Year: 2018

The Tree Across the Road

tree

 The tree across the road on december 28th 2018 at 09:56

Since Februari 2018 I’ve documented the tree across the road on and off.

I just updated the album with more images. You can find the album with the tree images here. I update it infrequently with new images.

I still do not know which kind of tree it is. It is full of white flowers in the spring for a short time. The blackbirds still spend a lot of time in it wintertime.

Posted by nini in Nature, Outside, 0 comments

Winter is coming

frozen, birdbath

Winter is coming. Frozen birdbath. Photo: ©nini-tjader.2018

Wintergarden

Winter is coming, There is no denying it. It IS coming. We have already had a couple of frostnights. We have seen the very first few snowflakes the other day. They werenät many and immediately disappeared, but they were there…

garden, greenery

The garden through the kitchen-window, 2018-10-29. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

It has also been rainy, dark, windy… No fun at all. The darkness is the worse. Having to turn on the light indoors already in the morning and for the rest of the day is… well, depressing.

Move of plantbox

box

The old plantbox. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I have moved the content of the old box in the backgarden to a new, smaller box along the fence. I didn’t want to have it here, just in the wind from the radon fan, any longer. Especially since a second tub to draw out the radon from the ground was installed there on October 31st so even more of the radon would get blown onto that area before dissolving into the air. The blueberry-bushes beside it will stay though.

Where the old box was, I have sown grass. The parsley has been harvested and is now in the freezer. I didn’t harvest the chives, but I hope it will come up again next year. The old plantbox was all rotten, which I didn’t see until I wanted to move it. So a new box was necessary. The new box turned out to be smaller than the old one so the lemon balm had to be planted outside of the box. I also had to put a smallish “fence” around the plants in the new box so the cats would go there. Alice the cat tried to before I put the small “fence” there…

Withering plants

But winter is coming and the plants are withering. November, as it is now, is a month when the garden is at its ugliest.

autumn, garden

Autumn garden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

But there is still some life here and there. As long as it is, there are colors.

frozen, orpine

Frozen orpine. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

There has been frost some nights. The frost changes the plants. Now it is relatively warm again and no frost.

backgarden

The backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Autumn colors are beautiful, but…

hosta

Hosta/funkia, 2018-10-06. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Since I shot the above picture, the funkia/hosta has all withered down and is totally gone. See you in the spring next year.

lavender, aronia

Lavender and aronia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The lavender was in bloom for its second time late in the autumn and after I replanted this one just behind the aronia. The aronia gets bright red leaves (gone now) and black berries that neither I nor the birds like… But they are decorative…

heleniummoreheimbeauty

Helenium Moreheim Beauty. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The helenium Moreheim Beauty lasted longer into the autumn this year than earlier years. It still has a flower here and there… but most is gone now. The above birdbath has now been taken indoors as I don’t think the ceramics would manage the winter-cold and temperatures below zero.

mint, peppermint

Mint and peppermint. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Something that never give up is the mint and the peppermint in the backgarden. Blooming again, And growing. I have harvested and dried a lot of it, but since it has grown again. I will not harvest more now befor winter is coming.

patio

Behind the patio. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

On the backside of the patio-fence I have a climbing hortensia growing. In the spring when we were supposed to re-oil the planks with black-pigmented oil, I didn’t do the backside as the eaves and flowers of the climbing hortensia had just come out then. I waited for the leaves to fall off in the autumn. When they did and the weather was unusually watm, I finally oiled also the backside of the plank. Went all well.

Plants moved indoors

indoorplants, plants

Plants moved indoors. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

With the winter coming, plants have moved indoors to avoid the frost and the coming snow. It is MUCH too crowded. After a few weeks indoors by now, some of the plants are already thrown out as they didn’t like the indoor life.

The two pelargonia bontrosai now live in the kitchen-windows as does the red basil (which re-started itself and started to bloom again in October and get new leaves). The pelargonia Attar of Roses lives in the bedroom and is HUGE. Have given away parts of it to some ladies in my gym-group. The Plectranthus scutellarioides got so tired and messy so it ended up in the waste and is no more.

livingroomwindow, livingroom, plants, indoorplants

Livingroomwindow. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

bedroomwindow, bedroom, pelargonias

Bedroomwindow, Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The pelargonias have finally stopped blooming. The leaves on the figtrees in the livingroom are falling off.

I keep throwing out plants that look just too awful after some time indoors. More will be thrown out. As for the pelargonias I take cuttings of them before they get thrown into the waste. I normally do not take cuttings in the autumn, but this year I do. They take up far too much space and look just too awful…  Cannot stand looking at them all the winter.

Winter IS coming.

Posted by nini in autumn, Garden, greenery, Plants, winter, 0 comments

Autumn equinox has passed

parthenocissus, vildvin

Parthenocissus in autumn colors. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Autumn equinox has passed and it is getting darker and darker and darker… and colder and wetter too.

Plants and trees are starting to get their autumn colors. Beautiful, but I prefer summer…

sunflower, solros

Sunflower. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The one and only sunflower that I kept is in full bloom. It is an odd kind with several flowers on the same stem. The birds planted it.

autumnflowers

Autumnflowers. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The flowers in the flowerbeds are starting to look a bit tired. Some bloom their best in the autumn, and others are on their last legs and almost dead. The red pelargonias along the fence of the patio are still alive, but they do look tired.

echinacea

Echinacea. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The echinacea is almost done for the season. This (above) is how they looked on September 24th, 2018. The seed-balls are hard, thorny ones until they are ready to let loose their seeds.

broms

Vicious fly. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Some vicious flies that bite have appeared like the one above (called “broms” in Swedish, unable to find the english name for it). There haven’t been much flies this warm and sunny summer but they have come now. Some days the air is full of the small ones, and in the afternoon the regular house-flies often sneak in if the door is open. As weather is getting colder, door isn’t open as much as it has been though.

rudbeckiafulgida

Rudbeckia fulgida. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The rudbeckia fulgida (above) has been in bloom for several weeks already. It is an autumnflower, but it started to bloom early this year. Fortunately it still blooms now after several weeks.

