Our new coffee table

The family just got a new coffee table for the living room, molded in light concrete with a black steel frame that seemingly with no effort suspend it from the charcoal rug.

A new sport to tackle...

W's tackle box with different baits - jigs, wobbler "plugs", spoons and spinners.

Some of W's fishing gear; a closed casting reel and different baits, swivels etc.

W's top-mounted closed casting reel by Shakespeare, and a 5 foot long Abu Garcia casting rod.

First fishing trip

Fishing dudes doing a "boys only" thing at the put-and-take lake Sandasjön, outside of Stockholm.

W with his new casting rod. Yes... it is a little chilly in Sweden at the end of April...

It is somewhat frustrating to see the trout in the lake when they will not bite...

Dad trying to show how it is done.

April hike in Stockholm

There is still snow in Stockholm in mid-April...

L and Dad.

Today's collection of bugs.

Miss piggy-back rider pretty tired after hiking for half a day.

String quintet - Apples and Pears

W performs in a violin quintet with his violin class. The concert included pieces from Bach, Paganini, Beethoven, Schumann, Vivaldi and Händel, performed by older students. Apart from the quintet, W also played a solo piece (the American folk song "Go Tell Aunt Rhody"). In between performances, there were readings from the new translation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's children book Le Petit Prince.

Mom talks to W before the concert.

Cry-baby

An attempt to copy Jill Greenberg's approach to photo art... one model is our daughter...

Christmas violin concert at home

1. Twinkle variations. 2. Song of the Wind. 3. Go tell Aunt Rhody. 4. Oh, Come Little Children. 5. Allegro. From Suzuki book 1. Also available on Youtube. More reading about the importance of parental support in the Suzuki method philosophy - here.

Merry Christmas from the Nilssons!

Christmas feelings!

God Jul!

 Now Santa (Sw: "Jultomten") can arrive! The Christmas tree is decorated and the stockings are hanging on the bookshelves.

Lightly Row

W performing Lightly Row, from Suzuki book 1, at the Christmas concert.

Sankta Lucia

Few things are as important this time of year as the Lucia festivities on December 13. L is showing off her textile candles and crown that grandmom ordered for her Lucia train at daycare.

Fall time hikes 2014

Having a snack break in the Nacka nature reserve, near Hammarby.

Afternoon break at Tyresta National Park in October.

The wilderness is slowly taking back what was lost in the forest fire in the Tyresta national park south of Stockholm.

Fall hike and some late sun in the foliage.

Piggy-backing in style on our way back home.

A perfect spot for a hot chocolate break!

Hot chocolate and cookies.

Now I am full!

The Tyresta lake at the center of the national park.

Public performance of Twinkle Twinkle

Performance of one of the Twinkle twinkle-rythms by the local Suzuki violin class at a public library outside of Stockholm.

Croquet fashion

Today we decided to play a friendly game of croquet in the backyard at the summer cottage. Nothing says sophisticated  "la belle epoque" style, or perhaps even more so "années folles" (eng: roaring twenties), than a nicely garbed game of croquet.

After a very heated game (where even grandmom had to forfeit after her ball caused her to "peg out"), the mallets where eventually laid to rest and Kim won a victory, celebrated with some cold Lumumba long-drink grogs later on.

Tara about to run a hoop.

Balls in play at the family's friendly cottage tournament.

Just one more hoop.

Kim preparing for a croquet stroke.

Victory at last!

Vacation time

Breakfast pals, Mom and L. Radisson Blu Hotel, Copenhagen.

Breakfast pals, Dad and W. Radisson Blu Hotel, Copenhagen.

Inside Tivoli in Copenhagen.

L "driving" veteran cars.

Which way do you turn this thing?

"Dogs are faster than lions."

Lunch at the pirate ship at Tivoli. Later a picture with a turtle.

The last season at the Danish ice-cream parlor in Båstad. 

Dad enjoying his last Cup Marianne and Cup Silvia at Danska glassbaren.

Smiiiiiiiile!

The look is: "Alabama man". Wife sold separately.

Mom responsible for the main course salmon on the barbecue. Tin foil wraps with pickled herring on the side for starters.

"If Wittgenstein doesn't move, can I pull him around the yard?"

The ladies setting the table.