Midsummer in Harplinge

Leaving Stockholm, we headed straight for Harplinge to meet some distant cousins. Made a stop for lunch at Vattern Lake (just northeast of Huskvarna) where everyone was swimming in a solar heated pool next to the lake since it was too cold. We slept over on the 21st, went right to the beach and sailed some (so much fun!), and played some new games... kubb (; and the next day prepared for the Midsummer festival! 

After a wonderful breakfast the following morning, we rode bicycles down the road in search of flowers. We ended up with two full buckets of flowers and myself with an ant-covered foot (stepped on an ant hill...). We rode to the field where we helped pick off bundles of small branches which were attached to the wood maypole with wire. Flowers brought by numerous people were added and then the streamers. Such an amazing experience, the best 24-hour moment of my life. After lunch we made midsommakrans and "roller-cake." Dancing around the maypole was fun as well, nothing like this in America. One memory I won't let slip is being in the store buying metric measuring cups while lights were shutting off on us. Even 24-7 stores close on holidays...