The end of one year, the start of another

2014 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).

WEATHER: There was a very cold and wintry beginning. Everybody learned the word 'polar vortex' with caused low temperatures and snow and ice.

FOOD: Many good Swedish-style breakfasts, which are like true mini-smorgasbords. Kalles Kaviar we have to get at IKEA here in the US. 

CRAFT and ART: Philadelphia and Baltimore Craft Shows, as well as Morristown and Peter Valley. Weavings by AA, trips to Grounds for Sculpture, 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 Erin Wilson's many handmade, innovative artwork quilts, which we love. (The photo doesn't really do it justice, since it was taken with a smartphone.)

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).

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!

PLANTS: Lots of work work focused on plants as usual, especially neglected weeds, lichens, and edible and urban plants. Beauty and wonder is everywhere...

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...

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:

“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.”

Book review: Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger

This is a most wonderful book.

I have read this book nearly from the first page to the last, and looked at the over 400 handdrawn wonderful illustrations, and contemplated the ways and means that people in the past survived and thrived in the wilderness.  This book has been my late-night companion before my eyes close for sleep for maybe a month or more, and it has been a great read.

Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger was published in 1945, and has recently been reprinted by First Shelter Publishing, a company that specializes in 'keeping worthy old books in print'.  Jaeger also provide all the amazing and lovely illustrations.

So, what is the book about?  It is about how to survive in the North American wilderness pre-1950s, before nylon, Goretex, GPS, cell phones, and all the fancy equipment we have today.  It builds a lot on Native American tools and techniques, as well as the European trappers and explorers of the 1700s and 1800s.

It is a how-to-book for anything you might need to know while living outdoors.  How to start a fire?  Jaeger presents a dozen ways.  How to skin a skunk? No problem, just be careful and cut off the skunky glands by the tail.  How to make snowshoes?  It is here too.  Food, shelter, bathroom issues, edible and toxic plants, making buckskin and pelts, stalking animals, building shelves out of tree fungi, and how to cook over open fire - just open and read.  And admire the illustrations...

Everything is practial and with exact enough detail that you can copy the methods and sew your own buckskin coat, make a pancake on a hot rock, or built a tepee (see image to the right).  I learned so much from this book; things I might never need to know, but that I love to know.  Today someone at work said - "you are like a sponge soaking up knowledge, and that is so wonderful", and I feel just like that.  THere is so much interesting things out there, from the past, from today, from the future, and real things, hands-on things that exist.  I am not sure things on the internet really exist, but an ax or a pancake, they do really exist.

So, for anybody that goes camping, kayaking, or hiking, this is the book to get them for Christmas.  It works in Europe too, even if you don't have skunks, rattlesnakes, or poison ivy.

The only thing I noticed that was wrong was some of the information about edible fungi.  Some of the mushrooms that were considered edible in the 1940s have now been reevaluated to 'Don't ever think about eating these'.  Otherwise, the book is a true goldmine of great information.  Get it while you can!

Stamp of the Day: Swedish mountain hiking (fjällvandring)

Here they go, the four members of our family, up in the northern Swedish mountains!  It is an amazing place, with spruce and pine forest in the valleys, changing to low growing birch-forest as you go up the slopes, and at higher altitudes the tree-less area takes over with small gnarly micro-shrubs of heather and blueberry plants, willows, and many herbs, grasses and sedges.  Lots of lichens and mosses, and gorgeous views.  I really can't imagine a better place to hike, as long as the snow doesn't come (even in summer) or the mosquitoes don't attack. 

I really miss this mouintain kind of nature here in New Jersey, and the most similar we have are on some mountains in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The Swedish mountains are better to hike though, because it is less up and down, and you can drink the water in the streams (no giardia parasites yet!). Oh, I miss the Swedish 'fjäll'!

The stamp is from Sweden and the Pieljekaise national park in northern Sweden.

Stamp of the Day: Swedish azalea (Lapsk alpros)

Right now, four members of our family (three generations, the youngest about 10) are hiking in the Swedish mountains, fjällen, from one hut to another each day over vast heaths. Hopefully rain and mosquitos are staying away. I am eager to hear their stories when they come back, filled with memories of giant skies and vistas of mountains, reindeers, camping food, and maybe eagles and owls too. 

