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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Gaily Painted Houses & Polkagris in Sweden

The tour bus stopped in Vatta, a small village overlooking Lake Vattern in southern Sweden, to let us check out the polkagris candy shop (more on that later). I headed into the village to stretch my legs and get these photos:

This "Falu" red is the most popular color for Swedish country houses and cottages. Used for centuries on wooden houses when people couldn't afford brick. The color comes from its copper, iron, and zinc additives.

After red, this mustardy yellow is the next popular color, especially on stucco.


Neat red-tile roof cottage with Lake Vattern for a view. European style of parking in front of house.

Wow! These colors say vacation home. Plenty of high windows to see the lake and bold contrast trim.

Loved the small neat cottage with wild garden, lake views, and red tiled roof.

Now about polkagris. Here's the candymaking shop in Vatta where our tour bus stopped to let us satisfy our sweet tooth with this century old Swedish candy.

Polkagris is named for the twisting polka dance because the ropes of red and white spun sugar are twisted together to make the candy canes. "Gris" is Swedish for "pig" and Swedes often add this to a name to be funny. Here's the many varieties of polkagris. Incidentally, it's pronounced like "polka grease" in English. . .

I didn't try it because it didn't come chocolate covered! Besides, enjoyed getting photos of typical Swedish homes instead.

5 comments:

Sayre said...

I love those houses!!!! Thinking of painting mine (maybe next year) and am always looking for color schemes...

Jan n Jer said...

The colors of these homes are so warm n inviting. They all look so clean n maintained, not to mention the views they have. LOL at the name of the candy...I reminds me a little of the ribbon candy we see here in the States! Your new camera did a great job with the pics..oh wait...I mean U did a great job Faye...LOL

Faye said...

sayre-I too was wild about the color choices. Alway fond of that red. In the day before vinyl siding, I painted my house and it has to be at least three colors, four with the roof.

janis-these houses had tiny street side yards filled with flowers and fruit trees. Got some great closeups of plums and apples on the trees, but held off including so post wouldn't be so long. Mostly the new camera did the work--on "auto". I just looked and pointed. One of the advantages of traveling alone--not needing to talk with a travel mate, just concentrating on the scenery.

Janice said...

My favorite is the "small neat cottage." Just perfect for cocooning with Camilla Lackberg's "The Ice Princess!"

Band said...

Hi,
I've been following your photo-reports from Sweden and must say that you have captured my country from its very best angels. So - Highest points for artistic presentation from the swedish judges.

And then some lecure-points on Sweden: The "Faluröd färg" (Falu-red color) has its origin from the copper-mines in the Province of Dalarna in mid-Sweden. The leftovers from the copper process was used to dye the color and it also has the very positive side effect of killing fungus that live on wood. This means that a wooden building regularly painted with "Faluröd" will last for very long..