tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16227729630376484302024-02-19T05:22:49.025-05:00Ponderings over the pondWelcome to this bilingual (Swedish-English) group blog by family members living on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, "the pond". Our interests range from the scientific to the eclectic, including gourmet food, horses, art and literature, computers, species in nature, history and iron, and photography. Three generations are posting here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-91744643179627471622015-01-01T11:23:00.001-05:002015-01-01T11:27:55.759-05:00Amazing Fungi <a href="http://www.the-open-mind.com/25-stunning-photos-within-the-mystical-world-of-mushrooms/#tT5BSd0S7jQAARTZ.15">25 Stunning Photos Within The Mystical World Of Mushrooms</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-74876825867722458912015-01-01T10:43:00.000-05:002015-01-01T11:02:18.326-05:00Very nice Swedish model railroad<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/C6rDNUgIHPk" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-18336448674277212632014-12-31T10:20:00.000-05:002014-12-31T13:53:56.610-05:00The end of one year, the start of another2014 went by fast when you look at it in hindsight... swoosh! But a lot of interesting and good things happened, and some that we could have been without, as always. My blogging was reduced due to other things, but here is a little summary of the things I never got time to show you earlier from the year that is about to pass on to history (2014).<br />
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WEATHER: There was a very cold and wintry beginning. Everybody learned the word 'polar vortex' with caused low temperatures and snow and ice.<br />
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FOOD: Many good Swedish-style breakfasts, which are like true mini-smorgasbords. Kalles Kaviar we have to get at IKEA here in the US.
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CRAFT and ART: Philadelphia and Baltimore Craft Shows, as well as Morristown and Peter Valley. Weavings by AA, trips to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/sets/72157607811009029/" target="_blank">Grounds for Sculpture</a>, and much more enlightened and enlivened 2014. This sculpture below by Brower Hatcher is one of my favorites at Grounds of Sculpture... it is really a place worth many visits. Below that is a piece of one of <a href="http://www.erinwilsonquilts.com/" target="_blank">Erin Wilson</a>'s many handmade, innovative artwork quilts, which we love. (The photo doesn't really do it justice, since it was taken with a smartphone.)<br />
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SWEDEN: a trip in March to the homeland, led me back to some places I hadn't seen for over 35 years, and Fiby Forest was a wonderful place to revisit. March is usually a cold and dreary month in Sweden, but there are wondrous things if you look closer, red beetles, green mosses, and colorful food (indeed, these days Swedish food is not just boiled potatoes, brown meat and sauce).
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IDAHO: Summertime was conference travel time as usual, this time in Idaho, a new state. Up into the dry areas of the Bitterroot mountain range was an experience - hiking around Blue Lake, and being in all the alpine meadows with new kinds of birds and flowers, and views and vistas. I am going back!
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PLANTS: Lots of work work focused on plants as usual, especially neglected weeds, lichens, and edible and urban plants. Beauty and wonder is everywhere...
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BUGS: But there was also a lot of insects showing up wherever I was, and they too can be gorgeous. Looking at them this year and finding help online to identify and learn about them lead to a whole new world opening up. I guess I have to learn more about fungi next year... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYG4gxPrXD7sb-VJL32i4MfvjsFv6tK0AlN6x_NWvN9aMa4Jsu78g4yDaPPhRFqAFQZIpiG4gF7tnpEf_1ZZ0cECbdTd9WvTMHStOrlsjNeF-G0JqME1tb1hLLlrKzJ8z8shVRUQwQzGg/s1600/Tetraopes+tetrophthalmus+(Red%2BMilkweed%2BBeetle)cropped_red%2BbeetleP6220536.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYG4gxPrXD7sb-VJL32i4MfvjsFv6tK0AlN6x_NWvN9aMa4Jsu78g4yDaPPhRFqAFQZIpiG4gF7tnpEf_1ZZ0cECbdTd9WvTMHStOrlsjNeF-G0JqME1tb1hLLlrKzJ8z8shVRUQwQzGg/s320/Tetraopes+tetrophthalmus+(Red%2BMilkweed%2BBeetle)cropped_red%2BbeetleP6220536.jpeg" /></a></div>
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OPTIMISM: And now, it is the last day of 2014. And, I end with a quote by Cheryl Strayed from her book Wild, on what nature (and life) really is about:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“It had nothing to do with gear or footwear or the backpacking fads or philosophies of any particular era or even with getting from point A to point B. It had to do with how it felt to be in the wild. With what it was like to walk for miles with no reason other than to witness the accumulation of trees and meadows, mountains and deserts, streams and rocks, rivers and grasses, sunrises and sunsets. The experience was powerful and fundamental.”
</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-39138280536298549402014-12-03T16:03:00.001-05:002014-12-03T16:03:13.229-05:00DIY electric train<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-88531767037567535352014-11-12T15:31:00.000-05:002014-11-12T15:46:46.667-05:00Recycle, reuse, refine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have surfed the net and stumbled upon some fantastic art made of waste.<br />
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Like these sculptures made of broken CD's made by the Australian artist <a href="http://www.demilked.com/animal-sculptures-made-of-shattered-cds/">Sean Avery</a>, found on the website <a href="http://www.demilked.com/">Demilked.com</a>.<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIZXGu9K6U136rVHUDAbjZ7ikqhddOSah6H7MVPpcZbzpd8lbe9cguZ4GfRTA-oTPjphVvXKeCeECClwdwk9MRpCCMJkByiDFB2z0cAoa7hKjnlRx1sTsGCSTG4vH3sJgqJFOgS7BqI4/s320/old-cd-sculptures-sean-e-avery-4.jpg" width="257" /></div>
