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2016 in pictures

The Wolfmaier’s year of 2016 described with pictures

These are some pictures describing the year.

2015 in pictures

The Wolfmaier’s year of 2015 described with pictures

These are some pictures describing our year.

Siam and Milo

The year started with two new family members joining in. Siam and Milo were really scared of the children in the beginning, mostly hiding, like here, under the sofa.

Little lake

The beginning of the year was also a very wet one, this little lake formed just outside our property, one particular rainy night it almost reached our garage.

Wooden bricks

Playing with the kids is important; here is one of the creations made.

Snow 1

At the beginning of February winter finally arrived with some snow.

Snowmen

It wasn’t much but it was enough for the mandatory snowmen.

Snowdrops

The funny thing was that just the day before the first flowers had made it out of the ground.

Snow in Hallsberg

Johannes made it to some real snow on one of his business trips, here in Hallsberg where he learned more about how traffic was directed on a long single track line.

Baking

On Shrowe Tuesday there is the tradition of eating a special bun. For some reason Johannes didn’t get one at work (he wasn’t at the office), and Susanna didn’t buy any for home. He really wanted some so then they had to be made.

Semlor

The end result was really good, so this might be the way of doing it from now on.

Mice tunnels

As spring came there was some cleaning to be done in the yard. We got rid of the leftovers from the shed; underneath the sheets of metal from the roof mice of different kinds had made small tunnels.

Fire and moon

To get rid of some of the shrubs that we cleared out during the winter we made a fire during the full moon.

Egg-dying

Eggs are getting a new dye for easter.

Egghunt

Eggs (filled with candies) being found in the garden. The Easter bunny really did a great job hiding all those eggs.

Easter wheelbarow

Some bigger Easter presents were tested. Now our kids can help with moving dirt and other things in the garden.

Riding 1

Riding seems to be one of the best things our daughter can do. This was the first time this year, at the farm with all the sheep.

Grill

Spring is the season when the grill is back in use. (I’m too lazy to pull it out in the winter with all the rain and snow).

Projects

It is also the season for new projects outside.

Building

This year the grandparents helped building a playhouse.

Sitting in the grass

Some are just enjoying a calm break in the grass.

Vegetable garden

The vegetable garden got a fence to keep rabbits and deer out. Sadly it didn’t keep the snails out. More about our war on snails later…

Pulling the cart

One of the favourite things our kids do when outside is sitting in the cart and preferably being pulled all over the place.

Spring rain

Spring did also bring some rain.

Shelterd construtions site

Not all the time, but to complete the playhouse we put the party tent over it and had a dry working-space.

Single fisherman

An evening stroll to the shore of the lake, a single fisherman enjoying the calm evening.

The big slide

Our daughter learned how to climb the play tower. Now the big slide is easy accessible for her, but more important the platform at the top.

Evening light

The evening light at the lake is just wonderful.

The farm

The farm next to our house from the road to the lake. The fields in yellow bloom is one of the nicest things of spring and early summer.

Road home

The road from the farm towards our house in the evening light.

Railway station of Kil

Work got Johannes to Kil. Here we have the platforms of the station. He went there to figure out how this locally dispatched station is run, with an old relay signalling box.

New fridge and freezer

Spring was also the time to get a new fridge and freezer. The floor of the kitchen had been put in after the old ones, so we had to dismantle the top shelves before we could get them out. They had to be removed anyway as the new ones were a bit taller than the old ones, but it was tricky as everything was really tight and hard to remove.

Seagull family

At Johannes’ work the terrace was inhabited by a seagull family. Luckily they were okay with us eating there too. Seagulls can be rather protective about their small ones.

Sunset at the lake

Sunset at the lake. We far too seldom take evening walks due to bedtimes of kids and such.

Yellow widdow

This is our canoe. We decided to get it into shape. Johannes brother fixed it up so it doesn’t leak and cleaned it. We also took off the old nameplate. We are not entirely happy with the name Yellow Widow. As the canoe is green and I don’t think that a Widow is something that should give name to a family boat.

Small flowers

Some small flowers on our property. We don’t know what they are so if you do, please let us know.

Exploring the rock-fields

Our daughter exploring the rock-fields of Skäralid, a national Park not far from home. And no, she wasn’t allowed to go further up.