But I don't think they will see this plant, the 'lapsk alpros' (loosely translated as Lapland Alp Rose, in USA it is called Lapland Rose Bay), which is the only Swedish member of Rhododendron, the azalea genus.  In Sweden, this plant only gets about 5 cm (2 inches) tall, and grows high up in the northern parts of the mountains.  I still remember the first time I saw this plant, with its dark pink flowers.

It is a typical example of when the wild plant is smaller (and in some ways more exquisite and detailed) than the gory, large horticultural species and varieties we cultivate in our gardens. This species is also interesting because it occurs all around in the northern Arctic, from Sweden through Russia, into Japan, Alaska, and Canada and USA.  So, stamp of the day, Rhododendron lapponicum, from Sweden, issued 1989. Enjoy!

OK snapshot: Tunn is (thin ice)

OK and I took a walk at Plainsboro Preserve near Princeton today, to see if we could find an eagle. We didn't, but we saw thousands of Canada geese in the old quarry lake (here with very thin ice on it), and a little further away were 400 snow geese. Some ruddy ducks ('kopparand') and mallard ducks liked the open water in the ice too. While we were walking we suddenly saw a red fox running towards us and when it finally saw us it veered off into the forest. Soon after another one showed up, also very healthy looking with a very bushy tail. One turned back, and then a third (or maybe fourth) showed up and one of the first foxes didn't like the last one - they screamed and yelped at each other, and then the last one got chased through the forest. I have never heard such loud fox sounds before, it was nearly like screaming birds.

We also saw gorgeous cobolt blue-backed bluebirds, blue jays, yellow-rumped warblers eating bayberries ('porsfrukter'), a mockingbird, goldfinches, mourning doves, red-bellied woodpecker, and traces of beaver parties. It was a really good day.

Day 4. Three peaks

More adventures from OK and AnS from northernmost Sweden, with text and photos taken by OK on his iPhone (posted here and most translations by LS):

Idag passade vi på att ta stolsliften upp på Njullas östsida, 900 möh. Norska väderlekstjänsten förnämliga hemsida, som lämpligt nog finns på www.yr.no :), har nämligen lovat betydligt sämre väder i Abisko de kommande dagarna. Väl däruppe strosade mamma runt och filmade, skådade och målade i ett antal timmar för att sedan ta liften ner igen.

(Today we took the chair lift up on Njulla mountain's eastern side, to about 900 meter above sea level. The Norwegian weather service website, which has the fortunate name of www.yr.no [yr = stormy, dizzy), has promised considerably worse weather for the coming days in Abisko. Up on the mountain, Mom walked around and photographed, bird watched, and painted for a few hours before taking the lift back down again.)

Jag stegade upp på Njullas topp, 1169 möh, och skådade ut över torne träsk och ned mot Björkliden. Sedan bar det av upp på nästa topp, Slåttatjåkka. 1191 möh. Därifrån var det fin vy mot Keronmassivet i öster. Slingrade mig ned till Kårsajåkka som jag korsade vid en hängbro, och gav mig uppför branten mot Njunjesgakki. Väl uppe på toppen där, 1150 möh, var det fin utsikt över abiskojaure på ena sidan, och kårsavagge på den andra. Isen låg ännu på kårsavaggejaure. Sen var det det bara den långa vägen tillbaka. Drygt 28 km blev det idag och några meter upp och ned därtill.

(I walked up to Njulla's peak 1169 meter above sea level, and looked out over Torne Träsk Lake and down towards Björkliden. Then I continued to the next peak, Slåttatjåkka mountain. 1191 meter above sea level. From there it was a great views towards the Keron mountain massive in the east. I wiggled my way down to Kårsajåkka creek that I crossed on a suspended bridge, and hiked up the slop to Njunjesgakki peak. On top of this, 1150 meters above sea level, there was a nice view of Abiskojaure Lake on one side and Kårsavagge mountain on the other. The ice was still on the surface of Kårsavaggejaure Lake. Then it was just the long way back. At least 28 km I hiked today, plus a couple of km up and down. )

Utsikt från Njulla mot Abisko. (View from Njulla mountain towards Abisko.)
Kargt på 1000 möh, men likväl finns där humlor. (Not an easy life at 1000 m above sealevel, but still, the bumblebees are there. [LS note: The flower is a 'lapsk alpros', Rhododendron lapponicum.])
Vy mot Torne träsk. (View towards Torne Träsk Lake.)
Från Slåttatjåkka mot söder. (From Slåttatjåkka mountain to the south.)
"Glimmer och granater!" som Kapten Haddock skulle ha sagt. ("Mica [shimmer] and garnets [grenades], as Captain Haddock would have said. [untranslatable pun])
Utsikten rockar. (The view rocks!)
Picknick i det gröna. (Picnic in the green.)
Fjällvandring är väl bara en fluga... (Hiking is just a fly... [LS note: untranslatable pun, the plant is a flowering willow])
Typisk vattenväxt. ;) (Typical aquatic plant. [LS note: This is purpurbräcka, Saxifraga oppositifolia.])

