Solstice, and thanks for the fish!

Happy summer solstice to all--the lovely longest day of the year! My husband works for a Swedish company, and one of his colleagues sent us this pic of people celebrating Swedish style. I wish this were a bigger deal here in the U.S., because it sounds like a lot of fun. As Bob's colleague explains, the traditions surrounding the Swedish Midsommar may date back to the days of the vikings:

We dance around a flower-covered pole wearing national costumes (different for different regions). We eat a lot of herring and flush it down the throat with large amounts of beer and aquavit. The best one is homemade and my favorite is made from a herb called Artemisia Absinthium in Latin. The English name is Wormwood, I believe, but the German name, Wermuth, describes its use better.

I'll pass on the herring and aquavit, but wish I had a flowered-covered pole to dance around! Here's wishing you all TREVLIG MIDSOMMAR!!!