I just got home from a week at my parent's place in the south of Sweden. I have posted photos from their place many times before. It's very dear to me. Anyway, we are a family of enjoyers and this is a selection of what we cooked, baked and ate.

Veggie (no meat that is) lasagna. Not the typical summer dish maybe but very tasty. Basically it's made of a béchamel sauce with spinach, a tomato sauce with lentils (any color will do) and lots of cheese. Mozzarella on top.

This is one of my biggest wrong buys. I had an old fashioned pink peony in mind and came home with this almost obscene monster. The flowers are plate sized and very intense in color (I havn't photoshopped these). No smell what so ever and a pretty short but very intense blooming. This year I counted 34 buds. Over the years my disappointment has turned into a mild form of loving for this sturdy and frisky plant and I am pretty sure that when we move I will take her with me. I am sure she will survive the change.

My eldest daughter is 10 years old. Today she went to the park with a friend and later I found this bouquet on the kitchen window sill. A wreath of oxeye daisies surrounding a roundish cluster of  blue flowers I think is weed and sprawling grass straws in the middle. All very thought-out but yet spontaneous. To me this is the essence of her. A true aestetic, with so many talents. Everything she does is beautiful in my eyes. She is the most loving, creative, happy person I've ever met. And I do know I am her mother and I guess it is natural for me to feel this way but that doesn't really matter, does it? If you don't see the beauty of the bouquet it's because of her mother's poor photographic ability (and her fondness for overusing photoshop).

you have to look close to see the beauty of the aquilegia. i have these beauties growing everywhere in my garden. they were planted a long time ago. when i am gone they will still be here. blooming.