Weekend Coffee Share – Really getting into vacation mode..week 6

Posted byMariaPosted inBalcony Garden, Container gardening, Dalarna, Gardening, Intentional Living, SwedenTags:, , , , , ,

How awesome that you choose to join me for coffee this weekend! Come on out to my balcony. Let’s enjoy some time catching up while sipping some strong coffee, ice tea, or maybe something stronger (it is the weekend after all.) How is your week? What have you been up to? 

Several of my tomato plants are starting to shift colour.

Have you noticed that the tomatoes finally are starting to turn red? My daughter has a birthday on Sunday, and as usual she wants Mexican food at her party (a very small one this year as well, with me and her brother as only guests.) It would be fabulous if I could serve a side salad with our own sweet tomatoes. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that, two days left, I think it is very possible. Besides the Mexican food that she always wants for her birthday, there is going to be cake of course. Last year she wanted to make the cake herself, this year she wants me to make it. I have very specific instructions for the cake. It’s going to be a five layer cake with three layers of soft angel cake, and two layers of red velvet cake. There’s going to be homemade creamy vanilla pastry cream between the layers, and a fresh creamy lime pastry cream on the outside, at the top of the cake she wants a layer of marzipan and her name in chocolate..and candles of course. I’ve promised to do my best…we’ll see. On Tuesday we visited a second hand shop that sometimes have gorgeous kitchen items for almost nothing. We were looking for a cake plate big enough for her monster cake. We scored a pretty one for the hefty sum of about fifty cents. LOL. I’ll try to post some photos of the cake on Sunday. I don’t make cakes so often nowadays, but I do enjoy the artistic part. 

My daughter planted an avocado seed this spring, and it is actually growing. I planted some avocado seeds in California, that grew taller than me in a couple years, but I didn’t have them long enough for them to bear any fruit. Watching the process of something you planted from a seed is enjoyable.
Another experiment that my daughter has on the balcony, a lemon seed she planted early June.

It’s been a very pleasant week weather wise here in Dalarna, Sweden. We’ve had no summer thunderstorms this week, and the temperatures have been between 75-80F, just perfect. This week my time have been divided between mountain biking in a nearby nature reserve area, and reading an interesting series of books about a midwife in Stockholm (lazily enjoying the days at my balcony with a glass of ice tea next to me.) What’s the weather like in your neck of the woods?

I’ve spent a lot of time mountain biking at Lugnets nature reserve this week.

My daughter and I met a cousin of mine and her boyfriend, and my aunt, at a cafe with an outdoor seating area today. My cousin and I haven’t seen each other since before Covid started, and it was even longer since I saw my aunt. It was wonderful catching up with them. We kept a safe distance at all times, and there were no hugs, but still so very nice to see them in person. My cousin visited me both in Las Vegas and California when I lived there, we have many amazing memories together. 

Thank you so much for the lovely company, and an extra thanks to Natalie for hosting the weekend coffee share! Please share with me all the wonderful things in your world! Have a fabulous weekend! 

Love,

Maria 

Published by Maria

It’s all about experiences, and the healing power of nature. Life is about choosing happiness. My gypsy soul have taken me to many different countries, and definitely taught me to be more humble. I enjoy growing my own food, and spending time outdoors. I now reside in the region where I was born: Dalarna, Sweden. I am a mom, a kindergarten teacher, a minimalist and a gardener. Love, Maria

46 thoughts on “Weekend Coffee Share – Really getting into vacation mode..week 6”

  2. I have NO green thumb whatsoever, but since Southern California is always sunny and warm, I have lemon trees that give me dozens of fresh fruit all year long! I love that you are making a celebratory cake, it’s great to have family close again after the last year and a half…have a great weekend! For me, coffee in the morning and wine at night!

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    1. That is wonderful that you have a lemon tree 🙂 I had lemon, orange, and fig trees when I lived in NorCal, really miss that (all the fires not so much.) I hope you are enjoying your weekend 🙂

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  3. Your tomatoes look so beautiful, hope they’ll be ready for the party. Happy Bday, H! I had to laugh at her VERY specific cake request… makes me wonder what it’ll be for her wedding, ha! 😀

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    1. Thank you Eliza 🙂 There are some tomatoes ready. I almost picked them today but forced myself to wait 🙂 She is all about the details my little lady. I sure hope she won’t get married..at least not in a very, very long time. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful weekend.

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  4. Your tomatoes are looking great! My son is taking culinary classes at his high school and often wants to make desserts; even for his own birthday. I love watching him create but kind of miss having a chance to cook up something myself.

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    1. Thank you! In many ways it is wonderful when they want to be creative in the kitchen, and at the same time it is nice to spoil them, especially on important days 🙂 I totally understand what you mean. Have a great weekend!