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And lots of amazing insects made from old electronic components, by Julie Alice Chapell, presented on her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Julie-Alice-Chappell-Artist/146001165481339" target="_blank">Facebook-page</a> and on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/209673152/triple-winged-computer-component-insect?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=ConnectedShop&utm_campaign=Share" target="_blank">Etsy.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoILlYMAmCH162CbaJ6olZkvn9nfYWBkE9aZhZl3sLem9w89f52YWU7i1PjFbQ6ge7Fynw8xnb7il0_jEF8YR7p2HMbD3isHNNOOqbFsdd7ihb1da-ZJn5m_4PYO2CsR72-tUuX3KW-g/s1600/11610_733312016750248_5064611549950670008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWoILlYMAmCH162CbaJ6olZkvn9nfYWBkE9aZhZl3sLem9w89f52YWU7i1PjFbQ6ge7Fynw8xnb7il0_jEF8YR7p2HMbD3isHNNOOqbFsdd7ihb1da-ZJn5m_4PYO2CsR72-tUuX3KW-g/s320/11610_733312016750248_5064611549950670008_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA4NE98DtHYyslrvXWWkUBD6-72SZTUt8ddycC7Eo67LXYR7udrQUU0zTiVKyiwa76Lj2vUA5Xtto3mGXyp6t3ctOkdtANcNTjK8BLSPqEiiUrIeZsACpHMuZK43VwqBuRQEhm2WmCQo/s1600/il_570xN.676800622_5ma9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnA4NE98DtHYyslrvXWWkUBD6-72SZTUt8ddycC7Eo67LXYR7udrQUU0zTiVKyiwa76Lj2vUA5Xtto3mGXyp6t3ctOkdtANcNTjK8BLSPqEiiUrIeZsACpHMuZK43VwqBuRQEhm2WmCQo/s320/il_570xN.676800622_5ma9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Electric wire is also recycled into art, like these little trees by BarbaraCCreations on <a href="https://www.etsy.com/se-en/shop/BarbaraCsCreations?page=2" target="_blank">Etsy</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYpbpFvHi86zYur7LC8kuhyphenhyphentq2RELlrVteyyifr1sUusPc6OgSBWbmPPIgJQwnq5raYKXmLQwyUT8re1Um9nN0VY4XGaZ85iNFXr81ZuyrmlheY6xjwmlRC3eau9am6v8dimpDocKAmE/s1600/il_570xN.561097227_n43h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBYpbpFvHi86zYur7LC8kuhyphenhyphentq2RELlrVteyyifr1sUusPc6OgSBWbmPPIgJQwnq5raYKXmLQwyUT8re1Um9nN0VY4XGaZ85iNFXr81ZuyrmlheY6xjwmlRC3eau9am6v8dimpDocKAmE/s320/il_570xN.561097227_n43h.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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More pictures <a href="https://www.etsy.com/se-en/listing/107267992/a-zen-garden-in-a-terra-cotta-plate?ref=shop_home_active_5" target="_blank">here. </a></div>
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Be well, everybody!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-63731467008518258742014-11-06T21:48:00.000-05:002014-11-06T21:48:01.812-05:00Photo report from Gotland<div style="text-align: center;">
O.K. is on the island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea this week, in the cold, blustery November fog. Here are some of his photos, posted by me. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhU59tCGCVPR2RXke4LVhkPcoi5p2Zt7o_TEznajsNKyU9A5_GgPA3TgYMs_yqtPPPlRDG-G8g98J5e8OLwnE4G_VY-kIAfNKVvxitBJ4jh9VX2XjbHG2UaMD6iXc74_NyMA3wypCD0k/s1600/AdobePhotoshopExpress_faccf236b41b4221b62bfa68febe276e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLhU59tCGCVPR2RXke4LVhkPcoi5p2Zt7o_TEznajsNKyU9A5_GgPA3TgYMs_yqtPPPlRDG-G8g98J5e8OLwnE4G_VY-kIAfNKVvxitBJ4jh9VX2XjbHG2UaMD6iXc74_NyMA3wypCD0k/s1600/AdobePhotoshopExpress_faccf236b41b4221b62bfa68febe276e.jpg" height="225" width="400" /> </a></div>
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crane </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRg-zEYV-uyjv-ayMaPl1jpUy3lsK4KhZoey-NIuGmkKP77xVsN7nsUI6shm1q-d5UEG3xmJzBFV6kTie7YxHuu_Qt_rAYmXwtpGMT6IExJVQA1Hocwx2ss6FhyphenhyphenTegrNsYF-z3FHeBx1A/s1600/elefant+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRg-zEYV-uyjv-ayMaPl1jpUy3lsK4KhZoey-NIuGmkKP77xVsN7nsUI6shm1q-d5UEG3xmJzBFV6kTie7YxHuu_Qt_rAYmXwtpGMT6IExJVQA1Hocwx2ss6FhyphenhyphenTegrNsYF-z3FHeBx1A/s1600/elefant+2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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elephants</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7fXVAXddfR35eDrrohLxdYWhlcIk4XJf6yVAyS77pirKmAgArdaIQOX-PVxsWVcW0hYRjWybowctNyS_8P2YGAwh0NEGEa_jL7K_gu6YcCH8V_JSYdLNJxSx366pLLpJYrNJJ43bbe8/s1600/elvis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7fXVAXddfR35eDrrohLxdYWhlcIk4XJf6yVAyS77pirKmAgArdaIQOX-PVxsWVcW0hYRjWybowctNyS_8P2YGAwh0NEGEa_jL7K_gu6YcCH8V_JSYdLNJxSx366pLLpJYrNJJ43bbe8/s1600/elvis.jpg" height="243" width="400" /></a></div>
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Elvis</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22UhAqohPx1qeNg-HE3q22of7zw439rzhjYBpHOCNId_wjMl1dD8hIp_xU_PSZJ2mLwRQRb3S0HMtzQfOsQuj4qF80VcnwSWWVxzJUmNSbEYlsB3SxaEtHEPVXKYlNU8fm4uLNXCuOyg/s1600/franskrost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22UhAqohPx1qeNg-HE3q22of7zw439rzhjYBpHOCNId_wjMl1dD8hIp_xU_PSZJ2mLwRQRb3S0HMtzQfOsQuj4qF80VcnwSWWVxzJUmNSbEYlsB3SxaEtHEPVXKYlNU8fm4uLNXCuOyg/s1600/franskrost.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HjlXY6HWzYT40U4dSLRY80L-oPfnrWnmbOewMNSQsFI5aOZ7IoATnnyj-YCdkgab-6E4xgOEP80unjBaMqVL6wfYRcV5ncBxvz4FLEJTp5Ex268vHfGZUIr0c7bSl7stuh1CSLCP_sM/s1600/grill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HjlXY6HWzYT40U4dSLRY80L-oPfnrWnmbOewMNSQsFI5aOZ7IoATnnyj-YCdkgab-6E4xgOEP80unjBaMqVL6wfYRcV5ncBxvz4FLEJTp5Ex268vHfGZUIr0c7bSl7stuh1CSLCP_sM/s1600/grill.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a></div>
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grill</div>
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handle</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3jxMtAFI8VEil3cWZBzdvranaMa3FffoFyDuyhmH1qZQQ0kwVSrcv6NnyH2Wiz7hIb2nCLHvYHfTcATQEmS5EmyBD20tYEiTsxxB4AbxCe8EU7OY86J0yntiqOj1gJeeN_L65DeISTE/s1600/handsome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3jxMtAFI8VEil3cWZBzdvranaMa3FffoFyDuyhmH1qZQQ0kwVSrcv6NnyH2Wiz7hIb2nCLHvYHfTcATQEmS5EmyBD20tYEiTsxxB4AbxCe8EU7OY86J0yntiqOj1gJeeN_L65DeISTE/s1600/handsome.jpg" height="640" width="393" /></a></div>
