French journeying

[Written on September 9th] We left Peyresq early in the morning, everyone tired from the party the night before. Saying goodbye to the tutors and some of the lecturers in the village square, most of the participants at the airport, the last few at Nice train station. Wondering who I would see again, at conferencesContinue reading “French journeying”

shades of a valley

Almost two weeks in Peyresq, and still I never got used to the view. The valley changed faces depending on time of day, weather. The color of the light. I could never not stop and marvel. Breathe it in. I think a place like this inspires open minds, big thoughts. They have chosen location wellContinue reading “shades of a valley”

small coincidences in life

When overwhelmed with big ideas and new people, it can be nice to cling to the small things. Like a coincidence: At the summer school, I met a German PhD student who is studying different ways in which the concept ‘multifunctional landscapes’ has been studied. Already that is interesting to a certain degree, since theContinue reading “small coincidences in life”

an alpine train ride

[Written on August 28th] Getting up when the mist still lingers over the Zürich lake, saying goodbye to Maija and taking the tram to the train station. A heaviness in my head, hoping it’s just tiredness – sensing it’s probably not. Changing trains in Geneva, the only things I see of it are some artsyContinue reading “an alpine train ride”

the green domes of Zürich & words of care

Of course I visited the botanic garden in Zürich too. I’ve been trying to figure it out. Where this interest comes from. My obsession with botanic gardens. I’d like to say there’s something profound about it – but maybe it’s just a type of collection. I come from a family of collectors, list-makers and chroniclers.Continue reading “the green domes of Zürich & words of care”

Zürich, in between the mountains

[Written on August 28th] Not that two days in Zürich makes me knowledgeable in any way – but Switzerland sure feels like a surprisingly coherent mixture of being in the center of Europe, and being other, apart. In Zürich, where German is spoken, I’m not surprised to recognize so much from southern Germany and AustriaContinue reading “Zürich, in between the mountains”

on a winding rail from Stockholm to Zürich

[Written on August 25th] The conference ended and I barely slept before I got on a train the next morning, over-packed and feeling almost like one of those eggs that kids make at Easter, emptied, fragile. But afternoon in Copenhagen was beautiful. I was staying with an old classmate from before the turn of theContinue reading “on a winding rail from Stockholm to Zürich”

art in the forest

Strictly speaking not a botanic garden, but I can be generous in my definitions. Smack in the middle of my study area, in the municipality of Östra Göinge, lies the castle Wanås. It has a history stretching back into the 15th century and the castle played an important role in the wars between Sweden andContinue reading “art in the forest”