japaneseanemone

Japanese anemone. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The double japanese anemone is taller than ever and have a lot more flowers than previous years. I had a regular one here as well, with simple flowers, but it has disappeared. My neighbours regular japanese anemone is still alive and in bloom though (below) in our joint flowerbed by the parking.

japaneseanemone

Japanese anemone. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

orpine, kärleksört

Orpine. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The orpines (kärleksört in Swedish) is larger, redder and wider than ever. It has really loved the warm and sunny summer it seems.  Soom years the flowers have almost not had time to bloom before the real autumn weather started. But this year …

flowerbed

The newest flowerbed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The newest orpine, which we moved from flowerbed one to the newly redone one, is alos in full bloom. And also large. That’s why we moved it to here (above) as it was a bit crowded in its original location.

rhubarb

Rhubarb in flowerbed two. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The rhubarb, which didn’t like its location in the box, has finally been moved to flowerbed two. What was there is now in the redone flowerbed. We hope the rhubarb will like it better her. Not as much sun as in the previous location. Maybe better to be directly in the earth. We will see in spring how it works out. It has company of 2 tulipbulbs and one allium in this flowerbed. No point in putting anything else in here as long as we don’t know how the rhubarb will grow. Or not.

oregano

Oregano. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

In the box where the rhubarb used to live, there are now six plants of oregano. Five of them have lived in pots on my patio, and one in the other box. I have harvested these plants and am drying the oregano indoors now. The plants are in the box just over the winter and we will see how many of them survived. If they do, I will move them to elsewhere.

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Giant verbena with bumblebee. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I have one giant verbena which planted itself from last years verbenas. The bumblebees love it. This one hung there for a couple of hours before moving on. There are still some bumblebees around, but most of them have disappeared by now. Normally we have a lot of bumblebees around as we have the kind of flowers that they love.

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Japanese forget-me-not. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

A new acquaintance in the garden is the Japanese forget-me-not. Sown by the birds. Asked in one of my FaceBook groups what it was and got the name Japanese forget-me-not. Very nice flower. Got two plants of them. Letting them bloom and spread as they want in the hope that they will reappear next year.

The garden, 24th September, 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The grass is green again after having been yellowish-brown the entire summer. As soon as the rains started again after a brake of several months, the grass came to life again. But now autumn is here and the garden is loosing its colors. The grapes are harvested (and eaten). We presently have one poppy there in the picture above.

poppy

Poppy, September 24th, 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

This is probably the last of the big poppies for this season. A bit late in the season for insects to find it so there can be seeds.

mushrooms

Mushrooms in the grass. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Talking about the grass… After the last heavy rain, suddenly the grass was full of these tiny mushrooms. They grow in the grass in a quite large area approximately where the roots of the former mirabelle tree once were. Yesterday I ran them over with the mover, but some still remain.

larkspur

The larkspur is blooming for the second time. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The larkspur suddenly re-started and is blooming for the second time this year.

heleniummoerheimbeauty

Helenium Moerheim Beauty. Photo: ©nini.tjader.20118

The Helenium Moerheim Beauty has been in bloom the entire summer and restarted with new flowers a couple of times. I let the seeds fall off it in the hope that it should spread. So far it has only spread at the foot of the original plant and not from the seeds. I’ve had it for some years by now. I love these flowers. And so do the bumble-bees.

honeysuckle

Honeysuckle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The two old honeysuckles (which started their life on the balcony of my previous flat) have got autumn-colors. At the same time they both also have flowers for the second time this year. That is not unusual. They usually bloom twice a year. I had a third honeysuckle, a yellow one, by the patio, but that one died in early summer after having had troubles for along time. So I cut it down. When all the leaves and plants are gone for the season I will look for it. It used to grow there behind the orpines… (picture below).

flowerbeds

Greenery at the entrance from the garden, September 24th, 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Due to some strong winds and stormy weather lately I’ve just started to move the pelargonias and the figtrees indoors. How much of them I will keep I’ve not decided yet. It is time now to move them indoors. Nights have become colder. It was close to zero centigrades the night before yesterday.

Autumn equinox has passed (on Sunday last). Autumn is here. Soon there will be no greenery outside. The light is disappearing and the season is getting darker and darker. I much prefer summertime… I already long for next summer…

plants

Plants. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Posted by nini in autumn, Flowers, Garden, greenery, Thoughts, 0 comments

Birdbaths in the garden

birdbaths, fågelbad

Birdbath in the garden. The second birdbath in the background. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

During this hot and sunny summer (not ended yet…) it became obvious that the birds and the bees and the bumblebees need water. They got thirsty, like we humans too. I’ve always had birdbaths in the garden for that reason. Occasionally I’ve seen a bird or two drink from them, but seldom bathing. Now I’ve got two (2) birdbaths. But almost no birds. Stopped feeding them in the middle of the summer. It got too expensive.

birdbath, fågelbad

Birdbath. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The green one above with the stone in it (an island for bees and bumblebees) I’ve had for a couple of years. Got via my neighbour from her ex-husbands sister who lives in a flat and don’t really needed it. Ceramics, glazed. A little bird on the edge of it.

birdbath, fågelbad

Birdbath. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The second birdbath, above, is of concrete. Got that recently from my newest next-door neighbour. He got it from the previous owner of his flat who left it in the garden when they moved on. As the current neighbour didn’t use it and tucked it away under a bush and a jumping-platform, I asked if he wanted to keep it or if I could have it. He gladly gave it up and I moved it to my garden instead.

Both sit on top of pieces of old tree-trunks to get them up somewhat from the ground.

Do the birds use them? Not what I’ve seen. But the cats do. They love drinking from them.

Important with birdbaths (or drinking stations for the cats) is to regularly change the water in them so it is fresh and free of drowned insects. The green one I take in over winter as I am afraid it otherwise will freeze and crack. The concrete one I don’t think I have to take in over winter. It is concrete. Should withstand cold weather and snow and ice. I’ll leave it there.

