Nature [Forest] Café

A friend of mine arranged a surprise getaway to this pretty little cafe by the forest - called Nina's Natur Café. This cafe is located - well, in the middle of the fields beside a forest ... a really peaceful and remote place. We followed a traditional map, and took some wrong turns in the small roads - If you do not get lost, it should take about 30 minutes to drive to the café from Copenhagen). 

However - maybe because of the beautiful and faraway location, and due to the most delicious cake buffet the owner Nina serves - the cafe has become well-known and popular.

When Dalai Lama was visiting Denmark, Nina's Natur Café was one of the few places he wanted to experience (a fine photo of the owner Nina and Dalai Lama was framed on the wall of the cafe).

The cafe was before a old farm, with a traditional thatch roof. You can sit down and enjoy your coffee and cake either inside the house, or in the charming orangerie, or out in the garden in the back of the house. From the garden you can follow the paths leading to the forest, and take a walk in the forest.

After a lovely afternoon and a walk in the forest, it so happened that we took a wrong turn on our way back home ... and found this little spot, where a local farmer sold fresh berries and vegetables. There was a tiny box, where you could leave the payment - or you could pay using mobile pay. I bought some strawberries and rhubarb - and left the money to the box.

It is wonderful to notice, that this type of paying - like in the old days - still exists today. Leaving the coins and bills to an unlocked box demands trust to fellowmen - and it warms one's heart to experience things like this!

I'm thankful for friendships and the small surprises, taking a wrong turn (getting lost) often times brings into our lives,

Nina xoxo

I'm joining Michelle's Thankful Thursday

For Your Sunday

 Everyday Miracles by Sara Groves

:   :  :

Here's a printable 

of Proverbs 15:30 (MSG)

for you

... Wishing you an unhurried week,

Nina 

Sharing with

Scripture & Snapshot 
Sunday Scripture Blessings


Photo: Nikon D3200 

A bikeride in Copenhagen

Bicycles outnumber cars in Copenhagen - it is faster to get around in downtown with a bicycle than with a var. You can park your bike easily, and moreover - biking is a lovely way to get around (when it's not a day with pouring rain!)

I like to find new ways to bike around - and thanks to another spontaneous turn, I found

this pretty light blue house - and took a snapshot of the house, and the charming old street light, wired upon street crossings. 

There are many green parks in Copenhagen. In the summertime, people come for picnics, or eat their pack lunches in the parks. 

I'm grateful for the work that is being done here to promote bicycling - bike lines, bike pathways and parking for the bikes ... It is environmental friendly - no pollution, and also good for the health of the bikers, that get daily motion. 

The reason I needed to bike to downtown was to get a leaf binder. I have been journalising with a Collect App the past 3 year - but I miss the feeling of holding a pen, handwriting, and gluing the daily photo to a journal. So - I found both a leaf binder in A5 size, and a sketch book,  watercolor paper - pretty decoupage paper and some washi paper... In sale!

Do you write journals, take snapshots of the occasions, or keep notebooks? 

There are so many ways of scribbling or typing a few lines, 

in order to cherish the moments,

... I'm joining to Michelle's Thankful Thursday,

until next time,

Nina

Along A River Bank

 Open heaven (River Wild) by Hillsong Worship

:   :  :

Here's a printable 

of Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

for you

... Blessings and peaceful moments to your upcoming week,

Nina 

Sharing with

Scripture & Snapshot 
Sunday Scripture Blessings


Photo: iPhone 5S - Snapseed, Faded, Word Swag apps

Banana Omelette with Chocolate & Almonds

I borrowed a buch of cook books from the library last week - now when the time and the fresh vegetables, fruits and berries are available, is a great time to try some new recipes. 

This recipe is from Suzy Wangles book "Two easy weeks with Sense" (my translation). Suzy has written 5 cook books about Sense Lifestyle Diet, that in a nutshell is about eating 3 well balanced and nutritious meals every day - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

This Banana-Omelette tastes scrumptious, and I keeps you well wed until late afternoon.

Ingredients:

A half banana
2 eggs
2 egg whites
0,2 cups rolled oats
butter for frying
0,5 oz chopped almonds
0,4 oz chopped dark chocolate 
2 tablespoons of skyr or thick Greek yogurt flavored with vanilla

• Mash the banana with a fork, and add the eggs, egg whites and oat meal, stir well.
• Fry the omelet in butter on a frying pan.
• When the omelette is almost done, fold it in the middle.
• After the omelette has slightly cooled down, serve it topped with 2 tablespoons skyr, or thick Greek yogurt, (seasoned with vanilla), sprinkle on top with chopped almonds and chopped dark chocolade.

