Emerging Patterns

A couple of years ago while taking a winter promenade around Lower Lake Rudan I found a tree branch stuck in the ice. One month later I took another photo when the ice had melted. Last week on another promenade I found what was left of the tree branch, and this is how it looks today.

Black and White

Two photos in black and white. First shows a canola near Kalvsvik after the harvest. Before, it would have looked something like this. In the background you can see the Medieval church in Österhaninge. And up on the roof of that church, a guy from a company called Kyrktak (Church Roof). He is spraying pine tar on the roof.

The Poet

Don't look at the thorns of the rose, count it's leaf. That is the life mantra of the poet that I met in Handen. Barbro have been writing poems for more than 40 years. She is planning to publish two poetry books in the near future. She started writing when she was ten years old and won a prize at a youth centre. Barbro have been married for 28 years and during that time she has written 700 love poems to her husband! Lately she have also written some rap poems, probably inspired by her two sons. And for the last decade, Barbro have also been heavily involved in poetry slam competitions. So I guess it is safe to say that she is a poet.

This way to Lyngsta

A couple of years ago there was an email in my inbox with an invitation to visit a little village in Haninge called Lyngsta. I took the bike up there one day and met with Rolf Sander. He was an interesting man who lived in a unique house that he had built from scratch. He also told me about his plans for a little museum. He wanted to make a gas station from the 1950s. I met him again recently and he told me that the museum plans were on hold for the moment. Anyway, this wagon is Rolf's way of advertising. He sells these wooden water barrels and uses the wagon to point the way to the village.

Ramshackle of the Day

A soon to collapse old wooden building at Fornminnesvägen in Tungelsta. When I was a kid there was also an old farm house on this property. It was a fun place to break into. I remember how we threw out broken windows from a room on the second floor. One of my friends took a hit and that's when we ended that game. Today most of this property has been fixed up, and it has a new owner. There are also a few horses in the pasture.

Parked For the Season

I have met surprisingly few cyclists on the roads this winter, at least when you consider the lack of snow that we are having. But for the moment my bike is parked in the cellar. Not because of the snow, but because of the ice. It is a few degrees below zero and the little snow we did get earlier in the week have now frozen. And as I don't have any winter tires on the bike, I will wait for the staddies (thanks Peter), to fix that. This unusually parked bike can be seen at the Tungelsta commuter station.

No Snow Plowing This Season

If and when it snows the snow plowing will be handled by the Stadsbyggnadsförvaltningens teknikavdelning. It would be fun to hear the non-Swedish readers of this blog pronouncing that! The snow plowers need between three and five centimeters of the white stuff before they can go to work. The de-icing of the roads will also involve salting and sanding, something I both like and dislike, as I usually will get a few flat tires on my bike every winter from the sand, which in reality is crushed stone. This winter the snow plowers haven't been very busy, although they have done some sanding. I shot this photo earlier in the week when it actually snowed for a few minutes.

The Philosopher

This bronze sculpture is called The Philosopher. He sits in the middle of a lawn near a few benches, at the bus stop at the mall in Handen, so he is often surrounded by a lot of people. Whenever I see him I think of Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. The artist is a sculptor called Sture Collin, who has done quite a few works of art in this style. I posted another photo of this artwork on another blog a few years ago, and the artists son, Max found it and left a comment.

Black and White weekend.

That Old Tree

The red berries are long gone on the old tree. On this visit everything was gray and misty.

Misty Road

Remember that Autumn Avenue I showed you back in September? Here it is once again, and it sure looks a bit different this time around. To see all photos from the Nödesta Farm press here.

High-voltage transmission

An intricate and complex sky. Power lines this way. Wires that way. Looking at this grid you almost expect a blackout. And as I took this photo the commuter passed underneath the wires.

Skywatch Friday.

Mulsta in Black & White

As everyone that has ever visited this photo blog knows, I enjoy going back for another photo. Sometimes because it's an obsession, or a project, or just because it's great to be able to show everyone my favorite places in different seasons. This year will be no different. Although I will probably shoot a few more black and white photos. Today I picked Mulsta in Tungelsta. The village dates back some 700 years. This building from 1893 was known as a Länsmansboställe, as was the building that stood here before it. For a few centuries many Vassals lived here. Today it's a private recidence.

Hammar in B&W

The Hammar estate in Tungelsta seen in black and white. Took the shot on my photo promenade today. A more colorful winter photo from Hammar can be seen here. And here is a spring version.

The Medieval Church

The old church in Västerhaninge. It dates back 800 years. Lightning has struck the tower twice. The church was rebuilt after the latest fire back in 1831. Some reconstruction was made and the tower is now only thirty meters high compared with fifty five before the fire.

Wobbly Pier

The wobbly, and old pier at Östnora. Behind me is what I call Barbeque Hill. A great place for, you guessed it, a barbeque. Better view of the pier and sea. Bigger photo.