Stratford-upon-Avon

I finally got to visit Stratford-upon-Avon last Saturday! I think I had high expectations since it is such a famous town, and it was a bit more ordinary than I thought it would be. Nonetheless, there are more than a few good book shops, a quaint little public library, a nice river walk, and so many cool houses. The gardens at Shakespeare's New Place were open for community days. Also, getting to spend the day with a friend made it a good trip! This time I did not see a play, and it's disappointing that the outdoor theatre, The Dell, seems to be closed this season. Perhaps the next time I visit I will see a play and visit the butterfly house. 

Mosaic near the rail station

Shakespeare's New Place

New Place Gardens

New Place Gardens

The Guild Chapel (and a random tourist)

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Holy Trinity Church

The Avon

The Gower Memorial

Shakespeare Statue

Shakespeare's Birthplace

Public Library

A cool building on High Street

Another cool building (Masons Court)
across from The Shakespeare Hospice Bookshop

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

Rail Station

Thanks for reading!

A Visit to the US

I was recently back in the US for my cousin Amy's wedding, which took place in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was a lovely time and I got to catch up with family as well as meet a couple of new people. But landing in Chicago, it also meant driving through Iowa. One neat landmark in Cedar Rapids we visited is the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library. There was a clock modelled on the Orloj in Prague. I didn't feel at all homesick until we drove back into Wisconsin. Although this time I did not travel any farther north than Milwaukee, some scenery even in Southern Wisconsin can compete with the rural landscapes and forests of the North Central parts of the state!

Lincoln, Nebraska
(named after the president and not after Lincoln, England)
(image from Pixaby)

Czech Village Mural, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library, Cedar Rapids

Decorative Egg Ornaments

Folk Dress

The Librarian by Peter Sís

The Orloj

Rural Wisconsin (image from Pixaby)

Beret that I finished on the trip

Thanks for reading!

Shropshire

 Last Saturday, a friend and I visited the Shropshire Hills National Landscape near Church Stretton (Carding Mill Valley). The scenery was amazing! And, unusual for England, we did not get wet. In fact, we even got a little sunburnt. It's probably the only ramble I've been on where my feet did not get wet, although I was wearing the wrong shoes. Poppies, lilacs, skylark and blackbird song, long days—May is the best month!

Carding Mill Valley

Stream

Climb up to the top

Waterfall

Hearing skylarks

Peaceful farm

Shy sheep

England's green and pleasant land

Climbing down again

St Laurence Church, Church Stretton
(there's a sweet little library, too)

We've also been to visit a few places near Birmingham including Lichfield and Hereford. More on that soon! Thanks for reading.

Formby

 Over the bank holiday weekend, I took a trip to Formby near Liverpool. It was refreshing to be by the coast again, and reminded me of Waxham in Norfolk. But it was very windy! I'm still getting the sand out of my shoes. The nature reserve also has wooded areas where you can sometimes spot red squirrels. Since I stayed in Liverpool, I was able to visit the Central Library once again. Did you know it's open late on Fridays? And the place I stayed wasn't too far from the original Casbah Club. I didn't pay to go inside, but took a photo from the street.

Sands at Formby

Coast at Formby

Waves from the Irish Sea

Sand dunes at Formby

Sea shell

Beach at Formby

Dune climbing

Red squirrel spotting

Knitting holiday

Blackbird singing

Central Library, Liverpool

Casbah Club, Liverpool

Thanks for reading!

Lund and Malmö

Hello friends, I recently spent part of my spring break in Lund and Malmö in Sweden. It was really pleasant visiting Lund, which is about the same size as Norwich in England. I felt right at home there and preferred it to the bigger city of Malmö. But since Malmö is only about 20 minutes away by train it is a good spot to visit for thrifting and the library (more on that below). I got to practise my Swedish, have one of my favourite Swedish teas, discover new knitting patterns (that I will need to translate from Danish), and get a library card—and I came back with a lot of books, of course! There are many museums in Lund, including Kulturen which is perhaps the largest outdoor museum in Sweden, so there is a lot to cover. I went to the Good Friday and Easter services at the cathedral in Lund and really enjoyed singing in Swedish. I think Holy week and Easter is the best time of the church year! Also a nice surprise was an exhibit about picture book makers that was on at Lunds Konsthall. Lund is home to Litteralund, a book festival of children's and young adult literature that takes place in April, as well as hosting the annual IBBY lecture on children's literature in October. The exhibition emphasised how picture books are really an art form, art in the compressed form of a book: "they leave everyone free to read and understand them as they wish—just like any other art form." I loved seeing the work of these author illustrators in person.

Lunds Domkyrka

Universitetshuset, Lundagård

Kungshuset, Lundagård

Tegnérplatsen, Lundagård

Runstenskullen, Lundagård

Wall mural, Skissernas Museum

Locus Peccatorum, Lund

Dekanhuset, Lund

Adelgatan, Lund

Wahlbomska huset, Lund

Rune stones held at Kulturen i Lund

Linnaeus in Lund

At Botaniska trädgården, Lund

Botaniska trädgården

Botaniska trädgården

Botaniska trädgården

Botaniska trädgården

Sphinx in Botaniska trädgården

Tant Hulda's yarn shop, Lund

Fyndkällaren, Lund

Alice & Kattens Tesalong, Lund

Alice & Katten

Stadsbiblioteket Lund

Picture book display!

The horse and herr Nilsson from Pippi Långstrump

I got a library card!

Nothing is Impossible, picture book maker exhibit

Jockum Nordström

Øyvind Torseter

Eva Lindström

Eva Lindström's sketches

Jon Klassen

Isol

JooHee Yoon

Beatrice Alemagna

Sara Lundberg

Anna Höglund

Clara Dackenberg's sketches

Clara Dackenberg

Emma AdBåge

Lisen AdBåge

Reading corner!

I spent one day in Malmö in the area around Triangeln and Gamlastaden. There were about six thrift shops, a couple yarn shops, and the library to visit before I headed to Sankt Petri Kyrka for the Maundy Thursday (Skärtorsdag) service. After the service everyone was invited to an Agape meal for fellowship—and this wasn't just potluck-style or canned soup. It was a classy affair with lamb, potatoes, fresh salad, dates, and nuts!

Myrorna means the ants

Love Street

Björk och frihet secondhand

Malmö Stadsbiblioteket

Interior (image from Google)

Interior (image by Anders Regnell)

Slottsträdgården Malmö

S:t Petri Kyrka Malmö (image from Google)

Interior (photo from Svenska kyrkan website)

And I know it's gross, but I occasionally feel like eating a hotdog (grillkorv). I have to have one when I visit Sweden, and it has to hang off the bun!

Alltid

Thanks for reading!