Well, this Banana omelette topped with almonds and chocolate is definitely a new favorite to a weekend / holiday breakfast!

...Have a great and delicious weekend,

Nina

Holidays and Cake Championships

... Summer holidays has finally started! My spring has been the most busy one in years ... When I arrived home from work, I had to plug completely off - No computers nor writing, but small walks, quiet moments crocheting and just relaxing.

On the first Saturday of holidays,  a friend of ours hosted a Cake Bake Championship! You could just come and be part of the fun, tasting the cakes and voting for a winner - or you could  participate with baking a cake to the occasion.

I participated with baking a Pavlova - this cake is one of my favorite summer cakes. A Pavlova is easy to make, and it has a light and cloudy consistence. The mild taste of Pavlova highlights the flavor of fresh berries. I filled the Pavlova this time with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cherries. 

We had such a cozy afternoon - tasting each others cakes and chatting with old and new acquaintances. 

I voted for Mette's Allotment cake - The almondy crusting and the taste of black currants, rhubarb and strawberries was scrumptious! 

As the votes were being count, the winner was announced: It was the Key Lime Pie - which taste was characterized with delicate symphony of sweet caramel, sour lime and soft cream ... Delicious and a nice consistence with crums,  to types of cream and kiwi fruits. Mette's Allotment cake got the 2nd place, and - my Pavlova the third place!

Our sweet and creative creative friend, who hosted the bake Cake Championships (such a great idea, isn't it!), had prepared prizes for the winners! She handed an apron to the winner - which she had sown her self, with a fine plicated "Cake Bake Championship" logo! A price for the second best cake was cake molds, that were made of paper - like for muffins. And I received baking powder - Yes, so I can start experimenting with new recipes to championships next summer :-)

It has been good to slow down - No busy schedules, just being with the family, getting books from the library, have time to take photowalks, see friends, and bike rides (my husband has gotten a bike ... so we're exploring some green biking routes this summer!)

Last Thursday there was a Music festival at Vig - an hour drive to south from here. A day outdoors at sunshine with a friend of mine - sitting on the grass and listening music, grasping a coffee every now and then - and joining to another concert. We saw three concerts from the start- Beth Hart from the US, Kim Larsen - a grand old man in Danish pop music, and Carpark North - a Danish group playing electronic music. Besides, we listened to a whole bunch of other groups, while sitting and chatting :)

... I hope you're enjoying the summer. 
The unsteady weather here in Scandinavia keeps the excitement up in not knowing, weather to wear sandals  or wellies?! 

Nina

In Everything You Do ...

Wonder by Hillsong Worship

:   :  :

Here's a printable 

of 3. John 1:2 (The Message)

for you

... Blessings and peaceful moments to your upcoming week,

Nina 

Sharing with

Scripture & Snapshot 
Sunday Scripture Blessings


Photo: iPhone 5S - Snapseed, Faded, Word Swag apps

By the lake

I grew up in the Finnish lake districk, where the lakes occupy about 25 percent of the Lakeland. When visiting my parents over the summer holidays, we spent a lot of time outside by the lakes.

Finland is known as a country of thousand lakes - there is about 188.000 lakes in Finland, and about 179.000 islands. 
So there is plenty of possibilities for rowing, fishing, swimming and other activities by the lakes.

Both my uncle's and dad's summerhouses are located on an island. Spending time on the island, even if the island is just 500 m  away from the main land, gives you a feeling of being cut of from the rest of the world - in a good way. 
When you're stepping into the boat, your mind is already relaxing ...

We cherished the moments by the lakes - Peaceful, simple life in the Great Outdoors.

... Wishing you a great weekend,

Nina

Sharing with 

Friendship Friday Friday Photo Journal

Photo Friday by Pierced Wonderings

Saturday's share Fest by The Sits Girls

Photos: iPhone 5S; Camera+, Snapseed & Hipstamatic Apps

Grilled nectarines with goat cheese

We had a lovely two weeks in Finland ... Spending time with family and relatives (a lot of it in the kitchen :)  
Time is a strange thing - In one sense, the time stood still in a good way: No hurries, just spending time together ... 
And at the same time, it felt like the two weeks were all of a sudden gone, and it was time to pack our suitcases again!

My mom gave me Hanna Hurtta's cook book Sesonki Reseptit (Seasonal Recipes). The book is filled with tasty recipies for using seasonal ingredients. The recipes are both easy and fast to prepare. Now I am go through this book (and a few other cook books), trying different recipes.

