Wild is the wind

The first real winter day has dressed our town square in white.

The strong wind is washing violently happy the snow from the rooftops, and at the local hospital they are kept busy taking care of twisted legs and other seasonal... phenomena.

The time for a hot Lapsang cup of tea and cookies - and change to winter tires - has come!

Mosquito Bites: how to prevent them

Have you been attacked by swarms of mosquitoes, while enjoying a magic sunset by a lake? If the answer is yes, then join the club...

I’ve found a big list of recommendations and home remedies for mosquito repellent suggestions. A few things to note first:

• You pretty much have to stop breathing to not attract the attention of a mosquito, a big attractor for them is the carbon dioxide from your breathing.
• It also seems mosquitoes are attracted by scents like perfumes, sweat, body odour as well as body heat. Unless you stop using shampoos, soaps, deodorants and detergents–it’s hard to be scent free.
• From what I understand, DEET has proven to be the most effective mosquito repellent. DEET is pretty crazy stuff though, so if you’d like to try less harsh solutions, there are plenty of tips below for you to give a shot.

Something to keep in mind: Since some people seem to be a mosquito magnet while others around them don’t get a single bite, I have the suspicion that there could be a personal body chemistry factor involved. And that could explain why a remedy that works for one person, may not work for another.

I suspect that’s why some people swear by the Bounce sheet method, or the Avon Skin So Soft solution, while others have a different experience. Bounce nor the Avon SSS did a thing for me btw, but I did include them in the list below. I know a few people who SWEAR by them.

Basics for Mosquito Bite Prevention

• Wear light coloured clothing, mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothes
• Keep your body covered as much as possible (including wearing a hat), although mosquitoes can find their way through the fabric–it does cut down on bites

Mosquito Bite Prevention Home Remedies & Tips

• Vanilla Extract: A few different recommendations for this one, each contradicting the other. Some say to dab Vanilla Extract on your pulse points, others say to rub it all over your skin & dab your clothes. Some say the cheap stuff is what you have to use, others say the real, pure Vanilla is the only thing that will work. Some say to apply it full strength, others say you can dilute it with water and spray it on. Play around with Vanilla to see what gives you best results–there are plenty of believers for this one as a mosquito deterrent so I think there’s something to it.
• Garlic: This isn’t a favourite thing to do day-to-day, but if you’re going camping or hiking through heavily mosquito infested areas, try a garlic powder and water paste. Apply to pulse points, behind knees, on shoes and ankles and a dab or two on your cheeks or somewhere on your face and neck. Remember–keep out of eyes. And maybe stay out of public places too ;) .
• Essential Oils: Mix choice of essential oils with rubbing alcohol, or witch hazel, or distilled water and spritz on body or directly on cloth to rub on body (shake before each use). Or add a few drops in baby oil or olive oil then rub on skin. You can also apply drops along a strip of fabric (cotton) and tie around wrist. Make sure to avoid mouth and eye areas when using essential oils.
• Citronella oil
• Lavender oil
• Catnip oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Pennyroyal oil (seems to be strongly recommended)
• Tansy oil (seems to be strongly recommended)
• Basil oil
• Thyme oil
• Cedar oil
• Tea Tree oil
• Peppermint oil
• Lemon-grass oil

Plants That Repel Mosquitoes

Break off leaves and crush them roughly, rub them all over your clothes and skin. Toss the bruised leaves around the perimeter of your deck or patio. Also plant these in pots and arrange them around the patio. You could also infuse these in water and then use that as a spray.

• Citronella
• Lavender
• Basil
• Catnip
• Pennyroyal
• Tansy
• Marigolds

Commercial Products That Repel Mosquitoes

• Mygga (available at the Pharmacy)
• Djungelolja (available at the Pharmacy and Super Markets)
• Listerine (mixed 50/50 with household vinegar then sprayed all over body)
• Vicks VapoRub
• You can purchase citronella torches to stand in the ground or set on table tops

Household Hack

• Spray garlic powder and water all over the yard and bushes. Use a fertilizer hose attachment. Will need to be done bi-weekly (approx) or after a heavy rain.

Items to Eat Daily

Apparently the smell that comes out of your pores from a steady diet of the below deters mosquitoes. The items aren’t meant to be combined, they’re just different suggestions.

• Garlic
• B1 Vitamins
• Brewers Yeast
• Lemons

The next post will be about Mosquito Bite Itch Relief

Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland

Scientists warn that Eyjafjallajökull - the volcano in Iceland that caused quite some problems recently - will erupt soon again.

There are at least three web cameras in the area, and with a bit of luck, you can have a good look at the smoking volcano. Depending on the weather conditions, how busy the server is and the maintenance status of the cameras, it can take up to several minutes before you can actually see something.

