Out breathing with Beefy P.

Right now I am actually home... watching Into the Wild, loving the soundtrack, the perspectives, drinking a glass of wine, cuddling with the B on a makeshift "couch". Earlier, however, we explored some of the beauty that now is in front of our doorsteps... check for yourselves:

Sweet, sweet B. (Psst.. I think he's actually a little stressed due to our current move.)





Am after these guys. Wanna pick many and make jam.







This is for Andrea. Pretty, huh?







There are reindeer in this pic. B had to be leashed after all. (In Sweden you have to leash your dog officially between sometime in March and August 20th... August 20th however, also coincides with the beginning of the hunting season. Currently they hunt bears... and have shot a 228 kilogram bear nearby. Next week is älgjakt.. poor moose...).






Fun species. I think I'll use the colour scheme in my new living room.

Views in my back yard.

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So, I have moved.

Left my old house officially today.

I have also thrown myself full force into Swedish studies after my return from the wild.

Am stressed.

Unsure.

Longing.

Seeking.

And, feeling blessed.

We landed.

B and I (and the plants I bought instead of a bed, a couch, chairs, kitchen table...) made it to our new home: The Farm.

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More soon. :-)

Hoppla!

I have 14 minutes till I have to wake up the client who then has to do a couple last minute things before jumping into (T)rusty and head to the place where we start our 100 km canoe trip on Klarälven. Naturally, I have a million things still to do. Catching up here is an inmportant one.

Ready? Here we go!!

First a few photos of the last adventure:

Huts we reached after a 25 km hike.

Once B was with us my smiles increased by... well, a lot.

Photo credits go to A who hiked with us in week 3.

A taking in Helag.

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Life is full.

Our time at home was mostly nice and sometimes tricky. I am clearly more prepared to do crazy expeditions with youth than to have them at my home. My home life really isn't as active as say... a farm life or some other good place where a troubled youth can untrouble his or her self.

Accordingly I have to work more. Meaning I have to create ways to keep us busy to keep some one from getting into trouble (for once not myself or the Beef-ster).

Over these past 2 weeks we did quite a good job at just that.

And at picking blueberries (hurray, they're back!), cooking scrumptious meals, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, doing paper work, catching fish, providing Beefy Panify with daily adventures and:

SEALING THE DEAL TO MOVE TO A FARM!!

Yes, you heard right. Yours truly will spend the next week canoeing the Klarälven 100 km towards the south, then see some friends in the old stomping grounds and spend the last week prior to being FREE AS A BIRD (after working for 7+ weeks nonstop) on the islands of the St Anna Archipelago and then - move to the sweetest rental opportunity in all of Sweden per September 1st!

It's a farm that...

... is fully functional in case I want some additional four-legged ones...

... is located beautifully on the outskirts of a sweet little village...

... has trails (snowmobile, bike, hike, ski) basically going through the back yard...

... an incredible flat in it for the rascal and I...

... tons of space for all the things I can come up with...

... work spaces for wood work, art, repair, etc. ...

... a humonguous garden space that just kind of transitions into the forest...

... a wood stove...

... freezer, dishwasher, washer, dryer, environmentally sound appliances...

... lots of light...

... mountains and streams right outside my door!!

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Ups, time to wake the client....

... anyways, I'll be back to move my stuff there and keep things more updated around here.

-- Skipping away :) --

One healthy dog.

I only learned recently that Buford's tumor wasn't malignant. With that, B is decidedly ONE HEALTHY DOG.

We'll take it.

He continues to be a wonderful cuddler, a keen antler'n'hoof-hunter, and a surströmming smell lover.

Thanks for the support.

Alive, well, and, ... well, busy.

Yes, we made it back in one piece.

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Even though Beefy didn't get to come for the first two weeks due to his paw re-opening.

And despite mosquitos who fought us several times like an army of warriors.

Or the swamps... did I mention the swamps yet?

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We also enjoyed powerful moments when we made it to view points, when we saw rainbows, reindeer, or were invited to eat freshly caught fish with some strangers.

Additional highlights were the B and A inclusion, playing cards, and making scrumptious food.

I got hundreds of photos however limited energy.

Am still on the job and will stay on the job till 8/20. Looking forward to floating down Klarälven on a raft that we will build and ride "a la Huck Finn style" starting next week and to some seakajaking in the Skärgård east of my old stomping grounds down south. Then 3 weeks client- free and on it goes again. In September we plan to hike from Sweden to Norway's fjords.

Yup, life is good.