My bike has not seen much use during our long, snowy Stockholm winter. But with all the snow and ice finally gone, I finally plucked up courage and cycled down in the sunshine to Liljeholmen today for a doctor’s visit.

One major delight was to cycle past the Enskede Riding School Stables and spend a moment or two looking at the rather splendid horses. Not only could I watch these beautiful creatures. There was also a chap bashing away at some horseshoes.

A blacksmith at work in 2024! A much-celebrated profession, still going strongish In 2024!

I wrote about it on Facebook and a pedantic pal in Hove (quite rightly so) pointed out that it is farriers not blacksmiths who do horseshoes.

I was happy to be corrected, Farriers! A profession I’d never heard of!

Back in the day, there was a blacksmith and/or a farrier in every village. But the profession is far from dead. and still crucial for riders.

One of Mrs KFD’s TV favourites is to watch the Gothenborg Horse Show and other equestrian events. I can understand the appeal but I get bored after five minutes. But I do understand how important it is » Continue Reading.

When she was 8 years old, harpist Mary Lattimore, who played at the Fasching Jazz Club on Sunday evening, entered a Sesame Street competition. Her mum sent in a drawing she had done and to Mary’s joy and astonishment she won. She told us that she hasn’t won anything since.

The prize was 8 tickets to the Sesame Street live show which was playing at the small town where she lived in North Carolina. And best of all was a visit backstage to meet the stars. One moment from that visit has stayed with her ever since was meeting Big Bird and the ginormous hug he gave her. One small girl wrapped up in two enormous yellow wings.

That memory has become her happy place. Somewhere she can retreat when life is too dark and brutal.

It was the inspiration for the exquisite instrumental, And he wrapped his wings around me, which she played after telling us the story behind it. She was alone on stage sitting behind the enormous harp that she’d borrowed from a Stockholm musician called Anna. Using an effects pedal, she would loop her playing, constructing great spider’s webs made up of exquisite arpeggios. » Continue Reading.

“As shepherds washed their socks by night”

Back in my youth, any English school kid would recognise this irreverent reworking of the Xmas carol “While shepherds watched their flocks at night”. I mentioned it this morning on Facebook as I sat waiting for my laundry to dry in the tvättstuga gazing out at three inches of freshly fallen snow.

To my delight, an old school friend, who I last met more than 50 years ago replied with a mention of a satirical version of another carol that his father used to sing: “Hark the herald angels sing – Mrs Simpson stole our King!” At the time my pal had no idea who Mrs Simpson was, but realised it was rather naughty.

That lead me to this excellent article about Xmas Carols. They are the poor, (somewhat disreputable, but very popular) relatives of Xmas hymns.

“Carols weren’t confined by rigid church law and their words often strayed from biblical text. Even worse, carols could be subversive. Encoded in local slang or dialect, satirical wordplay might poke fun at an unpopular monarch or church official. Carols were dangerous, so the authorities banned them, but a few somehow managed to slip into the » Continue Reading.