• Mood: calm
• Music: Katie Melua—If The Lights Go Out

COASTAL LIGHT

The light is incredible along the western coast of Sweden in the summer. It's one of the sunniest spots in the country, logging more sunlight hours by far than the rest of us. This past week, right after midsummer, the sun never actually set, just dipping down behind the horizon around 1 a.m. and apparently scooching quickly around to the east to rise a short hour or so later. Frankly, sunset photos never do the real thing justice. We drove up from Skåne in rain, which slowed and ceased as we arrived on Ödby Island. There were puddles in every rocky depression on the surrounding hills and cliffs and a washed-clean feeling in the air. All week the sky was a uniform robin's egg blue: a perfect blue bowl overhead with a fresh sea wind to keep us cool.


Rainbow over Sotens Fiskarby (photo: Anders Ek)


Heading home to Hunnebostrand (photo: Anders Ek)


Sunlower lighting: Martin, Karin, John & Simone (photo: Anders Ek)


Sunlower in progress (it never actually set!) (photo: Anders Ek)


Karin & Simone on the bridge to Hunnebostrand (photo: John Slaughter)