Jakob & Kenneth

I was at Lake Rudan a few days ago and decided to find someone to photograph for the 100 Strangers Project. The first person I asked, a woman with a baby, turned me down, but just around the corner on the wooden promenade, I ran into these guys. Meet Jakob and Kenneth. Childhood friends from when they lived in Övik, in the north of Sweden. Jacob works in the pharmaceutical industry, and Kenneth at Trollebo, a nursing home for disabled kids. On their free time they enjoy working out in the gym. I asked if they had done any travelling and Jakob had been to New Delhi where he had watched a cricket match between India and South Africa without understanding the rules of the game, but it was still a rememberable experience. Kenneth told me about the time he was in Uganda, white water rafting on the river Nile, that sounds like something I would like to try some day. We then talked about this and that and the amazing weather, and then we said goodbye. This is my 22th photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

House Sparrow

The bird watching continues. A House sparrow. We call it a Gråsparv.

Swedish Whitebeam

If you have been to this photo blog before, there's a pretty good chance that you have seen one of my favorite places. And here it is again. This is Välsta, a rural part of Tungelsta with open fields, a horse farm two hills and . Check out the original size. It's 16215 by 1024. I started a weekly project at flickr a few years ago where I took a photo of this old tree, a Swedish Whitebeam every week for one year. After I finished the project, people mailed me and asked me to continue which I did. By now I have walked down the path 140 times for a photo! In snow storms and heat waves, as well as sunrises, sunsets and more. Here is a misty version from 18 months ago.

Chaffinch

A Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). We call it a Bofink. It has a very pleasant song. I was sitting on a home made bench in front of the house when the bird started singing. Very enjoyable for me but not for the cat Tindra who did what she could to catch it when it landed on the veranda floor a little later.

Meet Maria

I've just shot a few spring photos when I see a woman on a horse. We start to talk and she tells me that she's seen a few European Viper's on the path, and that they didn't move for the horse. I tell her I have photographed a few snakes here before. I then ask her if I can take her photo for the 100 Strangers project. She agrees. Meet Maria. From Haninge. Out riding her horse Winnie at the nature reserve in Jordbro. I explain that I'm often in the area taking photos and points towards a hill with a unusual stone. You mean the offering stone she says. Turns out that Maria is a student at the Stockholm Institute of Education (a future specialist teacher), and that she has spent many hours at the National Library in Stockholm where she found a book mentioning that same offering stone. Maria is also a very talented and dedicated rider. She has competed in Eventing. A few years ago she won the Swedish Championship with her then club Årsta Södertörn Sportryttare. I give her one of my Moo mini cards with a photo of a church, and she says oh, my two kids were baptised there. After that we say goodbye. This is my 23th photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

A 360 rural panorama

Do you like big open rural landscapes? I do. This is a 360 (or 375) panorama I took yesterday. From Ormsta in Österhaninge. It took 26 photos (portrait style). What you see is the Ormsta farm and also a bunch of golfers down at Husby . If you look real hard you can also find the leaning church tower. There's a rune stone and a few old cars in the forest. The road here is only used by the local farmer and maybe a flickr member or two.


Best at the original size. And don't worry I have scaled it down quite a bit.

Muddy Road!

Someone has dumped a load of clay (blålera), on the asphalt road. And then quietly disappeared. This is Södertäljevägen in Tungelsta this morning. Between the station and the school, just outside the park. No one around to claim responsibility. I guess they took off when no one saw them...

A man with a dream

I see a man high up on a ladder, his head sticking up over the top of an old greenhouse skeleton in Lida. I ask if I can take his photo for the 100 Strangers Project and we start to talk. This is Torbjörn Lundberg. Originally from Skellefteå in the north of Sweden. A few years ago he had an apple farm at Svartsjölandet at Ekerö but lived elsewhere. Then he got an idea and started looking for a place where he could turn that idea into reality. After a few years he found it. Stavshäll in Tungelsta. Funnily enough with a little help from an architect who was my Stranger #14! Torbjörn plans to set up a business with a greenhouse and a coffeehouse.The family has already moved in to their new home. He will plant new apple trees in the garden. He hopes to be able to produce and sell fruit, berries and flowers when he opens for business sometime next year. Unfortunately the greenhouses at Stavshäll are long gone, so Torbjörn had to buy a few old ones and move those to his new place, and it was that he was doing when I met him. I told him that he needed to cut down the dead spruce hedge ( the last owner didn't know how to cut it), he laughed, and said, surely it's a national treasure by now as the ugliest hedge in the country! Good one Torbjörn! This is my 21th photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

School Museum

On a winter morning in February back in 1847, a teacher opened the green door to let the first students in to this school at Svartbäcken. 150 years after that first school day, on February 15 1997, the door opened again. That's when the school museum opened. Inside you will find a typical class room as it would have looked a century ago. This is the oldest school building in Haninge. If you hear any screaming kids nearby it's because the modern school at Svartbäcken is only a few meters away. Bigger photo.

