A little video clip of Sweden in the Spring went viral last week. It was brilliant because it arrived just in time for the Spring equinox. I don't know if the artist realised quite how funny it was, especially to us in England where we have been complaining about our 2nd hit of snow. It caught our attention and made everyone who saw it smile.
The video showed the sun shining in a cloudless blue sky and a pretty Swedish lass hanging her washing to dry outside on the washing line. The theme is that the Winter has passed and the season has changed, the birds are singing, the sun is out. What surprised us was the fact our heroine waded through waist high snow wearing a sundress to get to the washing line. Standing in snow above her knees she happily hung out her washing, listening to the chattering birds and enjoying the warm sun on her shoulders.
It led me on a search to find out more about the video and I came up with a whole load of beautiful photos taken of the artist Jonna Jinton and her life in Sweden.
Photo credits Jonna Jinton
All this gorgeous snow and wilderness is just up my street. I love it. I sat enthralled a couple of years ago when the Reindeer sleigh ride across the tundra and into the Arctic circle was shown on TV in the Christmas season. I think it is called SLOW TV. Nothing happens for 2 solid hours. I was happy to watch an empty snow landscape unfold, with no conversation, no music, just the sound of the Sami herder occasionally directing the reindeer and the sound of the sleigh quietly sliding through the snow. My Dad was bemused, what it was all about, this 'slow tv' nonsense? 2 hours of mindless trekking through the snow in the semi darkness!
I on the other hand was so inspired that I planned a Supper Club 'Fire & Ice' themed party. We would have a fire pit in the courtyard, fairy lights and candles everywhere, blankets and rugs scattered around. Branches of pine tree would be tied with blue ribbon to the roof beams and my Christmas tree covered in fake snow and icy blue lights would sit in the corner, creating my own magical winter wonderland. Dress code was all things wintery. Polo neck sweaters with possibly a little fur thrown in. There would be schnapps and herring canapés, a smorgasbord of deliciousness, lichen and bilberries and seaweed and peppercorns and venison ... I have no idea what I am talking about. I did once share a house for a few years with multitudes of Scandinavians and we never ate anything like this but we did eat brown cheese and Dime bars!
And my grand stroke of genius, all of these frivolities would be watched over by the gentle Reindeer trek quietly unfolding as a backdrop on a big flat screen!! Brilliant.
Embraced by the mountains
I recommend searching for Jonna's video of herself in the summer meadows practising the ancient Nordic herding call - Kulning. It is a beautiful thing to behold.
The sound of the cowbells as the cattle slowly emerge in response to her calling reminds me of the sound of the bells in the Alps. Great big cow bells ring out across the valleys when the cattle go up to graze in the mountain pastures during the summer, their sound bouncing off the mountain walls.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create" - Einstein
So in the spirit of the quote above, I am returning to a book that fed my imagination when I was younger and as a result fed my love for the wilderness and discovery of the mountains - Heidi. I couldn't decide which book cover I like the best so here are 2 of my favourites.
“Flowers are made to bloom in the sun and not to be shut up in an apron.” ― Johanna Spyri, Heidi
" I want to go about like the light footed goats." - Johanna Spyri, Heidi
All through that summer Heidi went up to the pasture every day with Peter and the goats, and grew brown as a berry in the mountain sunshine. She grew strong and healthy and was as happy and carefree as a bird in her new life.
“I'll always say my prayers... and if God doesn't answer them at once I shall know it's because He's planning something better for me.” ― Johanna Spyri, Heidi
This makes me long to be in one of my favourite places in the world, the Alps in Switzerland.
The valley below Murren & Wengen is everything that you would want of an Alpine valley. The pastoral cattle and the wooden chalets make me feel like I am living in the pages of a storybook. All of that fresh sweet milk means amazing Gruyere cheese is made there.
No bottle opener, I found a nail to prise it open!
Spring has officially arrived which means there is a small window of time left for snow on the mountains. Easter is going to be a beautiful up in the Alps this year.
Cow bells appeared again in my life when I learnt to ski. The person who topped up the most spectacular wipe out crash had to wear a large brass cow bell attached to them, thereby creating a warning sound to everyone else on the slopes. We all knew to watch out as the noise of banging bells came crashing down towards us !
Sadly I won't be skiing this Easter, but to compensate, this weekend I am heading over to Salzburg in Austria to breathe in the mountain air and feed my love for The Sound of Music.
I will eat strudel and yodel to my hearts content.
So in closing, a classic vintage photo taken in 1965. Florette - Megeve . ( I mean who drives a Citroen in heavy snow conditions? Obviously Florette did.)
And not forgetting Heidi who I will be rereading to rekindle my imagination and spark some new adventures.
“It was so lovely, Heidi stood with tears pouring down her cheeks, and thanked God for letting her come home to it again. She could find no words to express her feelings, but lingered until the light began to fade and then ran on.” ― Johanna Spyri, Heidi
