Meteor Crater Right Outside Our House!

Idag körde vi runt Siljansringen. Det är Europas största nedslagskrater som skapades för miljontals år sedan när en meteor slog ned. Man ser på kartan att det är en tydlig ring av sjöar. 
English: We drove around something called "Siljansringen" today. It's Europe's largest impact crater and was created millions of years ago when a meteor hit earth. On the map you can see that there's a circle of lakes.

(Don't mind the marker) We drove around the whole crater. SO pretty! We live by the east part of the circle. 

"Whatcho lookin at?" he says

Highland Cattle are so awesome. And look at the baby! 

I wonder how many animals are hiding amongst these trees! 

We drove past this odd looking house. 

We visited some friends along the way and they had this little dwarf parrot who was 15 years old!! He was so adorable and cuddly and I wished he was mine! ;)  

Macarons Make for a Marvelous Munch

Macarons är väldigt gott. Första gången jag åt en var med min kompis Azure i San Francisco. Vi satt på ett té café (?) och tjejen som jobbade kom fram och gav oss en trasig macaron som hon sa att de ändå inte kunde sälja. Det var en jasmin macaron som var så jävla god att jag ville sparka bakut och springa ett varv runt kvarteret naken.

Iaf, jag och min syster bakade hallon och citron makarons igår och de blev faktiskt jättegoda fast det var vårt första försök. 

English: Macarons are super good. The first time I tried one was with my friend Azure in San Francisco. We were at a tea café (?) and the girl who worked there gave us a broken one because she said she wouldn't be able to sell it anyway. It was a jasmin flavored macaron and it was so good I wanted to take off all my clothes and run a lap around the block.

Anyway, my sister and I made raspberry and lemon ones yesterday and they actually turned out exceptionally good seeing as it was our first try. 

For the filling, just use a regular buttercream recipe and flavor with whatever you like! 

Let them set for AN HOUR before baking! Très important!

Ok, so this was the first batch that came out of the oven. The recipe said to let the batter dots REST and SET for an hour before putting them in the oven. Of course I thought half an hour was enough but no. They cracked. 

Here, look how ambitious I am. I drew a picture so you can understand the importance of letting the gosh darn macaron rest! 

Sweet sugary goodness 

A Christmas Skin Miracle

Jag har länge haft problem med min hy. Torr, ojämn i tonen och jag får ofta utslag. Så hittar jag det här tipset och vips så har jag typ normal hy! Mitt värsta ställe har alltid varit mellan ögonbrynen och nu har det plötsligt blivit lent och finnfritt! Min snälla pappa fick också en behandling och han blev len som en persika. 

English: I've had difficult skin for a long time. It's dry, uneven in tone and I often get spots. Then I found this tip and suddenly I have (close to) normal skin! My worst spot has always been between my eyebrows and now it's smooth and zit free! My dear father got a facial treatment too and he's as smooth as a peach! 

TRY IT!! 

Christmas Eve Walk

Vi gick på en morgonpromenad på julafton och stannade till hos grannen för att kika på hennes kaniner. Dom är jättesöta och fluffiga och de verkar ha det riktigt mysigt i sina bon. De fick lite äppelbitar att mumsa på. Tänk vad mysigt det skulle vara att ha en liten kanin att gosa med! Jag har hört att man kan lära dem att gå på låda och att de kan springa omkring fritt i huset typ som en katt eller hund.
Tui la sig i en snödriva och kämpade för att komma upp. Han såg ut som en sköldpadda tills Anna kom till hans undsättning.

English: We went for a morning walk on Christmas Eve and stopped by our neighbor's house to have a look at the bunny rabbits. They're so precious and fluffy and they seemed so warm and cozy in their little nests. We gave them little pieces of apple and watched them snack away. How awesome would it be to have a little bunny to cuddle with? I heard you can teach them to use a litter box and have them running around the house freely like a dog or a cat.
Tui laid down in the snow and struggled to get up. He looked like a turtle until Anna came to his rescue.

What's hiding behind the curtain?

"What the hell is this crap? I want cigarettes and whiskey!" 

Tui the turtle

Look at all those eager hands! 

I wonder if I put enough cinnamon on my porridge

Christmas breakfast!

The fire crackled and popped. 

Sen gick jag till jobbet och diskade i fem timmar. 

Then I went to work to do the dishes for five hours. 

Food, Cookies, Sugar, Candy, Food, Candy, Cookies.

Jag provade att göra Martha Stewarts "eggnog" idag och det var en hit! Istället för sprit hade jag i romarom vilket var asgott.
Jag halverade receptet och det blev perfekt till 5 små koppar. Om jag skulle göra om det skulle jag även halvera sockermängden ytterligare eftersom det känns som att jag har 15 hål i tänderna och borderline diabetes efter en kopp.

Mitt modifierade recept:
5 små koppar

- 6 ägggulor
- 5 dl mjölk
- 3/4 dl socker
- 1 tsk romarom
- Vispad grädde 
- Färskriven muskot

I medelstor kastrull, vispa mjölk och socker på medelvärme tills sockret är upplöst, 1 till 2 minuter. I en stor skål, vispa äggulor. Vispa hela tiden, häll den varma blandningen i äggulorna i en långsam och stadig ström.
Häll tillbaka blandningen i kastrullen. Över låg värme, rör om ofta tills den är tjock nog att belägga baksidan av sked, 20 till 25 minuter. Låt inte sjuda. Rör i romarom. Garnera med muskot och klicka på en tesked grädde.

