Feeling right at home!

We spent our second weekend on Södratorp. We went up north (again with a full trailer attached to the back of the car) Saturday morning (and got back this afternoon). 

Saturday the sun was shining at first, but then the wind picked up and a lot of clouds showed up on the sky. 

It was rather chilly when we continued to work on the fence and later in the evening it even started raining a bit. 

We went to bed early and the night was calm and silent. We all slept like babies, the dogs are adjusting really well to the new home. 

We are thankful to have the chance to introduce them to new place gradually. 

(The cats will not get so lucky, but we'll do anything to make the transition as easy as possible for them.)

The first weekend we stayed overnight Cleo was still acting like "when are we going back home folks?"

This weekend she was already more settled and started to play on her own in the living room while we were sitting at the dining table in the kitchen. 

Aaron found a plastic cup in the yard today and was playing all enthusiastic with it.
He acts like a clown when he gets the chance to put his teeth into one of those...

And Cleo enjoyed the sun, she (the sun) showed up again after lunch today.

It's nice to be able to REALLY live in the country again after two years in a rather noisy environment. When I walked with Cleo this morning I only heard birds sing, and the church bells rang down in the village - I realized that I hadn't heard church bells for a very long time!

We don't live far away from the village here, but I never heard the church bells. I wonder if it is the traffic noise  that we have gotten so used to hear all day, a noise that tends to superimpose itself on everything else.... I definitely prefer church bells and singing birds, let me tell you that :)

One of our new neighbors came by to extend a very warm welcome to us, in her hands she had a beautiful bunch of tulips! Look!

She told us that they are originally from Denmark and that they work there, but they come to Sweden/their house here every Thursday and stay until Sunday... all year around. So practically, they live one half week in Denmark and the other half in Sweden!
Well, "it's only about one and a half hours drive" she said. That's really not much, I agree, but I don't know if I would do that every week. Anyhow, we are looking forward to get to know all our neighbors.
Two more weeks!

:)

Södratorp - our new home!

***

Yes, it's a trailer. A moving trailer... with furniture in it!

We'll be moving soon, we are actually already in the middle of it. 

We found a great house, bigger then the one we are living in now, much cheeper in rent, recently renovated and surrounded by gorgeous nature! 

We started renting the new place from 1st of April, but will be living in our current home here in Åhus until end of April. 

The advantage of that is that we are having a whole month to move the entire household and personal effects - piece by piece almost, meaning trailer by trailer. 

Our future home is located about 2 hours north of here, so we are mostly using weekends and time off work to drive back and forth, with the trailer hooked up to the car.

Last weekend we made our 5th trip AND stayed overnight for the first time. It was a great weekend! 

Very good friends of ours helped us to build a fence around the back yard... too keep the dogs IN and the moose, rabbits etc. OUT...

We are not done yet, but we got really far! :)

We worked hard all day, but as you can see we didn't forget to rest in between! :)

Aaron has a new girl-friend... Her name is Bessy and she got the most beautiful brown eyes you can imagine - no wonder that Aaron fell for her in a heart-beat! 

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

After a round of playing Aaron got to "cool off" in the back of the car and Cleo and Bessy teamed up for a round through the yard - searching for rodents. 

The "ladies" at work! :))

And in the following photo you see Cleo thinking...
"are they REALLY building a fence here??? How can I get to the rodents if they build a fence?? Those humans... they don't get it, do they!!"

We'll be driving up again on Saturday and spend the weekend there. It feels really like going away on vacation for a weekend, the scenery is beautiful and !!! - it's really quiet there, almost no traffic.
All you hear when you wake up in the morning are the singing birds!
HEAVEN :)))))

SPRING REALLY DOES GET A DIFFERENT MEANING WHEN YOU CAN ENJOY IT IN SUCH A ADORABLE COUNTRYSIDE...
Space to be, Space to breath and feel alive even more :)

...to be continued!

♥

When you change...

When you change the way you look at things, 

the things you look at change.

by Dr. Wayne Dyer

One of my all-time favorite quotes! 

:)

At first sight

I believe that there exists something like LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!
And I wonder if there also exists something like FRIENDSHIP AT FIRST SIGHT...




- composed on an iPad

Another Quote I find to be true

"You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back."

Quote by Barbara DeAngelis

And more (iPhone) spring flowers...

♥♥♥

A sunday's walk impression - and (borrowed) thought

"Even though you are on the right track - you will get run over if you just sit there! 

*Quote by Will Rogers

Another week in photos

The week started out with nice weather, we got a REAL first taste of spring!
Thank you for that, it was REALLY needed! :)



Both Dogs are taking a nap while we watch the F1 GP Melbourne.
Aaron and Cleo are collecting energy for the walks later on.
This is Aaron, napping on my legs right now, and the photo beneath shows Cleo on her favorite pillow right beside me...

Earlier this week we went for a walk on the beach near Furuboda. That is one of the few places where Aaron is able to run free, without a leash. And as you can see, he enjoys it very much.

This is the bow of an old fisher boat, just in case you wonder...

Beneath, one of many returning eurasian cranes -  he's preparing for landing on a big field.
In the background one of many modern windmills of this area.

Life isn't a good one without a proper lunch break!
If you ever decide to come to this area, you should definitely check out the little town called Sölvesborg. And when you go there you should plan a lunch-break at the "coffeehouse" right in the center of it.
A great place to relax, eat a nice salad or pasta, and drink a fantastic cup of coffee or tea...