Here are the links.

Camera in Thorolfsfelli
Camera in Hvolsvelli
Camera in Valahnjuk

(The photo has been taken from http://www.hotelskogar.is)

A wintertime visit at the site of Varnhem

The Cistercian brothers built a monastery town in Varnhem in 1148 and at the end of 1200 the monastery church was the biggest sacred building in Sweden. During the reformations of the 1500s the monastery was closed down and the church abandoned. One hundred years later, Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie paid for a restoration of the church but the monastery was left to decay.

The impressive church is the burial place of long gone eras "celebrities", like the Eric royal family, the founder of Stockholm Birger Jal and of course the church's saviour, Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie and his wife, the Princess Maria Eufrosyne.

The sad traces of human activities were more than obvious during this visit to Varnhem monastery church site. All-over the area, many of the old trees were cut down and the signs of wheels of some monstrous track were apparent on the snow.

The stone cross of a grave that had survived the destruction of time, was torn down by careless and irresponsible humans in a split second.
What time, reformations and raids had not manage to destroy, was shuttered into pieces by the deeds of the  21st century civilised human.

First of the Year Walk

It was almost noon when I woke up today, and the snow was falling quietly. Since I adore snowing, I thought it was a great opportunity to go for a walk.
Billingen was the destination and it seemed that half the population of Skövde had woken up with an urge to visit Billingen. Cross-country skiers were everywhere, just to make me feel jealous, while only few had chosen to ski down the slopes.

The temperature was about -12 C and the landscape, dressed in this beautiful white that only the nature knows how to produce and put on without making it "too much", was a joy to look at. This uncompromising  beauty was broken every here and there by all kinds of rubbish, indicating that here, last night, humans had been celebrating the arrival of 2010. Empty bottles, cans and plastic bags were scattered  in the snow, to remind us of how well balanced is our relation with the nature.

Nevertheless Billingen's inhabitants were posing proudly in front of the lens, dressed in their snow-white tunics.

The two lakes were of course frozen and the trails of deer could be seen on the fresh snow. It must have been snowing all night.

By the side of the path, the stream that used to talk to us non stop during our walks in the forest, was absolutely quiet. Massive crystals of unique shape had replaced the chattering waters, adding an extra touch to the tranquillity of the environment.

Living in Skövde is like living inside a Christmas card!

Våmb's meadows

Våmb's meadows and forest is a mosaic of open pasture, deciduous forest and scree.
The area is stunningly beautiful whatever the season is, with cherry trees in springtime or summer, dressed in green jacket and as beautiful during fall, when the deciduous forest is burning in autumn colours.
The finest hills close to the diabase slope are well-grazed, natural grasslands. Here grow common plants like  milkwort, eyebright and sand violas, which are small but unmistakably perfect.
The old fields, which are also browsed, are lined with rows of cherry and ash trees, and beautiful stone walls covered with moss.
Towards Skaravägen where the ground is richer in water, grows Ostrich fern, a fern that can grow as tall as 160cm.
The Nåpabäck that in places flows over limestone terraces, is one of several streams in the area. Many small and large animals can be seen in the fields.

In the fall, spotted nutcrackers gather hazelnuts eagerly, for their winter repository.
Early in the spring mornings, hares can be seen in the fields, fighting over females.
In the south, Våmb's meadows are adjacent to a golf course. Some areas of the court are treated as hay field and there grows a big  variety of species.
The meadows can be reached from Simsjövägen or from the resting area of the road to Skara.

According to the legend, the pretty little church of Våmb that lays on the other side of Skaravägen, was erected by St helena (Elin) during the 1130s on the site of a former pagan temple, which stood there for over 500 years, in the large village of Wam-Wam as Våmb was called during the 1270s.

At Hanahögen, just south of the church, there might have been a monastery.
In Gullhögen (where the Cementa factory is located today), a hoard of three not well crafted golden arm-rings one of which has engraved crescents, has been found.

Getaryggen

"Getaryggen"  is a unique and sharp ridge, nearly 1 km long, which rises 10-15 meters above the surrounding terrain. The ridge is covered with hardwood. Big oaks and beeches can be found standing proudly here and there.

Forest flowers, like baneberries, spring peas as well as crocus and coralroots, peep out through the sometimes dense shrub layer of hazel and hawthorn.

Along the ridge's crest there is a path that is beautiful to walk regardless of the season.

When the trees have lost their leaves, there is a magnificent view towards the Henes kame land formation in the southeast.

"Getaryggen" is located between the residential area of Hentorp and Skövde's golf court and can be reached easily from Heneskolan (in Hentorp) or Hene.