Skäralid

At the end of the stroll through the park we had ice-cream and enjoyed the view from the café.

View from Kopparhatten

After the ice-cream we drowse up to the viewpoint at the top. We did manage to have a midsummer without rain. (Had we stayed at home we would have had some).

SAAB

An old SAAB by the summer café. There is a café and Bed and Breakfast in the farm that is open during the summer, really nice place, not so many people find it.

Nice days

This summer’s nice days were enjoyed in in the hammock watching the kids play in the play-house or sandbox.

Alsfeld

Then it was time for a trip to Germany. With kids traveling takes a bit more time. Here a play and lunch-break in the heat (over 35°C) in Alsfeld. We went to see friends and relatives during two weeks´ time.

Killesberg

Between visiting we also managed to have a day in Stuttgart. Here we did some shopping but we also went to Killesberg, a nice park with a miniature railway, nice flowers, a lookout tower and a huge playground.

Fruit field

One evening we were invited to a barbeque party of the trombone choir a friend´s kid is part of. It was spent on a high fruit field where the wind was really strong.

Bebenhausen

We also went for a walk in the forest around the monastery of Bebenhausen.

Ulm

We did some overnight stops at bed and breakfast places; one was in Ulm, where this little river runs between the houses on the way to the Danube.

Hersbruck

The light on this field was just too nice not to make a picture of. In the distance we see the mountains east of Hersbruck.

Bench

It is nice how there are benches along the walkways…

Lake in Tripits

Now we are on the way back home. First stop, just by chance, a dried up lake in Tripits. It had a nice playground and our daughter found some kids to play with.

Luther-house

Luther-house in Wittenberg, were we stopped for the night.

Old School in Rensow

The next night was in nowhere just south of Rostock. A rustic place, luckily warm outside, as it might have been tricky to keep the kids off the stoves. In the evening we were invited to dinner at the hosts´, together will all kinds of people, lodging there or just friends from the area. This really is a place to come back too, check it out: http://www.gutshaus-rensow.de/ (Only in German or Danish).

Rostock

Now we definitely are leaving Germany. We took a late ferry due to the fact that our planning included us booking the ferry while we were on route. Realising that the ferries were filling up we had to book one in the evening, resulting in a nice day at a local bath with an adventure part were we just relaxed (as much one can with two small kids) and us arriving in the middle of the night back home.

Sitting in the grass time

Summer-time is sitting in the grass time.

Enjoying our place

It is so nice sitting in the grass, enjoying our place during the day.

Slugs

In the evenings, when night falls it all changes a bit. We had a fierce war with the Spanish slug. Here with the help of a leopard slug. Almost every day Johannes killed and removed a bucket of them, some days even two or three. (The bucket was about one litre). This way we had some strawberries and our garden wasn’t a total loss.

Fulltofta nature reserve

We also took a walk in the Fulltofta nature reserve, where we came to this little lake in the middle of the wood.

Anthills

Later during that walk we also encountered the biggest anthills we have seen here in Sweden. Here Susanna is standing in front of one to show how big it is. This wasn’t the only one either.

Gardens of Klinta

Later in the summer we went to the gardens of Klinta for the last time before they were closing due to change in owners. Here was a café, a big greenhouse with two kiwi-trees, fruit and herb garden and some ponds. Not much water in the ponds though, it was a dry summer this year.

The pond of Klinta

The pond barely recognisable in the front.

Oaks

On the way back from the mailbox, the oaks on the meadow just south of our place.

Green heaven

Our place in the summer. It is a green heaven.

Plum cake

And it produces goodies too. Here a lovely plum cake. We had really many plums this year and blackberries too. Not many apples though.

Learning to walk

This was the summer when our son learned to walk. Here he is showing off to his great grandmother.

Riding the frog

Riding the frog (or whatever animal that might be) is great fun even if done together.

King of the forest

The king of the forest, here in the zoo Skånes Djurpark that is just outside of Höör. We had year-passes so we went there a couple of times, looking at the animals (they only have Nordic animals there), playing on the playgrounds and just having a good time.

Hedgehog

It’s not that we lack wildlife at home. Here the hedgehog enjoyed the leftovers from our dinner because we didn’t close the door good enough.

