Everyone, meet Inger! She is one of the kindest and most beautiful people I know. She also happens to be my Mormor (grandma in Danish)! Last month was her birthday and I thought it would be fun to use this as an occasion to share a few pictures that I took of her last spring in her beautiful garden and to also share a few treasures of wisdom I have learned from her 🙂

1) APPRECIATE NATURE: Some of my fondest memories of my time together with my grandparents include being outdoors; going on nature walks together, learning about the different kinds of plants in the garden, bird watching and looking up insects we would find in the insect encyclopedia. There are very few flowers that my grandma would not be able to name, and very few birds that she would not recognize and I always have and still admire her great love and appreciation for nature. She helped teach me to love nature for all of its beauty and to be in awe of the intricacies of it.

2) BE KIND: My grandma’s garden is her sacred place, so whenever snails or slugs would infest the garden and start eating away at her precious flowers and plants she would recruit us grandchildren to collect them for her. Then she would take the bucket full of snails, walk a few kilometers to a nearby swamp area and lovingly release all the snails into the nature in a place that she hoped they would thrive. She is the kind of person who treasures life, and who shows kindness towards the world and its beings- both big and small – and she shows a great kindness towards people and animals alike.

3) CROCHET: When I was about 8, my grandma taught me how to crochet and knit. I still remember her patience as she sat with me in her living room gently teaching me the ins and outs of hooking the yarn over and through . . . and over and through. . . She showed me the blankets that were crocheted by her own mother, her grandmother and her great grandmother, and through her teaching me the art of crocheting, she also taught me the importance and beauty of connecting with one’s ancestors. Crocheting is a hobby that I have kept through the years, and it is also a method of feeling connected with my ancestors and heritage, and I owe this to my grandma.

I carry the same middle name as her – Kirstine – and I am so proud and grateful to share this name with such a wonderful, gentle, kind and beautiful woman! I hope you all enjoy these pictures of Inger in her garden and that you can feel the kindness and love of this woman through these pictures! Enjoy!