From flax to linnen, part 1

 After a long snowy winter, spring came cold and wet. Drizzly days followed one after the other. But one day it was suddenly there, summer heat! Deep blue skies and the sun's rays caressed the earth. The greenery exploded overnight. Hawthorn, lilac, and apple trees sprouted and bloomed, and our whole garden was covered in the delicious sweet floral scents.

On one of these beautiful spring days, somewhere at the end of April, a bag of flaxseeds arrived in our mailbox. I had signed up for a textile museums project here in Sweden. These send everyone who participates enough seeds for 1 squaremeter, with a newsletter about the history of flax and linen, how to sow, harvest and process. Until the late 1800s, linen was an important crop, especially for making undergarments. Later this was completely taken over by cotton, which could be produced more easily and cheaper. Now almost no flax is grown for linen anymore and so an important handicraft is lost and with this project they hope that the knowledge will be preserved.

Now that the white wagtail, which symbolizes the sowing time, has arrived again, it is time to sow my square meter. The birds were chirping in the hazel bushes that began to sprout along our homestead and the first bumblebees buzzed by. I had taken a good look at the garden to find a nice spot for my flax, preferably sunny and not fertilized. Finally I sowed them near the well. Soon the green stalks were sticking up from the black ground and just as the hay harvest was in full swing, the flax was blooming so beautifully! The frail blue flowers swayed in a warm summer breeze. I wasn't the only one who enjoyed it, bumblebees, and all sorts of other insects loved it too.

Summer was slowly coming to an end and the last flowers of the flax had finished blooming and the seed pods started to rattle and it was time to harvest the flax. The sheaves were then allowed to dry upside down in the shed. Then it was time to the rippling, that is, to remove the seed pods from the flax. Unfortunately I didn't have a very nice ripple comb, but it went well with an old mane comb from the ponies grooming box. Now I can sow 5-6 square meters next year!

I put the flax stalks on the lawn after the rippling. Neatly spread out so that all stems are in front of them and all root ends are in the same direction. They have to stay in the wind and weather for ten days and then you turn them over to "rot" them for a few more days. After this, the flax is ready to be processed into real linen. More on that later

Grow your own hat, sowing rye

A light autumn breeze has picked up this morning, the trees sway gently back and forth. The warm rays of the sun caress my face and the first yellow autumn leaves flutter around me. Clouds glide past against the clear blue sky. It's already the end of September! The hectic days of summer have flown by.

Most of the harvest has already come in from the garden, and the last flowers are in full bloom, until the first frost takes the life out of them. I made the cultivation bed ready to sow my rye today. With the hoe I make shallow furrows. The mixed scents of the freshly turned earth, the sweet scent of the fallen apples give a feeling of satisfaction. 

When I sow the seeds a little later, the silence is broken by the geese's loud cackling. Such a large V-formation of geese is always fascinating to see (and hear). I think they are so wise that they know exactly when the cold will come and then fly south. I wish them a good trip and look after them until they become smaller and smaller dots on the horizon. This makes me realize that winter is really just around the corner, despite the still mild temperatures. With the rake I work the seeds underneath and now I have to wait.

But in my mind I can already see the rye, waving in a calm summer breeze, and then after the harvest I see myself sitting on the porch. To carefully braid and sew the straws together into a new hat for me or my husband .... But that is the future. Let me now just make sure that the potatoes and other root vegetables come into storage.

cleaning the carpet in the snow

Outside, the world has been white for almost 4 weeks and it is cracking cold this morning. The thermometer read -18 celsius early this morning and the stove has to work hard to get and keep the little house warm. The mornings are the worst, when you have to get out of your warm bed into the cold. Break the ice in the water vessel in the kitchen to get water for the tea.

Everything is so beautiful it almost hurts, hoarfrost lies like a thick blanket over all the branches and glistens in the winter sun. Yesterday it was just as beautiful when we were working with the pony in the woods.

A little later I drag the carpet from the living room into the snow. Now that it's so cold, you can wash them just fine. It is not difficult and environmentally friendly too. It's not every year that I get the chance to do this, because apart from the frost and preferably cold, you need soft powder snow. Earlier in the year we already had snow, but it was too wet and lumpy, so it won't work. Most I know let the mat hang outside for a while before they put it in the snow so that it cools down well and the snow doesn't melt but that is not necessary for me... It was still cold enough after last night ....

Both sides of the carpet get their turn with snow and the brush. I throw shovels full of snow on the carpet and brush it off again, drag the carpet to a clean spot and repeat a few more times until I get too cold. I drag the carpet to the porch where I hang it over the balustrade and knock out the last of the snow. The mat is now completely fluffy again and shines with radiant deep colors and smells so clean and fresh.

After I have cleaned the rest of the living room, I roll up the carpet and take it inside. Now the living room is cozy and homely again. The sun shines nicely through the windows.

 

As the days lengthen, I long for the promises and expectations that spring will bring. Birds flutter to and fro, singing a shy tone on this cold winter day. As if they know that winter will now slowly fade away. Cold days and nights will certainly come, but if you take a deep breath you can already smell the scent of spring.

