Hello and a warm welcome, both to those of you visiting for the first time and to those who return again and again! I am always both surprised and happy to see readers from all over the world – from Ireland, the USA, and so many places I hardly dared to dream of. Imagine that my small corner of Sweden can reach your heart across the globe.
Thank you, most humbly, for reading here with me. It means more than you know.
When Piles Come to Life
Today I want to write about something completely different than international readers – those piles we all gather at home.
I have one of those piles. It started with a printer. The printer and I already had a shaky relationship, and eventually my husband grew tired of hearing me talk to it. He said he knew where to find one of those new machines that actually worked.
Although I muttered that the old one wasn’t that old, and that it had been expensive enough that it should work, we went to NetOnNet and bought a new printer. The old printer ended up in the basement, right on the floor. We were going to throw it away “later.”
The Kitchen Faucet in LVL²
Then, as always, more things joined the pile. In the spring, when we took our motorhome LVL² out, the kitchen faucet broke. We bought a new one, and the broken faucet also moved to the basement. Not a big pile yet – but still, a pile.
Broken Pots and Forgotten Things
Last year we bought a new battery for our motorhome. The old one got a spot in the garden, waiting for recycling. And that plastic box where I tried to grow leeks? The sun cracked it, and it stayed where it was.
Broken pots, an old garden stool, and everything else slowly joined the pile. Eventually, when we walked past, it felt almost alive.
My husband thought it looked sad when you came down the street and saw our pile of junk. So we moved it to the other side of the patio, so it wouldn’t be as visible.
From Pile to Relief
Yesterday, the recycling station in the village was open. It rained heavily. The pile stayed put, and I gave up hope that we would ever deal with it.
However, today a small miracle happened. My husband said:
“Let’s take care of this now.”
At first, I wasn’t very eager. However, because he had the energy, I didn’t want to be the one to hold back.
First, we took the usual recycling: milk cartons, plastic, and glass. Then, the plastic pots went, along with my broken garden chair. After that, the printer went to Elgiganten’s electronics recycling, and the faucet joined the scrap metal. Finally, since we were in Uddevalla anyway, we returned our summer cans and bottles – two large bags, which gave us 230 kronor back.
The Joy of Order and Lightness
When we came home again, it was as if the air was lighter. The pile was gone. The garden felt bigger. And I got such an energy boost that I took out the grass trimmer and tidied all the edges where the pile had been.
The grass that had grown around the pile was trimmed away – as if it had never existed. My husband heard me from the basement, came up, and mowed the lawn. Even Lillfia caught the feeling and asked if she could help.
Reflection: Why Do We Always Wait?
Now I’m sitting under the pavilion, writing. My body feels lighter, and so does my mind. And yet, I wonder: Why do we always wait until “later”?
For me, it looks like this:
First, I say, “We’ll do it later.”
Then, the pile grows.
Then comes the shame and the quiet anxiety.
Finally, we do it – and then it feels like Christmas morning.
There is a certain reward in that final feeling – the relief and the energy when it’s all done. But I don’t know if it’s worth all the quiet nagging before. Maybe that’s just how life works sometimes. And maybe, I’m not the only one.
Between the Lines – My Voice
Between the lines, this isn’t just about trash or a pile in the garden. It’s about holding on to things – and feelings – longer than we need to, and about the freedom that comes when we finally let go.
I write this to remind myself – and maybe you – that it is in the small actions that the greatest relief and joy can be found. When the pile is gone, life feels a little bigger.
Questions for You
Do you also have a pile waiting for attention?
How does it feel when you finally finish something you’ve postponed for too long?
Do you think the relief is stronger because we waited too long?
Here’s a reminder of my friend’s YouTube channel – her sweet educational videos for children about animals, nature, and the small things that spark curiosity.
Live today, right now. Yesterday is among the memories of old piles, and tomorrow waits in the distance. Maybe new piles will come – but it all depends on what we do in the present. Right now is where life unfolds and where we can finally breathe. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
AHA – Between the Lines
Behind this story of a disappearing pile lives a lesson about life itself. It is about the weight of what we hold on to, and the unexpected freedom that comes when we let go – of things, of clutter, and sometimes of the emotions that keep us stuck. I share this because life is often lighter than we dare to believe, and because even a cleared pile can make room for new energy, hope, and a deep breath in the present moment.
