The Homestead Society

Three photos from the Christmas Market that the homestead society arranged in Västerhaninge yesterday. On the top photo you can see Hans Widfond, the chairman of the society, Haninge Hembygdsgille, standing outside the Erikslunds cottage. A building that the society successfully has moved from Ramsdalen near Tyresta, to it's new location at the old courthouse in Västerhaninge that these days serves as the society's headquarters. The little cottage is now all that remains from what once was a small farm (3 ha), in rural Haninge. The farm was bought in 1870 by Per Erik Pehrsson and his wife Anna Sofia Forssberg. It was a tough life working as a farmer, and the family also operated a small laundry business. Their grandson Yngve Pettersson was interviewed by the historian and author Henry Hall from the society many years ago, and if you understand Swedish you can read more if you download these two PDF files from Haninge.org. On my visit yesterday I looked through a photo album with around 100 photos from Erikslund. Both old ones and some recent pictures from the work of tearing down and reassembling the building.

Cheers!

I visited the Christmas market in Västerhaninge today. Arranged by the homestead society Haninge Hembygdsgille. They served glögg (Mulled wine) and pepparkakor (Gingerbread cookies). Here you see me in the old Janstorp cottage with Anita Stjernström, one of the members of the society, she's also the author of a book about a (historical), murder story at Näringsberg. The dress that Anita is wearing is a regional costume from Österhaninge. I will show a few more photos from this event tomorrow. Cheers!

Oh, and if you are curious. This photo was taken by a woman who wanted to be known at the baker! She's the one to the left on this photo (link).

At the market

I stopped at the Jordbro shopping mall today. A few times every year there is a flee market there in one of the corridors. You will find the usual items, old books, DVD's, mobile phone chargers, and some clothing. I didn't find anything I needed, but I did meet Tarja Rönningstam. She had more of a Christmas sale going on. She told me that she often sell her items at different markets, mostly in Uppland near Tierp (North of Stockholm),but today she was in Haninge.

How many men does it take...

...to fix whatever it is that this guy is doing. The answer is one. I spotted this guy yesterday. Looks like he is setting up a surveillance camera at Hanveden. Hanveden is a former borrow pit in Västerhaninge, turned into a sports ground. I have played a few soccer matches here and also competed for my school in track and field a few eons ago. There's also an ice hockey arena at Hanveden, and lots of trails for joggers in the forest here. I could be breaking the rules about the Skywatch idea here as I obviously should have taken this photo from below!
Skywatch Friday.

Third time's the charm

This is Beki. I have met her twice before this year and asked her for a portrait, and today at Lake Rudan, she said yes, so it really pays to be persistent! She's a former rhetoric student at the university in Stockholm, so I'm very happy that I managed to persuade to pose for a portrait! Beki lives in Handen, she's currently on maternity leave and is often out walking with her dog Luna, a mastiff, and her baby son Marley. Beki is an artist, a professional singer. Although at the moment it's more of a hobby. She used to sing funk and hip-hop, but these days it's more spiritual music and Gospel and she has performed in a few churches.

The Moose Truck

Arriving home today I saw this truck parked outside the Blomorado greenhouses. From Allan Svenssons Åkeri AB in Strömsnäsbruk. The truck driver told me that the company has six trucks. All airbrushed with different animals. This is the moose truck. With two Moose's painted on the truck. Mr. Moose and Miss Moose. Oh, and the truck delivered soil to the plant nursery run by Danuta and Ingemar.

Winter vs. Summer

Continuing with my diptych series where I combine two photos to show two different seasons. This beautifully renovated house can be found at Ålsta in Tungelsta. The house looked like it was haunted for many years, and there was a few stories circulating about the family that used to live there. Today it's a different story. The new owners (the guy is a photographer), have done a great job rebuilding the house. These two archive photos shows the difference between summer and winter.

A study in black and white

Only a block away from where I had the shocking encounter you will find a little park. It's named Brageparken. No idea where the name comes from, but in the tiny park there are a few benches close to this sculpture. It's called Hind med kid, or Deer with Fawn. Made by the sculptor Arvid Knöppel (1892-1970). Last time I took a photo here they were dressed for the winter.