You Lookin' At Me?

I came down a gravel road in Handen yesterday when I met this Roe deer. We looked at each other for a while. I then grabbed the camera and took a few shots. That didn't really impress the deer who went back to eating grass and a few tasty leaves. Bigger photo.

Sarcastic Undertone

I suddenly hear music. I stop and have a look around. On a grassy field next to the commuter station in Västerhaninge I see two girls sitting on a blanket singing and playing the guitar. Surely they must be 100 Strangers material! And yes, Sef and Theo agrees to have their photo taken. I tell them about the Horror Nipples guys I met last week and sure enough Theo knows who they are! They tell me that they have played together for a few years off and on while playing in different bands. What kind of music do you play I ask. We don't like labels they answer, but we call our selves Sarcastic Undertone. They practise in their respective homes or at Saf's place. Last year they visited the Arvika Festival. They laugh and say that they have their own language. It's called Böj. And also their very own dance, that doesn't have a name! I ask them to play something for me as I start to take photos and they oblige. I got to hear a few songs. Some that they have written and also a little Nirvana. This summer they plan to do a little busking in Stockholm. They don't yet have a MySpace site. We don't have enough material for that, but we are very ambitious so who knows what might happen in the future. So, not long from now, when you hear them on the radio or on MTV, remember where you heard about them for the first time...

This is my 20th photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

Högsta Runestone

On a field at Högsta in Haninge you will find this runestone. It is believed that the stone has stood here since it was made a thousand years ago. There's an old farm nearby with an abandoned house and a few stable buildings that are still in use, they belong to Hammarby farm.The inscription on the runestone was made by Åsbjörn. Translated it reads: Kasi reste stenen åt Assur sin son och åt Ulf. In English, Kasi had the stone raised to Assur his son and to Ulf. To get a feeling how it might have looked when the Vikings lived here have a look at Kenny's photoshopped version.

Arborist at work

Earlier in the year a birch tree fell during a storm and nearly hit my bedroom window. Today the arborists were back to cut down two trees that were more dead then alive. This guy climbed up the tree and cut off the top and then they lifted it down using this big crane.


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Benjamin

Moo!

The farms at Hammarby, in a rural part of Haninge dates back to 1650. Back then it was three farms. Today what is known as Hammarby Gård is a modern farm with cattle, seen here, and Bashkir pony's. The farm, run by the Norlin family is very popular and visitors come her to ride on the ancient breed of horses. If you understand Swedish you read more on their web site.

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Bashkir Pony's

Zooming in on some of the Bashkir pony's at the Hammarby Farm in Haninge. I visited the farm two days ago. Last year I met the owner Rolf at another farm he runs, and he invited me to visit Hammarby to see the Bashkir horses. They are an ancient breed that originates from Bashkortostan.

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Meet The Farmer

This is Rolf Norlin. He operates Hammarby Gård (Farm), together with his wife Tina. They have cattle and Bashkir pony's at this farm, and also grow their own crops. I followed Rolf around the farm, as they were taking a few of the horses out to the pasture where they will stay 24/7. Luckily I did have my boots on, as it was very muddy! Rolf then showed me the cattle and the Baskij horses, and told me about the farm which is very popular. People come to ride on the Basjki horses year round. For 400 SEK you get to ride for 90 minutes after you have familiarised yourself with the horse, afterwards everyone gets coffee and cake which sounds like a great deal. The family also runs the Ormsta farm. I will show you some photos from Hammarby in the coming days.

Meet the Horror Nipples!