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handsome</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_gCcoxVbuItDfUXaaDGqTHnbNieaYPWJnIqxXfBgS77AsPGZ5JJ2N_D0KOTSUukAUgGihyphenhyphenyWSCWLQpVxMcDNTZ6KmuMs7em57-VRr_Ssd_e-CH9edG2MtKPHNFdPSXJAgqSdHAjOKPA/s1600/hjul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu_gCcoxVbuItDfUXaaDGqTHnbNieaYPWJnIqxXfBgS77AsPGZ5JJ2N_D0KOTSUukAUgGihyphenhyphenyWSCWLQpVxMcDNTZ6KmuMs7em57-VRr_Ssd_e-CH9edG2MtKPHNFdPSXJAgqSdHAjOKPA/s1600/hjul.jpg" height="243" width="400" /></a></div>
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wheels </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaFE2WtnCJu9ZzsGSlYIFvIPm4Jaq2DFlBXsF_otJNwtFooG2KTGjlPp5lrpTXTWuX2XdDitZU8pWJwPG_fPcZB7XLTlymgHNrezTDz9kafdPZIM1r0syA7U0MpUW1Ok6L1UCRJJ6kHM/s1600/panoramat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaaFE2WtnCJu9ZzsGSlYIFvIPm4Jaq2DFlBXsF_otJNwtFooG2KTGjlPp5lrpTXTWuX2XdDitZU8pWJwPG_fPcZB7XLTlymgHNrezTDz9kafdPZIM1r0syA7U0MpUW1Ok6L1UCRJJ6kHM/s1600/panoramat.jpg" height="201" width="400" /></a></div>
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panorama</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH-wQtkGVnAOITZ11Qf5tdemQhkHbj90b_TLVQQ8uV6cdas0_uXS4-avUeAzZe_alV_1Nd-TT6GZUR-0_zSLUaTiJQ9Xw0jpOpruTcumcpqMtxlakG9ABPGREXzfZyFqOHsKQrZOFoYo/s1600/pavan(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqH-wQtkGVnAOITZ11Qf5tdemQhkHbj90b_TLVQQ8uV6cdas0_uXS4-avUeAzZe_alV_1Nd-TT6GZUR-0_zSLUaTiJQ9Xw0jpOpruTcumcpqMtxlakG9ABPGREXzfZyFqOHsKQrZOFoYo/s1600/pavan(1).jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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the bottle</div>
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the stick</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyS67ZHcmZXv_TP1xAFYOwq3z4jfeHoLsuO2Lhg0LwhgCEkapFm4LG3xuy4oDwk5EkJrtk2vloYswLpCT6ZjmG-i04iCJ-4Nke8NNgqDKof2MgK5G0iwUqCDm8FROTz1CCCcyN6OkJJE/s1600/porten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUyS67ZHcmZXv_TP1xAFYOwq3z4jfeHoLsuO2Lhg0LwhgCEkapFm4LG3xuy4oDwk5EkJrtk2vloYswLpCT6ZjmG-i04iCJ-4Nke8NNgqDKof2MgK5G0iwUqCDm8FROTz1CCCcyN6OkJJE/s1600/porten.jpg" height="640" width="388" /></a></div>
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the door </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3fGKOYT1uirvUoe1kBdhgpx7CKhgJCpm9bHE5TbeS2f5yNXCjai476Y3tfW9zN5-o7OgqTWsrNnS-CbVg5Z7raBNlBWFwVcFJeQDmrvLMbSSdiZaETMnc3QozILceJaPdhx_xcRSnUw/s1600/stenen+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq3fGKOYT1uirvUoe1kBdhgpx7CKhgJCpm9bHE5TbeS2f5yNXCjai476Y3tfW9zN5-o7OgqTWsrNnS-CbVg5Z7raBNlBWFwVcFJeQDmrvLMbSSdiZaETMnc3QozILceJaPdhx_xcRSnUw/s1600/stenen+(2).jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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the rock </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWv1ONJDYnSPH7LoFE0ZYgE3sO6lMMEk0aEnGEBYI4TPUS4fFyVo9Ya74if5hIOwVR6wOQ_9V1OBpIpOsMuKuEq44zdVONTu8Uy5ZGFJwZgo1mRLeOrpoR6uUSeQjC3lGSoRpe5-o23W0/s1600/taget+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWv1ONJDYnSPH7LoFE0ZYgE3sO6lMMEk0aEnGEBYI4TPUS4fFyVo9Ya74if5hIOwVR6wOQ_9V1OBpIpOsMuKuEq44zdVONTu8Uy5ZGFJwZgo1mRLeOrpoR6uUSeQjC3lGSoRpe5-o23W0/s1600/taget+2.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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train I</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVCwtm1A6cCdxxbuhkn7VfC2pNeUKJslDq5DLnMMiyZlEk0SGf9hsIozlL8fBKXrXuZu44IHe0Vc2q0ep8hPW52RFW8VikFWog5pET5e9TKaFSnddgvan7Lmvkj_oPwsMLOtUAMKqt78/s1600/tornet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVCwtm1A6cCdxxbuhkn7VfC2pNeUKJslDq5DLnMMiyZlEk0SGf9hsIozlL8fBKXrXuZu44IHe0Vc2q0ep8hPW52RFW8VikFWog5pET5e9TKaFSnddgvan7Lmvkj_oPwsMLOtUAMKqt78/s1600/tornet.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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the tower </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1f_a1z54-qhjXZhOr0nLB4vyHGFD0WyJOwVcOlxnvfjwK9h_IpC_aieilXTRvjt5WHAB2w_qPdDWow-N4QMrAP3ABspqhzbKbcJBZSgVyXmeFw2dgfaSWhF2FHm9wf0BnRqANPCxvpw/s1600/t%C3%A5get.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1f_a1z54-qhjXZhOr0nLB4vyHGFD0WyJOwVcOlxnvfjwK9h_IpC_aieilXTRvjt5WHAB2w_qPdDWow-N4QMrAP3ABspqhzbKbcJBZSgVyXmeFw2dgfaSWhF2FHm9wf0BnRqANPCxvpw/s1600/t%C3%A5get.jpg" height="640" width="436" /></a></div>
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train II</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGXznANNsXPrpU7Ty9W11VvyMuSplWUagtl-9qwCYQUh1z7spCoXyeekOjqBT97gnhb551fmchz9vBHXDPcaR3Pjmm3M9TOsouZOr3TfLc77WKOPOTYKo81VwMKwFd74vMX476o-IMvQ/s1600/WP_20141104_15_20_13_Refocus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisGXznANNsXPrpU7Ty9W11VvyMuSplWUagtl-9qwCYQUh1z7spCoXyeekOjqBT97gnhb551fmchz9vBHXDPcaR3Pjmm3M9TOsouZOr3TfLc77WKOPOTYKo81VwMKwFd74vMX476o-IMvQ/s1600/WP_20141104_15_20_13_Refocus.jpg" height="640" width="356" /></a></div>
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the perspective</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-64499164595160989362014-10-16T18:07:00.001-04:002014-10-16T18:07:41.818-04:00A new logo! and some old ones<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am a member of at least 5 different Amateur Societies/Clubs which all reflects my hobbies.<br />
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Here are some of their logos, the first one is brand new, designed by me . The bug is a stinkbug, Graphosoma lineatum, which is called strimlus in Swedish. Our old logo looked like something copied on a blue-ink copiator in the basement, rather outdated.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFthm4r-MZINbRp355g_J2SGI4-YrllZHWws_td7Xo8yEDIgvzl1FZ6Iilgj8Tp1m2cT8qtuJerAZuCMNsOwVmHAZstR-_eiUkCb4GvN0Xq7Ejgf_9a1lJytZaMVkKndVcfzHd1IiXDl4/s1600/Bild4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFthm4r-MZINbRp355g_J2SGI4-YrllZHWws_td7Xo8yEDIgvzl1FZ6Iilgj8Tp1m2cT8qtuJerAZuCMNsOwVmHAZstR-_eiUkCb4GvN0Xq7Ejgf_9a1lJytZaMVkKndVcfzHd1IiXDl4/s1600/Bild4.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="text-align: left;">The society Sörmlandsentomologerna. