creative jewish mom

A Gorgeous Drive North From Stockholm To Dalarna, Sweden

Above: Lake Siljan, Sweden approaching from the South

This summer our 2 1/2 weeks in Sweden were amazing and very photogenic, to say the least, so now I share with you the drive we took North to the Dalarna region, after leaving Stockholm. The Dalarna region is where Sweden first became a country, and the home of the iconic Swedish wooden horses, yippee! (Stay tuned for our wooden horse factory visit.) If you love fields and forrests and more red barn buildings than you could ever imagine (I do!) then Sweden might just be the destination for you. If you love action and the grit of the city, hmmm, stick to New York City, because Sweden is truly all about nature, and more nature, which includes lots of water, be it lake, river or ocean! So, after that introduction, you can imagine that the drive North through the countryside was indeed peaceful and lovely, won't you join me?

The Nordic Museum, Stockholm

There are many museums in Stockholm, and the two that we visited, and I would recommend are the Vasa Museum and the Nordic Museum, which are next to one another and neither require incredible museum patience skills. Okay, I'll admit, that after the Vasa Museum (which is a museum dedicated to the 1620's sailing ship Vasa which sunk on its maiden voyage and was recovered from the brakish Stockholm harbor mostly intact in 1961 and now in the museum) my husband chose to wait outside while my daughter and I race walked the Nordic Museum. I took my time in the gift shop though, which is also delightful, so don't miss that!

When the  Nordic Museum was finally completed in 1907, after almost twenty years of construction, it was one of Stockholm's grandest buildings and its silhouette is still visible for miles around. The enormous building was created by the Swedish architect Isak Gustaf Clason in a Danish Renaissance style and as large as it may be, it was originally conceived as the entrance hall to the actual - but never realized - museum. So, if you love architecture, as I do, and are interested in Nordic culture, as I am as well, this museum is worth a visit. And in the summer there are some canvas sling chairs where the rest of the family can snooze outdoors while you enjoy!

Artful Commercial Window Decor In Stockholm

One of the joys of visiting new cities is simply looking and looking and looking. In Stockholm I spotted a number of charming window displays that I thought I'd share with you, as the art of making a statement in a storefront window is something that can truly transform a business, and yet so few establishments actually do it! For starters, look at this lovely window full of fresh oranges at Cafe Schweitzer, truly stunning, and while the Cafe is famous, I only became acquanted with it due to their visual statement, ah yes and the many bags of orange rinds blocking the sidewalk, complete the look and attract attention, brilliant! (We did stop for some fresh orange juice, so it worked!)

Lets Explore Stockholm!

The second stop during our 2 plus weeks in Sweden this past summer was Stockholm, a true delight! I loved the architecture and of course the water, and there is even a small kosher food store, as well as a Jewish community. We only had two actual full days to explore the city, so there were many things that we did not have a chance to see, which is always the case with travel! And now I've put together a few posts on Stockholm for your armchair travel experience, so sit back and enjoy!

The Royal Palace In Stockholm, Sweden

We have now proclaimed our creator to be King on the Jewish New Year, Rosh HaShana, so sharing the Royal Palace in Stockholm Sweden is very timely indeed! While we did not go on any palace tours or visit any museums within the palace, we enjoyed seeing it from the front and the back! The palace is located in Stockholm's Old City, which is a very charming place to explore, and so do set aside some extra time to get away from the crowds of tourists and explore the quaint alley ways! Lest I digress, back to the palace, which is not the home of the King and Queen, but rather serves as their offices. The Royal residence is outside the city, and one can take a boat tour there, which looks like a lovely thing to do if you have lots of time to explore Stockholm, which I would recomend. There are so many things to do, especially in the summer, as boats to the archipelagos leave from city, and that is indeed something not to miss, I can't wait to come back hopefully and explore the islands some more myself. Of course, a little bit of city adventures, as well as some museums is worthwhile too, so plan accordingly! Okay, lets get a closer look at the palace......

Stunning Swedish Summer Sunset In The Stockholm Archipelagos

I have been dreaming of Swedish summers and Swedish cottages with floral wallpaper for years, as well as long long evenings, and I am happy to say, this dream did not disappoint. Sweden is fantastic, and I can't wait to visit again, maybe heading further north next time, and certainly enjoying more of that endless water......maybe on a remote island in the Baltic Sea? It really is special to enjoy nights that stay light until 10:30 or so, and the pink sunsets? Yes indeed. The one I had the chance to photograph here was more intense than other more pastel hued sunsets, and oh so dramatic. We just happened to be on our way home, and stopped to view the sunset from a marina, perfect! Enjoy these photos and take an extra close look at the silhouettes formed by the trees, love it!

