candles

lent has begun. as last week passed, christians around the world began their six week reflective season before easter. a time of remembering who we are and where we are headed in this life.…

right now, in the northern hemisphere, we are literally stuck in darkness. the days just keep getting shorter and shorter. the darkness is heavy + thick. and we are waiting. waiting for the light…

today’s post is all about one of my other favorite things (besides travel and photography and spirituality!)… nesting. and what i mean by that is creating a home that is warm, inviting, friendly, comfortable,…

happy friday, friends! here in the mcguire-eriksson household things are full speed ahead with preparations for a full-blown housewarming/christmas party called “eat, drink, & be merry”! that’s right. tonight we’re the hosts with the…

i’ve got nothing special planned today – which is always a good thing in my world. it’s really gray outside. drizzly and chilly. and the hard rain, with possible thunderstorms, is on it’s way.…

my weekend was everything i hoped it would be. it started off with dinner on the balcony as the sun set and the moon rose. i soaked ernest hemingway’s words into my soul, and…

today i had the privilege of sitting in on a massage session, and getting a little behind the scenes view/under the table lesson on tactile massage. i entered the room, lit by candles and…

i think that the weather forecast shows that it is supposed to warm up a little bit in the next few days – and by “warm up”, i mean 0C/32F. but, i’m not counting…

happy saturday, my friends. i don’t have that much to say right now… or perhaps i do, but my words are reserved for another purpose. but, i thought i’d just post a little pic…

snowstorm + coffee +christmas music + reading + writing +candles sending out a cozy, wintry, monday morning greeting from snowy sweden to all of you, all over the world. peace.…

friday. saturday. sunday. first weekend in december… check. cooking. baking. snow. the theater. family visitors. friends. open house. thanksgiving. more snow. christmas market. church. work. advent. christmas market. thanksgiving again. candles. sunday night collapse on…

a great big thank you to positively present for inspiring me during november to find something to be thankful for every day! november has now come to a close, and i’m celebrating the last…

“Now and then sprays of rain flew over and misted our faces. Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn’t help but…

“Even as a child, she had preferred night to day, had enjoyed sitting out in the yard after sunset, under the star-speckled sky listening to frogs and crickets. Darkness soothed. It softened the sharp…

this month is looking good! CD release party. woo hoo. road trip to skåne (southern sweden) for a traditional family goose dinner. my love & i loooove skåne! a pop over to denmark on the…

one down and two to go. days of work, that is. tonight i met with the youth. it went well, though many of them were out of town/busy. still the ones that were there…

it’s unusually warm today. like 20/21 celsius or 72ish fahrenheit. and really weird out. sunny, stormy, damp, rainy, humid. like something’s coming. like a change is gonna come. but, i guess changes actually are…

week three. done! and i’m still lovin’ this challenge. gives me something to look forward to each day – something creative & fun to add to my day. this week has been crazy busy,…

some days you expect the sun to shine, and instead rain falls from the sky. and then, other days, you believe it will be rainy & cold, only to realize that the sun breaks…

many of you know that i’ve (we’ve) got one of my (our) friends from the states with us this week! not only is it super great to have some time to talk & catch…

got my bottomless cup of coffee. lovely french music (sandrine kiberlain) in the background. two candles lit. a snuggly blanket to take the chill off. and cozy clothes on. my workday has begun… a…

it’s here. the longest night of the year. today is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere of the world. the shortest day of the year, which means that there is more darkness today…

say yes. keep walking. never give up. listen to your soul talking to you. and if you’re scared, take a breath & then jump! it’s all worth it, i promise. embrace life and know…

good saturday night, my dear friends. it’s a cold one here in sweden. in case you are dying for a weather update (and even if you’re not, you’re gonna get one. hehe)… there is…

well, it’s the end of november and we’ve celebrated thanksgiving – that cozy all-american holiday. lots of planning, lots of waiting, lots of cooking, a little stress thrown in, & lots of food. yes,…

November comes And November goes, With the last red berries And the first white snows. With night coming early, And dawn coming late, And ice in the bucket And frost by the gate. The…

for those of us in europe, the time changed last weekend. for those of you in the states, it changed last night. that means that it is the time of year when it becomes…

it’s late afternoon and the candles around me, the coffee warming me, the raindrops dripping down my windows, and the music playing in the background are all creating a warm, inspiring, calm feeling inside…

feels like a typical fall, october day today. after taking care of business this morning – me working at church & lina home cleaning & organizing, we settled down for our first afternoon together…

it’s here! this beautiful time of year!!! cool, crisp air. colorful leaves. fuzzy blankets. cozy, warm homes. and soon… pumpkins!! the entrance into our apartment. outside our kitchen window. just lovely. happy first day…

it’s sunday night. and completely dark out. in fact, it’s been dark for at least two hours now. the day was cloudy and chilly, and we stayed home. just hangin’ out. it feels like…