A Cold Winter Day

I don't think the famous author Ivar Lo-Johansson ever wrote a piece called that, but he could have as he lived in Tungelsta in his youth, and they really did have a few cold winters back then. He was at school with my grandfather, and in one of his autobiographies he recalls an arson incident involving my grandfathers adopted sister. Today you can find him on a lawn across the road from the local Coop store. Click here to see him in indifferent weather and outfits.

Snow Poncho

Ivar Lo-Johansson in his Winter outfit.

A Stylish Writer

He was a good dresser back in the day Ivar Lo Johansson. And it looks like he is keeping that up even after his death. This was his look today when I spotted him across the road from the grocery store in Tungelsta.

The Selma Look

Looks like famous author Ivar Lo-Johansson is trying the 1928 Selma Lagerlöf look and gets away with it I think. The third look at this sculpture this winter. I'm using it in the same way I did the winter chair two years ago.

A Frosty Face

A few years ago I noticed an over-snowed chair in a private garden in Tungelsta. During that long and cold winter, I went back four or five times to document the changes of the season, using that chair. I'm thinking about using this sculpture of the author Ivar-Lo Johansson as a marker this winter. The last time you saw Ivar, who spends his time near the Tungelsta commuter station, a caring person had given him some winter clothing. He looked very chic, and rather pleased with that. Now, someone has stolen his colorful scarf, and I sensed that he was a little upset about that on this frosty day.

Pimped Author

Famous author Ivar Lo-Johansson is dressing up for the winter. Here he is posing near the commuter station in Tungelsta. I don't know who pimped him but it might have been The Knitter for all I know.

Woke up this morning...

...that was what I was singing on Friday morning after looking out the window. Believe it or not, it was snowing like crazy. So I turned on the radio to hear about all the chaos that must have followed, and I wasn't disappointed. Accidents all over Stockholm. Trains and buses cancelled. Angry people waiting at the bus stops for buses that never arrived. Luckily it stopped snowing after a few hours, and by mid afternoon the weather was more spring like. In case you are wondering snow this early doesn't happen that often. Last year that fun surprise didn't happen until December 18. Oh, and if you are curious about the photo, it's part of a sculpture of local author Ivar Lo-Johansson near the commuter station in Tungelsta

The Outhouse Poster

A few days ago I decided to take the bike over to Djurgårdsgrind. It's a property in Tungelsta where the famous author Ivar Lo-Johansson lived for a number of years when he was a kid. He was a friend of my grandfather, and I have read a few of Ivar Lo's books. The Johansson family moved out from Djurgårdsgrind in 1922. These days the big house that the family built is used as a summer house by the current owners. The rest of the buildings, including the cottage and a few barns are in a very sad state, so I figured I should document them before they collapse. If you would like to see all my photos from Djurgårdsgrind press here. Anyway, there I was minding my own business taking a photo of a poster I noticed on the outhouse wall. Or was I perhaps trespassing on a private property with camera in hand? It's hard to tell the difference. I knew that the owners had taken some security measures, but I was still a bit surprised when the first security guard showed up asking me what I was up to. His name was Jocke and he came from Securitas Direct. He had noticed my bike and decided to see what was going on. Jocke had never heard about the author so I told him a few facts, and as we were talking, a police officer shows up! Inge, as he is called, lives nearby and keeps an eye on the place for the owners as there have been a few incidents here over the years. I knew that Inge might turn up after talking to Sune Nilsson (a local historian), so I quickly told him who I was, and he had probably heard about me because he asked if I had been able to locate an inscription (It's Ivar Lo's signature), on a hill side here. Sadly I hadn't found the inscription, and with that we started to talk about other "intruders" and a few other things before going are separate ways. Obviously in true Steffe style I took a photo of the guys and you can see it here.

Decaying Barn

This is an old decaying barn at Djurgårdsgrind. The home of famous writer Ivar-LO Johansson, who moved here with his parent when he was ten years old. He was a friend of my grandfather and wrote a few good novels. Sadly the elderly owners of Djurgårdsgrind havent been able to look after the buildings for many years. When they do visit, they stay in the house that Ivar-Lo's parents built after arriving to Tungelsta back in 1910. Hopefully the municipality will one day buy the property and restore it to it's former glory, as it is a piece of local history.

Ivar Lo's Life

Relief in granite made by the artist Sam Westerholm. It depicts the life and work of famous writer Ivar LO Johansson who lived at Djurgårdsgrind in Tungelsta. He wrote many novels. In one of them he mentions my grandfather, Harald Fredrik Jansson, a childhood friend. This artwork can be seen close to the Commuter Station in Tungelsta. Bigger photo.