Good Morning Kossacks, I'll be hosting this edition of the SMHRB as your much loved host is away.
And, seeing as how this weeks addition's is coming to you live from Sweden, I thought I'd add to this week's blog by showing ya'll a little bit of the local color as Midsummer was celebrated in Europe yesterday.
As usual, this is where we gather to discuss home repair, community, and whatever floats, sinks, leaks your boat, viking ship, home is on your mind. Välkommen!!!
Somewhere within the mix of each culture’s history, forces like the environment, technology, politics and social factors shape not only our lives, but the way we build and the way we live with one another, and the environment.
Rapeseed fields
Part of Sweden’s uniqueness is derived from its high latitude where the summer nights hover at twilight throughout the night, (unless you are above the artic circle, then you have the midnight sun,) and the winters are cold and dark, (no sun above the artic circle in winter.) Sweden is a land of tall pines and birch trees and with regard to building materials, it is used quite often.
In Sweden, the Midsummer tradition predates Christianity, the latter of which came in 1100 A.D. and adapted somewhat to the practices that had taken place before. We celebrated this Midsummer in a town just outside of Stockholm called Uppsala, and actually at a place just outside that, called Gamla Uppsala or Old Uppsala which was the site of old pagan ruins, Viking burial mounds called ship settings. A church sitting adjacent to this spot was believed to have replaced a wooden temple structure.
Ship Settings
Uppsala Church
Going back to Wiki, they describe the Swedish Midsummer tradition quite a bit better than I could...
Midsummer's Eve and Midsummer's Day (Midsommarafton and Midsommardagen) are celebrated from the eve of the Friday between June 19 - 25. It is arguably the most important holiday of the year, and one of the most uniquely Swedish in the way it is celebrated, even if it has been influenced by other countries long ago. The main celebrations take place on the Friday, and the traditional events include raising and dancing around a huge maypole. One typical dance is the frog dance. Before the maypole is raised, greens and flowers are collected and used to cover the entire pole.
Raising and dancing around a maypole (majstången or midsommarstången) is an activity that attracts families and many others. People dancing around the pole listen to traditional music and many wear traditional folk costumes. The year's first potatoes, pickled herring, sour cream, and possibly the first strawberries of the season are on the menu. Drinking songs are also important at this feast, and many drink heavily.
Because Midsummer is one of the times of the year when magic is believed to be the strongest[citation needed], it was a good night to perform rituals to look into the future. Traditionally, young people pick bouquets of seven or nine different flowers and put them under their pillow in the hope of dreaming about their future spouse. In the past it was believed that herbs picked at Midsummer were highly potent, and water from springs could bring good health. Greenery placed over houses and barns were supposed to bring good fortune and health to people and livestock; this old tradition of decorating with greens continues, even though most don't take it seriously. To decorate with greens was called att maja (to "may") and may be the origin of the word majstång, maja coming originally from the month May Other researchers say the term came from German merchants who raised the maypole in June because the Swedish climate made it impossible to find the necessary greens and flowers in May, and continued to call it a maypole. Today, however, it is most commonly called a midsommarstång. In earlier times, small spires wrapped in greens were erected; this probably predates the maypole tradition, which is believed by many to have come from the continent in the Middle Ages. Others argue that some form of Midsummer pole occurred in Sweden during the pre-Christian times, and was a phallic fertility symbol, meant to impregnate the earth, but as there were no records from those times it cannot be proven, and this idea might just be a modern interpretation of the poles form. The earliest historical mention of the maypole in Sweden is from the Middle Ages. Midsummer was however linked to an ancient fertility festival which was adapted into St. Johans day by the church, even though it retained many pagan traditions, as the Swedes were slow to give up the old heathen customs. The connection to fertility is naturally linked to the time of year. Many young people became passionate at Midummer, and this was accepted, probably because it resulted in more childbirths in March which was a good time for children to be born.
Midsummer is one of the only pagan holidays that are still celebrated in Europe (if not the only). In Denmark and Norway it is referred to as the eve of St. Hans but it's only in Sweden that it has kept its original name.
To many Swedes this holiday is seen as a holiday of partying, and as the start of the summer. The cities become almost deserted as most people travel to the country, often to their summer cottages, to celebrate. Midsummer rivals Christmas as the most important holiday of the year.
Raising of the Maypole
Semi-standard semi-post graduate picnic fare: bread, beer, hard-boiled eggs, an assortment of herring- pickled, mustard and lingon, boiled potatoes, sour cream, green onions, swedish strawberries (which are super sweet,) grapes, cider...
children playing
Traditional dance and dress
side of a heavy timber/log cabin house
entrance into a courtyard
House from the early 1800's
Fascade detail
old window with trim set into fascade
door
old wallpaper
One last thing, What about your travels? What catches you eye? Stoves appliances, or lamps? Colors, aspects of cities, public spaces abroad or just away from home? Spud mentioned earlier in a note that he was able to traverse Paris via the courtyards inbetween building blocks. So, how about you?