I found this translation...
...of the best poem that I know, "Javisst gör det ont" by Karin Boye.
Yes, of course it hurts
Translated by David McDuff
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Yes, of course it hurts when buds are breaking.
Why else would the springtime falter?
Why would all our ardent longing
bind itself in frozen, bitter pallor?
After all, the bud was covered all the winter.
What new thing is it that bursts and wears?
Yes, of course it hurts when buds are breaking,
hurts for that which grow
and that which bars.
Yes, it is hard when drops are falling.
Trembling with fear, and heavy hanging,
cleaving to the twig, and swelling, sliding -
weight draws them down, though they go on clinging.
Hard to be uncertain, afraid and divided,
hard to feel the depths attract and call,
yet sit fast and merely tremble -
hard to want to stay
and want to fall.
Then, when things are worst and nothing helps
the tree's buds break as in rejoicing,
then, when no fear holds back any longer,
down in glitter go the twig's drops plunging,
forget that they were frightened by the new,
forget their fear before the flight unfurled -
feel for a second their greatest safety,
rest in that trust
that creates the world.
The boys; a later version.
A wonderful Skeda photo...
...from 1952: Helge Wennberg with grandsons Johan and Hans.
The most well-known Lindman
When I was a teenager, I learnt from my grandmother that Prime Minister Arvid Lindman (1862-1936) was a first cousin of her grandfather Salomon. Now, this was not really true: they were third cousins - what did I say about good stories. Mr. Lindman's full name was Salomon Arvid* Achates (for some reason there have, in our family, been several people named Salomon). He was Rear Admiral, a conservative politician, and prime minister twice: 1906-1911 and 1928-1930. He died in a plane crash in England 1936.
Thanks to Arvid Lindman, the Lindman family and it's origin is researched back to the 13th centrury. In the family archive we have a list of all the kings whom we are said to be descendants of; I don't know if I believe it or not. Or if I care. To me, the reliable family line (if one forgets about possibly false fatherhoods) starts with vicar Arvid Lindman (1670-1741), the great great grandfather of both the Prime Minister and of Salomon.
In 1911, Prime Minister Lindman honored his older namesake with a memorial in the old churchyard in Mjöbäck, Västergötland, where the vicar once worked. And I will, this summer, go there and have a look at it!
Ella at Skeda...
...where she has acquired a new, big interest, namely birds! She already knows a few species; therefore I have bought a bird poster to have in my home. I don't like it when three year old people know more than I do.
In August 1986...
...my aunt Birgitta made a longer interview with my great grandmother Anna about her life, her years at Rosenlund, her anxiety and her marriage with Helge Wennberg. Also about the time (during the 1930's) when Margaret, Else, Chris and the terrible Ring kids came to live with her! Together with one of them, Dick, I have now translated (parts of) the interview to English and this is his comment:
Touching interview; adds to the picture of Anna as coming across very strongly (to me anyway) yet from childhood was very insecure and vulnerable. But somehow managed to deal with 9 children, counting her own, an ailing sister plus those Finnish girls she took in during the war. A truly remarkable woman and I feel sure that I speak on behalf of the others, all of whom are now gone. And modest about her wonderful contributions. [...] Could add that Anna was a strict disciplinarian and gradually, I think, we became almost human.
Birgitta's interview with Anna
May I present...
...Vanessa Ring and her family: John, Roman and Eva Nabereznyj. I sometimes have had problems with people misspelling my last name, but I guess I shouldn't complain.
It seems to me...
A. When you are born (or rather: when you understand what a family is);
B. when you go through a personal crisis;
C. when you are 60+, things are slowing down and you realize that life - in its present form - is going to end.
Often, I think, it can be a combination of B and C. Myself I belong to cathegory A (maybe in combination with B, if one claims that my birth was a personal crisis).
A special photo...
...Karin (in the middle) with friends and dolls. Early 1900's.
This is Rydaholm's church...
...whose churchyard I visit once every year. Here is my grandmother buried, as well as my grandfather and my grandmother's parents. And for every year, the churchyard seems more and more like a monument of my childhood. To me, this has nothing to do with grief or sadness. The churchyard gives me peace, contemplation - and perspective.
A picture from Thailand
My first cousin Anna with her children Majken (born 2006), Malkolm (born 2004) and husband Gustav. Although Malkolm isn't baptised, I am his godfather or rather sponsor, in Swedish "fadder".
May I present...
...Tuva and Elli Sallstedt (born 1999 and 2002), two of Greta Lindman's youngest descendants.