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsloG5dsuOGd9So95x5BfhpIRZY75qPtsVDu289rqBDoLYn_v6HQJwJFWIFZSOd2XWlJnvZyFNVqGT7mxvt83wKmE8XwWOFuP_lvuUSYCV9APwolbfm-pkdjrHAAsFIzL0BWulra7S_A/s1600/526378_135824656598696_2049633034_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsloG5dsuOGd9So95x5BfhpIRZY75qPtsVDu289rqBDoLYn_v6HQJwJFWIFZSOd2XWlJnvZyFNVqGT7mxvt83wKmE8XwWOFuP_lvuUSYCV9APwolbfm-pkdjrHAAsFIzL0BWulra7S_A/s1600/526378_135824656598696_2049633034_n.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Swedish Garden Amateur Society, with linneas of course.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jR2G0Ob14u8oP0h9x6e7ANEat-LnznYQ7k4AI8ni1yVKvge0iSKlPDSB4BSGEZRflXUfdwI4e8cKk_Tkf9C-tp4DuXYu_plLX7ijNVmUg7KgOW_6vOCIbSaKK8UnrcBHNa5VrlxBHI0/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jR2G0Ob14u8oP0h9x6e7ANEat-LnznYQ7k4AI8ni1yVKvge0iSKlPDSB4BSGEZRflXUfdwI4e8cKk_Tkf9C-tp4DuXYu_plLX7ijNVmUg7KgOW_6vOCIbSaKK8UnrcBHNa5VrlxBHI0/s1600/images+(1).jpg" height="68" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> The embroidery society, started in Täcklebo but now has members from all Sweden.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_Jtxyo-PTnjkRFrV0F4uUKOitVxW6_01a4yf8bG9Yoa6pResvJmm8G0DPQZh6ZLvalTvBT6MU7sSOH6M2nnXsqYKU5vTqoUdg-kgYKl8BkaB9pPvt2HPGz_nS6cTgQWXMhdvobVINzk/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_Jtxyo-PTnjkRFrV0F4uUKOitVxW6_01a4yf8bG9Yoa6pResvJmm8G0DPQZh6ZLvalTvBT6MU7sSOH6M2nnXsqYKU5vTqoUdg-kgYKl8BkaB9pPvt2HPGz_nS6cTgQWXMhdvobVINzk/s1600/images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Södertälje ridklubb</span></div>
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My dear Horse Riding Club which is organizing competitions for the Swedish Horse Jumping Elit this weekend, the logo looks like this (below). I will be there all Friday and Sunday.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1UBkud6nM6ZkDKdbRFcJDHpUoc3QY56ptC_eX8-xrykYsr6SS3fmzpIV0nLj3myrH9y2OlCdS1w4y6wKsgBoFRpEmGip3fSsQgkgVhVD56tAUujTdcMF571PwgZbkO_q9SS0kFLg4vo/s1600/s%C3%B6dert%C3%A4ljehoppet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ1UBkud6nM6ZkDKdbRFcJDHpUoc3QY56ptC_eX8-xrykYsr6SS3fmzpIV0nLj3myrH9y2OlCdS1w4y6wKsgBoFRpEmGip3fSsQgkgVhVD56tAUujTdcMF571PwgZbkO_q9SS0kFLg4vo/s1600/s%C3%B6dert%C3%A4ljehoppet.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRr0gyAV4bsRULD0nSqzF2wJI4LFteUpYKt00YmSMX8W5BKaZRIs1znFMUWbe2WNfWzcyNrT-ICKtJDdtBwe-XESgaU3vbPazMEJM9EVrPGS6xRwE9PfHeMHMfAdkMn5CcOOhy_BX16U4/s1600/kanotisterna.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRr0gyAV4bsRULD0nSqzF2wJI4LFteUpYKt00YmSMX8W5BKaZRIs1znFMUWbe2WNfWzcyNrT-ICKtJDdtBwe-XESgaU3vbPazMEJM9EVrPGS6xRwE9PfHeMHMfAdkMn5CcOOhy_BX16U4/s1600/kanotisterna.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Canoeing Club in Södertälje, I keep my canoes in their house.</span></div>
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And at last, not my club anymore, but in my heart since 1980 when I joined Fältbiologerna. We had two logos during my years in the club. I read on their web site they are discussing a name change. The first name of this old club was SFU. The club slogan is Youth Nature Environment.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjRPpG1CccXGFpzfTEelE6wPR3dyztSSeekU3WWvUdtw8U7lay06NrHfVue110_udR0zp0WygzVvIFCE1EOk0-QqxXdwQJqT5rB9ObpsCTNC381nKUIGNqfY_kk7EurJ2L1J2KCQWHDU/s1600/h%C3%A4mta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjRPpG1CccXGFpzfTEelE6wPR3dyztSSeekU3WWvUdtw8U7lay06NrHfVue110_udR0zp0WygzVvIFCE1EOk0-QqxXdwQJqT5rB9ObpsCTNC381nKUIGNqfY_kk7EurJ2L1J2KCQWHDU/s1600/h%C3%A4mta.jpg" height="59" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is the present logo, LS, did you vote for it back in the days??</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcekaCp_Zy3bTYerasI96jph05HOTnMHPSNaEMGD-EjSVKQ9vhlqKP1fFiPHAqYpgIirm-585l1bfCvyL7NA7P0kkgOKbZh-kVneB0FmrPF82-LA09tzw78645CS0OQY4e2mxBgFw9O8/s1600/f%C3%A4ltis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcekaCp_Zy3bTYerasI96jph05HOTnMHPSNaEMGD-EjSVKQ9vhlqKP1fFiPHAqYpgIirm-585l1bfCvyL7NA7P0kkgOKbZh-kVneB0FmrPF82-LA09tzw78645CS0OQY4e2mxBgFw9O8/s1600/f%C3%A4ltis.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The old logo, the scythe is added to the original image. The slogan was more down to earth then,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">in the 1970´s. "Keep your boots muddy"</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-55138140054878546742014-09-03T05:32:00.001-04:002014-09-03T20:35:03.039-04:00Tågresa (Train travel)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQM5llSsRNTi8qkff2vR0RkrRYPrqVeANPX9qo969dIKtKllOJa_7CRCMVWGJOkkHdSF7qTUIof9Dx7fE3ftDqu-L9ctNfXDxjBV3z3Y9BnzWvgMRNTKVklSlkL7mlIU2qsK7P26Gl08/s1600/traktagbild.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdQM5llSsRNTi8qkff2vR0RkrRYPrqVeANPX9qo969dIKtKllOJa_7CRCMVWGJOkkHdSF7qTUIof9Dx7fE3ftDqu-L9ctNfXDxjBV3z3Y9BnzWvgMRNTKVklSlkL7mlIU2qsK7P26Gl08/s1600/traktagbild.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Jag tar tåget från Eskilstuna station, en modern version av de gamla motorvagnarna tar mig över broarna vid Kvicksund, till Kolbäck och vidare över slätterna till Västerås. Spåret letar sig in i obefolkade skogar på väg mot Sala. Ett snabbt tågbyte i Sala, jag saknar höjd över havet på nya stationsskylten. Huset är detsamma som förr. Undrar hur många stationshus som fanns under tågens stortid? Intercitytåget mot Uppsala ser ut som vanligt, men är nästan folktomt. Borde man inte kunna sälja lite fler biljetter om det var billigare? Det borde gå jämnt ut. Vi är 10 pers i en vagn på minst 80 platser. Konduktören har bytt den traditionella mössan mot en svart SJ-keps. Modernt, men jag hajar till. Ännu visslar han på perrongen vid avgång, i klassisk visselpipa. Min ungdoms resor, alla dessa visslingar, alla tågresor jag gjort. På väg till, på väg bort, på väg hem, på väg till älsklingen, på väg mot okända marker.<br />
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Ibland när jag står och väntar på pendeltåget i Stockholm så står det ett fjärrtåg på perrongen bredvid. Mot Kiruna, Narvik, Malmö, Berlin, Hamburg....<br />
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Lusten att kliva på finns där, alltid.
