attention
when there is a plane in the air.
-There; Mama!
...meaning that I was in one of those things some weeks ago when he was home missing me.
-No, that´s not an airplane, I replied,
-That´s a helicopter.
Well actually Noak, I´ve been in a helicopter too, but that was a very long time ago, long before you were born!

Yes, those helicopterflights were great fun experiences, being picked up in my own backyard! ...wich lead my thoughts to a virtual flight I once had in Minnesota; a big screen ahead with a simulated moving seat. Oh, how I laughed, and screamed!!! ...wich led my thoughts to

...a walk I had in 1986 with a two-year-old cute little fellow in a poncho. We went into a café in a southern European capital and had hot chocolade together. I wore my favorite black skirt that grandmas´sister had worn in the 20´s. I felt beautiful in the february-sun. A photographer passed by and took our picture... I was happy in my soul walking with my little companion. Ever since, I have wished for a two-year-old boy. On Tuesday that my wish will come true.

When I was thinking happy thoughts, a double birthday party some years ago, also came to my mind. I was the first to arrive and the last one to leave that beautiful day. Potlock in a decorated barn, singing and dancing...

How important it is to make memories and to have fun!

Dear Urschi, Shula, Caty, Di, Mien, Mary and Anneli,

Please be seated!

I laungh this blog today…

Let´s call it "dear", OK?

You know I wished to do something new…

but when I think of it -

I am the one I am

so it will probably be

not too different from stafflí