Homework assignment: Dog days of summer, Slushie

This has become the warmest summer in 20 years. The drawback is record in drowning accidents, because people seek themselves to water for bathing. Oh I have taken baths too and been swiming, but I'm not as foolish as I was when I was young making bets to swim across the lake. I keep myself on shallow waters.
We don't have air condition in Sweden, most of us don't. Neither at work and it's not easy to be diligent and clever.

When we arrived at home from work I made something very soothing. A watermelon slushie. It's so easy and refreshing.

Cut watermelon in cubes, throw in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. I buy whole melons and freeze the excess. If the cubes are deep frozen, let them soften for about half an hour. Put them in a blender and mix until you get a smooth slushie. If you like add water or soda.

My zucchinis are growing in a speed I can't eat. I have to be inventive when cooking. In my other blog I have posted a recipe of Zucchini Frittata I made today for dinner with a smooth basil sauce. Click the link if you're curious.

Beach holiday

The heat continues.  I'm so thankful for having the cottage in the forest with a lake close to it. This is a place we're I really can relax.  Last weekend was spent in the cottage with my sons. Two lazy days with just bathing,  playing games and barbecue.

The beach is over 1 km long and the water is shallow. It's perfect for families. It's also great that we are almost alone :)

I have never seen so many butterflies at the same time at the meadow by the cottage. This is a sign of how important it is to take good care of the surroundings by cutting the grass with a scythe at right time.

A little sign that we've reached the later part of summer is the morning mist that reveals all the cobwebs in the garden.

A colleague is growing cucumbers in the glassed shelter for smokers.  As it is abandoned it's perfect for this purpose.  We can all pick a cucumber if we like. 

Corpgoth mid month status report

These are a couple of examples of how I dress at work.  I wear both blue collar (dirty example) and my ordinary clothes. This particular day was a bit fancier because I have an after work date with my man. Fishnet stockings and colourful makeup.

We don't have an airconditioner at work so at hot days it's almost impossible to think or be active. We all move in slowmotion those days. Thankfully we have a very laid back  dress code.

Please check out corpgoth.blogspot.com for more office friendly goth outfits.

Garden report and poisonous plants in the jungle

Time flies when I'm busy like a bee. Well the hot weather came in time when I was going back to work, but it's ok to when everybody else are off. I can focus on my projects and get things done. 

Outside the hedge to the right is a field and between the hedge and the field is a strip of meadow grass. I cut the grass with a scythe, wich is unbeliavable heavy. The grass is put in a neat row at our lawn to dry to hay. This will be one of the bunnies staples this winter.

Oskar curiosly decided to go to confirmation camp this summer. Well I do think he was looking forward to some expensive gifts afterwards. I'm glad he did it though, because when you don't want to talk with your parents about serious things this group of kids and adults answer your questions. 

Cute brothers

I decided to go colourful to this event and combined my Fluevogs with paisly patterned tights that matched my newly bought dress from Gudrun Sjöden and a vintage bangle to match the shoes. 

One of the first working days, me and a friend from work went to explore a local jungle not far from my home. It's barely visible, you can't imagine what lies under the green mass. A small gully were a little stream runs through. The water is so shallow that you can walk in rubber boots without problem.

One of the nice plants you can find there is the climbing potato relative; Bittersweet, when I google searched bittersweet they showed pictures from another bush but this is a poisonous climber.

 Another plant that add to the jungle feeling is a massive growth of wild hop. This is one of the reasons this little gully is marked as nature reserve. There is also supposed to be the a habitat of wolfsbane another poisonous flower. But we couldnt find any.

 This is how almost all trees looked like. I wish I could take a plant but since it's a protected area, no.

An old birch covered in birch tickings. I found one on the ground huge as a frying pan.

Next expedition will be at a swamp nearby.

My favourit beverage this time is mojito, alcohol free. I tried one with rum but I missed the distinct taste of lime and mint. Just follow the ordinary recipe but skip the rum.

My snapdragons are in bloom in a vibrant burgundy red colour (looks a little pink here). 

I have three old rose bushes and this beauty is a moss rose called Henri Martin.

 View of one of my beds, not all the flowers are blooming yet.

Today was a perfect day to pick leaves for my garden tea. Black currant, raspberries, red clover and roses is the blend of this summer. I will dry these for winter teas but fresh brewed leaves are the best.

 Another photo of Mme Hardy, it has so many flowers this year. It has been a good winter.

Picture heavy Steampunk post

Steampunk has arrived to Sweden at last. A large Steampunk festival was arranged at the Swedish Railroad museum in Gävle last weekend. I have been waiting for this weekend to come for a while and even if the programme on the website was a bit vague + a shitty weather + getting up early, I was eager to go. I must say that they should have displayed the information better on the page because there were lots to se and do in reality.

The Swedish Railway museum is a great visit in it self. It has a huge collection of full size steam locomotives to see and ride if you are interested. The train below was trafficing the track between the museum and the city the whole day, a commuter in style.

I also finally had the chance to meet Dr Cagliostro in person and see his interesting exhibition. He seems to be a bit short so the top hat and the stilts gives him a more imposant feature.

He walked the stilts the whole day. Click the link on the name above to read more of the exhibition

Beside the exhibition were another tent with a magician and a fakir. Here the magician doing the classical three cup trick. But suddenly he had 4 big tomatoes under them. Every single one in the audience looked like question marks. That was impressing.

After some faquirism with pulling condoms through the nose and mouth (wich caused a little girl to cry loudly), tounge in rat trap, and staples at chest, there were some balancing and juggling.

The festival had arranged book stalls, exhibitions and miscellaneous activities in the enginge stalls. Here an old fashioned barber for the brave ones (my man was not of them).

King Oscar the 2nd's audition wagon admired by the younglings in the family.

In one of the halls an exhibition of steampunkery were installed. Lots of geeky gadgets and cool stuff were displayed. 

A nautical installation with sealife in the round window. The baby carriage is a bit misplaced though.

This steampowered flying machine is actually a real one. It was built in the end of the 1800 and was one of the inventor Carl Richard Nyberg's attempt to fly. It could only take shorter jumps in the air though.

This steampunk exhibition is actually a more permanent part of the museums exhibitions so there will be time to see it. 

Järnsaxa is the name of this locomotive (means iron scissors) it is modified by the Swedish Steampunk society. As it is part of the museums belongings they have only painted it and put on some decorative plates.

Front of locomotive

View of the crowd. There were lots of people dressed up in costumes, amazing ones. I was actually surprised how many they were.

This is a steam powered crane used at the railroad back in the days.

 A mini steampowered train was a must ride for the small kids. Alfons forced me to go with him.

We came home with a few books. Alfons got a short comic book, a book about movie monsters and I bought a novel and the Steampunk Bible.

 I hope they will have this festival at the same place again next year. It was more than I hoped for and those of you who live close, if there will be another one, you must go. There were lot's of more than I mentioned here so it was a large festival. 

This is the first day of my vacation with sunshine. It has been unimaginable cold. I guess the warmth will return at the same time I go back to work, wich is on monday :'(.