Miscellaneous bits and bobs

Perhaps you wonder where Agnes's Mother, Anna Karin, was most of the time.   She had previously arranged to stay on Öland with other family members but of course I met her and she is a lovely person.

The Karlsson house is built around plants - particularly the 500-year-old oak trees nearby.   The reason is because plants deserve respect - I quite agree.   I wish more people had this approach.

Their house is a rambling 4 story building if you count the basement and attic.   Jan is gradually restoring it to how it should have been when it was first built.   He is using copies of the original wallpapers of the time and  particularly like the kitchen wallpaper based on a design by Joseph Frank a famous artist, the link will show you some of his designs.   I will include a photo here that Doug sent me just after I got home so not strictly of when I was there - although the celebratory crayfish eating was intended to be done when I was there.   I am sorry I missed it, but after you have looked at the crayfish eating in the photo take a look at the wall paper.

The house is filled with the best kinds of treasures, books without number on everything.   Paintings, many done by Jan's father and Grandfather I think, both of whom were artists and carvers.  Lots of the furniture was made by his Father and is copied from other great craftsmen.   There are plants everywhere, rambling over every window and space possible, one was sitting in an exqusite and probably priceless glass bowl on the long dining table.   And of course there is music everywhere.   This is a family home that is filled with love, laughter and all the things that create really beautiful families.

Doug will shortly be moving to Karlstad University.   It is a couple of hundred miles west of Stockholm and he and Agnes have rented a little house on the edge of a lake.   I can't wait to see it next time.   And next time I am sure I shall meet my new grandchild too so there is much to look forward to.