Allemansrätten, or the Right of Public Access, is one of the unique joys of Sweden. It allows anyone to roam freely in the countryside, swim and travel by boat in someone else’s waters and pick mushrooms and berries in the forest.

Sunday 21 April 2013

February 2013 Murphy's First Real Snow

Well for the second time I - that is Mrs Labrador - have been allowed to post on this blog ! I think it may have something to do with my love of the snow and all things snowy......... oh and as you will see from most of the pictures my love of a certain "furry friend"
 
Well first things first someone told us there was quite a bit of snow at Munch's Hideaway
 
 
One or two icicles
 





and a strange "fringe" on our roof.....

 
Perhaps Martin should get on our roof and clear some snow........
 

 
Mmmmmmmm the observant readers of this blog will note that of the 3 people in the picture only 2 of them are on the roof and they are NOT Martin... Big thanks to Tommy who after seeing Martin "walking" in the snow obviously decided that it was not a good idea to send "The Englishman" up the ladder onto the roof !
 
NOW FOR THE FUN...........
 
 
Me and Murphy in the snow !

 
Me playing with Murphy in the snow
 
 
Murphy in the snow again

 
Murphy searching in the snow

 
Murphy deeper in the snow

 
Murphy covered in snow

 
Murphy trying to swim in the snow

 
Guess who in the snow - OK I will stop with the Murphy in the snow pictures now I am becoming a "baby bore" 

 
Murphy alseep after a day in the snow 

 
A Swedish person told me I could catch some fish for my supper.............
I think this is a trick they play on all "foreigners".............

 
Even Ninja and Murphy knew there was no point waiting for me to feed them !

 
Thankfully we had a back up plan - Grille Korv with Tommy, Ewa, Daniel, Monica and Linus
Thanks for another great day guys !
See you in June (well not right where we are in the picture as we may get a bit wet)


Saturday 20 April 2013

Raising lots of lovely wonga for Cancer Research UK & the Nottingham City Hospital Special Care Baby Unit!

The Beeston Big Band played two gigs last autumn to help raise money for some very worthy causes.
 
On the 28th September 2012 we "Struck Up The Band" at the United Reformed Church in Sherwood, Nottingham & helped them raise some much needed cash for the Nottingham City Hospital Special Care Baby Unit.
Here's a picture from our rehearsal & sound check the night before in the church,
 

On the 2nd November 2012 I became promoter as well as band leader! For quite some time I had wanted to raise some money for Cancer Research UK - a charity that does so much.
 
Well as they say pictures speak a thousand words,
 

 
 
 
& with the help of this fantastic bunch of musicians & singers, everyone at the Sherwood United Reformed Church, everyone who bought tickets & my lovely wife who sold tickets on the door & helped with the teas we raised a whopping £530.14!

September 2012, Murphy's first fish!

I know, it's very remiss of me to leave blogging for so long but it's been a strange year full of change & I have been rather busy therefore I'm afraid this entry will be somewhat more pictures than narrative! We took Murphy back out to Sweden last September so he could enjoy some of the fruits of a Scandinavian Autumn - he rather took to the blueberries & especially fresh perch.
We had a trip north to Sveg where we saw a giant bear,


& Murphy decided that he was a very well mannered young gentleman & sat nicely at the table with his Mummy for his lunch at Hamra National Park!


There were plenty of Roe Deer about again wherever we went but this was the only photo we got this trip,


Daniel helped us with the last of the timber that fell in the winter storms, this time with Doris who, at the time was new to shafts but is now shaping up to be a fantastic horse,


Murphy had lots of fun with Ninja in the woods too,


We had a trip to Simmesjon both to fish & to Grillekorv with Daniel, Ewa, Tommy & Ylva. Daniel & I fished & I even got Daniel to try a float tube! We both caught - mainly perch although I did get one small trout which we grilled for Ewa.
 
Daniel's first float tubing expedition,


Murphy & Ninja enjoying a snack,


Murphy's first taste of Sushi,


& finally some atmospheric shots of Simmesjon in the evening!