Winter wonderland

The little house was now covered in snow. A small plume of smoke rose from the chimney. The branches of the big spruce trees groaned under the weight of their white burden. Yes, now winter had really set in here in the north.

Homestead kitchen

New Years Eve had slipped by almost unnoticed and so the 12 days of Christmas with all its accompanying festivities were behind us.

Since the summer we have been renovating our homestead kitchen, part of which you have already read in this blog, the renovation part 1 . We have recently covered the rough beams with paneling. In addition to the tongue and groove, these planks have an extra ridge. This type of wallcovering was widely used in Swedish kitchens from the late 1800s and certainly into the 1930s.

I thought it was funny that I had already determined the colors for the new kitchen and that while sanding the door we found out that it had also been in this color before. Then it had to be right ;) After the wall was finished, we could start on the kitchen cabinets. And now we have a real Pettson kitchen :)

Now this half of the kitchen is almost ready and we can continue this year with the other half, where a door has to be moved, replace a door, then the floor could use a lick of paint and the finish between the wall and the ceiling ... But it's slowly starting to take shape.

winter wonderland

The sky is gray and heavy. Here and there a flake flutters down. With every step my shoes sink deeply. Except for the crunch of the snow under our shoes, it is dead quiet. The pony effortlessly pulls the fully loaded sled to the barn, where there is already a mountain of logs. Gradually, the flakes begin to thicken and fall closer together. I hold up my hand and catch a few, the little crystals glistening in my hand. Welcome to winter wonderland.

God Jul

 "Now it's Christmas. Can you feel it too? The smell of baking day hangs around all the houses and farms, and the Christmas dough ferments over the dishes and the Christmas loaves lie like shiny eels"

Stot Anders Andersson (1865-1889)

I lug baskets full of branches in for the annual Christmas baking day. The wet footprints form a trail from the outside door to the wood box. Another basket.... Slide, slide, down the muddy path past the barn.

Over the past few days, Sander has been working hard on the new kitchen so that it can be used on this day. It's not quite finished yet, but now at least the top is ready for use since last night. It's going to be so beautiful! Until recently it was a pile of planks in the shed and now a beautiful kitchen unit is slowly emerging. It has had some headaches because the house is not completely square and straight, or rather a kind of skewed ..... Here you have no use for tools such as a carpenter square or a level tool, no, Sander is making it by sight. After all, the eye must also see it in the end :) With a handsaw, a screwdriver, a hoof rasp and toeing knife (farrier for sure ;)) and a hammer he makes the most beautiful things!

In the living room there is already a dough for white bread and a Christmas stollen rising in the heat and a batter for waffles. A "rån" waffle is a sweet, thin, hard waffle that is traditionally baked and eaten around the turn of the year, and I believe it originated in Norway. We'll see what happens because the last time I baked these wafers it was kind of a failure... They baked kind of into the waffle iron and could only get them crumbled off, luckily the crumbs were very tasty.. ..

The days are so short now and the light fades before you know it, with the sunrise around 8:30 am and the sunset 7 hours later at 4:30 am On a dark day it sometimes seems dim all day although in the Netherlands this was somtimes also the case.

The scent of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves mingle with that of the freshly grated lemon and orange. I slide one baking tin after the other into the oven to finish baking. I squeeze a little juice from a lemon over the bowl with almond mass and add one of the freshly laid eggs. My mouth is watering at the idea of ​​the freshly baked Christmas stollen with almond paste, mmm.

While the loaves are baking in the oven, it's time to bake the waffles. It is definitely better than last time... They are now a kind of chunks instead of crumbs... But this will require some practice in the coming time to make a few presentable wafers.

It is well after sunset before I have finished all baking and we can sit down to try the first cookies with a cup of tea.

And so we arrive on Christmas Eve. The morning was immediately bright and clear. The woolly ponies happily frolic along to graze on the rear pasture for a few hours. After that, the house and barn are cleaned up for the upcoming festivities. Wintergreen wreaths decorated with red bows are hung on the doors and at the entrance. In the afternoon we surprise a few friends with a visit and a basket full of cookies and sandwiches. Where we get surprised with coffee, tea and cake on the veranda. A cozy get-together, full of catching up and laughter. It's getting cold by the time we head home. The red sky in the west forecasts a cold night into Christmas Day.

The pleasant warmth in the house forms a stark contrast when you come from outside. Together we decorate our Christmas tree. Rocking horses made of fabric and hearts, woven straw pendants and angels decorate the tree, but I like my wooden Christmas bells best, they get their place of honor in the tree. Then I have to go to the shed, with my eyes closed, Sander guides me to the spot. In between all the chores he made me a beautiful writing table, which is strong enough to carry my knitting machine. Together we carry it home and make a nice place for it. Then it's my turn to give my present. Looks stylish doesn't it, this new jacket :)

And thus also this joyful day comes to an end.

