BFF:s

I past the TV room the other day when my daughters sat watching a TV show and judging by the OMG, OMG,OMG in high pitched girly voices that was coming from the screen I had it written of as just another stupefying American soap. On my third trip past the TV room I just had to see what crap they where watching…..

It was called my new BFF and staring Paris Hilton and it left me depressed and sad! It showed a dozen or so young American girls competing to become Paris Hiltons new best friend. It made me think of school days and the invisible or bullied kids that where always left out and how some of them did almost anything to be included. How they could be made to do all kind of stupid or humiliating things and in the end they where still left out and how that could have them marked for life.

When I mentioned this to Emma, my youngest she just shrugged her shoulders and wisely said that it’s the little brother syndrome. You know when the older brother has you go fetch the ball a hundred times saying “go get the ball and you can play with us”. Being a kid sister I suppose she knows a bit about that…. Anyway, Paris Hilton takes this to a whole other level and it made me very sad but also very grateful for the friends I have.

This past month when life has been tough on me my friends have all been there for me sharing laughter and tears telling me that everything will be all right. Or just hugging me but saying nothing knowing that a hug was just what I needed.

Thinking about this suddenly had me humming….. Carole King right?

When you’re down and troubled

And you need a helping hand

And nothing, nothing is going right.

Close your eyes and think of me

And soon I will be there

To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,

And you know wherever I am

Ill come running

To see you again.

Winter, spring, summer, or fall,

All you have to do is call

And Ill be there, yes I’ll be there

Cause you’ve got a friend.


Oh how true!

Thank you all my dear friends. Life would be nothing without you!

Take care

Jeanette

Exquisite flowers….and anxiety

Been of the radar for a while, sorry about that. I haven’t been feeling well and I am just so fed up about doctors ignoring it….not listening…..and just prescribing this and that without really examining you……and then your five minutes are up and you are out of the door none the wiser. I absolutely hate not knowing! I can take almost anything just as long as I know what I am dealing with. I have an appointment with a specialist in two weeks time so hopefully that is going to give me some answers….but two weeks feels like a long wait…. And my anxiety grows….

Nature makes me happy though. Must show you one of my columbines (Aquilegia) that the deer’s didn’t get to. Thank god for small mercies!

Take care
Jeanette

WTF and a Granny update

Yep, that’s the exact words I uttered when watching a huge hole in my hedge at the country house. Not only a hole mind you, someone had slept there too. Stomp, stomp, stomp to make the grass nice and cozy ….

It was a bit like Goldilocks "Someone has been sleeping in my bed" "Someone has been eating my porridge" although porridge wasn’t what they had eaten the bastards….





I could here them talking to one another
- Hey Bambi come over here. Doesn’t that look exactly like something she would like to see blooming this year? -

- You are so right honey, and so many buds. How clever of you to find all these.

Munch, munch,munch

- Oh Junior dear, don’t eat that that’s only a weed. Why don’t you eat this lovely flower bud instead….

- Yummy!

Munch, munch , munch

- Oh, Bambi I had a super idea. Why don`t we invite all are friends over for supper!

Let`s PARTY !!!!!!!

Munch, munch, munch


Oh I know I have posted pictures of the deer saying how cute they are..... and I know I have written a lot of posts talking about how much I love living close to nature but not this friggin close! A women can change her mind right? Yeah sure they are cute..... in a distance but how come all I can think of right now is a nice juicy steak? They have all the fields and the woods to eat off for crying out loud. Why do they have to come play restaurant in my garden!

This is war !!!!!!!

….. and this is how you do it!

With wool.

I know, I know you expected to see a rifle but at heart I am a non violence kind of gal..... Was only kidding about the steak.... Deer’s don’t like the smell of wool apparently.

Take ca…

Oh right, the granny update!

Sorry !

Wrong Granny!

12 done so far.

Now I just need another 388 to make a bedspread.

Take care

Jeanette

A Granny a Day Til the End of May

Pip over at Meet me at Mikes is going to make a Granny Square each day until the end of May and she asks if we are up to the challenge! Who me? Yep, I`m in. I haven`t made a Granny Square in ages but think I can manage. Ain`t that many days left in May is there and all of you that follow my blog knows I am a super duper crochet kind of gal! You wish.....

I am going to upload my photos of the Granny Squares as I go along. Why don`t you tag along as well! Or aren`t you up to the challenge !?!?!?

Take care
Jeanette

Consolation

Nature is a good consoler

The day Sven died I started to replant all my newly-sown plants into bigger pots. I started out in frenzy, needing something to occupy my mind but soon slowed my pace down. It was something very comforting in gently, gently placing the little baby plant in the pot and ever so lightly tucking it in, it’s new soil almost like a blanket. Foxgloves, lupines and sunflowers are now growing in bigger pots and I even put some new seeds in the old ones – sweet peas! I did wet a plant or two with my tears but I think that’s good fertilization don’t you?

Foxglove


Lupine

Sunflower

Today I visited a place that has taken natures consoling effect a step further. I visited Alnarps rehabilitation garden. It’s a beautiful place where people with burnt out syndrome, depression or minor psychiatric diseases can heal their mind and soul by working or just being in the garden. I heard a very interesting lecture by the physical therapist working there telling us how research has shown that we have “ natures soothing effect” in our genes and that peoples reactions to nature as a healer is similar in all parts of the world. So now I have a scientific proof that my feelings when planting my plants yesterday where just right!

A resting place

Davidia involucrata - Dove tree
In Sweden it`s called Näsduksträd - hanky tree. Good when feeling sad and tearful

My dear Hubby came home from a short trip to the US yesterday. He is a great consoler too. And of course bringing a new gadget……may I introduce the new family member Sonny – the robotic vacuum cleaner! My daughter and I named him Sonny after the movie I Robot! He is SO sweet, humming around the house cleaning and after hours of relentless cleaning he “drives” over to the docking station for a “meal” of electricity! Amazing! Now that is a gadget I like! I jokingly asked my husband if Sonny would wet-dry the floor too. Do you know what he answered? Nope, the one doing that was too expensive!

Meet Sonny!

Take care
Jeanette

In loving memory

Life changes fast
Life changes in the instant
You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.
Joan Didion

This morning I lost my dear friend Sven, his fight against severe cancer finally over. I am devastated and a part of my life has lost its bearing. Outside my window spring continues and people are walking, talking and making plans for the weekend not knowing that for some of us life will never be the same. All my love and thoughts go out to Barbro and Ola who has not only lost a close friend but also a life companion.

I met Sven two years ago when he had just received his diagnosis and he very soon became a close friend and a very important part of my life. Through him and his enormous will to live I have learnt to seize the day, that nothing is impossible and that there is always hope.

Sven, I will miss your smile, your warmth and your bear like hugs! I will miss your sense of humor, your insight, your wisdom and our long discussions.

Because you believed in me I started to believe in myself!

I miss you

I miss you

I miss you

I loved you very much!
Jeanette

Priorities

No time for sitting indoors in front of my computer when nature calls….

This is my priorities right now!

Watching the Forget-me-nots floating in midair

Sitting on my terrace enjoying the sun and the smell of Lilacs

Feeling a huge tenderness towards all things growing, like this baby fern
looking like a little dinosaur waiting to have it`s belly tickled

Some of the family members chare my priorities too!

Take care
Jeanette