The grass got green again after we finally got some rain. Grass is recuperating fast.

Posted by nini in Birds, cats, Garden, Outside, Thoughts, 0 comments

Attar of Roses has grown

attarofroses

Attar of Roses pelargonia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

From May to when it gets cold in the autumn all my pelargonias live outdoors in pots. Either on the patio or out in the garden. At mid August one starts to think about what to do with them when cold strikes and they have to go indoors. Where to put them? That is a big problem when the plants have grown over the warm summer and become really big.

attarofroses, pelargonia

Attar of Roses pelargonia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

My largest pelargonia is the Attar of Roses. Presently its pot stands in the garden by the fence and just started blooming again. First flowers I saw early in the season shortly after I bought it, then again in June and then nothing until now. I didn’t buy it for its beauty or its flowers but for its nice fragrance. My Attar of Roses is presently 95 cms high, including pot. The pot is probably a bit too small. Might need to re-pot it in a larger pot before I bring it indoors.

attarofroses, pelargonia

Attar of Roses by mid June. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Until mid June or end of June it lived on the patio. As it grew larger and larger it took up too much space there so I moved its pot into the garden by the fence instead.

attarofroses, pelargonia

Attar of Roses 2018-05-29. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I bought the plant at the garden fair in Älvsjö in the spring. It lived its first months indoors waiting for warmer weather to move it outdoors.

attarofroses, pelargonia

Attar of Roses 2018-03-23. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Attar of Roses is a fragranced pelargonia often used in perfume and rose oil. Its smell is very nice. Much nicer than most other fragranced pelargonias inb my opinion. I like it and would love to preserve it over winter. Indoors. In regular indoor temperature and poor winter light… I have no other option for storing it. But it is big, so where do I put it? Have to solve that before cold strikes.

Posted by nini in Flowers, indoor plants, pelargonias, Plants, 0 comments

Hot and dry

dry, hot, garden

Hot and dry. Garden in the eveninglight 2018-07-25. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Hot, dry…

That grass needs some serious watering… but we are supposed to use the water sparingly. So shrubs and flowers and such get priority, not the grass. Don’t want it all to die in the hot and dry weather. So far I have managed to keep it alive, but the garden surely looks tired. The autumn flowers are in bloom now, about a month too early.

The country as a whole has had (and still has) wild-fires in several places. Very serious because of the dry weather. Grass and woods are extremely dry and there is little needed to start a fire.

You really do not want to sit in front of the computer writing blog-posts in this heat. It is about +32°C in my work corner… in the morning, all day long and in the evening. It makes it impossible to think or do something there.

On July 29th the rain finally came and we had something like 28 mm of rain in 24 hours. Since we have had some light showers now and then, but the temperature is still high both outdoors and indoors.

So what do you do when it is as hot as this?
Not much.
No gardening (except for a short while in the evening).

No cleaning indoors.
No ironing (except when you have no choice).
No cooking if you can avoid it.

Neighbour and I spend the afternoons in the garden under an umbrella in the shade. Knitting actually and having coffee and ice-cream and a lot of cold water to drink. That is slow enough not to get exhausted by the heat.

It is just as hot in the nights even though it is slightly cooler outdoors then. But then there are the mosquitos… One would think that there are no mosquitos when it is as dry as it is, but there are. Plus other bugs and flying things. The last couple of days the air is also damp after the rain we had.

hot, temperature, thermometer

Temperature indoors and outdoors 2018-08-02. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Even I, who love it being warm weather and sunny, am really fed up with this heat which you cannot escape.

Prognosis says it will get cooler and more normal temperatures next week. I’ll believe that when I see it.

Never have so many looked forward to rains, clouds and cooler weather…

hot, clouds

Clouds 2018-08-02. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Posted by nini in Garden, greenery, Thoughts, 0 comments

A Visit to Ulriksdal Palace with Park

ulriksdalsslott

A visit to Ulriksdals Palace with Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

On Tuesday (July 3rd 2018) I visited Ulriksdals Palace with Park. It has been on my agenda for quite some time to visit there. I even managed to come half-way some time ago but had to give it up because of how the buses went. Or rather not went. This time I managed to get there. Despite the louse time-table for the buses and missing the bus I had intended to take because of a delay of the commuter train. I arrived at the gates of the Palace Avenue and there could pick up a map of the entire park and surroundings. A perfect day for a walk in the park as it was warm but not hot and it was overcast. It is hard to take pictured when the sun is shining so I prefer overcast weather when doing visits like this.

ulriksdalpalace

Map of Ulriksdals Palace and Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

My original intention was to go to the gardens and plant-shop, but as I arrived at the other end of the area I decided a walk in the park was a good idea. Ulriksdal is managed by the National Property Board in cooperation with the Royal Court.

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Ulriksdal Palace Chapel. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The park is huge, very well-kept, beautiful and interesting.

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In the park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

After entering the gates to the park and palace (free entrance) you pass a bridge over a small stream guarded by two statuses called “Blackmoors pulling net”. I went closer to it later during my walk.

fuchsia

Fuchsia on stems. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

At various spots on the bridge there were potted stemmed fuchsia. Didn’t know thy could gt that old and have wooded stems.

ducks

Ducks expecting food. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Standing on the bridge looking out onto the water, the ducks thought they would get fed and hurriedly came in my direction. I didn’t have anything to give them though.

sign

A sign about the sculptures. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

There are plenty of signs all around the park describing what you look at. The signs are both in Swedish and English.

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One of the blackmoors. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I went close to the wooden bridge with the blackmoors pulling net statues., one at each end of the wooden bridge. One has lost part of one arm, but they both look uncannily realistic.

blackmoor, ulriksdalspalace

One of the blackmoors pulling net. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Even the striped clothing is part of the statues.

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The park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The palace park has intricate hedges and very straight avenues bordered by large trees.

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Flowerbeds inside hedges in the palace park. Photo: © nini.tjader.2018

Inside some of the hedges formations there are flowerbeds with various flowers.

