I thought up this terrible pun as a blog title when I viewed the steps of the local church earlier this week.



It could have been worse - because it was the church steps, I was considering the title Stairway To Heaven, but even I groaned internally at how bad that was. However, there is no doubt that autumn here contains a lot of leaves. Today they were ankle deep and it was all I could do to resist the overwhelming urge to shuffle through them just to listen to the rustling noise. Oh to be 10 years old again!

One reason we go to the church often is that it has a great view over the harbour area. Looking down from there, you can see the deserted guest harbour, the startling green of the grass (nope - no photoshopping used - it really is that colour) and the lovely red and golden autumn leaves.



The lake you can see is called Svandammen (the swan pond) and if you peer very carefully on the far shore, I think you can see a white spot - the lone swan left here after last week's mass migration to warmer climates. I think some swans migrate, as there are hardly any around in winter. Come summer and we are practically tripping over them everywhere.

When I'm home, I try and go out for a walk each day, no matter what the weather. It's been rather cold and windy the last few days, so it's hard to motivate yourself to leave the comfort of a heated apartment. Looking at the thermometer, I see that the outside temperature is -0.0C. Do you suppose that's the same as 0.0C or fractionally colder? Why the minus sign? Just to rub it in?

Despite the cold, we set off to check out the boat and take a walk aound the little island of Trehörningen, which is connected to the mainland by a small bridge. At the boat club, all the boats are up on land now.



This amuses my yachtie friends back home. They cannot imagine that Swedes take up their boats for 6 months of the year. As the water freezes over for part of that time, I think they feel more secure with them safely covered on land. And it gives them a chance to clean and polish them ready for next season. Lars-Göran thinks it looks very sad to see them like this and he's none too pleased that our boat is among them.

Our goal for today is to reach that white topped red tower you can see in the distance of the above photo. So we backtrack to Oskarsbron and wander around the lovely homes here. This is where that house is for sale I spoke about last time. And we also found another one that we really liked.



This is the neighbour to Villa Sjövik and really very elegant. I love the atmosphere on the island. It is very special - a peaceful, old world feel and quite charming. The place was full of birds feasting on the abundant berries and apples and I saw dear little squirrels busily stocking up for winter and playfully scampering from tree to tree. It's a world away from the main town just across the bay. One garden has the most beautiful, rosy red apples in it.



They just don't look real - too perfect and waxy, as though they were ready made toffee apples in an enchanted garden. I saw another tree in a garden last week that had lost all of its leaves, but the bright red apples were still hanging there, as though waiting to tempt Snow White, should she come past.

We couldn't find a path to the tower, so we climbed up through the rocks and forest and found an enormous patch of blueberries.



Of course we had an impromptu feast. They were really big, full, ripe and juicy and reminded me that I ought to make a luscious blueberry pie or cake. Another day.

We were tired after treking up to the top, but it was worth it just to see the views from the tower. It is an old water tower, built in the early 1900's and then closed down and partly demolished in the 1930's. Then in the mid 1990's, they decided to renovate it and open it to the public. And you can see for miles and miles. My favourite views were the following two. First looking east, over to the island of Bedarön and the bays beyond.



We spent quite a few enjoyable evenings over in that area. The other view was that looking northwards towards the main town of Nynäshamn.



Even on a cloudy day like today, it has a lot of charm. But now I think it's time to head home, put on a cup of Lemon Myrtle tea and catch up on some work. The days are getting steadily shorter and shorter, and come Sunday, when we move our clocks back to winter time, it will mean coming home from work in the dark. Not nice!