Bringing In The Summer Weeds

A sea of colorful weeds cover the landscapes throughout summer. There are the cow parselys, the butter flowers, clovers, and many others which names I know not at all. These wildflowers would wither soon as summer fades away. And  I don't let the summer pass without picking these weeds and putting them in a vase to adorn our dining room.

cow parsely

pink clover flowers

Picking Wild Strawberries

We were looking around the countryside when we spotted some wild strawberry leaves along the roadside.  

                              

We came closer to look for ripe fruits, and sure enough, there were several of them hidden under the leaves.

We started picking and stringing each little berry together with grass stalks. It was my first time to do this, and I really enjoyed it. I wanted to pick more but it would take a long time to accumulate such little berries.

We have gathered three strings and brought them home. But I also ate some while picking, and they were so sweet and juicy!

After dinner, we unstrung them, poured over a little cream and ate them as desserts. Just about two spoonfuls but good enough to satisfy the palate.

Grill Time

In Sweden, people say that summer is not summer without grilling. Every house or apartment unit has a backyard or a porch with a grill standing in one corner and an outdoor dining set. It's not uncommon to see families and friends grilling in their yards and porches and sitting together for a relaxing lunch or dinner, especially during weekends.

Some go to the beaches, lakesides, riversides or woods for picnics, and grilling is always a part of their activities. They grill meat, sausages, marshmallows, burgers, etc.

In some apartment compounds,  grill-feasts are organized, and all tenants throughout the compound are invited to partake of the grilled hamburger and drinks.

There's also this one evening when we had our own grilling time at our little backyard. We invited a friend who would be off to his occasional job in Norway the following day. It was a sunny evening, and yet a little cold and windy. But the wine and the grilled meat kept us warm.

The clover flowers among the grass gave off a sweet-smelling aroma.

 

It was a fine evening, with the summer sun still up and the sky so blue.

My hubby grilling the "flintastek"

Ready for dinner

Where Fairy Tales Come True

Walking provides lots of opportunities for new discoveries. I can see some hidden corners that can be mesmerizing and can give me the feeling of being transported to some fairylands.

Each time I come across such scenes, I would let out a gasp and stare at them in awe, hardly believing the sight before me.

For some, scenes like these may not be so interesting at all. They may be just ordinary places  sans special charm. But for one with an appreciative heart and  a  kaleidoscopic imagination, such places are as wonderful as the settings of some children's fairy tales.

They do exist, not only in stories, but in reality. They take me to an idyllic garden of peace and bliss, away from this world's chaos, away from loneliness, away from sufferings, away from others' malicious and twisted thoughts.

Here is my fairyland where I may be alone but not really alone. I am in the company of nature, which is a good friend. It is where I can commune with God and get rejuvenated.

This is my fairy tale without fairies and pixies. There's only me and my wholesome reflections, God and his lovely creations.

The fairylands I have discovered may disappear one day. But the images have  been preserved by my camera and the tales will keep living in my heart.

The Scent of Summer

Summertime fills the air with refreshingly therapeutic fragrances.

As I walk through every street, the refreshing scent of  lilacs keep following me.

 

The grounds  I tread on  are covered with clover flowers that give off an aromatic scent.

                                                              

The grasses too have their distinctive scent, 

which intensifies when they are newly-mown.

 

The towering trees wave their leaves and needles and scatter their own balmy scents.

The roaming breeze and the strong summer wind carry with them all the nature's fragrances and leave whiffs of aroma in their trails.

Ahh...SUMMER....a season of wonder!