A shocking encounter :-)

I spotted these gals with their matching nail polish in Handen yesterday and decided to move in for a portrait. As I was about to explain what I wanted they cut me off and said "and now you want to take our portrait? That's right I said and that's when Emma (to the right),went into shock. When she came out of it her friend Matilda had already said yes to the photo shoot. But I don't have any make up on me Emma continued. I can't have my photo taken without make up! Can I hide my face? No, that doesn't make for a good portrait I said. But what if I hide my face behind my hair, that could work. Anyway, Emma (without the make up), works at a retirement home. Her friend Matilda works at an office. I asked if they had any fun hobbies and they told me, yes, we enjoy drinking wine! That's a hobby I am familiar with. What about anything crazy I asked and told them about Ego. And then they told me, we enjoy taking long walks. That doesn't really sound very crazy I said. But we do it differently they explained. First we make up a list with weird things we have to do during the promenade. Like what I asked? Like asking a guy if we can feel him up and grab his genitals! By now it was my turn to go into shock so that was that!

Fooooooooooore!

Today was the first sunny day in November. So anyone who could headed outdoors. This is Ulf. A keen golfer. He was practising his chipping technique in Handen when I spotted him. Before letting me take his portrait, he wanted to know where the photo might end up. One reason is perhaps that it is illegal to practise golf where we met! He told me about a previous encounter where a dad, out playing soccer with his kids started yelling about "you can't play golf here" while kicking a football up in the air and going all crazy. Ulf who enjoyes cooking and betting on horses works for the municipality at City Hall. He is a Kart- och mätningsingenjör. Say what? I hear you say. Well, it means that he works with mapping and land registration. Which means that he works outdoors for most of the time. One of the people he works with is the architect Rikard Lundin whom I have photographed before. And he also knew Nina who used to work in a restaurant at City Hall. I'm not sure how good a golfer Ulf is, but how hard can it be to hit that little ball?

Sweden Rocks

Three copies of the coolest calendar ever arrived in the mail yesterday. It's called Sweden Rocks. It features photos of some of the best Swedish rock artists today. Amon Amarth, Crucified Barbara, Dead by April, Dia Psalma, Hammerfall, Mando Diao, Millencolin, Motörhead, Opeth, Sonic Syndicate, The Hives and The Soundtrack of Our Lives. And it's all for a good cause. The calendar comes from Animal Rights Sweden. Oh, and one of the featured photographers is yours truly. My photo can be seen on the October page where you can also see a photo of Mikkey Dee from Motörhead. If you would like a copy you can order one here.

Multitasking

This was a bit of a surprise. Normally all the anglers in Handen fish at Lower Lake Rudan, and always from the piers. And as that's where the fishing club plants the fish that's where you are likely to catch it, at the lower lake. These guys were at Upper Lake Rudan. And they were fishing from a boat. They did look very professional with their matching outfits, and the silent going electric out-boarder didnt look cheap. But I have never heard that there are any fish in this lake! I asked them if they had caught any fish and the answer was no. Fishing is supposed to be very relaxing. A chance to get away from it all. At least that is what all the anglers and ice fishers that I have met at Lake Rudan keep telling me, so why was this guy on the phone? Perhaps he called his wife and told her that dinner would be served very late in the day!


I am making a few photo calendars for 2010 in case anyone is interested. The first one is up for sale already. They are not very expensive, and obviously all the photos are fantastic! If you have seen a photo here on the blog, or over at flickr that you think would look good in a calendar, just let me know and I will design one for you.

Autumn vs. Winter

A diptych showing autumn and winter at the medieval church in Västerhaninge. The old church 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. Many of my relatives rest at the graveyard here, including my dad who died a decade ago. I have showed you this church a few times before, and this is also where that good looking priest, Sara works.

Tree in the mist

There hasn't been that many photo-ops lately. At least not for me, the fanatic street portrait photographer. Whenever I have decided to go out with the camera it has started to rain. The weatherman said something about 90 minutes of sun this month, and that sound about right. And there's more of the same to come over the next week. It's very depressing. Yesterday was another grey day. Very misty and with a light rain falling. On my way home from a visit to the police (new passport and ID-card), I decided for yet another visit to the old tree at Välsta. Boy was the path muddy on that visit! But the tree looked good in the mist. Believe it or not, but this was my 199th photo of the Swedish Whitebeam.