I'm on the bike when I see these two guys and decides that they are 100 Strangers Project material. So I stop them and asks if I can take their portrait. Meet Svulf and Lasse. Svulf lives in Rågsved ( home of famous punk band Ebba Grön). But originally he comes from Värmland. Lasse comes from Stockholm and lives at Hammarby Sjöstad. They play in a band. The Horror Nipples. I asked what kind of music it was and they said Psychobilly. Lasse (he is the one with the sunglasses), plays the guitar, and Svulf (kinda cool name), rhythm guitar and backing vocals. With a name like that, surely they must be on their way to fame. So, if you want to be able to say that you knew the Horror Nipples long before they became famous, hop over to their MySpace site and listen to some of their songs. Perhaps psycho mania or frankie. This is my 18th photo for the project, you can see the rest of my photos here.


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It's been raining all day...

Lousy weather today. I don't really feel like going out for a Sunday promenade with
the camera. Instead I will show you a photo I took just the other day when the sun was shining. A peacock butterfly, one of those wonderful signs of spring. Bigger photo.

Meet Hector

On my way to Handen yesterday I met Hectorat Lake Rudan. No points for guessing his hobby. He really enjoys his fishing, and gladly posed for a portrait for the 100 Strangers Project. Hector originally comes from Uruguay. He lived in Montevideo for two years when he was very young. His mothers family still lives there, and he plans to visit them next year. Hector lives with his girlfriend in Sköndal. He works as a painter and decorator and drives an old Volvo 240 that has been converted, and now runs on Biofuel. He sold his expensive BMW and paid 6000 SEK for the ethanol powered car after an idea from his brother. He reckons it will save him some money which can be good as he recently bought a boat, a Scandica 440 that he will use for fishing trips on Lake Mälaren. His best fishing story was when he landed a Havsöring, a trout (that weighed six kilo), on the first try when he was fishing with his dad at Dalarö. It took him 25 minutes to catch the trout, at this point in the story Hector got a bit technical, describing rods and reels, but I have no doubt that it was a true story. This is my 17th photo for the project, you can see the rest of my photos here.

History lesson

On a rainy day (prove me wrong), in the year 1008 (give or take a few years), towards the end of the Viking Age, local Viking, Anund (or Ônundr), decided to have a runestone made as a remembrance after his father Vikinge. He gave the job to Halvdan, who had a reputation as a decent runestone carver. Today people disagree to what the inscription says, but it's something like Anund and ... raised this stone in memory of Vikinge their father, Stori's son. When the job was done, the stone was placed here in central Handen. Since then it has been moved a couple of times. As of a couple of days ago it can be seen at the entrance to the cultural centre at Poseidon's Square in Handen. Later today, local historian Olle Flodby (who claims that this is the original location of the ancient stone), together with a group of politicians will gather around the runestone for the offical unveiling.

Problem with the zig-zag stairs

Looks a bit difficult to climb up (or down), the zig-zag stairs here at Stationsvägen close to the commuter station in Handen. Same place when it was much easier.

Wiger's Roses

There's an open house here at at Wiger's Roses on Saturday and by then the prospective buyers will have two houses to check out. When this project is finished there will be 23 boxes for people to live in. Bigger photo.

What's this then?

Last weekend Berglunds tivoli, a traveling funfair visited Västerhaninge. A big hit with the local kids and a certain flickr photographer. I met the owner Jonny Berglund, and took his portrait for the 100 Strangers project. Today this is all that remains from their visit, guess what this is, and I will upload another photo with the answer.

Meet the architect

I was shooting a panorama photo at Stora Arken in Handen the other day, when a man walks by, turns around and asks if I'm Steffe, that guy with all the photos on the web. That's me I said, and that's how Rikard Lundin became my Stranger #14 for the 100 Strangers project. Rikard is an architect. And for the last thirty years he has been working as a landscape architect with Housing and Urban Development in Haninge. He told me that he was responsible for Stora Arken, (behind him) and a number of big projects around Haninge. including Kryddgården in Ålsta, Ribby Ängar in Västerhaninge and Ros-Anders gård, a retirement home in Tungelsta. At the moment he was working on Vega City, or Vegastaden, one of the biggest project in Haninge for many years. Rikard lives in Tungelsta and is a member of Folk och Trädgård, an association that I'm actually helping at the moment! I'm designing a few postcards for them, using some of my flickr photos. Rikard told me that his wife designed their web site, and he asked if they could possibly use some of my photos on their site, which is fine by me. We had time to discuss a few other thing as well. For instance how the rune stone behind the cultural centre at Poseidon's Square all of a sudden disappeared. Rikard told me (smiling as he said it) It's because the council 'just discovered the original location' and it's exactly at the stairs at the big entrance. Isn't that funny!

