Welcome to the Weekend coffee share! This week I’m inviting you for a hot beverage at my garden plot. There’s coffee, tea, and blueberry soup on the menu. I love having some warm blueberry soup during the colder months. It is very tasty, filling, nutritious (vitamin C, vitamin E, and a ton of antioxidants,) and gives you a lot of energy.
I had made plans to visit my garden on Sunday, and do chores at home on Saturday. ..but after finishing the chores mid-day Saturday there was no reason not to enjoy the gorgeous fall day outside.
I feel a little stronger than last week, and definitely a lot stronger than the week before (I had a nasty cold/flu three weeks ago.) I rode my bike to work one day this week (Thursday,) and yesterday I rode up to my garden. It’s 4 flat km/2,5miles to work, and 6,5 km/4 miles straight up a steep hill to my garden. I will admit that it was a little more challenging than usual, but totally doable. I’ve listened to my body, and I haven’t over done it. I love riding my mountainbike, especially through the forest. It makes me feel alive, the next best thing after riding a horse.
Yesterday it was the first time in three weeks that I visited my garden (due to being sick,) and almost all the leaves on the trees and bushes had fallen. All of a sudden I had a view of the little lake below the garden. The place looked totally different. I sat down for a while listening to the wind, and the birds. It was a glorious afternoon.
Some of you may remember that I did an experiment and planted some fall crops the last week of august? I harvested the last carrots yesterday, it was about 2.2lb/1kg. Next year I will start my fall garden a little earlier, and at a better place, this was not a prime location, just a left-over spot under some berry bushes. The carrots are delicious though! My plan is to eventually have garden beds covering most of the grass on my plot, only having small paths in between garden beds. It’s a work in progress, and I’ll do a little bit at the time. The potential makes me very excited.
I do have some other big news this week. Two years ago when my children and I moved into the apartment where we live now I was super thrilled that it was close to their schools, and for me that was the most important thing, making it easy for them. However, since we moved here there’s constantly been building projects all around us. It’s starting to feel a little crowded in more than one way. This year they’ve built two HUGE apartment complex right next to us. The other thing is that I’ve been dividing the living room to make a small bedroom for me in one of the corners, giving my children the two actual bedrooms in the apartment. It’s been OK, we’ve all loved the apartment in many ways, but when my children told me that they would appreciate a more quiet place outside of town I started to look for one immediately. ..and we will move into our new place March 1st. It’s only a short distance outside of our little town, and there’s a bus stop outside the house. It’s in a very beautiful area, and the apartment has one more room (yaay). It’s a small, brand new apartment complex, (in the US it would have been advertised as a townhouse.) I will keep my garden plot, and the kids will stay at their old schools (it’s only 15-30 minutes on the bus, depending on what bus they take.)
I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, wether we should stay where we are, after all my son turns 18 next time and wont be living at home forever, but it all landed in this decision. It’s important for everyones peace of mind to feel comfortable at home (and I don’t want my son to feel that he has to move out before he is ready. You become of legal age at 18 in Sweden, and it has been a norm to move to your own place then for many years, however with everything going on in the world that has become too expensive for many young adults.)
We are a family that appreciate being surrounded by beautiful nature, living a quiet life (but still close to everything we need.) We are all excited about the move. It’s an area I like a lot, and I’d like to try living there to see how it is, and perhaps purchase some land nearby later on.
How is your week? Are you into any Halloween celebrations? We are going to decorate a pumpkin today, and make some Halloween cupcakes. Thank you Natalie for hosting the Weekend Coffee Share.
Love,
Maria
GreenDreams 
Myself, I would go for the added time “in family” during uncertain times would establish a more solid base. Love the garden space! Glad you are feeling better. ::hugs::
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Yes, I believe it will, in these times. At least I want to offer it. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
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That’s exciting about your upcoming move! That will suit you perfectly to live a bit outside of town. Will you have a little garden there too (since it’s a so-called townhouse)?
Here there’s lots of Halloween vibes with some street festivals and exhibitions, and on Tuesday there’s the Halloween music session, which is the usual Tuesday night session but people are dressed up. I can’t do much because I have my last design class just before, and I can’t sit on Zoom with my uni class having horror makeup on! 😀 Enjoy your week and stay well!
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Thank you! In my heart I will always be a country girl, and this move feels right in many ways, and it’s not too far out. It will still be very convenient for me to go to work, and for the kids to go to school.
Are you sure you can’t have horror makeup at your zoom class? They will probably remember you forever if you do 🙂 I usually don’t go that far. We had a Halloween party for the kids at work earlier this week and I had a t-shirt with a pumpkin that changes colour, and a rainbow wig.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and the new week to come!