The area offers great trails for hiking and biking.
There is always a motive for you to discover if you happen to have a camera with you (even if it is just a simple camera like the one of your mobile phone - my iPhone in this case...).

And when you feel like a nice cafe latte after you've done some food shopping, you just sit down and give in to your cravings right there in the grocery store;-)

Last but not least I'll post a "mystery photo"
More about that in the near future...

I wish you all a fantastic spring sunday!


"All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.!
by Helen Heyes

They (Cranes) are back - and so is the spring season!

A field near Furuboda, Skåne, 22nd march 2011

Cranes in the background, Swans (lots of them spend the winter here in Skåne, some migrate south during winter) in the foreground. 

SPRING IS BACK !!! :)))

Spring won't be long in coming

It's about time! That's what most people say, and they are right. 

It's time for spring. 

And it's coming, slowly. :)

Everything looks still kinda asleep, not much color around. 

I am lingering after the smell of fresh, green grass, foliage and spring flowers.

But it will come. Soon! :)

I have posted a couple of new (or better recent) images on my photo only blog - just in case you would like to check them out. 

I haven't been out much with my camera during this winter. But hey, everyone needs to rest from time to time, right. 

Or do other things.

:)

Where is the beach?

It is almost dull to start yet another post by telling how the weather has been here lately.

And it has been cold, and still is.
We didn't get more new snow, most parts of Skåne are without the white glory by now (not so further north of course).

Unfortunately we are currently harassed (and have been since about two weeks) by a freezing cold wind coming from East, from the baltic sea area.

As a consequence of that icy cold wind the water along the coastline is all frozen over!

It is a strange sight, let me tell you that! No water and no waves... but see for yourself!

Ingrid and the dogs are walking where the waves hit the beach normally. And waves make usually a nice enjoyable sound, not now. Where you look, only ice covered by a thin layer of snow.

They say that the baltic sea along the swedish coast hasn't been frozen over like that since the 80s.

We hope that the temperatures will rise soon, not only because the walks along the beach are more fun when it's warmer, but also because we will soon run out of firewood.
It has been a long and cold winter and we managed to heat the entire house with using just one soapstone oven, situated in the center of the house. It was comfortably warm everywhere, even upstairs in the bedroom where the warmth comes from the chimney.
We have about one week of firewood left and then we are forced to use the central heating system which is powered electrically. That will elevate our electrical bill a lot, but buying firewood this time of the year is also expensive.
Well, it's almost March and it WILL get warmer eventually.
We just have to be patient for a little bit longer.

I will complete this post with a snapshot that Ingrid took this week.
Aaron has a couple of toys which we keep in a basket next to the TV. He loves to take them out one for one and play with them.
The other day Cleo decided to go and sit IN the basket ON TOP of all the toys so that Aaron couldn't get them...
Smart girl - confused Aaron!

Update on Aaron

We had a big storm coming through last night, and it is still blowing hard outside (9am).

The weather has been quite good those last few weeks. We had warmer temperatures, some rain - who helped get rid of all the snow and ice and in between some sunshine. 

We are already in the second week of february and it's been a while since my last entry, hasn't it. 

Aaron's injure in his front leg (we suspect he had a over-streched muscle or ligament around his elbow) has healed and he is moving normally again. We had it checked out at the vet and he gave some pain-killers and some anti-inflammatory drug. Keeping him on the leash for more then two weeks might have helped as well even though it was very frustrating for him not to be able to run, jump and stretch as usual.

But he got through it and all the efforts payed off at the end. 

And because we wanted to know for sure that everything was fine we decided to let them x-ray his elbows together with his hips (that has to be done anyways after the dog turns one).

Last week we got the results and it all turned out to be perfect. 

Aaron's hips and elbows are all fine! 

:)

Here's his certificate:

So now he can play and run and jump again like a young dog is supposed to. 

Nothing is nicer then to know that your Shepherd is fine in his joints!!! :))

Right Aaron!?

 ♥

Expedition "Ice and more on Furuboda beach"

Because I had to work on New Year's Day we went for a New Year's Walk on the beach today.
The weather couldn't have been more gorgeous.

We didn't bring Cleo this time, but I had walked a nice neighborhood - round with her in the morning though.
;-)

Since we walk the dogs separately so often during the week, Aaron seemed to enjoy the fact that I was coming along this time. He kept circling and inviting me to play with him.
Unfortunately he has problems with his right front leg, seems to have injured himself while playing in the snow about a week ago, or so.
Although it doesn't keep him from doing all the things he loves to do, we try to protect him a little by keeping him on the leash.
Aaron, just 8 more days until his 1st birthday! :)

The scenery along the shoreline was just gorgeous and fascinating at the same time.
Sea water, sand, snow and ice.
Beautifully shaped by the changing tides, temperatures below zero and gusting winds.

Already on the way back we spotted a group of Swans (Mute Swan/Höckerschwan/Cygnus olor) flying by. Two adults leading the way for their 4 kids...

Another dream couple (also Mute Swans) came by just before we left the beach, as a New Year's FIRST BONUS! :)

I named this last photograph "the dream couple".

May they fly together in harmony forever!

(click on image to enlarge)

:) HBFG