I made this illustration a couple of months ago. Spring came early here in Düsseldorf. It was warm and t-shirt weather already in February-March. Trees were blossoming and everything going from brown to green. But May has been a very cold month and we have been using down-jackets and gloves again and Summer feels far away. 

I thought I would do an update how my German is coming along. My dream is to read this in a couple of years when I will be pretty fluent in German and smile at this update. I started my German course week 7 this year and it is organized by Internationella skolorna Düsseldorf  which is a language institute and a foundation connected to Folkuniversitet in Sweden. Basically Swedes can move down and learn German language and culture here in Düsseldorf for free and German students can apply and learn Swedish - basically it´s a cooperation between the two countries. The school is located very central in Düsseldorf on Berliner Allee on walking distance from Könings Allee and Altstadt. I am studying German for beginners, A1+ and A2+. I studied French in school so I have no experience more then that I have been to a lot of horse shows in Germany and can say my names is and I live in.... My German studies are full time which means minimum 4 hours tuition each day and a lot of interestin...

Easter has been and gone long time ago, but anyways I thought I will write a few words about our Easter 2019 here in Wittlaer, Düssledorf. Actually it was our second Easter here. It was Easter time 2018 when me, the kids and my dad came down first time to Düsseldorf to see our new neighborhood and house which Loren had picked and already lived in part-time for a couple of months. He was nervous that we would not like it and I was nervous that we would not like it. The house was pretty empty because our furniture moved from Sweden during the summer but anyways we got a good feeling and felt positive that the move to Düsseldorf will be a good move. A year later and we feel like this is our home and know our ways around. Easter 2019 was summer warm - 25 degrees and sunny A childhood friend of mine and her son came to visit us. Anything special you want to do or see I asked and she said " Enjoy the city feeling and see tall buildings" And so first day we went with U-bahn into...

I started this post about one of our favorite spots in Prague, Lethna, I think roughly four years ago. I was putting together pictures from different seasons from Lethna and the best view of Prague. When we lived in Prague we spend a lot of time up here in the beergarten, in the playground, walking through the park, showing family and friends the view etc etc. Every season in Lethna is special. Here is some of the pictures I have taken from different seasons, although missing pictures from spring and summer when the beergarten are full of people and dogs which is the most common view of Lethna. Lethna Park / Letenské Sady is a large park on top of Lethna hill looking down on Pragues beautiful historic center and Vltava River and besides Prague Castle. The hill is in Holesovice and Bubenec quarters of Prague 7. On one side of the park you find a big and popular beergarten with  a great view and on the otherside of the park an open space where today you find a lot of people on skate...

Spring has come to Düsseldorf - trees are blossoming and trees are faster and faster transforming from brown to bright lime green. The garden has a lot of spring flowers and yes this season is pretty magical. On the flower theme I made these big (A3) colorful illustrations some time ago. I love when I get an idea and the illustration comes out so easy and fun without having to think. I like the fantasy and playfulness in these two floral worlds. 

Last Monday( 25 of March) was the yearly Waffle day in Sweden - not sure if it is an international waffle day, from what I can read has a special waffle day spread to other countries but not necessarily on the same day as in Sweden. In Team Nikolovski household we eat waffles now and then all year around. Sometimes and lately pretty often for breakfast or after kindergarten snack with raspberry jam and whipped cream.  A few years ago when we lived in Prague - I got a question from an international cooking magazine based in Prague, chefparade.cz, if I could prepare a Swedish Easter breakfast. Hmmm Swedish Easter breakfast more then just painted eggs and Kalles kaviar and I thought that the traditional Swedish herring and potatoes felt too much for breakfast. After some thinking I came up with waffles with typical Easter topping such as smoked salmon, shrimps, egg, red onions and sour cream. No maybe it is not something every Swede makes for Easter breakfast but i thought it was ...

Today's German lesson started in our classroom on Berliner Allee where we were writing a short dialoge, practicing housing phrases ( Hier wohne ich) and listening and singing a nice song, Wir sind am Leben ( The life we are living). At 12 we grabbed a quick lunch from one of many bakeries here in Düsseldorf and walked through Hofgarten were we enjoyed the Magnolia trees blossoming. Continued to Kunstpalast where the permanent exhibition is free daytime on Thursdays.  Our teacher Nadia gave us tasks about some of the art works and the artists, which I will go through here, so this post is basically my homework. I will write in German and Swedish as the two languages have more similarities. I am very new to German so analysis and sentences are very simple and probably contain heaps of mistakes but I have decided to just do it.. 1. Lucas Cranach // Das ungleiche Paar 1530  ( Det ojämnlika paret)  Warum ist das Paar ungleich? Was hält der Mann in seiner Hand? W...

This is an illustration I made a year ago in Örebro. An illustration in my sketchbook on the theme how mornings with small children can stress the shit out of you. Not always but in periods. This year is different as I am not having to make it to a meeting at 8 o clock. But still stressful to get everyone through the door and so this illustration still very accurate. Last week F after being ill did not want to go to kindergarten at all and did everything not to get ready and get through the door. Nagging, begging, threatening and then begging and threatening some more. And then feeling guilty and double-checking so all is good in kindergarten. I guess all parents can relate - or not- maybe is just me ?! Lets hope this week starting tomorrow will be more easy and forward going.

Did you know that here in Rheinland, Germany they have not only four seasons but five seasons Autumn Winter Karneval Spring and Summer Karneval is celebrated annually and people dress up, come together and celebrate. It is very surprisingly how big karneval is here as I thought karneval was big in warm exotic countries not in this northern rational stiffer industrial country. Karneval is big especially in Köln and Düsseldorf. I got asked already in the autumn if I had ever experienced Karneval and when I said no people was telling me all about it with a special fascination in their voice. Karneval goes on for many days or actually the people who are involved in karneval club and are choosen to be prinzpaar they dress up, party and have meetings about karneval from 11.11 when karneval season opens until Rosentag Montag which this year was on 4 of March. But where does karneval comes from? Karneval is dated back to the Middle Ages in Germany but might even go back to the Roman time. Wh...

Wow for second weekend of February here in Düsseldorf Sunny and 15 degrees Birds singing Spring flowers Beer garten opening ( although I didn't visit one but nice just to see) Outside without jacket Biking along the river All the kids from the neighborhood came out to play in the park across from us (Loren was their too although not in these photos)