1.2.10

the beauty of the northern lights

photo "northern lights over sweden" not mine, found here

as i've been researching names for the items in my shop, i've really enjoyed taking the time to read about aurora borealis and thought i would share one particular picture that i found breathtaking.

even though i grew up in the cold north, i hadn't seen the northern lights until i was in my late teens. the story is pretty incredible actually. i was flying back to school in sweden, and somewhere close to iceland, i looked out the plane window and saw the most incredible site - these wispy green lines racing through the air! i was too speechless to even try to get a picture and am sure that whatever i would have taken wouldn't even come close to this beautiful photo. well, now i'm ready to pack my bags and head to swedish lappland for the abisko mountain station or spend at least one night in the icehotel.

3 comments:

sarah said...

i've seen them in north dakota! it's so surreal! i swear, northern winters are so incredibly brutal BUT the visual payoff in the form of the northern lights, sun dogs and other *magical* sights make it even. or more than even...seriously, you had me at hello with that title for you winter collection..

Anonymous said...

It is such a beautiful sight. We see them quite often here in Norway. If you do go to Lappland though, I would skip the Icehotel....very commercial stuff. The experience is unique I guess, but very expensive and I thought not worth it. Marianne

ellybeth said...

i agree sarah, northern winters are so breathtaking. sun dogs, yes! and by the way, the "you had me at hello" quote totally made me snort.

oh marianne, you lucky dog! it's good to know that the icehotel is a crock, but to be honest, i'd be completely happy with sleeping in a shack if it meant i got to be in scandinavia. heck, i'd just plop down in the freezing snow and sleep under the stars!