You wil need:

4 nectarines
200 gr / 700 oz goat cheese
Balsamic syrup (I used thick Balsamic Crema-vinegar)

After rinsing the nectarines, I pitted and halved them. Thereafter I grilled them in the oven 2 x 7 minutes at 200 C (390 F) - turning the nectarines after the first 7 minutes - so both sides are grilled.
I then sliced the goat cheese, and topped each half with a slice - and grilled them for another 5 minutes. After they had cooled down a bit, I poured just a bit of the Balsamic Crema-vinegar on the top.

The nectarines tasted d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s, making a great snack in the late afternoon. They would serve well as a starter or a dessert as well.

What is your favourite recipe for nectarines?

Nina

Sharing with

Recipe & DIY Linky by SITS Girls

About the Bees

Bees are very small, yet they have such an importance to us ... Plants grow thanks to the bees, who do the pollination.

Much is said and written about the bees:

If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.

Maurice Maeterlinck

Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still. 

David Foster Wallace

One can no more approach people without love than one can approach bees without care. Such is the quality of bees...

Leo Tolstoy

I’m quietly sipping my coffee,

sitting on the deck,
settled in to my little jungle of herbs and buzzing bees,
letting my thoughts wander, soaked in the warmth of the rising sun.
Breathing in and out the soft air filling the moment with fluids of peace.

Anna Asche

... With holiday greetings,

Nina

Photo: iPhone 5S, Lightroom preset At The Vineyard 7 by 2 Lil owls

Summer Holidays

A Saturday afternoon, two weeks ago, I was going to grocery shopping ... And on my way to the store, there was live music on the tiny square! Benjamin Aggerbæk was playing jazz with his band - so I grabbed an Iced Coffee from the nearby cafe, enjoyed the light jazz in the sun. 
It was a joy to watch the sweet toddler playing with the red balloon, and I took a snapshot of her ... This photo called for an color spot edit with a touch of vintage, didn't it?!

Summer Holidays are over us, and we'll be visiting family the next two weeks, where I will be away from the blog. However, thanks to Blogger's Post Planner - function, I have written a few post, that will pop up here every now and then.

Louis Amstrong & Ella Fritzgerald:
Dream a little dream of me

... Wishing you slow days & sunshine,

Nina

Street Life Friday Afternoon [Copenhagen - Hipstamatic]

Sunshine and the cheerful Friday afternoon mood inspired me to take a series of snapshots while running small errands in downtown Copenhagen. 
I used Hipstamatic photo application in my iPhone, choosing Jane lens and Runway film. I like the warm tones the Jane lens adds to the photos, and the motion & reflection-effect of the Runway film.

In the old days, you could buy newspapers from these charming "mini towers" - today you can buy a cup of coffee and other refreshments.

The screen of our sons smartphone was broken, so I relayed (once again) on the good and fast service in one of MyTrendyPhone.dk boutiques. Touchscreens of smartphones makes them easy to use - unfortunately also vulnerable and easy to break. I got a panzerglass / an AntiBreak Glass, on the screen ... One might as well use all the tricks available to prolong the lifetime of the screen.

A nostalgic snapshot f the Linnésgade, where the faculty library was situated back in the time I was studying ... All the memories of reading and typing in the library - reading for the exams. The Botanical Garden lies in the end of the Linnésgade - a lovely place to have lunch (we took our sandwiches and thermos jugs and had a break, inhaling the fresh air and chatting away peace in the green surroundings).

When in downtown, I often peek into the Torvehallerne - that is, a market place with 60 stands selling everything from vegetables, fish, meat, tea, bakery ... to flowers and cosmetics.

Tante T has a wide selection of tea - I bought a tea mix called Cool Summer. What is special about this mix is that you can make ice tea very easily - just measure the tea in a pot and pour cold water on the top in the evening, and set the pot into the fridge overnight - in the morning you got the tastiest ice tea! Cool Summer tea contains Green Matcha tea, strawberry, pineapple, mango, apple, sunflower, mint, licorice root and lemongrass.

I like to sit and just watch the people in the subway ... (here I held my iPhone discreet on my lap and snapped the photos without watching the screen - just pointing it to different directions).

Try and notice how many smartphones you'll be able to spot in these photos.

I hope you enjoyed this Friday afternoon photo walk with me in Copenhagen -

Wishing you a great weekend,

Nina

sharing with


 Friendship Friday Friday Photo Journal

Saturday's share Fest by The Sits Girls
Wordless Wednesday by NC Sue
Wordless Wednesday by Create with Joy 

P.S. I converted some of the images to black and white photos in Lightroom.