Gratitude Sunday: Both solitude and the best kind of company

I need both. Just like I need conversation and silence.

Today I am very grateful for:

• the rain! It has been so hot that I needed some cooling off. Actually now we have a little thunderstorm going on 
• friendship and true and special friends
•  the BEAUTIFUL moment I had with a special friend in her country, Norway
• and all of the presents I got from her: her time, conversation, sharing, caring and things she had made and prepared for me and that she afterwards sent for me via email (like this wonderful christian magazine)
• LOVELY emails
•  that I am quite ok despite of falling down yesterday. I once wrote about these health issues. Due to those my steps are not always steady and yesterday it happened that I fell. I hurt my leg quite badly but it could have been so much worse.
• the recent family vacation we had in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. We had such a great time there together.
• new yarn and many ideas - too many actually :)
• new knitting patterns
• that my summer cotton knit  ( kind of a t-shirt) is all done - hurray!! It is a simple little knit but still -  hurray!!
• the chocolate cake that is waiting for our family in the kitchen - it is a dessert after dinner but I have difficulties to be patient :)
• some new finds:
• Jordyn's blog I found today
• Melisa's blog and DIY ideas like this leather journal and this dream keeper

Photos:

1. Me wearing a cowl this beautiful lady kindly made for me! Cowl love! /Norway.

2. Hammars backar /Southern Sweden 

3. A.C. Perchs tearoom /Aarhus, Denmark

4. Me on a beach crocheting in silence /Mossby Sweden

5. + 6. + 7. Waffles and tea with a true friend tasting the teas and admiring the tings we gave to each other and  :) /Norway

I am wishing you a lovely day!!

Anu

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I really enjoy my visits in inspirational blogs. One of my favourites is Vibeke's A Butterfly in my hair and it was there where I found this idea of a Gratitude Sunday last year. Vibeke wrote that she tries to join in on Gratitude Sunday with Taryn and all the others over at her blog Wooly Moss Roots. I am thankful for this lovely idea for Taryn and for Vibeke who brought this to my attention.

  Almost exactly a year ago I started listing things I am grateful for here in english (In finnish I have done that on and off for years in my private diary). Those most important things I am grateful for in my life like my family and faith are the same as mentioned here. I have so much to be grateful for. We all do.

Soft and lovely

Right now I am in love with these colors I have gathered in my pictures. Soft pink, lilac, warm grey and sunlight. Can one say that sunlight is a color? At least for me it is ;)
Ooh, how I have enjoyed these summer days. I feel like I have almost been living inside a soft pink bubble. This bubble has taken me to a meadow after meadow. Free time, almost all the time in the world (except housework and all that ;)) for me and my loved ones to spend doing happy and inspiring things. We have just come home from a wonderful Scandinavia tour during which I got to meet my dear friend!!! It was heavenly! One knows when one has found a kindred spirit :)We traveled from Finland to Sweden, Denmark and Norway by car and ferries. There was something for everyone in our family. Our son's little feet got to run on a hot and soft beach in Mossby and in Copenhagen Tivoli plus Legoland. My husband got to enjoy his favorite bbq place and other things he likes and I got to meet my friend and pop in to tea and yarn boutiques. We all LOVED to explore the nature.
Now I am going to enjoy going through my photographs from our trip, knit a little (one tee is soon all done) and taste all of my new teas :)  I got sooo tasty tea from Vibeke on top of plenty of other wonderful things! Thank you!!! I love this cowl you made for me and that basket too (you can see a peek of the greyish basket in my first picture)!! I also had the opprtunity to visit A.C.Perch tea shop and salon in Copenhagen and Aarhus and on top of all this I visited Palais de The in Oslo.
Guess what else is on my mind? Well, what kind of a cardigan to knit out of this heavenly summer wool I bought from Pickles Oslo? I love to go through options. I would like it to be something quite simple so that the yarn would have all the attention.
I also wanted to share with you some pictures of a dress I sew on June. It is made of linen. I did not have any pattern but just improvised. I quite like how it turned out.

I am wishing you soul warming summer days!!
Anu

ps. I adore this cup I got from Ystad, Sweden. Maria Liliegren makes all kinds of funky ceramics. It was exiting to see her studio. My favorite is the series called ALBA. This Alba cup of mine is going to be much loved :)
pps. Can you see the text on the pink wall? It says: All people smile in the same language. So true!

Morning mist

Yesterday I went to Helsinki by train. I had my knitting needles with me and enjoyed a peaceful moment in the train admiring morning mist, knitting and drinking tea. I had a piece of Scotland with me (a scarf I bought this summer) and something lovely that reminds me of  beautiful friendship (a tote bag from dear friend). My trip was work related so I barely had any free time in Helsinki but still stole a moment for myself to have a nice cup of tea and "Ellen Svinhufvud" cake here. On my way back to the train station in the evening, I popped in a tiny, little book shop called Pocket shop and found a kind of special edition of one of my all time favourites. I will show you the book later this week end.
I have catched a cold...so I need to rest a bit this week end. I am still in my pyjamas and me and my pyjamas are now going to go to a little pizza party (pizza, pepsi and free time) our family has in the living room :)
Sending happy thoughts,

Anu

ps. I am happy, happy, happy about this skirt I found some time ago. This picture is far from good quality but just wanted to show you. It is so nice to find something lovely.

Silver Sands of Morar

We had some poetic moments there. I will remember that day forever. The mist come from the sea and everything was suddenly hidden inside a beautiful airy veil. We had a swim and some tea at the beach and there was a great silence around us untill we heard a steam locomotive  nearby. We could almost see monsieur Poirot walking on the beach - it all reminded us from  books and films.

Sweet thoughts to you,

Anu

ps. I have had a blog in finnish for several years. It is still here. Somehow last spring I felt like starting something new  from a little different angle and that is how Bluebir's diaries started - at first just for me but today I decided to share it too. I enjoy everyday aestetics, so you will find here something like that. If you found your way here, I hope my little nook will nourish also your soul because that is what is is to me. A place to be creative, breeth freely and enjoy meaninful little things in life.

I can see you

1. Forth William (my lovely son), 2. House of Bruar, 3. North Berrick, 4. Johnstons of Elgin, Elgin (my dear husband)

Luscious red, I think.

- Anu

Path to Glen Etive

Need I say more? Just beautiful.

There are numerous paths one can choose in life. Why is it sometimes so difficult to decide  weather to go right or left? This summer we have had too many crossroads and too many possible paths but we were so happy and blessed to find this particular one.

- Anu

On holiday

Highlands and Islands - here we come again!  It has been a year and oh, how have we missed you.

I packed a good book, some curiosity, my camera,  and some cozy clothes. Tomorrow, tomorrow...

Anu