A Sleepy Traveler

Hello beautiful souls!

I’m at Gothenburg Airport after a long drive through the night. I only slept four hours so I had to roll the windows down for fresh cold air to keep me awake. I’m so glad I made it in one piece. I was listening to a self development podcast and the man who was speaking had such a calm and soothing voice. I was nearly falling asleep at the wheel! I switched on some upbeat music to wake myself up and soon I was singing and energised. I listened to a mix of my December playlist. Since 2020, I started a music journal on Spotify where I add all the songs I listen to each month to a monthly playlist. It’s amazing how the music from those months transport you back to the emotional state I was in back then. Almost like an emotional trigger. My December playlist is a mix of movie soundtrack songs and Gealdyr. Perhaps you saw a few of their songs on my previous blog posts. I really love their music, I feel like it connects me to my heritage.

Now I’m falling asleep typing this. Just wanted to say hi and let you know where I’m going. I’m first flying to Stockholm and then Åre!!! I will be staying at a mountain lodge for a week hoping to catch the Northern Lights, photograph the beautiful landscape, and enjoy some swimming at the hotel spa. It’s a funny story how Åre happened and I plan to talk to you about it in a YouTube video. I feel I can cover way more in a video, which is one reason why I plan to share more on YouTube in 2025. When I’m inspired, I have a tendency to write a lot and perhaps that is overwhelming for you?

Long story short I found a beautiful farmhouse in the North, so I considered moving there shortly after I arrived in Sweden in January this year. It wasn’t until I realized that I needed more than a house, I needed an emotional connection to my home, to the land. I had travelled enough and lived in many places around the world to know that. And that is exactly what I have where I live today. I’m so grateful I followed my heart and decided to live somewhere that represents my personal story and my heritage. A place that grounds me so when I travel I know where home is in my heart.

I hope you are having a beautiful morning. Sending you so much love. See you in the mountains! ♥︎ꨄ♥︎

It's Now Reality

As the year is winding down, I make time for rest, reflection, mulled wine, pepparkakor, and cozy moments with Leiana, with the sound of the warm crackling fire. I remember a time in my small London flat when I would play this scene as ASMR on YouTube, and now it's all real! Maybe sometimes our brains just need a visual stimuli to keep the vision and dream strong in our mind. Maybe that is how we can manifest and make our dreams a reality. What do you think?

Wood & Christmas Cozy

It's nearly 5pm and it's pitch black outside. The fire is burning in the kakelugn and my cat, Leiana is falling asleep on the couch. This morning I spotted a black and brown stripy cat. Leiana waited patiently to meet her new friend. The next time I looked out the window she was gone. Off having adventures with her new mate. I pray for kittens.

Today my Dad came with freshly baked lussebullar and I made us mulled wine and oatmeal for breakfast. Our first mulled wine together this year. In Sweden it's called glögg. It's one of the best smells I know. The smell of Winter and Christmas. He is currently at the dining table working on his wildlife conservation project, tapping away on his laptop while I tap on mine sitting on the sofa.

I'm so grateful for his help today because after breakfast we spent about 3 hours moving all the wood that is still outside into the wood shed. This will be next Winter's wood stock. We moved around 3 cubic meters inside. I'll have to finish the rest tomorrow before the rain comes on Friday. I'm so grateful for his help. It took more time than expected and is a few full days of work for one person.

I love talking to my Dad. We always have great conversations about life. All things spiritual, relationships, nature, gratitude, and finding the balance between the emotional and practical approaches to life's challenges.

I feel like the past days have been a mix of wood and worries. I have been processing some things emotionally the past two weeks and it's always a challenge to show up online when you feel not at your best. But at least I feel safe to express that here. I feel I have been going through some moments of healing in recent days, which is why I haven't been posting the past days. It hasn't been anything negative, just big breakthrough moments where you heal in a big way, shift your perspective, and end up seeing things in a new light. It's like the clouds part and the sunshine of clarity comes into my life again. Can you relate to this break through moments? They are always the hardest yet most rewarding, aren't they? 🙂 It's more feeling than logic and moments of pure integration that I feel I need to do alone.

Breakthrough
Been feeling so tired recently. These short winter days really make me want to sleep

There is a thick layer of frost outside and everything is sparking in the light. Last night was the clearest of nights and I could see a thousand stars. It was two in the morning and I felt like my soul took a deep breath. Then I saw a shooting star. I stood mesmerized by the beauty and was filled with gratitude. It was so magical I could have stayed out all night. But my feet started to freeze as I stood outside in my wooly socks.

Leiana seemed curious why I was still awake and eagerly followed me up the stairs to go to bed. We now have a routine together. She sleeps in my bed at night and it's the coziest feeling. I no longer need an alarm clock. She wakes me up 6:45 on the dot.

Here come some more pictures from the past few days 🙂

Leiana not happy she got a bath
Roof is still being renovated
Picked up this beauty
Welcome home little tree
Struggling to find a place for this tree to fit
Forgot about the low ceilings in this old house
Cozy!
Christmas feelings

I hope you are having a beautiful start to December. Sending you lots of love from me and Leiana. Warm HUGS!

Annika ♥︎

A Profound Experience

It's 4pm and it's pitch black outside now. It's a new moon tonight so there is no moonlight. It's the deepest and darkest of nights. While I edit the photos taken during my mystical experience in the ancient forest near my house, I listen to this song on repeat. It popped up on my YouTube feed and there is something about the music that sounds so familiar.