Jag reser genom ett landskap av lövskogar, nyslagna stubbåkrar i senapsgult, gröna höstsådder och granplanteringar. Just nu är vi mitt emellan sommar och höst, svala nätter men ännu är det varmt när solen skiner. Blommorna går i frö, bara några enstaka ettårigar blommar vidare. Nypon, rönnbär och havtorn har röda bär i stor mängd. Snart är höstens flammande färger här, det saknas bara några frostnätter.<br />
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Min resa tar slut i Uppsala, idag var det hit jag skulle. Domkyrkans spiror sticker hål på dimmolnens gråmulna himmel, snart tittar nog solen fram. Slottet ligger bastant och tryggt på bergets topp. Uppsala, min studiestad, min glädjetid.<br />
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(A note for English speaking readers, I describe a train ride through the Swedish landscape from Eskilstuna to Uppsala. A lot of memories from train rides in my youth too.)<br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white;">Translation by LS:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white;">I take the train from Eskilstuna station, a modern version of the old rail buses take me over the bridges at Kvicksund, to Kolbäck and then over the plains to Västerås. The track finds its way into uninhabited forests towards Sala. A quick train change in Sala, I miss the sea elevation on the new train station sign. The station house is the same as before. I wonder how many stations there were during the trains great times? The Intercity train towards Uppsala looks like usual, but it nearly empty. Wouldn't they sell a lot more tickets if they were cheaper? It would be about the same cost. We are 10 people in a car with at least 80 seats. The conductor has changed the traditional hat to a black SJ-baseball hat. Modern, but I are taken aback. Still he whistles on the platform when the train is about to leave, in a classic whistle. My youth's travels, all these whistles, all the train trips I have taken. On the way to things, away from things, on the way home, on the way to the sweetheart, on the way to unknown destinations. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sometimes when I stand and wait for the commuter train in Stockholm there is a long-distance train on the neighboring platform. Destination Kiruna, Narvik, Malmö, Berlin, Hamburg...</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white;">The desire to get on is there all the time, always. I travel through a landscape of deciduous forests, newly cut mustard-yellow fields, green freshly fall sown areas, and spruce plantations. Right now we are between summer and fall, cool nights but still warm when the sun is up. The flowers are setting seeds; only a few annuals continue flowering. Rose hips, mountain ash, and sea buckthorn have red berries in large masses. Soon the flaming colors of the fall is here; we are just waiting for a few frost nights. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="background-color: white;">My trip ends in Uppsala, it was here I was going. The cathedrals spires cut their holes into the foggy grey-clouded sky; soon the sun will probably show its face. The castle is mounted on the hill as a heavy and secure thing. Uppsala, my college years, my happy times. </span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-69622612106439927672014-09-01T09:02:00.000-04:002014-09-01T09:03:09.075-04:00Happy birthday, EH!I hope you have a gorgeous happy birthday! I am also sure all the moths and butterflies, mushrooms, birds, and flowers wish you a great day!<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/4668179814" title="Giant Leopard Moth, Ecpantheria scribonia by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4049/4668179814_98590ae5b5.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Giant Leopard Moth, Ecpantheria scribonia"></a>
Giant Leopard Moth, seen in New JerseyUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-82720566581177234082014-08-22T21:51:00.000-04:002014-08-23T05:08:24.904-04:00Six-legged abundance, and how to discover it<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14708085725" title="margined leatherwings (Chauliognathus marginatus_beetle_P6220530 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="margined leatherwings (Chauliognathus marginatus_beetle_P6220530" height="240" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/14708085725_c2db552af6_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Despite growing up in an entomological family, and I mean that literally, and later been surrounded by people that know and care about insects, insects, and insects, it is not until this spring and summer where I suddenly felt a real urge knowing the insects in my backyard. I cared about the plants, the birds, the mammals, the clouds, the rocks... but the insects had just been there and been cool and fun, but I didn't bother so much with the science of them.<br />
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But, then I was part of a Bioblitz and everything counted. I had to beat my sister in the species count on the long-term Bioblitz, so insects became important. (She won.) A good digital camera made the observations permanent (thanks for the loan, PP). But the most important help and driver was actually the internet. The amazing and helpful people on Bugguide.net that help me identify everything (from a photo), be it a common stinkbug or a rare beetle. My Dad, who sends encouraging, insightful notes full of anecdotes via e-mail. My Mom and sister, keeping up with the butterflies on their end over on the other side of the ocean. Suddenly, insects have become attainable.<br />
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Also, and I have to admit it, Facebook is a great resource for species expertise. If you just stay away from the entertainment news and junk on Facebook, it can actually be a useful thing. I have gotten so much help with strange insects from internet people, many of which I have never met, never talked to in person, and have no clue where they live or how they look like. I reciprocate, of course, telling people on iNaturalist and plant ID groups on Facebook what their unknown plants are when I can.<br />
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This is true citizen science, the broadening of biodiversity knowledge to the backyards and driveways of our homes, to people that are just interested and not professionally involved in the science of bugs, plants, and so on. And all this knowledge is freely shared, no money, no accounts, no subscriptions, and certainly no expectation of accounted returns. We are just all in this biodiversity knowledge curiosity together... like a kiddie pool! Except the whole world's nature is our pool. <br />
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So, here are some recent finds from our garden, and some I figured out myself, and others I got a lot of help with. Click on the photos and you can see larger versions of the photos and what the species are on Flickr. This is just a gallery of insect beauty and biological diversity in a regular backyard in New Jersey, USA.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14975687936" title="Redbanded hairstreak P8180860cropped by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Redbanded hairstreak P8180860cropped" height="179" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3838/14975687936_560a06ae05_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14998659255" title="Monobia quadridens - Four-toothed Mason WaspP8180863cropped by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Monobia quadridens - Four-toothed Mason WaspP8180863cropped" height="178" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/14998659255_6f2128c5f6_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14812047598" title="Robberfly with caught bumblebee P8180810 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Robberfly with caught bumblebee P8180810" height="179" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5569/14812047598_05385177a3_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14811959949" title="Eastern Tiger Swallowtail P8170772 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Eastern Tiger Swallowtail P8170772" height="180" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3849/14811959949_dda669089f_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14995561651" title="red aphids P8170638 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="red aphids P8170638" height="180" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5586/14995561651_65a62dd294_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14998268722" title="Zabulon skipper male P8170596.cropped by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Zabulon skipper male P8170596.cropped" height="180" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5556/14998268722_778ec0a40c_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14811982730" title="Toxomerus geminatus P8170614cropped by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Toxomerus geminatus P8170614cropped" height="181" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3864/14811982730_e9f32217dd_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14873641276" title="Chinavia hilaris (green stink bug) Hemiptera IMG_6664 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Chinavia hilaris (green stink bug) Hemiptera IMG_6664" height="217" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3872/14873641276_7ddc95519c_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14522203837" title="Clymene moth Haploa clymene IMG_2798 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Clymene moth Haploa clymene IMG_2798" height="161" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5585/14522203837_63effa4b41_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14521656247" title="Harmonia axyridis (Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle) IMG_6591 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Harmonia axyridis (Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle) IMG_6591" height="180" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2930/14521656247_aa92348093_m.jpg" width="240" /></a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-42383572106426634372014-07-28T09:23:00.002-04:002014-07-28T09:23:56.281-04:00Fieldtrip to Payette River, Idaho<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last week I was on a day trip to look at mosses and lichens in the Rocky Mountains in Idaho, USA. We drove up along Payette River, a clear-watered small river with many rapids that is beloved by kayakers and rafters (in inflated rubber rafts). The river is surrounded by tree-less, browned grass mountains, but in the past there was a lot of trees around here. Extensive logging in the last 200 years took down giant ponderosa pines, and cattle grazing by the settlers and onwards changed the vegetation to dry grasslands. <br />
