Time to sleep!!

Dear All,

It is time to close down this blog for some months. As you know, all bears spend the winter sleeping and I am no exception.

It has been great to get all your encouraging comments, most of them by email, but some also directly to the blog. The house has been emptied of all things of value and the elves, trolls and other smaller and larger creatures can move in for a while.

Take care and see you next spring! Bear

Autumn

Signs

No comments !

Serious problem ! But not in Svångemåla.

According to today’s news, 2,252 Swedes have, so far this year, had to pay roughly Euro 100 for urinating in public places. Last year 3,328 were caught and 2002 the number of offenders was only approximately 900. The increase has made a lot of journalists speculate and the police to thoroughly analyse the situation.

I am not surprised at all! It is due to the ever increasing number of badgers that all house owners are trying to get rid of by marking our preserves / plots. It is amazing that our law enforcement officers do not realize this and, instead, are blaming it all on increased consumption of alcohol in public places.

As you might remember I have had some serious fights with badgers and it is only since I started to make a point of marking my space that I have seen a small, but important decline in attacks. I even ask male visitors to assist me by pointing them in the right direction when the need is there.

I am glad that the police is not coming to Svångemåla very often!

Long time,no blog....

August, the month when we have the biggest full moon of the year in Sweden, when Swedes eat crayfish, put on silly hats and drink too much. Probably to forget that the summer is slowly coming to it’s end and it will gradually get cooler and darker. Yes, yes, I know I sound a bit pessimistic and negative but I guess many of us do that at this time of the year. It is, however, also the time of the year when we can do a bit of “before and after” comparisons. Take a look at the first lime tree buds I showed you in May and compare them to the picture below. Amazing isn't it.

Neither nor....

Scary?

The deep forest in Svångemåla makes me calm down, comforts me and makes me feel safe and protected. The big trees give me strength and energy and the gentle sound of the wind blowing in them is almost like lullabies. Even the darkness is a blessing to my eyes and mind.

If you are not used to being in a deep forest you can feel a bit uncomfortable, almost scared and you start to look around you to make sure that no one is looking at you or following you. Particularly if you are used to live in a city, the forest can be a bit too mystical, almost scary.

The young boy above felt that way for a while but after we had walked down the path, seen and listened to the animals around us, examined a few interesting mushrooms and eaten some berries, he felt just as much at home as I do. It is my firm belief that all children should have a chance to experience this and start to understand the wonders that surrounds you as soon as you enter into the adventure that a deep forest is full of.

Favourites!

End of Summer?

A few yellow leaves are falling, the days are getting a bit shorter and it seems as if nature is preparing for the winter. According to the calendar it is still full summer, the temperature is still high on sunny days but again, there are clear indications that we are coming closer to the time we call autumn.

In many ways, this is a really nice time of the year so I am not complaining just noticing what is going on. Among the many positives are the many berries you can find in the deep forests, the apples that are making the branches bend dangerously low and the mushrooms that are sprouting up as soon they get some rain.

Elves

It must by now be clear to all that Svångemåla is a nature lover’s paradise. That is, however, not all that you can experience here! The more obscure elves and trolls are also everywhere for those who care to look really carefully and with open minds. Take a close look at the photo, double click on it and have a closer look! When the moon replaces the sun and the wind dies down you can even hear when they carefully wander around in the bushes, rattles a leaf or breaks a twig. The trick, if you want to see them, is to not look directly at them but to squint a bit and let your gaze wander. Some are tiny, very tiny and can hardly be seen, only felt, while others are so big that you might think you are looking at a cloud and not an elf. Both trolls and elves can change their appearance in a split second from an animal to a plant and back again before you have really noticed anything. It is exciting, scary, fun and most of all magical.

The goblins are different and needs to be treated with some care to make sure that they are not annoyed and start to bother you. Life in the forest can be difficult enough without their mischief!