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Flowerbeds inside hedge structures. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The flowerbeds are bordered by low hedges and the pattern of flowerbeds themselves are surrounded by high hedges. These ones are called Hårleman’s bosquet.

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Sign about Ulriksdals Palalce. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The palace explained on a large sign in Swedish and English.

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WWF sculpture. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

This cute sculpture is placed just outside the palace and was a gift to the king from WWF on his 50-ths birthday (if I remember correctly).

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Ulriksdals Palace. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

And this is the palace itself from where you enter it. There are guided tours of the inside, but I choose not to make a guided tour.

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Ulriksdals Palace. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The back of the palace is turned towards the sea.

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Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The front of the palace is turned towards the park and huge meadows.

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Hedges at Ulriksdals Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Behind and to the side of the palace there are large hedges with openings to walking paths along the shore. I have always been intrigued by hedges with openings in them… to where do the opening lead…

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The shore behind Ulriksdals palace. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

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Flowers outisde the palace. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Here and there in the park there are large pots with flowers. Above Garden Cosmos (rosenskära in Swedish) surrounded by some plant I don’t know the name of.

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Lind. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The avenues of the park have large, old trees bordering the allée. The trees are tilia cordata. When I visited they were all in bloom.

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Tilia Cordata allée in Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

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Statue of wild boar in Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018.

In the park in front of Ulriksdal Palace there is a water-pool with cascading water and by its end stands two sculptures of wild boars.

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Sculpture of wild boar. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

In between the wild boar sculptures is a pelargonia-staircase with various pelargonias.

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Pelargonia stair-case in Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

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Pelargonia in Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I wonder how many visitors who are pelargonia-lovers that take cuttings from these pots…

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Avenue in Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

And the avenues continued further on in the park.

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Fallen tree, Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The trees in the park are old. Some have fallen. The above one recently. There has been some quite hard winds recently.

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The Turkish Pavilion. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

At the end of the avenues the park takes on another look and feel. Here is for instance the Turkish Pavilion, just at the edge to the English Park which is not as rigid in design as the rest of the park with its straight avenues.

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Ulriksdal Palace and Park seen from the Turkish Pavilion.Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I went further into the English Park where the grass was knee-high between the trees.

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The English Park at Ulriksdal Palace Park. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I then went on to the plantshop in in Ulriksdal Palace garden.

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Ulriksdal Palace plantshop. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

A very well-sorted plantshop with lots of plants of all kinds. I wasn’t there to buy, but only to look. Didn’t really want to have something to carry on my way home.

I visited both the gardens and the green-houses as well as the area wherewith “self-picking” of vegetables and flowers where you picj what you want yourself and pay for it when you leave. Below a galelry from that area. All very neat and well-orderd. A pleasure to visit.

There are more there to see and visit. I didn’t visit the coffeeshop or the Orangery Museum or the inside of the Palace. Maybe another time… The problem is to get there with public transportation as the time-tables are so bad and it is so far in between the buses. I was lucky though to both get there and home again this time.

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, Plants, 0 comments

Despite the drought

garden

The garden 2018-06-17 Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Drought didn’t kill the garden

Despite the drought, the garden is not dead even though the grass is far from green and there are tones of yellowish-brown all over the place. But in time for Midsummer the rain arrived. In 48 hours we had 17+25 mm of rain. Much needed really.

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Garden 2018-06-17. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The black currants (the two large bushes in the middle of the picture above) are coming fine this year again. 

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Black currants. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The branches of the black currant bushes get heavier and heavier for each day as the berries ripen. Two more weeks I woudl guess before they are ripe enough to be picked. Tasted one of the black ones but it is still extremely sour.

bird, foodstation

Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The foodstation for the birds is now closed for the season. No more seeds for a while. For a couple of days the birds were confused and kept coming and they cleaned under the foodstation in the grass. But there are fewer and fewer birds each day that passes. I miss having there to look at, but I simply cannot afford feeding them the year around. It gets quite expensive. And during the sumemr season they should be able to find food themselves. Or it the worms and insects on the plants…

hollyhocks

The hollyhocks will soon bloom. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The hollyhocks were not affected by the drought. They will soon bloom. They do not grow in the exact same place as last years though. They have “moved”. And they grow in an awkward place in the flowerbed just at the entrance to my outside place. They are healthier this year though than last. Fewer bugs on them. They seem to have liked all the sun and warmth we’ve had.

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The flowerbed at the entrance to my outside place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The digitalis are fewer this year than last and they are blooming just now.

digitalis

Digitalis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The digitalis are also not at all that high as last year. Probably also caused by the drought. Watering flowerbeds and bushes by the garden hose makes them survive, but it is not enough in the long run. The drought lasted about five weeks.

whitebluebell

White bluebell. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The bluebells are blooming now. Bothe the white ones and the blue ones. The white one has moved about 50 cm since last year. Probably by seed. The original one is gone.

bluebells

Large bluebells. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

bluebells

Small bluebells. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Both the large and the small bluebells are blooming. The large ones are much fewer this year than last. Partly because I actively removed a lot of the large ones in the autumn. Partly because of the drought I would guess. There are more of the small ones though.

wine

Wine. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

One plant that also loved the sun, warmth and drought is the wine. Last year we hade two flowers on it. This year several. Hoping there will also become grapes of them. Beacause the high summer kind of began already around may 5th you forget that it is still only June and most of the summer in front of us yet. It is early days yet for the greenery.

moreheimbeauty

Helenium Moerheim Beauty. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Everything is early in development, and everything bloom out very fast with the warmth we’ve had. I cannot remember that the Helenium Moerheim Beauty has started to bloom this early before.Its flwoers are just starting to open up.

lambsear, bigear

Lambsear “Big Ear”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The lambsear “Big Ear” is also just starting to bloom. After the rain I had to steady it by hanging it on the lilac bush branches as it was very wet and heavy. When it dried it stood by itself again.

lambsear, lilac

Lambsear at the foot of the lilac. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The lambsear grows at the foot of the lilac, which had plenty of flowers this year. Because of the drought, the flowers on the lilc only lasted about a week though. The bush to the left of it ( a goatsbeard) still looks the same even though the flowers are finished. Both bushes have reached their max-height for the season. The lambsears are still growing and there will be more than those two flowers on them.

