Just back from three weeks of ‘holidays’ in Germany and summer is over here in Sweden. Yay. Since it’s bucketing down today and the little one is sleeping, I finally have some time to write again. So I’ll grab the opportunity and show you some pictures of a three-week wedding marathon and the few days of calm in between 🙂

We started the trip down from Stockholm with two little ones and a  rental car that hated us to Sauerland in Germany for the first of two weddings. I’ve never been to that region before, so we planned for a week of relaxing before the family visits and all. A good choice it was, too! It’s actually quite pretty, when it’s not pouring. I guess this summer hasn’t been a great one anywhere in the north of Europe, has it?

Although I didn’t try to find yarn stores on the way (I still haven’t bought any new yarn this year!! Applause, please!!) I have seen some around. Trying not to go inside was the hardest thing! But there were many beautiful things to see and do, and Travel Turtle made some new friends quickly, like this lovely kitten here.

After the week we started  the family-visiting-part and introduced the little one to the rest of the crew and friends. This is where my husband grew up: Haldensleben, Germany

And Travel Turtle met a friend here, too! This one Turtle met at the Wollfest Hamburg (read more here) already and it was great meeting him again!

We spent the breaks improving our yoga skills (haha, not really, it was a house built upside down 😛 in Bispingen, Germany)

and after a while we made it to my home town, Stade. I always feel like a tourist when I’m back. This place is mesmerizingly beautiful and I’m blessed to have grown up here. It’s packed with biking tourists during spring and summer and feels cozy and small all year long. It sits in the middle of the biggest fruit growing area in Europe called Altes Land surrounded by beautiful (and very flat!) landscape that makes for excellent leisurely biking trips. Check out their tourism page if you’re interested in going!

On the way back we stayed in Kalmar, Sweden, which is a cute little town with an impressive medieval castle and a picturesque city centre.

I wish it could have been less driving and more relaxing, but well. At least I was able to knit a little bit

I finished the pair of socks as soon as I got back to mix and match new pairs. Seriously. I’m addicted. They are all here now.

After coming home I finished my big one’s cardigan that missed only a bit for the hood and the button band which I wrote about here. Here it is!

So for now I’ll just enjoy the rain (which I actually love, it’s so cozy when it’s pouring!) and maybe I can get back to this state when the sun comes out again:

Happy knitting!