woMAN'S Bestfriend

People often ask me how I am adjusting to life here in Sweden. For the most part I would say that things have been going pretty well thanks to a few factors. The fact that I can have a Skype call with friends and family in California makes the world much smaller and manageable. The other thing that I have acess to that makes my life here less isolating and more fun is my dog Peete. He was born the day we arrived to Sweden and I feel he was made for us. Peete never makes judgments on me because of my poor Swedish. His only requirement of me is that I take him for a run around the lake and that I tell him he is a good dog in both Swedish and English at least 100 times a day just for being cute.

No matter what happens throughout the day it does not really matter as long as when I wake up the next morning I have a wonderfully good looking husband lying next to me and this little furry face at my feet. Most of the photos I have posted of Peete he has been outside, full of energy, with his ears up. I thought today I would show a side of him that only my husband and I get to see. In the morning Peete has his ears back and he is just like the cuddly puppy we picked up. Being able to see Peete in this sweet way really helps later in the day when he hits me with my own running shoes.

Everything I Love about Sweden on Ice

Just for an update of what is going on outside....more and more of what I like to call Swedish Summer on ice. The little village where I live year round comes alive during the summer because it has so many vacation homes and people who come to the lake to fish, swim and sunbathe. During the last part of the winter I start to think about what would happen if it became really hot suddenly. As soon as the ice thawed I could take the boat or swim to the Sauna that floats on the lake. The snow that has piled up on the picnic bench pictured would have melted and I could sit there again and have a fika with my friends.

To me the weather right now is the only thing keeping me from a number of things that I consider to be a part of living "The Swede Life". In order to get not so bummed about it I tell myself that it's ok, all the things I love about summer in Sweden are all still here, they are just on ice.

The good news is even though it is cold as hell, it looks pretty. All of you looking at this can enjoy the view objectively, without having to freeze your butt off like I did in order to take these photos.

Svensk Ost/Swedish Cheese

One of my first Swedish friends, Louise from Göteborg , is crazy about cheese. Every time I went to her house she served a wonderful spread of cheeses, fruit and crackers. Before I met Louise I liked cheese, but after I experienced her cheese service I enjoyed cheese on a new level. I found that the cheese she loves is not just any cheese, it's Swedish Cheese.

Now, I have been to France and I have enjoyed their cheese, but I have to say Swedish Cheese has defiantly been over looked for way too long.

I hate to say it but I think one of the only reasons French Cheeses are better known in United States is because of the French's abilities to market their products to Americans. I think if Swedes came to the US with the same confidence the French have in their cheese, Swedish Cheese would be a mainstay in the American Food Industry.

This cheese market is called Bengtson's Ost, located in Lund right across the street from St. Jacobs Bakery (the place I wrote about on Valentine's Day). I have never seen such a large space dedicated to cheese and cheese only. Not only do they have the best and most unique Swedish Cheeses, they also have cheese from all over the world. The shop owner, Lars is pictured above and he was really sweet about letting me wonder around the shop to take a million photos. From talking with him a bit I realized that my knowledge of Swedish Cheese is still very limited. I will update you all on what types Swedish Ost  (cheese in Swedish) are not to be missed. So far my favorites are Prast and Graddost.