lavender

Lavender. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Also the lavender has thrived from the drought, warmth and sun. Despite not cutting it in the spring or last autumn, it is larger than ever to the joy of the bumblebees and bees.

acanthus

Acanthus. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Also the acanthus will bloom this year and has obviously liked the warmth, sun and drought. It hasn’t done that since the year it was planted (which I think is 3 years ago). The flower is slowly growing and I hope it makes it and opens up. Had forgotten how the flower looks so had to google it. The plant itself is now three plants. I move the original one a couple of years ago because it was at a bad location in the flowerbed. But apparently I forgot a part of it because last year they were two plants. It also has spred by roots (I guessI because this year Iäve seen a tiny third plant as well, just between the two larger ones. If the other large one will bloom this year or not still remains to be seen.

beachroses

Beach roses in the backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

In the backgarden the beachroses have grown a lot since I cut them down to about 15 cm in height some time in April. Despite the drought and the fact that they have gotten no water or rain at all except for the rains around Midsummer they have grewn a lot and their flowers are now starting to come too.

rosebush

The rosebush.. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Our rosebush (probably a Chloris it is said), a rose with almost no thorns and a fragrance which is heavenly, had lots of flowers this year. They lasted just one week and are all gone now. For a change it didn’t have any lice this year. Thanks to the drought Id guess.

hosta, funkia

The hostas behind my outside place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The hostas along the plank of my outside place do not like drought and warm weath and sun. But these one grow along the fence behind outside place and are in the shadow most of the day. I’ve watered them thoroughly all along the dry period. The all green one is larger than ever, the one with white edges is also bigger than usual. Tehy will soon bloom. Iäve spied the flowerbuds under their leaves.

honeysuckle

Honeysuckle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

My two old honeysuckle are blooming a lot and have also grewn a lot this year. I have two kinds of honeysuckle. One is the regular pink and white one, the other one is this orange one. Both started their life on the balcony of my previous flat where they were until I move here in October 2009 and planted them on the corner of the high plank of my outside place. Two years ago they looked really poorly and I gut them down a lot, both of them. They came back fine last year and this year even more. Do not look too close on them though…

lice, honeysuckle

Lice on the honeysuckle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Particularly the pink and white one has lots of lice. The orange one not so bad. There is no pint in even trying to get rid of the lice. They stay where they are and do not move on to other plants and even though they look like in the above picture, they do not seem to harm the plant itself.

Another plant that has thrived this spring is the wild wine (parthenocissus) which got a new bow all for itself. The plant itself I’ve had on the corner of my outside place for some years and it hasn’t really grown that good until this year. It really likes the airiness of the rose-bow. Have to get up on a ladder to tuck in the new branches soon though…

I wish this summer still brings more sun and warmth. Despite the drought we’ve had.

wildwine, parthenocissus

Wild wine, parthenocissus. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Posted by nini in Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, outside place, 0 comments

Sunny, warm, dry

Daisies in the dry grass. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Since the beginning of May it has been extremely sunny, warm and dry for being Sweden. I’ve spent a lot of time outdoors, in the sun, gardening and sun-bathing. I love this kind of weather,  but it is too dry for the greenery. Grass is now brown-beige instead of green. And all the greenery is developing much too fast. If I hadn’t shot pictures of flowers and bushes and all that grows I would have missed out of what is happening in the garden as it happens so fast this year.

lambsear, bigear

Lambs ear “Big Ear”. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

There has been a lot of watering of the flowerbeds and bushes, but everyone is asked to save the water and not water lawns. My lambs ear plants, “Big Ear”, will bloom this year as well as it did last year. Flowers are on the way.

honeysuckle, rosebow

Two kinds of honeysuckle. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The two kinds of honeysuckle, one pink and white and one orange, are blooming a lot presently and growing a lot as well. They are both attached to this rose-bow making an opening to the back-garden.  Unfortunately these two honey-suckle plants have no fragrance what so ever. But the attract bees and bumblebees and lice anyway. Don’t look too close on it because it is full of greenish lice…

wildwine, rosebow

Wild wine. Photo:©nini.tjader.2018

The wild wine on the new rose-bow is growing fine as well and is covering the newest rose-bow more and more. Earlier years it has just crept along the fence of my patio and not really been seen. It likes this much better.

rosebows

Rose-bows. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Both rose-bows have a sun-charged lamp at the top of them. Lamp comes from IKEA. Above you can see both bows and the flowers-bed along the outside of my patio.

climbinghortensia

The climbing hortensia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The climbing hortensia on the backside of the highest wall of my patio has more flowers this year than last. Last year it hade two flowers. This year there are about 16 flowers. To the great joy of the bumble-bees and the bees. They are blooming as best just now and the whole wall is sounding from the bumble-bees.

climbinhortensia

Climbing hortensia. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

It took some six years or so for the climbing hortensia to start blooming. More flowers next year?

We were asked to oil the tree-planks of the patios with a tree-oil with black pigments this years. So all patios are now black. Except for the backside of my high plank as I didn’t want to disturb the climbing hortensia when it blooms. I will do the backside by autumn when leaves start to fall off but before it gets too cold to do the job.

backgarden

The backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The back-garden, outside the windows of a neighbour, is as unkempt as ever. Only I can get to it. I cut the rose-bushes down to around 20 cm of heights in earlier spring, but the bushes are up again, despite the dry weather. You cannot really get rid of those bushes unless you dig them up. That’s what I’ve done in the rest of this area plus together with my neighbour in the front area where the actual garden is. It used to be all thorny bushes everywhere once upon a time.