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We saw many, many lichens, and here is one of the most common one. A striking yellow makes this one easy to identify, it is wolf lichen (<i>Letharia vulpina</i>). It loves to grow on the ponderosa pine twigs and it toxic. It is called wolf lichen because it was used as a poison to treat bait that was used to kill wolves. </div>
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Ponderosa pines against the clear blue Idaho-sky. These pines are adapted to fire and survive it unless they are small seedlings. Their bark insulate against hot raging forest fires that regularly comes through.</div>
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Wildfires were raging about 15 miles away, but didn't affect us. Fires are common in these landscapes and part of the natural renewal cycle. <br />
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This moss is an amazing little thing. The left and right is from the same tuft of moss, and is the same species. The left got a little water sprayed on it, and came back to life in a few minutes. It is used to study cell biology, since it literally shuts down its metabolism in its dry state, and then can resurrect itself incredibly fast. <br />
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The rapids are very treacherous, and each year several people die here. Rivers for kayaking are divided into categories 1-5 based on difficulty. The North Fork of the Payette River (on this picture), is a number 4 I think. We saw lots of kayakers including one that tipped under and then came back up. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCD9opZNhnk3Upnli9J7qrlJj1cillUygV04mx4M5_3mXbpa24pg2-F0sCC4YnEnbiqzkuTPFWMHJ7ewiphFdqOGtgknIkO3G5fQIcAw870BphYVY4inGvBbnTa4QeKTJBaZvf85JSt4/s1600/ConvP7260186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCD9opZNhnk3Upnli9J7qrlJj1cillUygV04mx4M5_3mXbpa24pg2-F0sCC4YnEnbiqzkuTPFWMHJ7ewiphFdqOGtgknIkO3G5fQIcAw870BphYVY4inGvBbnTa4QeKTJBaZvf85JSt4/s1600/ConvP7260186.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
And further down the river, where the ponderosa pine forest is gone, you could see the old logging and mining railroad from the late 1800s. It is still in use but now it transports tourists. <br />
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A little further down from the last picture is the little town of Horseshoe Bend, population 707. You know you are in a different part of the country when there is a plea for support to help a family's baby that was born with a heart defect, and the lottery prizes in the raffle they set up to help them financially with health care bills include three things: a chain saw, a new rifle with a spotting scope, and a large box of ammunition. That would not happen in New Jersey.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-37026369164490314722014-07-24T22:30:00.001-04:002014-07-24T22:30:36.213-04:00Insect Biodiversity - small and big, in and out, up and down...Since March I have focused a lot of attention on local biodiversity, both dead and alive, and both inedible and edible. When you least expect it, you can see something intricate, interesting or gorgeous. Here are some of the things I have seen in the last 6 months, as a small sample...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14522203837" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Clymene moth Haploa clymene IMG_2798 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Clymene moth Haploa clymene IMG_2798" height="214" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5585/14522203837_63effa4b41_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clymene moth, seen one evening in July from our porch</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14521423480" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Harmonia axyridis (Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle) IMG_6593 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Harmonia axyridis (Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle) IMG_6593" height="300" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5554/14521423480_63b26576a6_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Asian lady beetle (not a nice ladybug) is hiding inside a flower umbel of Queen Anne's lace.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14704920281" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Photinus _firefly P6220560 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Photinus _firefly P6220560" height="265" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3888/14704920281_34b8f6a78d_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Firefly showing off its bottom end, the one that blinks at night. Fireflies are beetles, not flies. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14521433628" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle)red beetleP6220536 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Red Milkweed Beetle)red beetleP6220536" height="266" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14521433628_ec7712b6d4_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This unreal-looking long-horned beetle is called red mikweed beetle - I love the dots and the bent antennas. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14521425299" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="margined leatherwings (Chauliognathus marginatus_beetle_P6220529_cropped by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="margined leatherwings (Chauliognathus marginatus_beetle_P6220529_cropped" height="266" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3884/14521425299_2019e60cec_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These mating beetles have to be careful so they don't get stuck with their snouts in the milkweeds' intricate pollination systems. </td></tr>
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All of these are from my backyard and I didn't have to look very hard to find them. Living things are amazing, indeed. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-56682551772564729922014-07-10T03:55:00.001-04:002014-07-10T03:55:08.000-04:00I know it's a weed but...<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UmD7iLKxD8yPofix4_IlzLfouHXptP0cHcjpIzeXgHLtlY1V2JM8mW6lL3ZGGmPGJ_rUZsTIr221zcHYN1xPsiOHbFMqfxO5YQ9SVtb5vQQOGovlNx6Cg2Or81aLZQIfOVxckzNua6Y/s640/blogger-image--974537321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UmD7iLKxD8yPofix4_IlzLfouHXptP0cHcjpIzeXgHLtlY1V2JM8mW6lL3ZGGmPGJ_rUZsTIr221zcHYN1xPsiOHbFMqfxO5YQ9SVtb5vQQOGovlNx6Cg2Or81aLZQIfOVxckzNua6Y/s640/blogger-image--974537321.jpg"></a>Isn't it pretty? A bit unusual with the pink eye. Åkervinda is the swedish name and the scientific name is <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Convolvulus arvensis L.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-77500250437643323032014-07-05T09:24:00.000-04:002014-07-05T09:26:33.592-04:00What is out there? Bioblitzing's amazingness...A week ago I participated in a Bioblitz, a biodiversity inventory, at the old Doris Duke estate Duke Farms in Hillsborough, New Jersey (USA). Her large working farm, park, and mansion has now been transformed into a sustainable natural area with large untouched forests, giant wildflower meadows, and bike trails and a science activity center. It is a great place to visit.<br />
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A bioblitz is a concentrated biodiversity inventory by a group of people, experts and the public usually together, that takes place usually during one day or 24 hours. We were out for 6-7 hours during a hot and sunny June day, but spent the most time in the shady forest. <br />
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My group was going to look for plants that not yet had been found. That might sound strange, but since there already was a long list of plants, we were going to look for the missing things, the gaps, and also go to some of the special areas that are inaccessible to the public to look for new species. Of course, if we saw other cool non-plant things, then we should take note of those too. So, what did we find? Lets look!<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573216572" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bioblitzing in wetlands P6280555 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Bioblitzing in wetlands P6280555" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3854/14573216572_833814918b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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We walked into a floodplain forest that often gets flooded during heavy rains. The grasses and other plants reached our shoulders, and it was moist like the tropics. Not many new plants, but a lot of animal life. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14387344090" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="katydid nymphP6280571 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="katydid nymphP6280571" height="280" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5154/14387344090_aab70b6e38.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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A katydid nymph, very colorful and tiny. I saw it first because its long antennae sparkled like thin metal wires in the sun. It is some kind of meadow katydid, but too early to tell what species it will become when it grows up. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573214212" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Carex cf grayi P6280545 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Carex cf grayi P6280545" height="300" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2910/14573214212_703f97a9c7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is a sedge, probably <i>Carex grayi </i>or a closely related species. The inflated 'bottles' contain the fruit inside. They look like green stars in the vegetation, and each sedge head is about 2 cm in diameter.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573211822" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Amber snail maybe, P6280551 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Amber snail maybe, P6280551" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3914/14573211822_bc78d916a3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Lots and lots of snails were eating the skunk cabbage, and this one had a translucent shell. I think it might be an amber snail, but I can't find any good book on land snails for northeastern USA. Too bad, because that would be fun to learn more about. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14574015355" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Appalachian Brown Satyrodes appalachia by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Appalachian Brown Satyrodes appalachia" height="400" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5494/14574015355_d667f3a62f.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
