At the Christmas Market

A more traditional Christmas Market in Tungelsta today, compared to last weekend. Glögg and coffee was served in the cafeteria where a local group (including one of my strangers Rikard Lundin), sang Christmas Carols (possibly a video later). In the old greenhouse I met Mona Hartonen who sold stemware. I bought a couple of snaps glasses that Mona designed. That set me back 130 SEK.

Summer vs. Winter

A diptych showing Summer and Winter at Skogsekeby in Tungelsta.


Original Summer version from June 2005. And the Winter version from March 2008.

Gingerbread House Competition

This is what you can see on a shelf above the meat counter at my local grocery store in Tungelsta. An ongoing Gingerbread House competition just in time for Christmas. School kids (wannabe architects), from the Tungelsta School competing. I picked my three faves. They are all way cooler than my try a few years back anyway :-)

It's snowing again

The view from a window on the second floor here at Bergdalen in Tungelsta this afternoon. It started to snow one hour ago. The yellow house on Kvarnvägen (Mill Road), is known as The Rose Garden. 100 years ago a gardener called Gustav Andersson bought some land there. He was followed by my great grandfather who bought the property across the road, from where I shot this photo. Same place a little greener from May 2008. The greenhouses on that property are long gone. Replaced by apartments and a retirement home.

Building Site

A building site update. Between the old Parsonage Estate and the Mormon Temple in Västerhaninge 100 new apartments are being built. The first tenants have already moved in as the building site is nearing completion.

The Santa Collectors

This is Sune and Gunvor. From Jordbro. I met them yesterday at a rainy Christmas market in Tungelsta. They have been visiting this market for the last four years. It's their busy season. They have one big interest. Hard to guess? Not really. The collect Santa's. They also sell them at different markets. After ten years of collecting they now have 3200 Santa's at their home at Mjölnartäppan 60, where you can have a look at their collection and perhaps buy a Santa or two. A while back they were interviewed by a news paper about their collection, and it will feature here in two weeks time.

As I really enjoyed the 100 Strangers Project, I have decided to continue with that type of portraits. This is the fourth photo in the series .

Santa

Meet the Brandbergen Santa. Or Ronny as his friends call him. He was at a Christmas Market in Tungelsta on Saturday. Ronny is a certified Santa and a member of the Swedish Santa Association. He hurt his back many years ago and was unable to work for a long time. Then his friend and neighbour from Brandbergen asked him if he would like a job as a Santa. That was six years (and many Christmas Markets), ago. On his first gig the kids pulled his fake beard and Ronny quickly learned his lesson. Now he has a true Santa beard. As I talked to Ronny, sorry, Santa, his boss came over. He looked kinda familiar, and as I talked to him (the Boss), I found out that he often works with my sister Inger's, former husband, Sven Erik Wingmyr, when they tour around the country with a square dance group, where Sven Erik works as a caller. Like I use to say, it's a small world after all. After this chat and a few photos Santa got back to work as the rain (not snow), continued to fall.

As I really enjoyed the 100 Strangers Project, I have decided to continue with that type of portraits. This is the third photo in the series .

The Steam Train

My former neighbour Marie, one of her daughters and a bunch of grandkids at the Tungelsta commuter station waiting to get aboard the steam train. The 1136 locomotive was built in 1912.

There's a steam train museum in Nynäshamn. A few times every year they arrange a ride between Stockholm and Nynäshamn.

Library Window

Christmas decorations at the Västerhaninge public library. You really don't need to do more than this me thinks. If you feel like reading a book or listening to one, or perhaps see a movie (they have DVD's), drop by the library. And there's the "Friends of the Library group" that invites authors and such.

Ingvar & Kajsa

This is Ingvar. I met him in Jordbro yesterday. He was out on a lunch break promenade. Ingvar works at Bilia Hyundai. A company that sell Hyundai cars. He works at the service section, and has done so for the last five years. He lives at Enskede in the southern parts of Stockholm. Ingvar thinks that Sweden is fantastic. His little dog is called Kajsa. She's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. After this brief conversation I took a couple of photos and that was that.