This post is about the stillness of returning home, about small everyday adventures, about letting berries take up space in the kitchen – and dreams take up space in the mind. The scent of blackcurrant juice, a spoonful of marmalade – and the feeling of being right where I’m supposed to be.
We Came Home Yesterday
Before that, though, we made a stop at Fribo in Sollebrunn with our LVL^2. We’ve bought both trailers and vehicles there before. This time, we were just browsing – and we made that clear, even though the friendly salesman was more than ready to sell us a motorhome.
Afterwards, we swung by Dollarstore – but unfortunately, the silver tarps were out of stock. However, Biltema had what we needed – well, almost everything except car parts and silver tarps. Fortunately, I found some fabric boxes that will help organize our clothes in the motorhome.
The idea is to keep them neatly folded under one of the beds. That way, they’re easy to find – and it feels more like home.
At home, we don’t keep clothes under the beds. But in the motorhome, the under-bed storage is large and mostly unused. It’s like we’ve just thrown stuff in there because we could. Therefore, it’s time for the lazy part of me to wake up and get a little more organized.
When Everyday Life Meets Berry Joy
Once we got home, our oldest son had picked blackcurrants from our bush. Meanwhile, my husband was cooking dinner, and I was out in the garden, watering plants and tending to our very thirsty flowers.
After dinner, I made juice – and honestly, it turned out really good. Since I don’t like wasting anything, I used what was left in the straining cloth and turned it into marmalade. I have a feeling it’ll go perfectly with some creamy brie.
In addition, I harvested some tomatoes from the greenhouse.
Recipe: Blackcurrant Juice & Marmalade
Ingredients (approx. 1 liter finished juice):
1 kg blackcurrants (I used 2.5 kg)
5 dl water
6–7 dl granulated sugar per liter of strained juice
Equipment:
Large pot
Straining cloth or fine sieve
Bottles/jars with tight-fitting lids
(Optional: Sodium benzoate)
How to make the juice:
Clean the berries – remove leaves and any bad berries, no need to trim stems.
Boil with water – simmer for 10–15 minutes until the berries burst.
Strain – let it drip through a cloth (don’t press if you want clear juice).
Measure juice & boil with sugar – 6–7 dl sugar per liter of juice.
Skim the surface – remove any foam.
Bottle while hot – pour into warm, clean bottles and seal immediately.
Marmalade from the Berry Pulp:
I reheated the strained pulp with sugar and boiled it down until it thickened into marmalade. Then I poured it into jars – and I’ll also freeze some in small portions. Perfect for a cheese board!
Tip: Do You Need Preservatives?
No, if you:
Freeze the juice
Bottle it hot in sterilized bottles
Pasteurize it (80°C for 20 minutes)
Yes, if you:
Want to store it at room temperature for a long time
Don’t plan to freeze it → Then use sodium benzoate (1/5 tsp per liter)
As for me, I chose to freeze the juice – I prefer to avoid additives in our food.
And Life Continues…
Even though it was lovely to be away with our LVL^2, it also felt great to come home. My own bed. My own shower.
While my husband tackled the laundry, I stood over the stove with the berries. Today, there are two more loads waiting. First, I’ll check the weather app – then decide whether to hang them outside or inside. Actually, who am I kidding – they’re already spinning in the machine.
Later today, we might take a walk in the woods and see if our old mushroom spots are still around. A little nature is always a good idea.
What about you?
What are you doing with your berries this year? Have you found a good way to organize your motorhome cabinets? I’d love to hear your tips!
Reflection – Between the Lines
This post speaks of small transitions: from motorhome life to home routines, from window shopping to jam making, from fabric storage to berry bushes.
Sometimes, the most ordinary tasks turn into little treasures. I move between dreaming and doing – and find meaning in the rhythm of everyday life.
Between watering plants and stirring marmalade, there’s gratitude, softness, and a kind of doing that quietly heals the inside. Even if I don’t always realize it in the moment – it’s there.
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Yesterday has already settled into history, tomorrow is waiting up ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. Right now, I can enjoy my blackcurrant juice. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
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