English: I made Marta Stewart's eggnog today and it was a success! Instead of alcohol I used rum extract (flavor?) which was super tasty!
I only made half the amount of the recipe which turned out perfect for five small cups. If I was to do it again I would use half the sugar of the recipe calls for (that would be a quarter of the original amount) because it feels like I have 15 cavities and borderline diabetes after just one cup.

Here is my modified recipe:
Makes 5 small cups

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp rum extract or flavoring
• Whipped cream, just enough to put a teaspoon on each
• Grated nutmeg

• In medium saucepan, whisk milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks. Whisking constantly, pour hot mixture into yolks in a slow and steady stream

• Return mixture to pan; cook over low heat, stirring often, until thick enough to coat back of spoon, 20 to 25 minutes; do not let simmer. Stir in rum extract. Garnish with nutmeg and a dab of whipped cream.

A teaspoon of whipped cream and some freshly grated nutmeg makes for perfection.

Here's a guy who likes eggnog!

This was our lunch today! Festive, huh? 

Moose Tracks as Promised!

Jag lånade grannens hund Zacke på promenaden imorse. Han har sina olika stop på vägen, till exempel en sten och ett halvt träd. Jävlar vad han skäller och biter. Riktigt vild blir han!
Jag såg också en älg. Hon bara stod och glodde fast hunden skällde och vi kom närmre. Efter ett tag lunkade hon iväg med näsan i vädret helt oberörd.

English: I borrowed the neighbor's dog this morning when I went for my walk. He has his special stops along the way, like a big rock and half a tree. He barks like a madman when he sees them!
I also saw a moose. She just stood there staring even though the dog was barking and we were coming closer. After a while she trotted away like nothing happened.

There she is... acting all cool. "I'll put you in my stew!" I yelled as she casually trotted away.
(Do I use the word 'trot' too much?) 

I told you I would find some hoof prints! This one is from the moose. So it's definitely super fresh! :)

He either loves or hates this rock. No way to tell. 

The wild beast returns

Here is that tree he hates... or loves. Look at what a big chunk he has chewed off! 

Every Excuse Before Getting Up

Att gå på promenad varje morgon klockan 9 är tråkigt först men skönt efter. Om det ligger ny snö får man ofta se spår av olika djur som har varit ute och traskat runt i smyg.

English: Walking every morning at 9 am is hard at first but nice afterwards. If you're lucky and the snow is fresh you often get to see tracks from different animals that have been trotting around when no one was looking.

At 9 am the sun isn't upp all the way yet

My beloved shoes from Goodwill! They can be seen from space. 

Mother swishes by in a blur. 

When I say animal tracks this is not what I meant. I probably should've included some pictures of actual foot prints... I'll look for some tomorrow. 

Off to Church

Nej, jag har inte blivit religiös. De sjöng in julen i Boda Kyrka, riktigt mysigt! Kyrkan är jättefin och kvällen bjöd på körsång, Helga Natt i teckenspråk och musik av Boda Spelmanslag.  Tänk att jag uppskattar sånt här nu för tiden! 

English: No, I haven't become religious. They welcomed Christmas in Boda Kyrka (the local church), and it was really nice! The church is so beautiful and the choir sang songs, "O Holy Night" in sign language and music by Boda Spelmanslag. To think I've become one of those people who appreciates this sort of stuff... I had a great time! And I realize that you might know what the heck "Lucia" is so here is a link.

"I'm freezing my balls off!" 

Here they come! That's my neighbor! She's the owner of the German Shepherd we babysat dogsat a few weeks ago.

And here comes Lucia...

"Fa la la la la la la la laaaaa" 

Usually it's kids doing the Lucia stuff, but I think it's better when adults do it on their own conditions instead of forcing kids to do it in school. (ok, that's my mother talking, but I agree.)
And do you see that boot sticking out on the left? That's the sign language lady, I know her!

These ladies took turns crying and sleeping. 

There is that dress I want! 

To Fur Or Not To Fur

Idag var vi på Rättviks julmarknad. Det snöade och blåste så in i helskotta ute, och som tur var var marknaden inomhus. Iallafall, bilden nedanför kanske är lite kontroversiell. Vad tycker ni? Kan man köpa en renfäll? Det tycker jag att man kan... Dessa renar är var från Idre och har levt ute och haft det bra. Men det är ju skillnad på päls och päls, jag tycker att så länge man vet och är ok med varifrån produkten kommer och under vilka omständigheter de har levt, så är det inte värre än att äta kött (på samma villkor).  

English: Today we went to the christmas market here in Rättvik. It was super snowy and windy outside, but luckily the market was held inside. Anyway the picture below might be a little controversial. What do you think? Is it wrong to buy a reindeer skin? I don't think so. These reindeer are were from a place in Sweden called Idre and have spent their lives outside and had a good life. Obviously it's not always ok to buy fur , but as long as you know and are ok with where the product is from and under which circumstances the animal was held, I don't think it's any worse than eating meat (on the same conditions). 

I tried my best to look nice and pleasant, but somehow I ended up looking kind of evil. Of course I didn't mean to look so short either but that's just nature. 

My new (faux suede ;-) shoes. 

Check out these ladies! They're wearing the traditional dress of Rättvik. 

Wool slippers. They look comfy, huh? 

This guy! He was making mustard in a bowl with a canon ball! (Can you see it?) How cool is that? He had inherited them along with the recipe from his mother. I got to taste it and it was sooo delicious! They also had a whiskey flavored mustard which was my favorite (go figure..). We bought three jars! 

This is the cheese lady. Her blue cheese was the bomb. Of course we had to buy three of those too haha!
And what was even more note worthy was the fact that she had a full on mustache! She didn't seem bothered or ashamed by it either which I think is awesome. 

Jams, jellies and marmelade. What's the difference anyway?