As I really enjoyed the 100 Strangers Project, I have decided to continue with that type of portraits. This is the second photo in the series .

City Hall Reflection

The big window above the main entrance to the Haninge City Hall building in Handen. As Christmas is approaching I count five light candelabras. If you recognise it it's because I take a picture here every now and then.

Cheap Lunch For the Sheep

I didn't take many photos yesterday. It was dark, gloomy and rainy, and today was even worse and I havnt touched the camera today so here's one of the few shots I took yesterday. Lunch at the sheep pasture. The sheep belong to Karin Mörling who I met earlier this year for a chat and a photo.

Windows and Mysteries

I have a thing for circles. I see them everywhere. Here's four good ones from my flickr collection that has some 400 photos.

Top left is from a church window in Handen. I was out on a photo promenade with a friend a while back. By chance we ended up having coffee at the church as all the cafe's were closed. After the coffee break we took the opportunity to have a look around and that's when I photographed the circular window.

Top right. A circular hole in the wall at the mall in Handen. The stairs leads down to a square where you will find the cultural centre.

Bottom left. A mystery stone. One of six King Stones at Sanda. No one knows for certain what they mean or who made them. For centuries local people have speculated about their origin. One theory says that the stones were made after a visit of an unknown King. It is said that the King was a bit of a ladies man and that he had fathered a few children in the neighbourhood. I guess we will never know for certain.

Bottom right. Another little mystery from Sanda. Out on a bicycle ride I noticed a home made sign on a gravel road. The sign read Chicken Pasture Cottage. Intrigued I stopped and walked up a hill and when I came around a corner I found a red cottage that looked just like a museum. Or an old summer house. I called out but no one answered. So I decided to have a look around. I got the camera ready and for ten minutes I walked around the place taking photos. Up against a wall I found this wooden wheel. Later I have talked with a few people, interested in local history, but no one seems to know anything about this place.


This is theme day. The theme is Circles/Spheres. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants for the month of December.

Minimalism Sunday

I enjoy minimalism. And I'm always looking for it. Using the simplest materials and forms available often makes for great art and form. Like here at Nederstaleden in Västerhaninge. A white brick wall and a white wooden fence. Just like that.

Winter Tree

This will be the last winter photo for a while as all the snow now has melted away. This photo was taken just a couple of days ago and this is of course my favorite tree, as you probably know by now. I now have 161 photos of this Oxel or Swedish Whitebeam! Beat that if you can. It's amazing how it looks different every time I walk down the path that you can see to the right.

Geological Investigation

Out on a promenade in Tungelsta I noticed this technician from WSP the other day. Probably doing some geometry ground analysis. Next year work will start on a second rail track between Västerhaninge and Tungelsta and around here, at the intersection between Allévägen and Hammarbergsvägen, there will be a bridge over the railroad. Same(?) technician at the Krigslida commuter station back in February.

Window Reflection

A window at the beautiful Station House in Tungelsta. The building dates back to 1901 when the railway line between Stockholm and Nynäshamn opened for traffic. Today the art and handicraft organisation Handlaget occupies the bottom floor. The reflection comes from the local pizza place which has a history of it's own. It is said that the building was moved from nearby Fors to Tungelsta at the turn of the last century. Back then it was a grocery store owned by a man locally known as Svin-Kalle. Svin means pig in case you were wondering.

Malin Schön

A while back I got a comment on one of my flickr photos. The commenter was a bit upset (in a friendly way), that I hadn't managed to photograph any of her horses! Well, yesterday I met the commenter in question by chance. This is Malin Schön. Originally from Helsinki, she now lives with her husband in Krigslida here in Haninge. Malin is crazy about Icelandic Horses . She works as a horse instructor at the riding school at the Fors Horse Farm (when she's not competing with her horses). She is also a certified massage therapists. And she spends a lot of her time at the Mulsta Horse Farm where I met her today.

As I really enjoyed the 100 Strangers Project, I have decided to continue with that type of portraits. And this is the first one.