A Visit To Sandhamn Island In The Stockholm Archipelagos

During our stay in Ramsdalen in the archipelagos of Stockholm, we of course wanted to experience the kind of Swedish summer island life that means taking a ferry to the island, so we chose to visit the island of Sandhamn via a ferry from the port of Stavnas. As it turns out there are no cars on the island, and people meet visitors at the ferry with carts to carry the luggage!! Sandhamn is a bustling island in the summer, when the population grows from 9o to two or three thousand.

One of the most important natural ports in the archipelago with easy access to the Swedish capital, Sandhamn has been popular for boating since the late 19th century. It is known for its tavern, its clubhouse, and its harbour. Sandhamn actually means "sand harbour" in Swedish, and the island is full of sandy paths and hills so yes, Sandhamn it is!

There are pubs and restaurants and even a grocery store, so this is not remote island life, but island life together with a bunch of other folks who have either come for the day, are sleeping on their boat, or staying in a summer house or cottage. The island was indeed charming, and I'm so glad we had the chance to visit. I recommend considering staying a night or so to really experience the island, and to take the 10km hike out the lighthouse, which requires a bit of time! If you are looking for a true back to nature experience, maybe consider renting a cottage on a neighboring island and coming the Sandhamn for a visit. Either way, enjoy my little tour and do consider visiting this special spot in our great big world!

Såpnejlika Soapwort Flowers Bloom In Varmdo Sweden

One of the many delights of our travels in Sweden were all the lovely flowers in bloom and especially many that were new to me. Suddenly all the Swedish flower prints and wallpaper that i love made sense! So of course I have many many photographs of all the lovely flowers in bloom that I hope to use as inspiration for my own floral prints, and to inspire you as well, either to grow some or to paint some!

For starters, on our first stop in Sweden in Ramsdalen, in the Archipelagos of Stockholm, there was a large patch of lovely pinkish white flowers on long stalks that made quite a lovely impression in front of our rental cottage, and seemed to be quite hardy. I was very curious to know what these flowers were, so when my own little search failed I emailed the kind owner and they also had to do their own search, which was fortunately successful! These flowers are Sapnejlika, Soapwort, a name that comes from the traditional use of the leaves of the plant as a gentle nature soap! Sure wish I had know that while we were there, I would have tried it! Soapwort might be a great choice for your garden, but do read more about this species before actually committing to it, as it is unfortunately an invasive plant, which on the other hand is why it is doing so well in this spot!

A Refreshing Summer Swim In Varmdo, Sweden

This past July my husband, teen daughter and I were blessed with the opportunity to spend 2.5 weeks in Sweden, something I've beed dreaming of for years! As it turns out, this "lay over" on our way to the USA made my ticket even less expensive than the tickets of my boys, who joined us in the USA, so this vacation was truly a gift. If you live in Israel and go home to visit family in the USA, take advantage of the chance to see the wonders of nature in Scandanavia, for starters, you won't regret it, especially in July or August, when Swedish summer is in full swing, ahhhhhhh.

So what can I tell you about Sweden? I loved it, every minute. And since summer is short, really only 2 months, the Swedes know how to enjoy it. For generations families have been going to their summer cottages (some families have one on a lake, one on the ocean.....) for weeks or even months each summer, and with 41 days mandatory vacation, taking a month off in the summer is truly part of life! Now I don't feel guilty about my own 5 week summer vacation, if the Swedes can do it so can I! Ah yes and those twice daily coffee breaks, also up my alley, as is the whole aesthetic, the recycling, the love of nature, and Wasa crisp bread galore!

I'm going to share my travels with your chronologically, so we'll start with our first stop in Sweden, a lovely little 1950's cottage in the archipelagos of Stockholm, but reachable by car and actually only 40 minutes or so outside the city. We went straight to Ramsdalen, which is in a region called Varmdo, from the airport and discovered a lovely area with the best swimming ever. Care to take a dip?

Purple Cone flowers Bloom In Sweden

With Fall just around the corner, you may not be thinking about your garden, unless of course you live in Australia or the Southern Hemispere, or Florida or Southern California, then again, if you love gardening anytime is a good time to plan the blooms you'd like to grow! So, dear readers, most of us know about cone flowers, or Echinacea, but sometimes a reminder is a great thing, so let me remind you, these flowers look amazing, especially a whole bunch of them, and they are drought resistant and just all around great. They do seem to attract a lot of bees though, so keep that in mind.

I took these photos on our recent trip to Sweden (lots and lots more about that to come) at one of the cottages we rented, and there was a nice bed of cone flowers encircling a tall flag pole in the middle of a huge lawn. The scale of the cone flowers (they are largish) was perfect and the splash of color was just lovely. So do give it some thought, and I will as well! Many years ago I did add some cone flower seeds to my container garden with little success, so maybe next time I need to start them in flats, I have a good feeling next year is the time, can't wait! And now, enjoy the rest of my photos, which are great inspiration for some floral paintings as well, note to self!