The frozen sea and the trees at the beach.

I'm back from my short trip up to Haparanda, the north of Sweden. It was both good and a bit hard for me to go. My family on my mothers side stems from this region and it was a couple of years since I'd been there. The places and fragrances brought back so many happy memories that due to the nature of my trip became a bit frayed in the edges by sorrow. But the cold air, muted sounds, the scent of my grandmothers house and the soft snow did it's best to surround me with love and beauty. 

It is always interesting to return to your roots as something inside you awakens. And even if it's just a small sensation deep down in the pit of your stomach, it is important for every one of us. 

To feel our history, our belongingness in a continuance of space and time.

On Saturday we went out to the archipelago and to the gem of a cabin at Santasaari that another side of the family owns. I have never been there in winter and all my memories surrounding this place are connected to summer. Bathing in the sauna, swimming in the sea, staying up late and watch the midnight sun, read comic books, get itching mosquito bites and the scent of Finnish sausages roasting on a stick over the fire. 

It was still the same lovely place but now embraced by a soft layer of snow and it suited my mood so very well. To see it in summer for the first time after being away for so many years, and after everything that has happened in my family, would have been to hard to bare. 

The cold and magical airiness of snow and the feeling of everything sleeping under the covers of winter, just waiting to burst out for another summer, was refreshing instead of sad. It held within itself a promise, a promise of summers to come and of new happy memories to be made. And, that time and space continues even though it feels like the world has stopped turning for a while. It was like conditioner for the soul and a breath of air after keeping my mouth closed tight for a long time.

A place to heat the water.

The fireplace indoors.

The heart, the cabin.

I hope these photos show even a glimpse of what I felt when I was there and also I am happy to show you a little taste of my cabin clothes! Fully dressed against the cold with three cardigans, a shawl and comfortable shoes but still (of course) with a bit of flair in form of a liner and a red lip!  

Finally, thank you to to all and everyone who was there, I am so very grateful to have you all in my life!

(And, on another note. My last post was my 100th! Yay!)









     

   

Of to the North!

So my friends, I will be flying up to the north, north of Sweden tomorrow! My mother comes from the small town Haparanda which is beautifully placed just by the Torne älv (Torne river) and the Swedish/Finnish border, so you can literally walk over to Finland if you want. I will be going there, sadly, due to a funeral but I have a lot of planning and fixing left to do before I am ready to leave. 

This is the first time I'm going to fly with Bengta and also I want to pack some crochet projects and other bits and bobs so that I can keep myself busy until Monday. I have a hard time dealing with grief (something I might write about later) so I need things to work on with my hands. I find that it helps. 

I might not be able to post anything on the blog due to bad internet but you are always welcome to follow me on Instagram (where my name is simonastreet) where I try and post more regularly.

Til' later, lot's of love and hold your dear ones close.