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This butterfly has an appropriate name - Appalachian brown (<span class="st"><i>Satyrodes appalachia</i>)</span>. It was sitting on the same plant as the katydid nymph. I have just started to look at butterflies and they are so different from the Swedish ones. The names are weird too - like 'brown', 'comma', and 'question mark'. Very descriptive, but unexpected. Or maybe not :).<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14574016685" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Eastern comma Polygonia comma P6280594 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Eastern comma Polygonia comma P6280594" height="300" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14574016685_a68005aceb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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And here, this is an Eastern comma (<i>Polygonia comma</i>), a butterfly. On its underside of its wings (which you can't see here) it has a white mark that looks like a comma, thereby its name. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14574005065" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Rattlesnake weed, Hieracium venosum_P6280543 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Rattlesnake weed, Hieracium venosum_P6280543" height="300" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5503/14574005065_7deaf01f68.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Didn't we see any plants? Yes we did, but they were less fun to photograph! Here is one that you can identify by its leaves only, which is always nice... no need to look for hairs on fruits or count petals! This is rattlesnake weed (<i>Hieracium venosum</i> - those veins sure look like filled with blood!). It is in the sunflower family and related to dandelions and such. And it is a wildflower, not a weed. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573208672" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Exomala orientalis (Oriental Beetle) P6280540 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Exomala orientalis (Oriental Beetle) P6280540" height="278" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3909/14573208672_416537f0c8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some species are not native to this area but are very common exotic newcomers. This is oriental beetle (<span class="kno-fv _pD"><i>Anomala orientalis</i> or <i>Exomala orientalis</i>) has its ancestor in Asia, but now is common in this area. I have seen it on our porch several times, attracted to the porch light in the evenings. It loves garden plants!</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14572257174" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady P6280528 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Vanessa virginiensis - American Lady P6280528" height="300" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2925/14572257174_900cb6be4f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This ferocious-looking butterfly caterpillar will grow up and become an American painted lady (<span class="binomial"><i>Vanessa virginiensis). </i>It is eating a pussy toe plant </span><span class="binomial"><span class="binomial">(<i>Antennaria</i>) </span>we found in a small area on sandy soil near huckleberry bushes. I found one ripe huckleberry to taste, and they are very similar to American blueberries in looks and taste. </span><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14387360228" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="hardwood forest with storm damage by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="hardwood forest with storm damage" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3888/14387360228_55ecb896a6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here is the forest, which after the hurricanes we have had are more open with light gaps from fallen trees, and the invasive Japanese stiltgrass is thriving. Forests around here have a lot of oaks, maples, and hickories. Sometimes also tuliptrees. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14572248404" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Lonh-horn beetle, Graphisurus fasciatus P6280515 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Lonh-horn beetle, Graphisurus fasciatus P6280515" height="280" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5318/14572248404_cee5152b38.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Long-horn beetles are always fun! This is a female <i><span class="editable meta-field photo-title " id="yui_3_16_0_rc_1_1_1404566398672_1592">Graphisurus fasciatus</span></i>, with a egg-laying tube at the back. In the hand it sat very still, but as soon as we put it back on the tree trunk it scurried off very quickly. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573179662" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Lucanus capreolus P6280470 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Lucanus capreolus P6280470" height="400" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3905/14573179662_a22cc0cf5f.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This was probably the coolest animal we saw! A 4 cm long stag beetle (Lucanus capreolus). They are said to be very common, but I have never seen one before. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14572252844" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Hickory gall midge Caryomyia P6280519_closeup by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Hickory gall midge Caryomyia P6280519_closeup" height="281" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2907/14572252844_299f9b8ca8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Weird fuzzy golf balls? No, tiny galls on the underside of a shagbark hickory leaf. Inside each gall is a tiny developing larvae of a fly or wasp, in this case a small fly. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573988165" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Winged Euonymus P6280504 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Winged Euonymus P6280504" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3896/14573988165_4ebc9fb62e.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Some invasive plants are really cool, but people don't like them even if they have fascinating characters. This is burning bush, also called winged euonymus (<i>Euonymus alatus</i>). Look at those cork lists along the stem! How can you not love that!?<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14573986495" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Aralia spinosa P6280500 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Aralia spinosa P6280500" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3891/14573986495_886c169b5a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Spiny aralia (<i>Aralia spinosa</i>) has a suitable name. These spines are on the leaves. I wonder who it is trying to scare off? <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14570612121" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="baby wood frog P6280492 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="baby wood frog P6280492" height="280" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2934/14570612121_5718856978.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of several wood frog babies we saw. Don't worry, it is not getting crushed. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14572239654" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="skullcap, Scutellaria integrifolia P6280482 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="skullcap, Scutellaria integrifolia P6280482" height="500" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3897/14572239654_c9526eff56.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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A new species for me, a skullcap (<i>Scutellaria integrifolia</i>). Look at the flowers, the top part looks like a cap you can put on your head. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/14570652681" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Elderflower collecting P6280582 by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Elderflower collecting P6280582" height="300" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3910/14570652681_a2a6314c8a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Towards the end of the bioblitz we saw a big flowering elderflower bush (<i>Sambucus nigra/americana</i>), and I was allowed to pick some of the fragrant flowers in the only thing I had with me, my hat. The flowers ended up in a jar with lemon peels and vodka and now we have Swedish-style elderflower akvavit in our freezer! Yummy!