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  5. That is one extravagant cake! Very impressive. I hope it turns out lovely. Happy birthday to your daughter. I live in Australia and it’s winter here. Today is a perfect winter’s day – blue skies and sunny. Regards, Christina

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    1. We still have to wait and see if the result is extravagant, or if it’s only the wish that is. We’ll see. I’m going to give it my best.
      Blue skies and sunny sounds perfect for a winters day. I like winter a lot. I hope you are enjoying your weekend Christina.

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  7. Wow! You have to love a gal with such specific details in mind for her own birthday cake. Those were always a surprise in our family and my wife did come up with some clever creations. But 5 layers? That never happened.
    Looking forward to some photos of your end result. My bet is on you working magic.

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    1. When she was younger I always surprised her with the cakes, as she’s gotten older I’ve started to ask her what she wants. We live a rather frugal life on a day to day basis, but I’ve always made a point of celebrating milestones in some way, I think it’s important. Thank you for believing in me. I hope you are enjoying a beautiful weekend, with lovely California weather.

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      1. I could tell you how 80+ degrees is getting too close to my discomfort zone, but you were up near Redding – where 100+ temps are normal so – you’ll get no whining from me on this weather.
        Remember – we’re looking for photos of that cake. 😉

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        1. LOL. Redding was brutal in the summer. Gardening was fun there though. I will try to remember to post photos, however I can’t promise perfection.

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          1. Maria – we’ve been friends for too long to expect perfection over honesty. I’m pretty fond of the real and imperfect you who is so clearly comfortable with just being a great person, mom, blogger, gardener, writer and I’ll bet several other things I’m forgetting.

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            1. Thank you! The real deal is what counts. I couldn’t agree more. Isn’t it interesting how easy it is to be captivated by almost any subject as long as someone is passionate about it, I notice that all the time in the weekend coffee shares, that is one of the things that I really enjoy with them 🙂

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  8. Your tomatoes look fabulous. My one bush got devoured by some Prescott creature. You have lived in some diverse places which makes life interesting, doesn’t it? Where in CA did you live? We moved from there in November.

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    1. Thank you so much Marsha! Sorry to hear about your tomatoes, pests can come in all shapes.
      It is true that I have travelled some (48 US States, and most countries in Europe,) and lived in different places. In California I’ve leased ranches in Gold Country, Napa, Cottonwood, Red Bluff, and Redding. Right now I am getting to know the region I was born in (Dalarna, Sweden.) My parents got divorced when I was little, we moved out of the region, giving me much to explore now 🙂 Thank you for your visit. I hope you are enjoying a wonderful weekend.

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      1. WOW, Maria. You are so young. How could you possibly have had time to do all that???? What did you do when you leased ranches? I’m so glad to meet you. Your life is super interesting. 🙂

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        1. LOL, I will be 42 later this year, but thank you. My ex-husband and I had different projects, most of them involving rehabilitating/training rescue horses, and dogs.

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          1. Very interesting. I admire what you’ve done. I have a friend who rescues horses – Lots of work. My brother and his wife rescue dogs. We adopted all our animals – they were dropped off or born feral. But they became family. We only gave away some kittens. BTW, 42 is the new 21.

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    1. Thank you Trent! I am working on the cake..I really like making cakes, but it is almost 80F now (still morning) almost the same temperature inside and humid, making it necessary to speed up the process. I’m saving the last of the decorations until right before it’s time to eat the cake, besides that I am done. I will take some photos later 🙂
      Family is important, and I really, really missed my part of the family while living in the US. Even if some family members came for visits it’s not the same as having them close by.
      I hope your weekend is fantastic!

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  11. Love your coffee corner. Looks like such a peaceful & pleasant place to have your morning or afternoon tea!

    Happy birthday to your daughter! I love Mexican food but we don’t get it much here so I love her choice!

    Your tomatoes are looking so lovely!

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    1. Thank you so much! I’ve enjoyed coffee, tea, and smoothies at the balcony almost daily since April. It really is like an extra room.
      We are crazy about Mexican food and eat it almost every week. There are no Mexican restaurants nearby, so I’ve had to learn how to make my daughter’s favourite dishes myself.
      I hope your weekend is amazing!

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      1. That’s what I’ll need to do, Maria. We do have some Mexican places in Singapore, but they are nothing like what I remember from my time living in Texas. Looks like it’ll have to be my next project.

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  12. Oh my goodness! I know I don’t need to apologize but want to because I thought I had clicked follow on your blog weeks ago. And so today when I was going through comments and such I thought it strange I have not gotten notifications of your posts! Wait what? so here I am catching up and I’m now following your blog with notifications ON!! Oh my old brain full of so many things and I am SO HAPPY I CHECKED! Happy Birthday H! I thank you so very much for the coffee this weekend and will be going back through your posts to catch up!

    How fun to reconnect with family, to see them in person. That is so special and am happy for you and your family! ❤

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    1. No need to apologize 🙂 Similair things happens to me all the time. We did have a wonderful celebration this weekend. This is my last week off, in a way it feels like the summer passed by very quickly, and on the other hand it’s been wonderfully relaxing and everything we needed. Have a great, great week!

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