Yarrow

Midsummer Eve is celebrated tomorrow and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is a holiday as big as Christmas here. Even if it is not marked as bank holiday, everything closes during Midsummer. The cities are being emptied during the afternoon today and early tomorrow morning. Ideally it is an outdoor festivity and the weather therefore plays an important part and the speculations about the weather even make some stores offering to refund money for certain purchases made some time before midsummer if the weather turns bad or good. It is interesting that it seems like it is only Sweden – as nation – that still celebrates midsummer on pagan grounds. The other Scandinavian countries (as have other European countries) have modified it to be a celebration of S:t John. According to old traditions, maidens should pick seven (in certain areas nine) flowers during the Midsummer night and put the flowers under the pillow, in order to dream about the man they are going to marry. So, with that in mind I went out today to capture seven wild flowers (cultivated flowers doesn’t count) in the meadows. Capture in photos, that is. I unfortunately don’t know the names of all flowers. My mother would be ashamed of my lack of knowledge. Happy Midsummer!

Oxeye Daisy

Dog rose

Bird’s-foot Trefoil                                               Timothy Grass in bloom

Cow Parsley

Red Clover