(Post provided by Cora Mullins, Image provided by Molly Cavaleri)
We set out around 9 o’clock this morning to meet with Malin Eriksson, a behavioral scientist who works a lot with forests and nature. She took us on a walk through the woods in a nature reserve, teaching us about opening our senses along with the importance of nature when managing one’s wellbeing. She foraged for many edible lingonberry flowers, spruce tips, blueberry leaves, and juniper fruits that we got to try while experimenting with taste. We ended our time with her by “forest bathing,” where we all laid in the moss and blueberry bushes (which was actually quite comfortable) and just relaxed. It left us feeling rejuvenated and ready for the rest of the day.
In the afternoon, we headed to Singӧ, a nearby island at the top of the Stockholm Archipelago. After a quick box lunch of salmon or tofu (depending on diet items), we met up with Gabriel Liljenström, a Singӧ local and a teacher and consultant. He brought us many local foods to try, such as rye bread and pickled herring, black licorice, dried mackerel, cookies, sea buckthorn and gooseberry juice! Then we set out into the woods for a tour of the Singӧ School Forest and a forest talk. When we parted ways, we walked around the forest a little more, brainstorming and planning for our community art project that we are starting next week.
Many of us then spent the evening making dinner, working on projects, and hanging out in the community house. It was a pretty relaxing day before heading into our free weekend.