Winter is on it´s way

 I felt it right this morning. There was something. I couldn't put my finger on it.... It seemed so light in the bedroom, had we overslept!? I shot off  the bed and shudder, brrr it's cold! I peek out through the curtains. Snow! It snowed last night! The sky is clear blue and in the east the red glow betrays the rising of the sun. What a change after the last few weeks when it was dark and sad.

The chickens continue to turn in the doorway, crestfallen. They don't like snow, even if it's just a little. Resolutely they turn around and step back into the sleeping loft. I break the layer of ice on their water bowl and lure them out with a little food. They don't like it at all and are loudly complaining. But the ponies and the dog, on the other hand, love it, just like us.

If I want to use the outside toilet I need a hammer to release the latch. Frozen! That's what happens when it rains one day and freezes the next... Ice flowers had grown all over the window last night. I find it fascinating that different ice crystals form on the windows under certain temperatures and conditions. This time it wasn't so spectacular with just star-shaped crystals but other times... Reminds me of our little house in Germany. In the kitchen we also had single glass and we cooked on a gas stove and we did not have an extractor hood. In the winter it became very damp in the kitchen and when it froze new shapes grew on the windows. One winter it was so cold that the ice layer was up to a centimeter thick. So on the inside, huh! Then you no longer saw flowers, but it had become a kind of frosted glass. After the temperatures rose again above freezing point, I was happy with our tiled floor, everything was wet....

After lunch I go out for a walk with the dog, who has not seen such long walks in recent days. In the forest it is still white, but when we get a little further on the plain, all the snow has already melted away. The dog is looking forward to it and keeps up the pace. After days of sitting with my sewing, it's great to go for a walk. When we go home again, the sun is slowly setting. You can really notice that we are steering on the dark days before Christmas. When we are back home the dripping of the trees has stopped and there are small ice pearls hanging from the branches. What will the weather bring tomorrow?

haying when the sun shines

How many times did I climb the old ladder today? I have lost count by now. Slowly trickles the sweat from my face down my neck. With the pitchfork, Sander throws the hay up the hayloft. I insert the pitchfork into the hay and slide over the old plank floor to the back, then quickly down the ladder to get the next load. We walk back to the meadow with each a wheelbarrow. Why did the old cart have to be broken just now? Misery never seems to come alone. I set my mind to zero, it´s only to continue now. Hey! Did I feel a drop!? I look up and see that even though I am standing in the burning sun, thick clouds are starting to gather. We increase the work rate and quickly fill up the carts and bring the next load to the barn. Phew, it is sweltering today and even the breath of wind that arises cannot bring the comfort we so long for.

The week started so well. The grass was long and herbs were in full bloom.
The scythes sang while the fragrant grass was cut rhythmically. When I stretch my back I see the rows of cut grass behind me. How thick it is this year! I take the whetstone out of the holder to sharpen the scythe. While we each continue in our own rhythm of mowing and whetting, after a little more than 3 hours we have half the meadow ready.
After a hearty breakfast, it's time to spread out all the grass so that the sun and wind can do their job of drying it.

In recent years we have let it dry on "hässjor" every time, but this year we want to try drying it on the field and so we can drive it right in. Now that we have so much hay left of last year, we can afford to experiment a bit with different techniques.

After so many hours of mowing and whetting, it is time for the scythes to be sharpened with the peening anvil. A rhythmic hammer sounds when Sander has placed the peening anvil in the ground in front of him and carefully knocks the cutting edge of the scythe blade.

The next day we mow the 2nd half of the field and shake the grass well again. The weather forecast is looking good and now all we have to do is let it dry before we can put it on the hayloft.

The grass dries nicely in the sun and crunches so beautifully when we shake it. We drop into one of the windrows and enjoy a cold bottle of water, mmm. A few sheep clouds float by. In the distance, a few cows roar and you can hear the soft tinkling of the cowbell. The idyll of country life seems to have become reality ....

Until this morning. The weather forecasts are changing hourly. A large front with thunderstorms and extreme rainfall is slowly moving this way. Now the hay has to go in! It was also time, but with this on the horizon we are walking our feet out from under our bodies, taking the heat of the day for granted. I grab the handles of the overloaded wheelbarrow and drag it behind me. Over the bumps and through the holes. It almost tilts when I trip over a stone, but luckily I keep it upright. The cloud cover is getting darker and darker and gusts of wind and windlessness follow each other. Come on, go on! One more time I climb the ladder. I have no eye for that the hayloft fills up nicely. Another load ready. Down again. There is a deep rumble in the distance and the sky turns a deep purple. I look at the field, we are almost done. Shall we make it?

Bang, Sander closes the hayloft door with a bang. Successful! The hay is in! The first drops start to fall. First one and then another one. The wind picks up slowly. The beautiful weather is now long gone. We run to the house when the rain breaks loose. A thick lightning bolt and a big bang almost simultaneously. The glasses vibrate in the frames. We look at each other. That was close! We look through the windows in terror. Fortunately not the barn! When I look through the small window of the door, there I see it. The bottom half of the trunk of a large tree has the crack completely cut off. Even from here, I see the pieces. Phew, that was close by, at most 30 meters. But it all went well. We are safely inside and the hay is in the barn. This was a laborious week!