The trees at the very end of this area that were cut down some years ago are coming up again though… mirabelle-trees.

box, herbs

The box. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The box in the backgarden is coming along fine. The chives, the dragon, the lemon balm all survived the winter. I’ve planted new parsley (three plants) and new oregano (2 plants). A third oregano is also in the box, moved to there from a flowerbed along the fence. I’ve also planted oregano in two pots on the patio and already cut it down and dried what was in them to make it grow more oregano. Last year I grew too little oregano. It didn’t last the winter so I had to go out and buy dried oregano.

pelargopnias, flowerbed

Along the patio. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

On the outside of the aptio I have three long flowerboxes with red pelargonias haning above the flowerbed. The flowerbed under it had nothing but crocus in it in April. Now everything else is coming up and it will soon be blooming there.

mint, peppermint

Mint and peppermint. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The mint and peppermint flowerbed is filled to the brim with the growing plants. There will be no shortage of mint this year… So far no bugs on it eating the leaves, But they might still come…

flowerbeds

Along the patio towards the backgarden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The hostas/funkias at the end of the flowerbed, at the foot of the rose-bow with the two honeysuckles, are just getting larger for each year that passses. Particularly the all green one. The white and green is smaller.

astilbe, flowerbeds

Astilbe. Photo: ©nini-tjader.2018

The three astilbes (2 white, one pink) have flowerbuds and will soon bloom. That is early…

digitalis

Digitalis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The digitalis are coming up along the fence as well. Not as many as last year, but enough to be decorative.

digitalis

Digitalis. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The digitalis grow fast. You can almost see them grow from day to day. Which colors they will be this year remains to be seen.

hosta, funkia

The hostas/funkias. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Above you can see the hostas/funkias as they presently look. They will still get bigger and later get flowers. The green with white edges IS bigger this year than last, but the all green is huge.

Below is the corner by the entrance from the garden as it presently looks. The hollyhocks are in another position this year (moved themselves), the yellow honeysuckle seem to be dying and its drastically cut down, but everything else in this flowerbed is fine. To keep the flowerbeds and all plants alive there has to be regular watering (evenings) or the dry and warm weather would kill it all. Enough that the grass is not green… No, we are not forbidden to water, but asked to do it wisely and be carful with how the water is used.

I will report from the front garden another day.

flowerbeds

By the entrance from the garden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

 

Posted by nini in flowerbeds, Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, 0 comments

Springtime, summer, garden

springtime, summer, garden

Springtime, summer, garden. The garden in the evening 2018-05-08 at 20:05. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Springtime, summer, garden

Suddenly spring arrived. Fast. And then a weather that is more like high summer than spring. The light returned and so did warmth and sunshine. The garden explodes before your eyes and you can almost see how everything grows.

alice, gustav, springtime, summer, garden

Alice and Gustav in the garden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

We all, including the cats Alice and Gustav, enjoy the really early summer-weather out in the garden.

springtime, summer, garden

The garden May 9th 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Everything is growing.
Everything is in bloom.
Everything needs attention,
Who wants to be indoors in front of the computer writing blog-posts?

springtime, summer, garden

The garden in springtime. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve got myself a new sun-chair. Grey this time. The red one I’ve had for years I threw out in the autumn as it had done its time and was falling apart. This is the same model as the old one, just another color. Very comfortable. Have already used it a lot.

springtime, summer, garden

GardenMay 9th, 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve got a new bow for the Engelmanns wine. Will look nice when the wine leaves come out. They are starting to, but you cannot really see it in thepicture from May 9th. What you CAN see though is that the plank around my outside place is no longer natural color, but black. The whole community now are getting black pigmented oil for the planks. Slowly we are all oiling them and they get black. I actually like it. Except that you see all the dust and all the seeds from plants on it and constantly have an urge to clean the plank… But the greenery comes out nicely against the black plank. Since I shot these pictures, both the balconies on the second floor have been oiled and are also black.

gustav, alice, cats, springtime, summer, garden

Gustav and Alice in the garden, Yin and Yang. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The grass is getting greener every day… but, at places already getting brown as there has been no rain and really very warm weather.The hoze is out every evening for watering the plants and bushes, but I donät water the grass.

flowerbed, springtime, summer, garden

Colorful flowerbed, May 10th 2018. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

If I didn’t take photos all the time I would miss out on all the flowering and colorful flowerbeds and what is happening there. Flowers come and go and disappear really fast. The above flowerbed, shot at May 10th, looks nothing like this today…

appleblossoms, springtime, summer, garden

Appleblossoms. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The whole neighbourhood is perfumed by the scents of the flowering trees all around. Lovely.

dandelions. maskrosor, springtime, summer, garden

Dandelions. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

It is also dandelion-season… as springtime and early summer always is. I hunt them in the grass wherever I see them and dig them u p. I don’t want them to spread.

redcurrants, springtime, summer, garden

Red currants flowers. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The red currants on the commons are coming along fine, as are the black currants in our garden.

neighbourcat, cat, springtime, summer, garden

The striped neighbour cat. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The striped neighbour cat from the other side of the house visits regularly. He also drinks from the birdbath… They all do.

birdfeeding, fence, springtime, summer, garden

By the birdfeeding. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

We have fenced in the flowerbed by the birdfeeding as the three cats liked to hide in or on the flowers, flattening them to the ground, when they waited for the birds to come… Intention of course to catch birds… Have put in lots of flowerseeds at the edge of this flowerbed. Waiting for them to come up. At least now the cats cannot lay on the flowers…

Springtime and summertime at the same time. This year the month of May is delivering and everything is getting green and flowering. It is a beautiful and lovely season.

springtime, summer, garden

Springtime in the garden. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

And Gustav is back sleeping in his high grass.

gustav, cat, grass, springtime, summer, garden

Gustav sleeping in the grass. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Posted by nini in Flowers, Garden, Garden and Nature, greenery, Thoughts, 0 comments

Timeless design

timeless, design, funnels

Timeless design. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I have some items which I have inherited from my parents which I still use. They all have a very timeless design that is good. These items are still very useful.

These funnels for instance I use very frequently to fill bottles or other things when I need to. they are enameled metal from Kockums. White with a blue rim. I’ve seen them all my life. Nowadays the enameled items from Kockums are collectors items and frequently sold at auctions.