Wooden Sculptures

One of my first portraits for the 100 Strangers Project was a photo of an artist and sculptor.Lennart Jansson, who uses a chain saw to make his art. This sculpture group was made by him. You can find it at the Skutan farm in Handen. It tells a story about the people who once lived here. They worked in the washing industry, and looking at these great sculptures you can easily get a feeling about how hard that work must have been all those years ago. Not so long ago, the local council paid another artist Peter Johansson (from Gothenburg), a few hundred thousand SEK for an art piece called Clean House that was said to represent this part of the local history. That made quite a few people angry as Lennart told me. Those people wanted a local artist to be given a chance to create something similar and Lennart was asked to do his version. And this was the result. Sadly he didn't get much money for his work as it was made for a local cultural association (not completely sure which one) , but if you ask me, this is way better than the Johansson work that is located in the middle of a roundabout! Bigger photo.

Stranger #15

So I'm on the bike, and turning a corner at Ribby in Västerhaninge today, I see that there's a funfair in town! The kid in me takes control and I decide to check it out. And that's how I met my Stranger #15 for the 100 Strangers project. This is Jonny Berglund. He runs the Berglund Tivoli. It's a family affair. The wife is involved. As are the three kids, Johan, Jennifer and Jimmy. When they are not in school that is. But as you can see on my three previous flickr photos, they are always with him. For eight months of the year the funfair travels the roads in Sweden and Finland. They have all sorts of Merry-go-rounds, carousels, chocolate wheels, sidestalls, games and other exciting stuff for kids of all ages. To see all that they can offer I recommend you take a look at these photos from their web site. Jonny told me that the funfair has been around for more than 100 years! It was started by Jonny's great grandfather back in 1896. How is that for a lifestyle with a difference. He gladly posed for a portrait (despite being busy setting up all the attractions with the help of his staff), as he informed me that they would be here until Sunday, and that I was welcome to come back again. So if you hear someone scream from a merry-go-round tomorrow it's probably me!

Middle Farm

As I came down the gravel road towards Stadsberga, I stopped and shot some photos that I used for a great panorama. This is three of those photos. This is Mellangården, a horse farm run by the Skärbäck family. Their stable is just to the right and you can see it on the panorama. Bigger photo.

♥ I've got a shexy smile ♥

This is Gæi. An Icelandic horse that I met at the Västergården horse farm the other day. A real poser me thinks. The farm is located in a rural village in österhaninge called Stadsberga. Bigger photo.

Modern Day Rune stone

Do you have your own Runestone? Didn't think so. Lotta and her family at Västergården horse farm in the little rural village of Stadsberga does. The inscription reads Lotta o Joachim o Therese o Richard, alla Carlsund, lät resa sten o bygga hus på egen mark. Kalle rista. Which translates to Lotta, Joachim, Therese and Richard, all Carlsund, had the stone raised and the house built on their own land, Kalle did the inscription. Kalle is Kalle Runristare. There are Icelandic horses at the farm I will show you more photos later in the week.Bigger photo.

A beach panorama

The theme this month is water. I'm a bit of a beach addict. So I decided to take a bike ride down to the coast. It's not very far. Maybe a 20 minute ride. This is the Baltic Sea. The bay is Hårsfjärden. Where they searched after those Russian sub marines during the cold war. These days you are not likely to see even any Swedish subs as the Berga Base has been closed. The beach is called Årsta Havsbad. Back in 1929 a non profit organisation created Årsta Havsbad as a summer resort for workers. Around 600 small cottages (15-25 square metre), were built along with a hotel, convenient store, tennis courts and more. The hotel was overlooking a very popular open-air dance floor. The hotel is gone now but the dance floor is still here and the locals celebrate Midsummer here every year. Today many of these small cottages have been rebuilt and lots of people live here year round. During the summer month the beach is often crowded, but on this visit I counted maybe 10 people that I saw from the wooden pier as I took this panorama. It was a few locals and a group of anglers. HERE is a link to the original size. If you have a few minutes try the slideshow. And here are the rest of the blogs participating in the theme day:

theme day id=13

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix - Bostonscapes, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Gordio, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,