Swedish Christmas in July

Nu är det jul igen! This is the text from a Swedish Christmas song- now it's Christmas again. This song has special meaning at the village where we celebrate Christmas every other week. Last night Lucia came to our cabins. Traditionally, Lucia comes early on the morning of December 13th when the days are short and the nights are at their darkest. Because it's summer and we don't want to do Lucia before the sun rises (which is around 5 am in Northern Minnesota), we instead do Lucia around midnight the night before. Last night the electricity went out at our site, and indeed all around northern Bemidji, right around 11:15, making for a VERY dark night at Sjölunden. But Lucia went on as planned, and it was extra lovely to hear the chior singing outside when our whole world was dark and silent. According to my alarm clock, we must have regained electricity around 2 am.

Today we're thankful for cooler temperatures, after a long week of 90 degrees plus. Right now it's activity time and a group of kids are at the beach sailing, while other weave in our new weaving studio. There's a chior practicing upstairs and kids painting in the craft room. A group of villagers is playing ultimate frisbee out on the soccer field, and another is slinking around doing 'spy' activities. Just another day at Sjölunden!