Cows! I Love Cows!

There is something totally cool about them. Very non-aggressive, no stress, enjoying each-others company, eating grass peacefully until it´s time to sleep. Then time to wake up, and start eating again...
Something tells me we got a little something to learn from them, our cow buddies. filled with hear and soul.
Cows Rock! I love cows...makes me think of Swedish horse woman Malin Bayard, one of our big talents in that field of sport. She released a song back in the day,  called "I love Horse"
Now´, that´s a totally different story.....

Down Memory Lane

I proudly present to you, my grandfather Per Lundkvist.  He has always been a great influence in my musical life.
I just found a cassette tape with recordings of his children songs where he plays the piano and I am singing...I must have been 5 years old or something.
Really fun to hear, and fantastic songs.
He was a very active composer/musician constantly working and touring.
Being a musical director, in charge of the entertainment orchestra at the Swedish National Radio SR, for many years, writing songs and working with his friend Rolf Björling (the son of legendary Jussi Björling) amongst others he was always busy.
Winning awards and scholarships he proved he was a true musical genius.
My strongest memory will always be me sitting by his piano, listening to when he was working. Keeping all harmonies in his head for an arrangement for full orchestra, and them putting them down on paper by hand. The sound of the pen as it scratched the thin paper.
In those days the orchestras symbolized much of the popular music and live music ruled. He had his quartet and they toured from north to south, entertaining a dancing audience. His musical pieces, from strings orchestras to brass brand and his music was spread in various countries in Europe.
I miss my grandfather terribly, but somehow feel he is right here with me. I am constantly reminded of him, when I sit writing my songs looking at his Buddha statue by his old baby grand.

someone to watch over you

When I was a little girl I used to sit by my grandfathers baby-grand whilst he was composing a new piece of wonderful music. He wrote rhapsodies, pieces for full orchestra, piano concerts, choir pieces, children's songs, you name it.
He was a very musical person. He was also the first person I knew doing yoga and keeping the mind calm by using Buddhist traditions.
He always had a very special love for Japan. Even before I was born he wrote songs like " Tokyo Trip" and "Japan is only a Song away".
He always wanted to go, but never went, and later in life as my career took off in Japan I made sure to keep him informed of everything.
10 years ago he left us. It hit me hard, and I will never forget that day.
I have a lot to thank him for, my musical heritage and my artistic mind so often in need of peace n quiet. He gave me his Buddha statue, that was always in his bedroom watching over him. Now it watches over me, and with all scary things happening in Japan,  I want it to watch over  all of you in Japan as-well.
Much Love from Me

Flowers of fortune to my friends in Japan

I heard that on New Years in Brazil, everyone dresses in white, that symbolizes the color of luck, and they go down to the beach to throw flowers into the ocean to celebrate the Goddess of the Sea.
As we all know, the Ocean is a powerful source of nature.
Once again, something we have not been treating with respect.
I love water, the seas, oceans, lakes and rivers that are flowing, that bring life and healing.....when in balance. Reverse....I have the ultimate respect.
All around us , every day, we´re  faced with the news as evidence of this incredible in-balance.

With white flowers of luck from my garden, I will go down to the beach and give them to the Goddess of the Sea as a symbol from me, thinking of all my Japanese Friends who are struggling in fear, but having courage.  I´m with you in thought, mind and spirit. 

In Harmony...???

Stormy Weather. Amazing what respect Mother Nature can get while she swirls around outside my window. One of few things man can never control will be the weather and actions of nature. I remember last year as the volcano on Iceland hit big time and most of the airline traffic was held back due to the ash clouds. Interesting to watch peoples reactions. So many people were pissed off, and well somehow it can be understandable in some cases if you have made plans and then things did not work out the way you wanted. But then again...hey...haven´t we lived long enough to know that everything changes???
But the worse thing was, people were seriously pissed off at the airlines....I mean, what could they do? move the cloud? Don´t think so......Fly anyway? well yeah....and if anything bad would happen take the shit afterwards? Nope..not an option.  So, we just had to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
I had to cancel a trip.....but apart from that..I kinda liked it, and I hope It got at least some people to think of how vulnerable we are, once Mother Nature hits..... It was mainly an economical catastrophe for  the companies, but no lives were taken...like when the Tsunami hit bad a few yeas back.....or Katrina....or the terrible floodings and and fires in Australia...or...or...or....
It´s time to start to treat Nature with respect again, as we once did, loooong time ago.....Maybe learn from the elders and the native people instead of ruin them?? Live in harmony with Nature...is that but a dream in 2011???

A hard nut to crack......thoughts on Wallstrom and UN.

I was totally touched yesterday as I saw "The Wallstrom Resolution" on Swedish Television.
It was a documentary of Swedish Politician/EU Commissioner/ fighting spirit Margot Wallstrom who is now, until 2012,  Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Conflict.
We got to follow her intense engagement at the UN headquarters in NY as-well as in Bosnia and Kongo, where she met women/children and men who have been exposed and tortured as a result of sexual violence and rape.
Needless to say their stories were heart breaking.  The victims will suffer all of their lifes.
It makes me wonder if we ever will find peace in this world, when the respect and understanding of our fellow sisters and brothers is so distant..
I´m a believer, so of course we WILL find peace....and as long as fighters like Wallstrom walk this Earth we are getting closer.
Still I am wondering how can we make the Men, in this case, really understand and come to the conclusion that they have really committed serious crimes.
The abusers have a choice. They CAN say NO this is wrong.  But they have somehow thought that,  yes this is our right to torture and rape even small children. Who told them/showed them this? I´m pretty sure  they were once innocent children. Where along the line can there be a re-programming of their mind and their psychological/social patterns so this won´t happen again.  How can we help them choose the right way?
Looking at this short film on Wallstrom, I see her engagement, I understand her words and the feeling behind the words.
But I wonder, do these men across the table understand her?
 .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4y-FICnaIQ
I get a feeling that one has to dig down very deep into the core of the conscious behavior of man to really make a change...not to get to philosophical..but...as an example..Who is the boss over these soldiers that commit these crimes.? A Man, of course. Can HE not be man enough to teach his soldiers what is it to really BE REAL man?
There are now many men who will be put into prison for their crimes, and yes, that is the only way to go.
BUT will they get some kind of therapy in jail to raise their awareness, to change their behavior and not commit these crimes again???..or will they meet like minded men in prison, fire up and start all over again once they get out?? One can only guess.......The psychology of a human is a hard nut to crack.......

COMMUNICATION AT IT´S BEST!!!

I´m presently in my summer house writing new songs for the upcoming album " Bohemian Behavior" The best thing about being in a summer house in the coldest time of year is that it is completely quiet. All I can hear is a vague murmur from my refrigerator....I might hear 2 cars a day passing by and my neighbor comes by every now and then to check I´m good. Outside it is cold and grey, like you would expect in Sweden at this time of year. Thank God the snow has melted away. On my morning walk I could barely see the difference between the ocean and the sky. Like they had melted together in a thick mist. Somewhere a bird was flying looking for food to keep warm. I fill my lungs with the crisp, clean air and think to myself that my oh my am I lucky to be able to spend time in a place like this. I love big city life, New York, LA, San Francisco, London...not to mention Paris in springtime, but then, to know I can get back here...to recharge.

The bad news about being here in winter is...that the house was not built to be in when it´s -2 below zero. Like I said..it´s a summer house..and you sure can feel it. Sitting inside with a hat and double sweaters, putting another log in the fire. Yes, Life is Good. Now a cup of tea then back to the guitar. peace!!