A Place Like This

Category: Just living

  • Mormor’s Chocolate Cake Cookies

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in , , ,

    Every year a well stuffed box, wrapped in brown paper, would arrive at our home from Gotland Sweden,just days before Christmas. In it were lovely knitted items and my grandmother's (mormor) famous chocolate cake cookies. Mom would immediately grab the wodded up newspaper pieces which had been used as packing material. Diligently ,she would start pressing…

  • First Snow

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
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    One can always tell when winter is coming here. Our local weather people start threatening us with "could be" snow. Usually it never comes. This time it did.   It was early morning and I could see the snow falling from my window. I quietly got up,got dressed, and headed outside to capture all of…

  • Oh look!….What’s that?

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in

     "Boy, what do you have there? Are those Rice Krispies?" "Yes, Katten but you can't have any. You're a cat and I'm a boy and only boys eat rice krispies". "Ok boy, I will only watch you. Don't eat so fast." " I have to because I know you will reach in real quick and…

  • Before the Rains Came

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in

    Before the rains came there was a lot to be done. Many things to prepare, closing the pool, stacking the wood, finish the windows, do many things with the carrots, and one boy was on a mission. I've got the leaves mom, don't worry, I'll take care of it. And with that he did but…

  • Renewed

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    Valarie Budayr
    in

    Going away brings a new perspective to my daily "What is". I've taken some time to see the detail and appreciate it's mastery. I'm feeling the season change, with it's soft warm light enveloping me in it's comfort. I've heard the richness of silence. I am a part of this beauty. and now…….I am refreshed.…

  • The Last Day in Sweden

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    Valarie Budayr
    in

    Though it will be hard to say good-bye, it's time to go. I couldn't leave, however, without one last little celebration. An evening at one of my favorite restaurants in Visby, Isola Bella. The best Italian food outside of Italy.      Good-by Gotland…..until next time.

  • To the Wall !

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in

    There are just a couple more days left on blogging from Sweden. So with time at a minimum I thought it was high time I did something I've always wanted to do……and that would be to climb "the wall" which wraps itself around the city of Visby Gotland. This desire started when I was about…

  • A Morning Market Walk

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in ,

    Greetings. I hope this finds everyone well. I've had my fair share of bad internet connections,hence the status of being incognito. So where have I been? Well..once we left Stockholm we drove all the way down south to Karlskrona. In-between we had many stops and adventures which will come in later blog posts. The one…

  • In Preparation of…….

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in ,

    ~ To discover new oceans you need to lose sight of the shore.~ Teilhard de Chenin ok……. but before I do that I have a million things on my list to accomplish before I go. Where am I going? It's time for my annual pilgrimage to Sweden. Every fall I have the great abundance in…

  • Evening Song

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    by

    Valarie Budayr
    in

    Well I almost missed it. Last week had been a very difficult week with a very sick Mimi. Days seemed to be filled with a million things to do all calling me away from the task at hand. The weekend continued to have it's moments of frustrations and on top of everything the air conditioning…