Resting cats

It’s not that we lack wildlife at home. Here the hedgehog enjoyed the leftovers from our dinner because we didn’t close the door good enough.

X2000

We went to a raspberry farm, it was next to the railway line, Johannes just can’t stay away from trains.

Campfire

It looked like a good idea to cook some sausages over the open fire, it was just a bit chilly, somehow sun and rain started taking turns though.

Shopping

After the summer ended it was time for Johannes to be home with the kids, here they are helping shopping for food.

4 years

Our daughter is now four years old. She started at preschool now, getting new friends and other challenges.

Tomatoes

These are the tomatoes. We had eight plants this year, all giving plenty of fruits, I think we had the first in the end of June and we started buying tomatoes again in the end of September.

Yearly grooming

The yearly grooming of the trees had started. Here one of the bushes in front of the house.

Bosjökloster GK

Twice a week Johannes and the kids went to open preschools. Here the view from the one in Bosjökloster, looking over the golf-course. Now the autumn started to show.

Swinging togther

Playing together gets more and more fun, here the swing is enjoyed.

Summer clouds

Beautiful late summer clouds just outside our place. Our son really likes to explore the surroundings; we have to be really alert so that he doesn’t wander off.

Blood moon

Then there was a blood moon. We didn’t get up at the right time but a few shots just before it ended was possible.

Our place

Our place as viewed from the farm.

End of the path

One day we decided to make a walk towards the west along the lake. Somewhere here we realised this might be the end of the road or rather the end of the path, it wasn’t a road in the first place.

House painting

Before the autumn would bring wind, rain and whirling leafs, it was time for the children’s house to get painted. Great to have a grandfather that can help us with that.

Windturbines

The autumn started setting in with so many more colours in the fields.

Bicycling

I picked up our daughter a few times with the bicycle. It’s a 16 km roundtrip, so it takes a while, especially now when I’m not bicycling every day.

Deers

A rare sight from the balcony, three deers in the field. We do see them on and off, just not this close to the house and three at a time.

Sunset fog

Autumn is also the season of fog. Here some low-fog just after sunset.

Low fog

The mood of this is magical.

Brostorp

Perfect perspective, on the way home looking up to Brostorp.

Autumn

Autumn at its’ best.

Bottom of Ringsjön

The end of summer and autumn were dry, not much rain at all, here we are walking on the bottom of the western Ringsjön, about 50 meters out from the normal shorline.

Walking home

Walking back home, now the trees really start turning colourful.

Nice days

There were rather many really nice days. The open landscape with the mighty wind turbines is grand.

Riding sheep

We made it to the zoo a few times; here our kids are riding sheep.

Forest playground

There is a nice forest playground, actually mainly for bigger children, but our daughter just can’t stay away and enjoys it.

Autumn trees

Autumn and sunshine is a great combo.

Riding 2

Every time there is a way to get on the back of a horse is used by our daughter.

Ringsjön

The view of the lake, the grey horizon merging with the grey water, rocks showing where one shouldn’t drive ones boat when the water is higher.

Playing at the beach

Playing at the beach is fun, even if it’s getting rather cold.

Too tired to walk

It is also good not to walk back home but to be pulled by father.

Playhouse is redy

Now the corner boards were completed. They were just lacking paint…

Transporting boards

Painting outside in late autumn isn’t that easy. So; all of the boards were taken down and painted in the workshop and shed.

Felled Birch

November also was the month when the first big tree of our place was to be taken down. We had great help from a friend, Johannes´ parents and the neighbour who allowed us to use his pasture to fell in the easiest direction.

Our house from the back

A new view of the house, this will hopefully leave a lot less leafs on the roof.

Snow-light

Then the winter came. First round that is. Perfect for snow-light building. (And Christmas-picture making).

Heavy snow

It came rather much during the night.

Our house in snow

We cleared the driveway and paths, not knowing how much more would come.

Our place in the snow.

Our place in the snow.

Snow house

The amount of snow made it possible to build a nice snow house. We even had lights in it.

Riding 3

Just in time for advent the snow was gone again, Christmas-marked riding at Bosjökloster.

Working in the garden

There is always something to be done in the garden. Here our son is helping Johannes clearing heaps of leafs.

