Friday, July 31, 2009

STONES THAT KEEP ON ROLLING

It was March 1965 and the Rolling tones were really hot.
They still keep coming to Gothenburg, but they do not play in the same small hall they did in 1965. Today they play in a big football arena and the entire city can hear what they play, miles away.

The ROLLING STONES have remained popular, but imagine all the technical gadgets that have arrived since they played in Gothenburg 1965:

- Push buttons phones
- Cassette recorders
- Video recorder
- CD discs
- Computers
- Internet
- Cell phones
-DVDs
to name a few.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

WEIGHT LIFTERS


These are responsible guys.
Who really carry their weight.
Reliable and strong.
The quiet type.
Who know what to do, without a lot of fuss.
Always there for you.
Could you find better guys?


Thursday, July 16, 2009

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

GOTHIA CUP

When Swedes leave Gothenburg for their summer vacations,
one would think that the city would feel empty.
On the contrary: The city is filled with young football (soccer) players from all over the world.
This year, 34,000 young football (soccer)players have come to Gothenburg to play in the tournament called GOTHIA CUP.
It is amazing how little Gothenburg is hosting the largest such event in the world.

Friday, July 10, 2009

OLD TIMERS

Lately we have seen many car models disappear while the American car industry is being reconstructed.

But in the past, many car companies have come and gone.
How many have even heard of the car companies that advertised in the issue of Literary Digest, October 2, 1920?

(Click on the pictures to make them larger)




Wednesday, July 8, 2009

A GOOD INVESTMENT

Invest in lilies -- great dividends are guaranteed.
For the ones that bloom in the summer, plant the bulbs in the spring or fall.
Good drainage is essential. And fertilizer.
That is all.
And they keep giving fantastic flowers year after year.
Not a bad payoff.



All lilies are in containers. The red lillies are actually planted in a large IKEA plastic storage container. I had to make some large drainage holes.

PALM TREES IN SWEDEN?


Yes, we have palm trees in Sweden!
But they are kept indoors in heated greenhouses all winter.
In mid-June it is perfectly safe to plant them outdoors as seen here at the Gothenburg Garden Society.
For a few month, we enjoy the exotic plants.
Before the frost comes in the fall, they are taken indoors.

The method of having Mediterranean plants in a heated green houses for winter storage (often very elegant and fancy buildings) is an old practice used by gardeners in palaces gardens of Northern Europe.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

RIGHT OF PUBLIC ACCESS (The Swedish Allemansratten)

Swedes who live abroad, begin to miss their exceptional access to nature.
Of course there are a lot of parks in the cities in Sweden, but most importantly, there is an old established right of public access to land outside the cities.

This means that Swedes do not encounter fenced in areas with signs that forbid access like one might in other countries. They do not have to drive for hours, to come to a National Park to get into nature.

The public access has never been a problem for property owners. The country is large and the population relatively small and with the old right of public access also comes responsibilities for the public.
To read more what you can do and what you cannot do, click here!

Wikipedia writes more on the freedom to roam.

A person in a Swedish city can, unlike their counterparts in cities on the continent, without owning their own land, have the pleasure of picking berries in the summer and mushrooms in the fall. And of course enjoy long relaxing walks, without worrying about trespassing. (This guy tried it: See what he writes)

There are also many nature reserves in Sweden.
This lake (Delsjon) and the surrounding area is a nature reserve reachable with a 15 minute tram ride from the center of Gothenburg. Here you can ski, hike, fish, swim or go for hour long walks.

Read about a foreign student who tried it out on a winter day. She took some pictures too. Click here!

Sweden might have high taxes, but our access to nature is quite exceptional.

Friday, July 3, 2009

IN A SWEDISH GARDEN


(Click on the arrow to start!)
This will be a nice memory when winter comes.
It was only last week.
Now the pink petals are on the ground.
And I have this little film.
And the bees have their honey.

STIMULUS PACKAGE - VINTAGE STYLE

The US government started several projects to stimulate the economy in 2009.
Therefore it is interesting to look back to the depression of the 1930's when the stimulus package was called WPA.
The American magazine FORTUNE, in 1935 reported on a new murals within the Federal Art Project.




MADE IN ENGLAND



Maybe some think this is an ugly contraption.
But this old-fashioned beater is so elementally simple.
What you see is what you get: gears and rivets and two pale green wooden handles, not necessarily dish-machine-proof, but a joy to behold.
(Though it is a bit frivolous to have a splatter
protection?)

Thursday, July 2, 2009

3 AM

In Sweden the summer nights are long and it hardly gets dark.
The birds are the most active at 3 AM.

Click on the arrow to start!