Rhino

Spotted this winter horse the other day at Skolvägen in Tungelsta. If you don't know anything about Haninge and Tungelsta I can tell you that there are horse farms all over the place.

A Yellow Cottage

Living next to the railway track can have it's disadvantages. As the platform at the commuter station in Tungelsta needed more space, an old cottage had to be removed. But now as the work has finished the owners have a brand new cottage and also a fence protecting them from the platform.

Winter Mirror

Winter has arrived again. Time for a squared circle self portrait at the Tungelsta commuter station.

How D'ye Do?

A red squirrel up in the oak in the back garden, enjoying it's lunch. Looks like it's hazel nuts on the menu today, on this the real first day of winter. More squirrels here.

Pausing For a Photo

I noticed this Christmas decoration outside the Paus cafe in Västerhaninge (at the shopping centre), yesterday . So I paused for a photo. No one was enjoying lunch or coffee outside, despite the new seat coverings. Probably because of the freezing temperature. I mentioned that fact to my optician who walked by as I was planning the shot, and he said "I'm not sitting there" and then he quickly walked away.


I took a long walk to buy some eggs and milk. From Tungelsta to Västerhaninge and back. It's around 10 km and the walk normally takes me 90 minutes.

Sky Watch at 13:08

The commuter trains in Stockholm are rarely on time. If it isn't because of the winter cold it's probably because of the summer heat. Or there's something on the track, like autumn leafs or even an electrocuted rat. Or a power outage. In Nynäshamn where the Nynäsbanan rail road ends, the local politicians decided to put in buses to Stockholm as the commuters were in uproar after the latest repair job. But when I took this fine photo of the clock at the Krigslida commuter station the other day, a voice from a loudspeaker repetitively told me that all the trains were running on schedule at the moment. How about that?

But it still looks kinda silly..

The benefits from Nordic Walking:

# increased overall strength and endurance in the core muscles and the entire upper body
# significant increases in heart rate at a given pace
# greater ease in climbing hills
# burning more calories than in plain walking
# improved balance and stability with use of the poles
# significant un-weighting of hip, knee and ankle joints
# creates positive total body bone density-preserving stress

(facts from wikipedia)


Photo taken from the Krigslida commuter station in Haninge.

Crisis? What Crisis?

Despite the global financial crisis people still need somewhere to live. Two new houses at Krigslida in Haninge. As seen from the commuter station yesterday.

OCM 213 (after the joyride)

Every year around 35 000 cars are stolen in Sweden. 3500 of those car thefts will be solved by the police. Maybe that's why the owner (or the insurance company) has failed to remove this SAAB from where it was dumped more then two weeks ago, close to my local grocery store in Tungelsta.

First Snowfall

In the early afternoon it started to snow here in Tungelsta. I was preparing to go out and take a few snow photos, but the snow was already melting away. Last year we had a heavy snowfall in November and that time I got quite a few good winter photos. The greenhouse you see here belongs to Blomorado and is filled with Poinsettia plants.

Just a few facts

The first people that lived in Haninge were hunters and fishermen. They arrived 9000 years ago and they choose to stay close to Tornberget, a hill at an altutude of 110 meters, the highest point in the greater Stockholm area. 5000 years later the population was still only 50-100 people. During the Bronze Age the population grew and people lived at what is today Tungelsta, Västerhaninge and Jordbro, (where you will find an ancient grave field). In the present day 73 000 people call Haninge their home. When I got my first apartment in 1985 I moved in to this three storey building in Västerhaninge where I'm guessing around 50-100 people live today . If I could pick any place to live I'd perhaps choose a castle and luckily for me there are three in Haninge. Häringe in the south. Årsta in Österhaninge, and Sandemar on the way to Dalarö. This has been a few facts and perhaps there will be more of the same tomorrow.

Lilliputian way of life

The Lilliputians live in tiny houses like this one that will be ready in December. They get their electricity from the tiny power plant. Who knew?

Lilliput Land

One of the unique things about Haninge has to be the Lilliputian Community. You don't often see them around, but once in a while you will stumble upon them. Turns out they are pretty much like the rest of us.



They enjoy all sorts of golf on their free time, which was news to me.