Christmas tree

Christmas came, and with that a tree inside with a pile of presents under it.

In the lounge

Afterwards, the presents were enjoyed in the lounge.

Siam

One more year has passed. The armchair upstairs is a great place to sleep in. Siam is enjoying the calm.

2014 in pictures

The year started in chaos, so some reading by Opa gave us time to unpack more boxes.

Reading

By the end of January the snow showed up. We got some new help shovelling the snow off the driveway.

Snow

It wasn’t too cold, so an igloo could be built. (The door is wide so that Johannes or Susanna would fit through it too).

Snow house

One just has to build snowmen too.

Snowmen

By the end of February Johannes and most of Susanna’s family went to Zambia for the wedding of Susanna’s brother and sister in law. Susanna and our daughter couldn’t make it due to the fact that it isn’t recommended for pregnant women to go to malaria infested areas.

Wedding in Zambia

After the wedding there was some time to see some sights. First the Victoria falls.

Victorial falls

Then a safari tour, where the mandatory zebras showed their backs.

Zebras

In Livingston (the Zambian town by the Victoria falls) there is a railway museum. Here a sadly non-functioning beauty. Most engines were stripped of vital parts, but they looked nice from the distance with new paint.

Livingston railway museum

But not all engines were in the same bad state. There is a touristic train going to the falls and to get it ready for the night’s tour it passed through the museum.

Shunting in Livingston

A short visit was also made at the railway station where these bright cars stood waiting for the evenings departure towards Kafue. We didn’t take the train due to long traveling times and low comfort.

Zambian train

We (the guests from Sweden and the bride’s parents and some few more relatives) had hired a minibus and used these excellent roads. Okay this was the best stretch, but in all the roads were not too bad, and traffic was light except for Lusaka and its closest surroundings.

Zambian road

One of the high-rises in Lusaka, on the main road Cairo Road.

Lusaka

Back in Sweden we could enjoy these beautiful sunsets from our balcony.

Sunset

With spring projects arrive. This was the first project.

Digging

But projects are not completed in a day.

Full moon

After a few weeks the sandbox for the kids was ready, with great help from Oma and Opa.

Sandbox

Our garden in springtime, cherry trees blooming and the grass in its’ greenest hue.

House in spring

Our surroundings are nice in spring too. This is the road down to the café/bnb/old farm.

Nils Johans vaeg

Our daughter and Johannes made a few excursions by themselves as Susanna needed some time to sort out some things. Here we visited a farm during the release of the lambs.

Sheep and lambs

The rhododendron was blooming.

Rhododendron

The farmer harvested the grass on the fields around our house.

Tracktor

On the 7th of June our family was extended with our son. What a great joy!

Our son

All of us were able to stay one night at the hospital, the rest of the nights our daughter and Johannes stayed at home.

At the hospital

Midsummer we celebrated with family, here our daughter’s great grandmother draws with her.

Great grandmother

With all the things going on being a new four-headed family we had to give mother and son a break, this time we went to an air show in Eslöv.

Esloev airshow

Later in the summer we went to the zoo, there is a really nice one in Höör, www.skanesdjurpark.se/, where our daughter could ride the pony.

Pony riding

Some flowers along the road to the farm

Small flower

Not all days were super busy, there was time for some relaxation in the garden.

Lazy summer day

Then our daughter turned three. We had a great party with the relatives.

Birthday child

In October Johannes went to Istanbul with his work, he just couldn’t resist taking a picture of the historic tram.

Istambul tram

The hotel was in the old town, close to the Blue Mosque

Blue mosque

To the other side the harbour with all the ships waiting was visible. We had some work too and a good tour for the new Bosporus tunnel project.

Istambul harbour

Back home colours were changing.

Morning light

Some mornings the fog made the landscape like in a farytale.

Foggy evening

Johannes parents came a few times to visit, always finding things to do, here they are on a walk with our daughter.

On a walk

Christmastime came, this year with a home grown Christmas tree.

Christmas

After one of our walks our daughter and Johannes took a shortcut over the field, this is our house from the backside.

Our back

This bird and many more enjoyed the last days of the year in the apple tree. (We had a bird feeder there during the winter).

Bird in appletree