Holy crap - we've found the holy grail!

Frosty winds moaning in a bleak midwinter Stockholm. We’re struggling with upside-down umbrellas to our favorite Russian lunch hangout by the choppy black waters, which will soon turn inviting and white. The sun is lazy, hardly making it to have a quick peek over the islands. Still, it’s hard to leave as the huddling around lit candles and hot spicy wine not only warms frozen hands and toes, but hearts too.
 
It’s been a trip and a half on this side of the Atlantic this time around down narrow flooded mud lanes in the English countryside, with a cartoony “AARGHS!” soundtrack when we discovered that big trucks with tight schedules too use these tall historical hedgerow-lined “roads” as potential shortcuts. The map was telling us we were in green farming land but all we could see was insurance money flying out the rented car window. We made it through though, again and again, and were starting to suspect that we had an angel with us in the car.
 
Truth would show that we actually did, and miraculously she would reveal her face to us in all her splendor…
 
Have you ever heard of Glastonbury? Yup, they have a big music festival there in the summer, and druids, fairies and “King Arthurs” seem to join the circus. Well, this was our first time there, and the grey windy Somerset Winter seemed to keep most visitors away. After reading up on the place with a couple of proper English scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam at a tea place in the mainstreet, we were ready to climb the famous Tor (old English for “hill”). Filled with some knowledge of the place, we felt a tingle of excitement. Nowadays, it’s a center for pilgrimage for a wide range of religions and beliefs and one name for the special energy of the place is the “Angel of Glastonbury”. And we could definitely feel her presence as we started our climb. Suddenly a rainbow appeared next to the top. The only other person there was a Dutch lady, who told us that she’d walked up the Tor for seven years every day and never seen one. This rainbow seemed somehow different, slowly but steadily starting to grow in both directions. And before our eyes it turned into a majestic portal pending between intensely fiery and soft - alive and breathing. The Dutch lady's chin dropped, as did ours', and she explained: “Legend says, that when a rainbow appears above the Tor, someone’s found the holy grail”.


Click image to see video! (Photo: David Llewellyn)

Awestruck and humbled we left Glastonbury and England and returned to Stockholm to celebrate Lucia. The first time for David in Sweden in December, but he seems to get the whole vibe of candles and traditions to lighten up the darkness with friends and family.



 

We’re getting excited that our EP “In The Bleak Midwinter” is getting airplay in countries as diverse as the US, UK, Netherlands, Italy, France and Belgium (click to listen/buy here on iTunes) and are looking forward to the full album release to radio of “Songs Around The Kitchen Table” (Feb 1st 2015). Our baby is leaving the nest and it seems, that it’s developing its wings in the leap.


(Photo credits unknown).
 

Rounding all this up, we flew back to Nashville and then ended up in Florida for the holidays with family. Always such a treat to get to hang with family, dust off the summer closet, walk the beach and experience the dolphins and sunsets.

We're so grateful to all of you for the year passed. How sweet it is to have such beautiful friends all over the world. We feel that 2015 holds in store even more joy and inspiration for all of us. Looking forward to keeping contact with you all and wishing you a delicious New Year!!


(Photo: Ida Kristin)
 


Much love to all of you!

- Ida Kristin

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