Bridge over river Kårsajåkka.

Troubled water.
Kårsavagge.
Mot toppen! (To the peak!)
På andra sidan Abiskojaure, Keron och Kartinvare. (From the other side, Abiskojaure Lake, Keron and Kartinvare mountains. )
Stopping for a quick drink on the way home.

Snapshot: Cooking dogs

"Haute cuisine of the wilderness"

Autumn horses

Today I made a good forest walk. As I live now I can get directly from the house into large forest lands. Some 4 miles to the east is Stockholm's best bird watching lake area. However, there was little to see at this time of day and season, the light was already falling. But on my way there I passed over a field with very friendly horses. What is not shown on this picture is that I was surrounded by horses: one horse was trying to get into the jacket pocket and another was licking my boot - I wonder if there could have been anything tasty there?

It was nice but a cold day and the little snow that fell this night never disappeared. Brisk, bitingly cold northerly winds.

Fall in Pennsylvania

I love the fall in Northeastern USA with all its tree colors and high, clear and blue skies. Chilly mornings with dew in the spiderwebs, and still warm during the days. However, this year, as well as last year and the year before is too hot! Global warming really exist. Our tomato plants are still flowering, no sign of frost or even close to it, and humid air from the tropics. In the last few days, after the first big rains in months, it has finally changed to cooler weather. PP and I went on a hike last week at Ralph Stover State Park in Pennsylvania to see some of the fall colors.

We walked on a 61 m tall cliff ledge at High Rocks along the Tohickon Creek (now nearly dried out) and you can see for miles over the forest below. This area was donated by author James Michener to the state, who is known in Sweden too (remember Hawaii and other geographic and historical novels?). Tohickon is an old Indian name meaning Deer-Bone-Creek. Maybe the deers fell off the cliffs? Turkey vultures and a red-tailed hawk sailed in the air above, and I bet this is a great spot for watching migrating raptors. The maples are red and yellow, oaks brown to yellow (some still green), hickories and walnuts bright yellow, and so on.

Judging from the white bird poop marks, this is the place where the bald and golden eagles rest their wings while looking for prey over the forest. Lots of people come here to climb on the rock cliffs, which is forbidden. There are signs that there has been deaths and injuries, and there is also an emergency phone by the parking lot since cell phone reception is terrible.

Nice color-coordination between my backpack and an oak leaf.

When the Indians lived here the forest probably looked the same in the fall. The old trail we went on could have been an Indian trail and it is easy to imagine them stopping to look at the view over the cliffs. When you walk in the forest you hear giant black walnuts and acorns fall down around you. If a walnut hits your car or head, you can get a real bump/dent.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.

Sweden is marketing outdoor clothes

This article at the Swedish State Department's website brings back memories - look they even have a Kånken backpack from Fjällräven! And my first backpack, a christmas present from my parents, were a Haglofs one, blue. It molded in my basement here in the US, so I don't have it anymore, but it survived so many camps and hikes. Some of the new Swedish companies I don't know much about. But Swedish clothes have a different quality, that is for sure!

As seen on TV

There has been a recent mauling attack by a black bear in the US, and they had a news story about this on CNN. What I saw in the hotel lobby was a large picture of a black bear and under it this text:
SUMMER SURVIVAL TIPS
Don't stay in clothes you cooked in
and
Drink lots of fluids

That sounded really funny to me - are you cooking food in clothes? A shirt pot anyone? I get the general idea that the food smell sticks to the clothes, but what are you supposed to do with the clothes - hang them in the tree with the food? Then they will smell even more like food, so then you can't wear them until they are washed. Do you have to have two changes of clothes, so you change 3 times a day everytime you cook? Any ideas what they meant? And how does drinking lots of fluids help against bear attacks. I would be scared of bears too, but I am not sure these headlines help.