Break up is happening…..slowly.

It is not so warm here this week, with temperatures at night going down to minus 10 and during the day climbing to just above freezing. Break up is however happening slowly.

I have spent quite a bit of time ice fishing but I’ve got absolutely nothing.

Last week was warmer, and last weekend I was out during the night to count Capercaillie and Black Grouse. Unfortunately even with large snowshoes the snow couldn’t support my weight but every step I kept falling down to my waist.

And then I broke through the ice and my boots and trousers were filled with water.

I just said I did not to continue after this but did however find sign of Black Grouse.

My new tent has arrived. It is a Naturehike Mongar 2 tent. The quality of the tent seems to be superior to the Onetigris tent, and it was cheaper.

I had planned to sleep out last night and test the tent, but while driving home from work, my knee started to hurt and the pain got worse and worse. My knee swelled up in the end, I was unable to bend it.

Today however it is much better.

It’s getting beyond a joke

I am ill again, only two weeks after the last time. I am thinking that I will have to live in a bubble.

I have purchased a Husqvarna zig zag sewing machine from around 1960.

It is capable of sewing skin, so why don’t I have been ill I have been sewing different types of reindeer skin bags.

I have also made some handles for fire steels.

I want to go camping with Kelly this summer, so I recently purchased a Cosmitto 2 tent from Onetigris, which had received good reviews.

Unfortunately the first time I put it up, I noticed in one corner of the inner tent, that the material was pulling away from the stitching.

I contacted Onetigris, who have appalling customer service and told me that I have caused the problem by using too much force.  I only used the poles provided and didn’t stake the tent down.

Fortunately Amazon has allowed me to return the tent with a full refund and I have now ordered a Naturehike mongar 2 tent instead.  I will not be buying any further products from Onetigris!

I’ve resigned

I have been ill again for over 2 weeks. All I was ill I did some fly tying ready for summer.

Snow buntings arrived in the beginning of April and there have been a lot passing through this year.

I have also had a male blackbird feeding at the bird table.  This is only the fifth time I’ve seen one since I moved to Sweden.

I have also had the number of hares feeding in the garden.

And a couple of reindeers

I have enjoyed my last three and a half years working as a caretaker at an old people’s home. But significant changes are being made to my job and my work and I don’t feel that I want to be part of this so I have resigned from my job. My last day at work will be on the 14th of June.

A stranger returns

We have spent a lot of time fishing.

I even spent a few hours working as a fishing guide for some German tourists.

But unfortunately no fish have been caught.

Every so often mother nature reminds us that winter is not over yet.

-26 at 7am, but during the night it was -30.

Last summer we had a fox cub in the garden,with two white legs.

And last week it reappeared for the first time.

Primus windbreaker

I have been ice fishing evenings after work this week and about an hour before dark, the Arctic Char have been biting.

I bought a Primus windbreaker several years ago and tested using it on the ice last Friday evening.

It was good that it worked well, because on Saturday there was a strong northerly wind.

I caught two Arctic Char, but both were too small so I put them back and fried sausages for lunch instead.

On Sunday I caught nothing at all!

Stoat

I have had a four day weekend which was nice.

On Thursday we caught an Arctic Char and a Rainbow trout.

But six hours on Saturday and five hours on Sunday produced absolutely nothing.

It was nice to be out enjoying the sun though.

This morning when I opened the bedroom curtains, I had an unusual bird at the bird feeder…….an acrobatic stoat!

It’s melting

It has been over a week now with plus degrees and the snow is melting. I have had to clear a lot of snow that has fallen from the roof, to be able to get into the house.

Walking in the forest is difficult now because both skis and snowshoes sink deep into the snow.

So I have to walk along roads and trails.

Today I have had a male Parrot Crossbill visit my bird feeder. It is the first time I have seen one in the garden (this photo is taken through a window).

Ice fishing premier

It was the ice fishing premier in our village last weekend.

It was a shame that there wasn’t a competition, because Kelly caught the first fish after only five minutes. It was an Arctic Char.

I caught two Arctic Char,but they were only 30cms long, so I had to put them back.

Warmth from the sun

On sunny days you can feel the warmth from the sun now and even though it was very windy on Saturday, myself and Kelly went out on a ski tour.

I pulled the sled loaded with some wood and some food.

Kelly dug down in the snow so that we could make a fire.

We grilled sausage and made hot chocolate.

Kelly pulled the sled all the way home, which impressed me!

Sunday was also relatively warm, so I had a fire at home and made lunch.

Clearing snow

I have been busy clearing snow during the weekend.

A cold job as it was -30, but the snow had fallen earlier during the week.

We have a hungry hare that feeds under the bird feeder during the day at the moment.

Kelly has had a stomach bug again, but is better now. Her and her friend decided to go on a ski tour with wood, food and drink in a sled that they pulled behind them (I wasn’t allowed to go with them🤨).

Kelly sent me a photo to demonstrate that they had made fire.

On Sunday afternoon we baked a cake

And Kelly decorated it.