Another funnel/with holes in/ from the same time is the above of stainless steel. Still useful. Never brakes…

pancaketool, spatula, timeless design

A tool for pancakes. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Then there is timeless tool for turning pancakes around to its other side. It is old and ugly and has been used at least since I was a child. This is the only tool which is reliable to flip a pancake to the other side when done on the first side. For a long time there were none of this tool to be found in shops. I really tried to find a newer and better-looking one to exchange this one but didn’t manage. Now it has reappeared. Still the same form of it though as this is the only one that works. Some use regular turners for this purpose, but they are not as good at turning the pancakes around.

pancakeiron, timeless design

Pancake iron. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Then there is the old pancake iron. Made of iron. Heavy. But the best to make pancakes in.

pancakeiron, timeless design

Pancake iron for small pancakes “plättlagg” in Swedish. Photos: ©nini.tjader.2018

And then there is the fryingpan for making small pancakes. Called “plättlagg” in Swedish. Both the above I’ve inherited from my mother and have seen all my life. I use both on and off still today.

And the iron pot which was/is used for stews or casseroles. Also heavy iron. Can be used on open fire. When I was little we had a gas stove and it was used there in its oven for the casserole we got once a week as long as my mother was alive (she died at age 55). A really timeless kitchen item with timeless design. Still very useable. I got really fed up with the Sunday casserole though and have never cooked that again in grown-up life. Other casseroles though I like and sometimes use this iron pot for them.

ironpans, timeless design

Timeless design for iron pans. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve also kept the two ironpans. They are way too heavy though to cook comfortably with. But they are good.

There are also some ceramic pots that have a timeless design. Like the one below. When I was a child it was used to store butter in and kept in the cold storage cupboard we had. There were no fridges at the time. It presently serves a as a flowerpot for some small cactuses which are planted in a pot that is smaller than this one and put inside.

timeless design

Timeless design. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

These are only some examples of timeless design that lasts still today. These will be around and used for many years still.

Posted by nini in Design, kitchen, 0 comments

The tree across the road

the tree across the road

The tree across the road 20180222 at 17:14hrs. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The tree across the road

The tree across the road that I see every time I look out through the window in the door to the patio is fascinating. I have no idea (presently) which kind of tree this is, but it is decorative and the skies behind it are always fascinating. Except when they are totally grey and boring… This tree is where the blackbirds spend their time in daytime. At least in the winter. I don’t know about other seasons yet. I sometimes call it the blackbird tree. Here they sit and and watch the surrounding area. From here they fly to my patio to get food (in the winter). Just below it is the bus-stop for the bus from Tumba to Skäcklinge. I’ve managed to avoid taking pictures of the bus so far.

I started taking pictures of the tree across the road on February 22nd 2018. And I’ve continued taking pictures of it and will go on doing so. Eventually the tree will bloom and get green.

I’ve alternately used my Canon G15 and my iPhone 7 (smaller model) for the pictures. They are all shot from the same spot through the window in the door to the patio. Which camera is used depends on which one is at hands when I remember to shot the picture.

I will continue to take pictures of it and add to this album as time goes by. Just to see its change over the seasons. The album is shown in order of the date the pictures are shot. Click image to see a larger version. Hover over image to see date taken.

Return to this album to see how the tree changes over the seasons.

Posted by nini in Nature, 0 comments

Sofa in place

sofa, karlstad, ikea

The new sofa is in place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

New sofa in place

It all went very fast after I decided which sofa to buy.

On Thursday morning (April 5th) I decided to try to sell the old sofa on Blocket.se. Two hours later I had the first respons asking me if sofa was still available. I answered yes. About an hour later I had the next response which said if it was still there they wanted it and could pick it up the same evening. So I agreed to sell the old sofa to them and agreed on pickup-time. They came in the evening, picked the sofa up and payed it via Swish, without any arguing about the price. The first contact I had in the morning by that time came back (via email) and wanted me to reduce the price. I then told her that the sofa meanwhile was sold and picked up. Two other also contacted me by that time.

I’ve thought it is impossible to sell sofas via Blocket.se, but this time I was wrong. And I’ve never sold anything via Blocket.se that fast before.

livingroom, sofa

Livingroom without sofa. Photo ©nini.tjader.2018

So there I was Thursday evening without a sofa. Looked really empty.

On Friday, when back from the gym, I went directly to IKEA to buy the new sofa. Delivery was ordered for the same night between 17.00-21.00 hours. It arrived at 19.00 hrs. Two very helpful guys in the car carried it all in and the biggest parcel they carried all the way into the livingroom even though I had only ordered and paid for delivery to the door and no carrying in. Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

That same night I took away all the plastic and such from the parcels but did no more.

sofa, ikea, karlstad

Assembly of new sofa going on. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

In the morning (Saturday), I got the pillows into their covers and everything laid out for the assembly of the sofa itself.

sofa, karlstad, ikea

The new sofa ready to be assembled. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

After having breakfast the neighbour came in to help me with the rest of the assembly. The main parts of the sofa is impossible to assemble by yourself. You need to be two to do it.

sofa, ikea, karlstad

The new sofa assembled. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

After struggling with it for a couple of hours, with a break for waffles with whipped cream and strawberry preserve and coffee outdoors in the afternoon, we finally were done.

Those screws that hold the sides together with the main part of the sofa are really hard to fit and get firmly screwed into place. One of them was impossible and is only loosely there (the one in the upper right back). No matter how much we tried to get it to stick where it should it wouldn’t. It is the one fastening the righthand side-piece at the upper backside (against the wall). I hope it doesn’t matter.

sofa, ikea, karlstad

Sofa assembled and in place. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The new sofa is the same model as the old one, a Karlstad from Ikea. This time a 3-seater. The old sofa was a 2-seater (no longer sold by Ikea). I wanted a 3-seater so I can have a night guest should I need to. This is big enough for sleeping in when pillows are removed. The light-grey cover can be washed in the washing-machine if needed. Only problem is that you have to take the entire sofa apart to get the cover off, except for the pillows.

sofa, ika, karlstad

New sofa in place, pillows placed. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The loose pillows (same ones as in the old sofa) were placed in the sofa. Plenty of space left as the sofa is longer than the old one.

sofa, karlstad, ikea

The new sofa with its pillows and throw. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

To protect the brand new sofa I put a throw by the end of it where my feet usually land. I hope Gustav, neighbours cat, will not have too dirty feet when he comes in and wants to be in the sofa… It has a 10 year warranty but not against dirt on the cover…

I am happy with my new sofa. It will probably be my last sofa.

