Midsummer

On June 12 we had a midsummer fika at work to set the stage for a big announcement. A few people met outside and worked on the maypole.

Traditionally it should be covered with birch for the greenery, but we just had people bring whatever clippings they may have gathered from their gardens. There are wreaths to be made as well. There's all the usual, strawberry cake, dancing around the maypole, and being grateful the sun came out!

Jim our CEO had big news. We received a phone call from the Environmental Court this day, and the result was that we got approved! Now the construction can begin.

On actual midsummer (June 20), there were a few options for us. Chris had a friend from the states who is currently living in Italy on her way, so we decided I would join a party closer to home. My colleague Sindra had a midsummer party at her house. It started with rhubarb crumb cake and strawberries in the garden.

After, we headed out to the fields to gather greenery and wildflowers for a maypole. I felt very Swedish. Here's our haul for the day.

We constructed the maypole, decorated it, and a few people danced and sang songs.

To finish off the evening we had sill (pickled herring), potatoes, eggs, and meatballs!

There are many kinds of pickled herring. Here is a more traditional on the left, and a mustard on the right (it's milder than most).

 

 

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Dusk and Dawn

This time of year the official sunrise is somewhere close to 4:00 and the official sunset 22:00, but the dusk and dawn last a very long time. I happened to be up at 2:30 in the morning last week and it looked like this.

 

 

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Science Day

This week we had science day at work. Much like last year, it's a day when we listen to what has been going on in the research lives of the scientists. The scientists on staff are all working toward developing instruments for the facility, which we hear about all the time, but we don't so often here what they do with their science. Some have students who talk and we can hear about those projects as well.

This year it was at Borgeby Castle. At some point it was owned by a Viking king. There was a large Viking market just across the river. This tower is one of the corners from the outer wall defense.

 

It was really old inside. I climbed up to the top and found this crazy mount facing the stairs as you enter the room.

 

It was a georgeous day! The warmest we've had yet this year, 80 degrees! It's good that I spent the free time outside that day, it's been 68-71 since. There was this big tree with lots of swings and they served fika (Swedish coffee time) outside.

 

 

The grounds were really nice. They have just finished building decks and walkways around the water. The castle has been privately owned since it was first built and the current owners are planning a lot of events to get people out to visit the site.

 

 

 

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Sydsvenskan

Chris made the paper this week! He had met a girl in his Swedish class that works for a company who does market research on food products. The client was making a new line of premium tonic and had requested an American male with food experience to be on the panel. Chris fit the bill and was asked to participate in the taste testing. The regional newspaper Sydsvenskan happened to be there and Chris made the paper!

The caption says, "Four types of tonic can taste really different, notes test panel participant Chris Everett from the USA." The article mentions he's from Tennessee.

 

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