Never give in or budge. Go to the top.
Can’t beat them, join them. Move or get passed over.
Solid as a rock. Firmly stand ground.
Now linked together as one. Still stand when you fall.
Up or down, all is intertwined, ha de Gött!
Party all night, bubbly wine, fireworks and loud singing out of key. Celebrate, out with old, in with the new.
A new years day macro to symbolize the promise of a fresh start.
Cherish every drop, it’s an ocean, ha de Gött!
So the calendar says it’s the end of a year and the start of another. Time to reflect back on the past to set a firm base for coming opportunities.
The little virus still challenge us and for me personally 2021 has been a struggle trying to recover the loss of my son. Photography and this blog has been my medicine. There is always something new to learn and explore in this art form.
So on this last day I’ve challenged myself to pick out a picture from each month. Hope you like them. I wish you all a Happy New Year for 2022, in Swedish, Gott Nytt År 2022!
Look back to see forward, ha de Gött!
The village Grebbestad with 2000 year-around residents, was first mentioned in the beginning of 1600. Like many of the small villages in Bohuslän the development is linked to the herring- and granite mining periods. Today it is a seaside resort with an exploding population during the summer holiday season. Exploding in number of residents, otherwise it would be quite noisy during summers if the population actually blew-up.
Already in 1844 it became an official seaside resort with both cold and hot bathhouse. The mud bath was considered very healthy. The sheltered harbor was also good for trade and shipping. In 1858 there were 7 cargo ships registered in Grebbestad.
A cannery was established in 1870 and even if the cannery is closed since many years the brand name is still used. In the building a micro brewery today makes a very good beer. The first motorized buss line in Sweden was established in 1911, between Grebbestad and the railway station 5 kilometers away.
Don’t get stuck in the mud, come clean, ha de Gött!
They say that every snowflake is unique. Makes me wonder who’s been checking them all? True or not, King Frost has an amazing ability to create fantastic displays. Together with the low standing suns amazing light, this was on display yesterday.
Stop, you will see beauty around you, ha de Gött!
Outside the small town Grebbestad lays the Greby grave field. Even if it’s unique for this area there is not much known. There are around 200 graves that dates back to Iron age, year 200 – 600. Many of the burial mounds have large stones at the top. Very few excavations has been done but in 1873 historian Oscar Montelius examined ten of the burial mounds.
He found in almost all graves an urn with burned bones often with some small objects like a bone comb or glas beads. Ceramic vessels with an ear and a glass bead molded in the bottom. This type of pottery has been found in England and Germany. This suggest that this burial site was connected to a trading place.
There is an interesting legend that was told to one of the disciples of Carl von Linné, Pehr Kalm who visited in 1742. According to this fishermen from Scotland visited the area during the herring periods. Legend has that a Scottish army invaded and raided all the way to Bullaren 25 kilometres inland. A local army defeated them in two battles where the final one stod at Greby. None of the Scotts made it home and their remains was buried here. There is however no evidence found for this.
Come in peace, get home in one piece, ha de Gött!
Snow and buds, ha de Gött!
Christmas is about community. With the Covid-19 lock-downs and restrictions it’s hard to meet family and friends.
Don’t forget the lonely ones. Those without family and friends, whatever the reason.
Sometimes it’s enough with a smile and meeting the eyes of that stranger in the street. A nod or even a hello, it half the face is covered by a mask.
You can be that twinkling star, ha de Gött!
Hold tight, ha de Gött!
Christmas is upon us with all its traditions. Even if we think it’s the same every year there is change. Maybe not so fast but it’s there. In English it’s called Christmas referring to the celebration of the birth of Gods son. Makes sense but I wonder if Christmas has been taken hostage by the commercial forces and if that is not the new religion. It is not the first time a new religion builds on, and take over old traditions.
Thousand years ago the pagan Viking’s celebrated Yule blot to honor Odin, the All Father. There is som debate among the historians if this twelve day festival was celebrated at the same time as Christmas or in mid January. It is also referred to as ‘midwinter blot’. Some say that it was first celebrated in mid January and moved in the mid 900 by King Håkon I of Norway to fit the Christian celebration. This was done as an effort to convert the Vikings to Christianity by the already converted Håkon.
In Swedish we say ‘Jul’ for Christmas and in old Norse language it was the name for Odin. Odin being the most important God in Nordic mythology. The word ‘blot’ means sacrificing to the Gods. The ceremonies and ritual killings of animals was a blood dripping event. Drinking of fresh raw blood and splashing over the crowd must have been quite a scene. Luckily it was all washed down with lots and lots of mead.
Be traditional, create new traditions, ha de Gött!
UlleHaddock 