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Haha, I don’t think so but I’ll keep it simple and just take a grey wig and some black lipstick that I put on just after the Zoom class. It will be a good night I’m sure! A t-shirt that changes colour sounds cool!
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Enjoy!
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Those carrots look good! And the blueberries sound good – I have been eating a lot of blueberries lately, but it looks like we are getting close to the end of them.
The move out of town sounds good. It is very cool that your family is all in agreement about this.
I know your weekend is wrapping up – I hope you had a great one. And have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you so much Trent! It is a great weekend, and the week ahead look promising 🙂
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I’m glad you found a nice new apartment. Having natural settings is important to us nature-lovers. 🙂 Does it get good sun? And now with the plot, the balcony growing space you now have won’t be as essential as before for growing things. It’s exciting that your garden plot is coming along – next summer ought to be terrific and I look forward to seeing what you create. How far is the new apt. from the plot? Farther or closer?
Have a boo-tiful Halloween! Do you dress up with the kids?
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Thank you Eliza. The new apartment has windows on three sides, all except East. It’s not completely finished yet, being built right now, so I have not actually been inside of it, only seen the blueprints and a computer design of what it will look like. I imagine the light being great. The new apartment is slightly further from the garden, but I will likely visit the garden right after work, like I did this year. The distance is very doable.
We are about to carve some pumpkins right now. I did some dressing up for a Halloween party earlier this week. We’ll see if I dress up tomorrow. My daughter will dress up in some way, but not like she did when we lived in the US, Halloween is not as big here.
Happy Halloween!
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Maria, Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Your garden and carrots look great. The garden is a good size and with your gardening plan, I’m sure you’ll get a lot of healthy food (and exercises) out of it. I’m glad you are feeling better and you found a new apartment that meet your and your family’s needs. Keep us posted. Happy Halloween and have a wonderful week ahead!
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Thank you so much Natalie! I will keep you posted 🙂 Happy Halloween!
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Hi Maria,
I’m so happy you are doing so much better and gaining your strength back after your virus. The view of your garden plot is so pretty and look at all those carrots! Yummy!! I think riding your mountain bike would be second to riding a horse, I would enjoy that too!!
How EXCITING for your move to a little bit bigger and quieter place. It will be nice for you to have more room for yourself too. The weather there sounds perfect as the seasons change, so beautiful with the fall colors. I enjoyed having coffee with you at your garden plot today! Have a wonderful week! ❤️😍🤠
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Thank you Diana! It is wonderful to almost be back to my usual self 🙂 More grateful than before.
Thank you so much for your kindness ❤
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Wow, so much is happening in your life these days, Maria! Quiet is always better, I hope your move goes smoothly. A townhouse is a nice size residence, it sounds perfect for your family. Have a great new week. ☺️🇸🇪
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Sometimes it does feels like there is a lot going on! Thank you for your kind comment ❤
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You have been an amazing example to your children, Maria, that they would appreciate a more rural lifestyle. I get it, that’s what we wanted and needed. A bus ride isn’t too bad…my daughter rode the bus home from her high school for three years and managed to get homework done on the 30-minute ride. School doesn’t last forever but a quiet home does. Congrats and I look forward to how it all looks next spring!
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Thank you so much! I am excited to get to know our new surroundings. We’ll visit a few times before the move, to get a feel for the place. Thank you for your kind comment ❤
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You are very welcome my friend. ☺️
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You have a lovely garden plot, Maria. AND I’m so envious of your crop of carrots. You must have wonderful soil!
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Thank you so much! I am very grateful. I’ve been adding my bokashi compost to improve the soil.
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Wow Maria, such a long bout with that bug for you. Sorry this happened.
Your carrots look great. Makes me miss gardening again.
And wow – on getting a new place this March with a room for the mom.
You deserve a room of your own too, so I’m happy for this change for you.
And your boy is approaching 18. Another wow. We miss our kids, but they’re all 26 or older now so we count our selves lucky to have had them here with us for as long as we did.
Good stuff.
Blessings my friend.
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❤
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Your garden plot looks so great. Its just wonderful that you have a little slice all your own to play in. A connection to who you are, a country gal. I can just imagine all your new beds & yum to the carrots. It’s so great that you all seem to be like minded & the new place sounds lovely, yay to your own room. Have a fabulous rest of the week.
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Thank you so very much! ❤
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So much land to plant so many things! You are already producing so much! Carrots and warm blueberry soup – it sounds very nourishing! Congratulations on the move. My adult kids moved briefly out but 2 out of 3 moved back home for exactly the reason you mentioned. Too expensive to rent on their own now!
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Thank you so much! I do want to expand my gardening a little bit every year.
It does feel good to have the kids feeling welcome to live at home ❤ Thank you for your comment!
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