My favourite part of the song is at 01:20

Do you also have these experiences when you listen to instrumental music or music sung in a language you don't understand, yet you connect to it so deeply? It's like it makes my blood sing. It makes me come alive and awakens something deep inside me. It's profound.

In these photos, I hope you feel the mystery, the love, the magic, the light, the whispers, the answers, the callings, the peace, the connection...Feel free to share in the comments how you felt. I recommend you listen to this song when you look at the photos, almost like a gallery experience. A story unfolding through pictures. Let me know what you felt. Did you feel guided by something, someone?

A Previous Life

I have mentioned this in my previous YouTube videos but not sure I have expressed it here. I feel like I have lived here in a past life. When I first viewed this house, I felt like I was coming home. This was my first home buying experience and I hadn't viewed any houses previous to this one. When I walked through the door I knew instantly this was home. I had to come back three more times to make sure I could trust this feeling. And every time I had the same feeling. It's a feeling that has stayed with me to this day. If anything the feeling has intensified. I have lived at this beautiful homestead for six months now. This is home. I'm home.

When I shared this experience with others at the soul retreat I attended on an island in the Mediterranean, the spiritual guide said it's very possible that I am being guided by my past self who lived here in a past life. I have always felt a strange and powerful connection to this part of the world. It's been a pull, like a magnet. A force so strong that no matter what obstacles or distractions came into my life, I was always on the path here. Even if I didn't know it was so. This experience has helped me trust more in the magic of life. That we are guided and that we are not alone.

Sunshine, Firewood & Mysterious Paw Prints

Happy and healthy

Good evening!

I sit here with a warm wool blanket over me and a cup of Yogi tea with a quote that says, "Oneness within is harmony with all." ♥︎ The fire is burning in the old kakelugn, and my cat Leiana is snoring on the couch. The candles are lit and it feels much later than it is. Currently the clock says 18:45.

Shortly after waking up this morning, I sat down and started to edit a photo that I've been wanting to create for a while. You can see the final result in the previous blog post here. After the inspiration hit this morning, I spent about two hours editing and playing around with photos. I had so much fun. The time just flies when I work with things I feel passionate about. And before I knew it, it was noon!

Time to work

As soon as I remembered the builder saying it was going to rain next week, I immediately jumped from the desk and got started on the wood outside. Lars, the man who delivered the wood, was kind enough to drop off one cubic meter of dry wood. It was time sensitive that this wood was carried indoors.

Leiana curious about the wood

It took me about two hours to move nine blue IKEA bags of wood to my shed. It took longer than expected because I decided to film a little video blog that I can't wait to share with you. I now have two days of video footage to edit and transform into a YouTube video. It might not be until next week because I have an important video project I'm currently working on. It's to help support a local nature action project. I will tell you about this later. Some of you may already have an idea if you have been following me for a while.

Six IKEA bags later

It felt so good to move my body and care for the wood that keeps me warm in my house. All afternoon my heart was filled with gratitude for the local community helping care for my house and prep for winter.

So happy the sun is shining

All day I had this deep appreciation for the life I've built here so far. It's so simple yet it brings me more joy than any place I've lived in.

Home Sweet Home
The sun doesn't rise much higher than this now
Roof renovations are on pause today
Minus temperatures today but Leiana spent all day outside. I spotted her exploring the barn and chasing mice. She was very happy when she got home, rolling around and getting belly rubs
Greeting the ancient forest and breathing in all its love, magic and wisdom

This place gives me the stillness and silence that I need at this time in my life.I continue to be curious about how this new lifestyle will continue to change me. I can feel the shift every day now.

Spotting a Falcon on Freyja's Day (Friday) feels truly magical
Spotted a Falcon!
Guided
I nearly grabbed by professional wildlife lens but I was just so captivated by this moment. I just wanted to take it in for me as much as possible. Especially all these magical first encounters. I'm sure more encounters will come and will definitely be pro camera ready 😉
What a beautiful moment
What animal is this? The paw print is bigger than Leiana's
My footprint and hand comparison. My shoe size is 7.5 UK/9.5 US. This paw print is pretty big
No longer able to procrastinate on this space. I have been using it to store my moving boxes and now need it to store the wood
So satisfying to see the wood organised in this way. It's like wood art
I had such a special moment vlogging in the shed. You will see why. I actually got quite happy emotional in this moment. Perhaps you can see it in my eyes ♥︎

I will take rest this weekend and catch up on some work next week. Have a wonderful weekend! Can't wait to hear what you have been up to ♥︎ LOTS OF LOVE!

P.S. I recently came across this song. It's repetitive and meditative. I love it! I feel inspired to play this out loud in the ancient forest when I go to film and take photos in future.

For years I have been fascinated by the Goddess of Freyja. I love embodying Freyja's energy of love and purity. Let's share this listening experience and connect to this energy of love together. It might not surprise you to feel this collective love. I really believe in this since I experience it when I went to the meditation retreat. I believe in my heart we can all uplift and inspire each other here. Calling all artists, nature lovers, and sensitive souls ♥︎

Tuvstarr and Skutt

I photographed this beautiful moose when he came to visit me in September. The photo of me was taken this week in the ancient forest near my home. This photo is inspired by Swedish painter and illustrator, John Bauer born 1882. In the fairytale, Tuvstarr goes out to experience the world and she gets help from the moose, Skutt.