Posted by nini in furniture, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, 0 comments

Icy walk in the woods

icy, walk, woods, dams

Icy walk in the woods. Photo:©nini.tjader.2018

An icy walk in the woods

Day before yesterday, neighbour and I took an icy walk in the woods. The intention was to walk around the two dams we have here in Tumba, the big one and the smaller one. This path is popular for skiers in the winter when it is snow-covered, for walkers and runners when snow-free.

pinetrees

Pinetrees. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Snow was more or less gone among the trees.

icy, road

Icy road. Photo:©nini.tjader.2018

The roads were covered with ice… You had to be very careful and keep to the sides of the road so you wouldn’t slip and fall and slide down the slope.

ice, snow, road, bigdam

By the big dam. Neighbour Gullis on the other side. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

We finally made it down to the big dam by small steps and carefully moving in order not to slip. By the dam and the road there, there is a fence you could hold on to. The fall from the big dam was all ice too.

bigdam, ice

The Big Dam in Tumba. Photo: ©ninoi.tjader.2018

The big dam was still ice-covered.

bigdam, waterfall

Waterfall from the Big Dam. Photo:©nini.tjader.2018

The above is the waterfall from the Big Dam. All icy but water still streamed strongly there. A couple of weeks more and ice will probably be gone.

ice, bigdam

Ice on the Big Dam. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2018

The ice is now melting and dangerous if somebody would risk to try to walk in it. There were signs of walking on the ice. I would never… Some years ago an elk drowned here when it went through the ice. But the ice is melting close to the shore and where the waterfall is under the tree-bridge.

bigdam, ice, icy

The Big dam with ice. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

ice, bigdam

Unreliable ice on the Big Dam. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

When we passed here there was a cyclist from the other direction with very thick wheels on his bike. He somehow managed to pass and get up the slope with his bike.

bigdam, ice

Resting place by the Big Dam. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

This corner of the Big Dam later in spring is a mating place for frogs and the water then is full of frogs, the path also full of frogs passing from the below the waterfall up to the dam. And the dam itself for a while is filled with frogs and baby-frogs. Just now the path is slippery with ice, then it will be frogs instead…

smalldam, ice

The small dam. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

We made it all the way to the smaller dam too. At this time of the year you can actually see it as the trees and bushes have no leaves. Later on it disappears behind the greenery.

smalldam, ice

The Small Dam. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The ice looked thicker at the small dam. And its’ waterfall for transport of the water further down the slope was blocked by tree-branches.

smalldam, icy

The waterfall from the small dam. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

The waterfall from the small dam was more icy and less water than the one from the big dam. It is unnerving to take photos from above at these spots. You don’t want to drop your mobile here…

Not far from here there is a way out of the woods, down to the main road. We opted to leave the woods here as the remaining path we usually take is in shadier parts of the woods and therefore probably even more icy and slippery. We were pretty fed up of the slipping on ice by this time.

icy, roadside

Icy roadside. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

By the roadside there were ice-falls from the slope above. That’s what happens when the snow melts and then freezes again. Reasonably warm daytime, freezing at nights.

icy, roadside

Ice by the roadside. Photo. ©nini.tjader.2018

The icy roadside is pretty interesting and beautiful I think. Last years growth still stand up through the ice.

icy, roadside

Ice by the roadside. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve always been fascinated by the icefalls you see by the roadside at this time of year.

When we were home again after approximately 10500 steps, we saw the first tussilago by the lawn in our garden. Despite all the ice out there, it now must be spring… right?

tussilago, springflower

The first tussilago. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

Posted by nini in Nature, spring, Various, winter, 0 comments

Decision about sofa

karlstad, sofa, 3-seater

Sofa, Karlstad 3-seater. Photo: Ikea

Sofa decision.

I made a decision about the sofa.

It will be an IKEA KARLSTAD 3-seater with light grey cover. And not the new DELAKTIG I previously thought I would buy. This is the same model as I have now, just a 3-seater instead of a 2-seater, and with a cover that you can wash yourself in the washing-machine, which saves a lot of money if you need to get it cleaned.

karlstad, sofa, 2-seater

My present KARLSTAD 2-seater sofa. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

I’ve always liked the simple lines of the KARLSTAD sofa. It is also comfortable to sit in. I just need a slightly longer one that you in case of need can put up a night-guest in. The present sofa is way too short to sleep in. I also need to be able to clean the cover in the machine. And to get a more stable sofa. The present one is damaged in one corner where a screw fell into the armrest together with what is supposed to hold the screw. I got a new screw from Ikea, but what is supposed to hold it is for ever inside one of the armrests. The armrest to the right in the picture can brake at any time.

The price for the KARLSTAD 3-seater with the light grey cover is also very attractive. Even adding the cost for the delivery and the getting rid of present sofa, it is still much cheaper than the DELAKTIG one which I at first thought I’d get.

sofa, ikea, delaktig

Ikea DELAKTIG sofa modules. Photo: ©nini.tjader.2018

So, it won’t be one of the Ikea DELAKTIG modules plus cushions as I previously thought. The KARLSTAD 3-seater with the light grey cover is so much cheaper and it is still a good enough sofa.

As soon as the snow outside is gone (it still isn’t) I will .order the sofa. The only way to get it into the living room and the old one out is doing it via the patio and the garden. As long as the snow hasn’t melted fully that is a very slippery and wet way to go. But soon…

garden, ice, snow

The way through the garden. Photo: ©nini-tjader.2018

Posted by nini in furniture, Furniture and Decoration, Interior Design, livingroom, 0 comments