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-36475522572922537562014-06-26T06:42:00.001-04:002014-07-01T11:04:54.728-04:00Sweden is getting hotter<div>
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.....but not the weather. It's the food. My favorite mustard is made by Johnny's, and look what I found in the store!<br />
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Mustard with mango & habanero, mustard with chipotle & black pepper, ketchup with habanero and hamburger sauce with red onion & bacon. </div>
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I will have to try them!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-47601694569705406052014-06-24T15:31:00.000-04:002014-06-24T15:53:19.874-04:00Skogspromenad - A walk in the Swedish fir and spruce woods.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday I took a walk in the forest, and I felt so relaxed. High and strong stood the fir trees and mosses and lingonberries were growing below. On the spruce forest floor the blueberry bushes were light green and the berries were on the way, almost ready to pick. I had a pre-taste, since I found a few blue ones among the green, not yet ripe, ones. I love the Swedish woods, despite the fact that it has pretty few species; I think fir and spruce stand for about 80 % of the trees growing in the Swedish woods.<br />
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Over it all were the white fluffy clouds and blue sky, and you could hear a raven call out.<br />
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A old saying comes to mind: <br />
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<i>Lyss till den granens sus, vid vars fot ditt bo är fästat.</i><br />
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<i>[translation: Listen to that spruce's sound, by which feet your home is tied.] </i><br />
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Only two or three generations away, all Swedes were living close to the nature. Not so much today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMbss0UMD4WIJiwtimLDDL502_EIFZnvEi1oH3Ix0m7RyqbReJQgaQxSaOjMJTbSBoBMZV4PMo5laYyfveb_qFFO57AaZw8BJmKYPl7JzN_HxAi3KnH7KPxMFv4tlmJQDfEvHOYToeDw/s1600/P6234575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMbss0UMD4WIJiwtimLDDL502_EIFZnvEi1oH3Ix0m7RyqbReJQgaQxSaOjMJTbSBoBMZV4PMo5laYyfveb_qFFO57AaZw8BJmKYPl7JzN_HxAi3KnH7KPxMFv4tlmJQDfEvHOYToeDw/s1600/P6234575.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-51162164472354077042014-06-12T16:09:00.000-04:002014-06-12T16:09:42.039-04:0010 years! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aQDak724jeKQM6Qrr7JDa-8dE5cAKBpIyy9fTSgJfpQ9zmhgvAeyhE6FT6giTzoc5JjwS-x6u-pbgWpcqKXURwRyZQe1y0OH-QsQNy7Z3qVDiUYP61m-sET4lZk_ZhT9OgklY2ktbOI/s1600/wedding_2004balloon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8aQDak724jeKQM6Qrr7JDa-8dE5cAKBpIyy9fTSgJfpQ9zmhgvAeyhE6FT6giTzoc5JjwS-x6u-pbgWpcqKXURwRyZQe1y0OH-QsQNy7Z3qVDiUYP61m-sET4lZk_ZhT9OgklY2ktbOI/s1600/wedding_2004balloon.jpg" height="400" width="270" /></a></div>
Ten years ago on this date PP and I got married, right here in our garden. During the wedding party in the evening some balloons came flying by, right over our party, and here is one of them. Thanks PP for ten great years! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-49503087667039593672014-06-05T09:18:00.000-04:002014-06-05T09:18:03.899-04:00Stamp of the Day: American Songbirds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am back! After a brutal spring when it comes to teaching loads, I am now back blogging. There is lots to report; fun things I saw in Sweden in March, the species counting competition (our personal bioblitzing) and all the amazing things I saw as part of that, and a garden that right now is exploding with growing greens. For now, here is a set of new US stamps with some of our great, beautiful birds. Of these, I have already seen these year: scarlet tanager (unbelievable red), rose-breasted grosbeak, american goldfinch (they seem to be nesting on our property), white-throated sparrows (which now have left for more northern places I think), and of course the circus-like and flute-sounding Baltimore oriole. Ah, birds are truly wonderful. Having so colored birds around you makes you think you are in the tropics.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-75170844971029385852014-05-17T15:47:00.002-04:002014-05-17T15:47:45.852-04:00Happy Birthday LS!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here is a Birthday bug for you! <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Aspglansbagge</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="st">Chrysomela populi</span> </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-51530153427872016912014-03-09T09:38:00.001-04:002014-03-09T09:38:18.478-04:00Spring is in the air!This week has ended with lots of sun and warm air. All plants are stretching and pushing themselves up and into the air. Next week I will welcome my sister again. Längtar!!!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAXVt-doua2KZiYVfMy1ui0_5QnKBkQaqYXmufDqJCHX_qF6v9B9oMLCwRCBD4ukeDW2Niuh7FtTu8sEmpO-IpBjkfo3K4CiDziKoonDlSZ1SYoyNSAfZh1l7hhm5TjTWsBJJpjPYPl0/s640/blogger-image-413047344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAXVt-doua2KZiYVfMy1ui0_5QnKBkQaqYXmufDqJCHX_qF6v9B9oMLCwRCBD4ukeDW2Niuh7FtTu8sEmpO-IpBjkfo3K4CiDziKoonDlSZ1SYoyNSAfZh1l7hhm5TjTWsBJJpjPYPl0/s640/blogger-image-413047344.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-9104107350808341562014-03-01T16:03:00.001-05:002014-03-01T16:03:20.604-05:00Stamp of the day: Foxes and coyotesThis morning I saw a young red fox that had been run over by a car. It was laying dead on the road. Such a waste of a good life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1MIj-VBIBhMd6UQtJs2IOYwSoY_1WCdzqTpGD2G8fHHepVOShWx7xrNX0XsJ3LsVEv13vGmseB6Cba54REJ24oTksYPJpm2wpJe8w_ATdkzSzXudUVapjUzRQVI1og6ZQovjpAQcx9Y/s1600/red+fox+stamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy1MIj-VBIBhMd6UQtJs2IOYwSoY_1WCdzqTpGD2G8fHHepVOShWx7xrNX0XsJ3LsVEv13vGmseB6Cba54REJ24oTksYPJpm2wpJe8w_ATdkzSzXudUVapjUzRQVI1og6ZQovjpAQcx9Y/s1600/red+fox+stamp.jpg" /></a></div>
A few days ago LA and I saw an equally disturbing sight - along a rural road on a snow covered field an animal much larger than a fox was running. It was a coyote, with big ears. But it was so emancipated and its fur so thin that it looked more like a greyhound, and its tail was thin, thin, thin. Mange, scabies, rabies, who knows, but something was afflicting it severely and you wondered how long it would survive.<br />
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We have had living visitors here too in the last week. A fat, ugly and white-faced oppossum occupied our porch for an hour one night and refused to leave. They really do play dead if threathened. It finally went away after LA stood on the outside of the porch railining poking it with a stick, hard and repeatedly. <br />
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Racoons you mostly see dead too here in New Jersey, run over at night. Grey squirrels do their thievery at the bird feeders or look for their hidden nuts that they can't find in the forests. I saw another interesting thing today, an emu! It is at a farm just a few kilometers from here. <br />
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Deers are the absolutely most common wildlife mammal here, both dead and alive. <br />
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During 1 March to 15 May I am part of a personal bioblitz effort and challenge, where we will try to see as many species as possible of any living thing on Earth. It started this morning and my first species was of course, Homo sapiens. Second - blue jay, out the window :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-48168141420932419092014-03-01T15:44:00.000-05:002014-03-01T15:47:36.630-05:00Happy Birthday, KV!We have known each other and been friends 3/4 of our lives now. :)<br />
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Here is a special flowering plant for you!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/2575468652/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bixa fruits, the lipstick plant by Vilseskogen, on Flickr"><img alt="Bixa fruits, the lipstick plant" height="300" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3139/2575468652_f416f86622_z.jpg?zz=1" width="400" /></a></div>
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It is the fruit of the lipstick plant, <i>Bixa orellana</i>, also known as annatto. And yes, it is added to lipsticks for color. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-31951305048890891362014-02-17T03:02:00.003-05:002014-02-17T09:08:44.929-05:00Proud to be Swedish!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometimes the collective (hive) mind works, all over Sweden there where shouting and cheering when the 4x5 km (ladies) and 4x10 km (men) cross country skiing was on TV this past Saturday and Sunday.<br />
Our cheering must have been heard all the way to Russia and Sotji, and both men and women teams from Sweden were able to secure gold!<br />
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A fantastic achievement, and a glorious day to be Swedish!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-23003895307515488162014-02-16T16:28:00.001-05:002014-02-16T16:28:33.802-05:00Riding trains in NorwayIn Norway they know how to make something solidly real. Norway, with is mountains, fjords, and trains in gorgeous places. <br />
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Here is a clip from a <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/342248" target="_blank">10-hour riding-the-train-through-the-seasons movie</a> (thanks PP):<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wtaq6AT9EVA" width="560"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622772963037648430.post-30141188929091181872014-02-16T15:53:00.000-05:002014-02-17T09:07:42.020-05:00A giant miniature train placeWhen EH and her family were here last year we visited <a href="http://northlandz.com/" target="_blank">Northlandz</a>, an amazing model train museum here in New Jersey. Now there is a <a href="http://www.separate--together.com/#/documentary" target="_blank">little movie</a> about it and how they photographed it. Watch it. <br />
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Here are some photos from this great place. Visit Northlandz if you have the chance, even if you have never liked model trains. (More photos from our visit <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/vilseskogen/sets/72157641092825965/with/12581479694/" target="_blank">here</a>.)<br />
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