Circular Window

I'm not religious and I almost never visit a church, but I do enjoy photographing them once in a while. Some time ago during a photo promenade with a flickr contact, I visited S.t Eskil's Church in Handen. It's a modern brick building built in 1994 and it has some interesting architectural details. Like this circular window on a brick wall. Shot this while enjoying a cup of coffee at the church.

The Dancing Building

Whenever I look at the reflection from the The Dancing Building, (an office building in Handen called Najaden) it looks different somehow. The big window is part of a building at the Haninge Campus.

Out of the Mist

Before documenting yesterdays fire I headed over to the old tree at Välsta for a photo, as it was very misty, which normally makes for good photos . There I met a man and his horse. We talked for a bit. I told him about my photo project concerning this tree and gave him a moo minicard. As I was going to take a few photos the Digital Rebel died so I had to shoot with the cheap point& shoot. Then as I arrived home I had an accident, fell and hurt my arm so I'm guessing I will not be out taking photos in the next few days.

Fire in Tungelsta

There was a fire at ålsta in tungelsta, at tungans 3-gård today. One of the few remaining greenhouse business here. Luckily it looks like the greenhouses was saved. More info later. The police asked us to move away so i went back home. The fire started in the pellet heater.

The green Corridor

The pedestrian tunnel that connects Rudsjöterrassen in central Handen with the commuter station and Lake Rudan.

Minimalistic Friday

Zooming in on a detail at the office building Rudsjöterrassen in Handen.

Fishing From the Piers

Two men fishing from the piers at Lower Lake Rudan in Handen. From a visit to the lakes on Sunday. The panorama probably looks a bit better at the Original Size.

A Modern Viking

On the photo promenade I took with kenny lex in Handen a few days ago, after having some coffee at a church of all places, we walked down Vikingavägen (Viking Road). And in front of the grocery store (named after the god of thunder Thor), there is a modern type of rune stone. Kenny asked if I knew anything about it. Nope I said. So he told me the story. He made it! A few years ago he found the stone (it had previously been used as foundation), close to the railway line in northern Handen. As it weighs around 900 kilo he asked two Polish workers to help him lift it onto his pickup truck. Then after working on the stone and cutting the ornamentation he placed it on a lawn not far from here. Some local teens had a go at it. Kenny called the local politicians and they decided to move the stone to it's current position.

The Hole Through the Moon (part II)

Part of an artwork made by the sculptor Bianca Maria Barmen. At the entrance to the Fredrika Bremer school in Handen. Last time I was here this part of the sculpture was missing. And now it's back, standing next to the famous author again.

Someone had to walk home

I took a photo promenade with my flickr contact Kenny Lex in Handen on Saturday. We found this bicycle wheel still locked to the bicycle stand outside the Cultural Centre. I guess someone had to walk home. I read an article today that said that 94% of petty crimes remain unsolved in this country every year! Ninetyfour percent!

Stranger #100

In Handen yesterday I had just met Kenny Lex and as we were discussing what to do, I noticed a sharply dressed guy nearby. I walked over and asked him if I could take his portrait. He happily agreed and thus became my 100th and final stranger! This is Fredrik. Originally from Tungelsta he now lives here in Handen. He is an IT consultant, one of those guys you call when your computer is acting up. He recently took up golf, but has yet to join a club. Another big hobby is Role playing and Fredrik told me that he often attends conventions like LinCon. I didn't ask but he is probably a member of the Swedish Role Playing and Conflict Gaming Federation. After getting these facts I took a few photos and as we then shook hands I realised that I had just finished the 100 Strangers Project! A few hours later as I was back home browsing flickr, I saw that Kenny had taken a photo of me and Fredrik when I was asking my questions, which I think is a cool ending to the project.

This was my 100th and last photo for the 100 Strangers project. You can see the rest of my strangers in my Set.

