I Love Scandiland - Its Hygge, Food and Language

I have to admit I got rather carried away with this post.  It became more than just a Dive Post (a longer than average post).   It became the Mariana Trench of Dive Posts.  Now I know you all lead busy and full lives, so I've split it into two bite-sized pieces.
So, go get a coffee, settle down in your fave armchair and enjoy the shorter Dive that is Part I!

My post was inspired by the lovely Leslie of Hostess of the Humble Bungalow.  Leslie wrote a beautiful piece recently about bringing memories of her holiday in Paris into her everyday life, here.  Do read it if you have the chance, it's inspiring and peaceful.

Leslie got me thinking.  I love visiting Scandinavia. Over the years, without realising it, I have brought little bits of it into my day-to-day life. 

I love Scandinavia,
or Scandiland as I like to call it.

My Danish friends say that I am a born-again Viking!

I love the food.

My breakfast is usually ostemad - a cheese slice (Havarti or Jarlsberg) on bread.

For special coffee times, fika, I serve fresh wienerbroed, Danish pastries. 

I make Scandinavian food, like kartoffelmad above, recipe here 

I make the food My Way, usually from my memories, not recipes!
I've already shared a few of my recipes with you in recent weeks, e.g. here.  I hope you try some out.

I love the spirit of cosiness, the "hygge" approach to everyday life.

I light candles, for special occasions, or for no particular occasion, to create hygge, mys (cosiness). 

I bring the outside in,

with flowers - holding on to summer with these dried hydrangeas;

with pinecones (which make lovely holiday momentoes), seen decorating this table set for drinks with friends;

with shells, like these seen on the right of my cluttered desk),

and with stones - my stone collection started years ago on beautiful Manapouri Beach, NZ.


I love the languages.

I am a voracious reader of Scandinavian womens' and housey magazines
for example, Danish mags Alt for Damerne and Bolig Liv

I especially love when piles of them are left around in peoples' houses for me to read :-)

I enjoy watching Scandinavian films and dramas.  So many are easily accessible these days.

I sometimes sing and dance in the language, like to this one here -  Granny, that's so embarressing!

I follow Swedish bloggers; as a result I'm slowly learning their language and more of their culture.



Do you ever re-live a holiday in your own home?
Maybe re-create a dish you enjoyed on holiday?
Perhaps making an aspect of a country's lifestyle or tradition a regular fixture in your life back home?
Is there a language you love that led you to visit or stay in its country?
Or a country that led you to learn its language?
I'd love to hear.




Knus og kram
A la perchoine.