The Babe and the Snake

The crappy weather continues, but I did actually take a few photos today. I spotted this truck at the lorry parking at the industrial park in Jordbro at lunch time and decided to head over for a chat with the driver. It was his truck, but it wasn't his idea to paint it like this. That was all up to the artist Mika Jefremoff, a artist from Finland who has been painting trucks, cars and motorcycles for the last fifteen years. The truck driver told me that the paintjob looks great in the sunshine as it then changes color. I haven't seen the sun for a few weeks so i will have to take his word for that!

Summer vs. Autumn

As you probably know I do enjoy going back to a few of my favourite places for another photo. This is a diptych made of two photos from Lower Lake Rudan in Handen. Taken from the same spot, a rocky area popular with fishers. The left half of the diptych shows part of a summer photo from August 2008. And to the right how the lake looked this autumn.

A Lifesaver

A life buoy at a pond in the bird park Slätmossen in Handen. Not sure if anyone without the ability to fly has ever tried the water here but I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.

New Shopping Centre

Atrium Ljungberg is building a new shopping centre at the supermarket Coop Forum in Handen. It will be 60 000 square meter big. One reason for the new mall is that the Haninge municipality is planning to build a new housing area, Vegastaden nearby. Vegastaden is a huge project where it is estimated that around ten thousand people will live in a few years time. One of the people behind that project is the architect Rikard Lundin whom you have met on this blog before. If you understand the local lingo, here is a link to more facts about Vegastaden.

Skywatch Friday.

Spring vs. Autumn

A few times every year I will go for a bike ride through Ormsta. One of many rural areas in Haninge. It's an interesting place with an old farm in a beautiful setting. I have previously met a The Elk Hunter here. Back in April I went on a photo shoot in the forest here with an interesting result. The land around Ormsta is used by the farmer Rolf Norlin, whom you might have meet here before. This diptych was made from two photos. To the left, part of a shot I took back in the spring of 2007. You can see the original photo in this post. And to the right how it looked a few days ago on a gloomy autumn day.

This Just In

One month ago I showed you a photo of a burning car. Since then there has been a few similar incidents. Just a couple of days after that first fire, another car was stolen, dumped and torched on the same place. That is, just outside my bedroom window (first photo). And just like the first time, the fire fighters took their time, but eventually they arrived. The burning wreck was then left outside the school gymnasium for one week! A big hit both with school kids and pre-school kids. As that car finally was towed away, I found another stolen, dumped and torched car at Stenliden (second photo). It was a new SAAB. And next to that one was a fourth car. By now I had been in contact with the police and a few other people trying to find out if this was being investigated. Then followed two incidents in Jordbro. A drug addict went berserk and vandalised some 25 cars one Saturday night. He was apprehended and claims to have no memory of that evening. Then followed a car burning frenzy. Seven cars parked at three different locations burned on the same night! And just last weekend three cars burned at Ribby in Västerhaninge (third photo). I talked to two women at the scene who speculated that this last incident could have been a personal vendetta as two of the cars had the same owner. Oh, and speaking of incidents, there was an arson attack in Jordbro last week. One of my flickr contacts got a few photos including one where the fire fighters saved the life of a cat found in the empty apartment. I wonder what will happen next?

Robban & Myzan

November is not the best month to shoot street portraits in Haninge. It's mostly cold and windy, but here we go. This is Robban. I spotted his white hat from a distance in Handen yesterday and decided to move in and ask for a portrait. Robban lives in Handen and was out walking with his dog Myzan who is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Myzan was a bit nervous, probably because of all the cars up on the road and possibly the wind as well. Robban works at Game in Vällingby. They sell video game consoles, and as it happens that type of games is one of Robban's interests.

Autumn at Alby

The weather of late hasn't been very good for photography. Only rain and grey skies. So I figured a few more colorful autumn photos would be nice. Here are two shots taken from a hill at the big cemetery in Österhaninge a couple of weeks ago. Alby is a small rural village with a few horse farms. If I had panned the camera to the left you would have seen the view that I showed you here one year ago.

Camilla & Watergate

This is Camilla on her horse Watergate. Probably the first horse I have seen named after a big scandal! I met them at Gullringskärret in Jordbro a while back. Camilla who is twenty two works as a waitress, and lives with her parents and grandfather at the nearby Björklund Horse farm. Camilla has lived there nearly all her life. The family bought the place some seventeen years ago. And as you can guess Camilla's big interest is horses. I have previously met her dad and I have also visited the farm so if you would like to see a few photos from Björklund check out the slideshow below.