Books, books and more books

Theme day. Books. I read books all the time. Normally I have two or even three books going at the same time. In English and in Swedish. There are a few libraries close to where I live. This is the Cultural Centre in Handen, it opened back in 2002. This is the view looking into the library where you can see some of the 90.000 books, audio books (and CDs), in different languages that are on offer if you have a library card. There's an area for the kids, and a cafeteria where you can enjoy a cup of coffee and read one of the 70 different news papers that the library offers. If you are interested in local history this is the place for you. There's also an art gallery here with interesting exhibitions and they often have concerts and theatre plays. All in all a very popular building with the locals.



Earlier this year this 1000 year old rune stone was moved from it's previous location behind the library and can now be seen from Poseidon's Square, where you will find the big entrance to the Cultural Centre. So even back then the Vikings read if not books at least runic inscriptions on the rune stones. Press here to see what the inscription says.


Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by freefalling, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Aurora, South Africa by shelagh, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Avignon, France by Nathalie, Bali, Indonesia by Anak Dokan, Bandung, Indonesia by Eki Akhwan, Bandung, Indonesia by Bunyamin, Bandung, Indonesia by Harry Makertia, Bangkok, Thailand by UberSand, Barrow-in-Furness, UK by Enitharmon, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Birmingham (AL), USA by VJ, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Ilse, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boulder (CO), USA by A Sterling World, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cavite, Philippines by Steven Que, Chandler (AZ), USA by PattheAZRealtor, Chapel Hill (NC), USA by missleah, Château-Gontier, France by Laurent, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Chateaubriant, France by trieulet, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chennai, India by Ram N, City of the Blue Mountains, Australia by Richard, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Edinburgh, UK by Dido, Evry, France by Olivier, Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA by Gigi, Geneva (IL), USA by Kelly, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Gliwice, Poland by prado&fio, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by PPusa, Herne Bay, Great Britain by Han, Lil n Caz, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Honningsvag, Norway by J., Islip (NY), USA by Bettye, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by Susie of Arabia, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Karwar, India by Yogesh, Knoxville (TN), USA by hope, Knoxville (TN), USA by Knoxville Girl, Lakewood (OH), USA by mouse, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lodz, Poland by wikiyu, London, UK by Ham, Madrid, Spain by Tr3nta, Mainz, Germany by JB, Manila, Philippines by Hilda, Manila, Philippines by Heyokity, Melbourne, Australia by John, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Middletown (MD), USA by Bernie, Milton, New Zealand by Milton Daily Photo, Milwaukee (WI), USA by karl, Minneapolis (MN), USA by snapshutter, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Molfetta, Italy by saretta, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Montréal, Canada by My Life in Montreal, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Moscow (ID), USA by Sherry, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Murcia, Spain by usuahia, Napa (CA), USA by katester, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Delhi, India by Delhi Photo Diary, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, New York City (NY), USA by Kitty, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Oklahoma City (OK), USA by ananda.tashie, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Palos Verdes (CA), USA by tash, Paris, France by Elsa, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pensacola (FL), USA by P J, Philadelphia (PA), USA by Stiffa, Phoenix (AZ), USA by Sharon, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Prague, Czech Republic by kakna, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by slim, Ramsey, Isle of Man by babooshka, Reykjavik, Iceland by Vírgíll, Riga, Latvia by Riga Photos, Roanoke (VA), USA by Tanya, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Rouen, France by Bbsato, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salem (OR), USA by pearls, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Francisco (CA), USA by Burd Zel Krai, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Seoul, South Korea by Phil, Seoul, Korea South by SeoulSnapper, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Singapore, Singapore by Zannnie, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, Springfield (IL), USA by Aubrey, Stanwood (WA), USA by MaryBeth, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Ann, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Tamarindo, Costa Rica by David, Tauranga, New Zealand by Lisa Sarsfield, Telluride (CO), USA by mtsrool, Tempe (AZ), USA by angie, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Torino, Italy by Fabrizio, Torun, Poland by Glenn, Toulouse, France by Julia, Trieste, Italy by Rob&Piero, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Verona, Italy by Valeria in Verona, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by D.C. Confidential, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Woerden, Netherlands by Marcel, Yakima (WA), USA by katney, Yellowknife, Canada by Arctic Dreamer, York, UK by Ruby in York,