Little Lake Reflection

Here is a view that not that many people living in Haninge will recognise. It's Lillsjön (Little Lake) in Jordbro. The reason is that the lake is hidden away behind a forested area. I will pass it on my way to Lake Rudan and every now and then I will walk through the forest and down to the water for another photo. This is the fourth year I have shown you a photo from Lillsjön. To see all four photos press here.

Reaching For the Sky

This construction site with cranes right and left will be the new thermal power plant in Jordbro. Owned by Vattenfall. Built next to the existing plant that I visited last year during the open house weekend. The cost of the new power plant is around 600 Million SEK. The source of energy from a biofuel plant comes from wooden pellets, regarded as one of the substitutes for fossil fuels like coal and oil for heating. I'm no expert on how this works, but Vattenfall has some information available in English. I have always been intrigued by building sites so below are a slideshow with the photos I have taken during the construction process so far. The first number of photos are old ones.

Skywatch Friday.

Varieties of Autumn

Sleet is a good word for today. Listening to the weather report yesterday evening, it looked like we could get some snow this morning, but it's more that awful mix of rain and snow. Heading home on the bike yesterday I experienced the first hail storm of the season. So with this weather I'm not very likely to use the camera today, which is why I figured I could show you my two latest photos of the old tree at Välsta. First photo is from early November on a beautiful day. The misty photo is from late October.

The Style Doctor

Fashion portrait of the day. This is Sandra. A medical student at KI, one of the leading medical universities in Europe. Sandra was on her way to the university for an exam when I met her yesterday, and I hope she didn't miss the train because of me! She lives in a student apartment here in Handen, just like Kristin whom I photographed last year. Sandra still has four more years before she can call herself a doctor, but I think it's safe to say that she's a style doctor with this outfit, earrings and the Dior eyeglasses. To make ends meet she works extra at ICA Maxi in Handen, a supermarket that one of my previous strangers had a few angry words to say about. Sandra has yet to explore that much of Haninge, but she wanted to visit Utö in the archipelago.

Autumn in the Park

When I woke up on Monday and looked out the window all the leaves were gone from the trees. Which means that the colorful part of autumn is over for this year. This was the scene in the big green park in Handen a couple of days ago. The park has two names. Eskilsparken and Olof Palmes Park. It features an amphitheatre and some artworks around a fountain. During the warm part of the year there's always a lot of people around picnicking on the grass, but on this occasion I was the only one there. It was in this park that I met the young lovers in mid-September. And it was here that I met the Bella Donna. Not forgetting the three photo students that you all seem do have missed.

Abandoned Fox Farm

There's an abandoned fox and mink farm at Skogs Ekeby in Tungelsta. Back in 1925 a man called Erik Sigfrid Larsson arrived to Tungelsta from Floda. He was thirty years old and married. Larsson started one of Tungelsta's many plant nurseries. Five years later, in 1930 he started Ekbackens Rävfarm, (Oak Hill Fox Farm). The farm was abandoned many years ago and the sad remains can now be found in an oak forest. On my latest visit I noticed a funny sign saying that the recent acts of vandalism had been reported to the police! Erik's son Karl Erik still lives in a house nearby so I'm guessing he is responsible for the sign. My father Sten Harald Jansson bought a dog from Erik Sigfrid Larsson back in the 1940'. It was a rottweiler that my dad named Jack. He used to say that whenever Jack saw or heard Larsson's old car the dog would start to bark.

The Cellar Door

It's a new month and that means Theme Day. The November theme is Doorways. This old iron plated door can be found at Stenkulla in Fors. It's a door to an old root cellar. That cellar is the only remains of Stenkulla, a place with an interesting history. It is said that when the railroad from Stockholm to Nynäshamn, the Nynäsbanan was constructed, a little over a century ago, the owner of the the grocery store here, a man called Svante Vitus Karlsson (1868-1946), decided to move the building from Fors to Tungelsta, three kilometres away. The reason was obviously the location. Karlsson figured most people would now travel by train, and that his store along the old road, just south of Västerhaninge, wouldn't attract customers any more, especially as there was another grocery store just next door. People still debate whether the building was actually moved. What I do know is that Svin-Kalle ( he was a pig farmer), built a beautiful house near the railway station in Tungelsta. It's still there today. Although it has changed color and owners a few times over the years Today the building houses a few apartments and a pub. You can see a photo of the house here. And meet two of the people that live there. If you understand Swedish there's a PDF article about Stenkulla to read at Haninge.org.


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