2006              Rödluvan with the reindeer Studs.

This year the reindeer were coming to the pond at the Campus again. and the best of all was that the reindeer Studs came back to meet me.

It was a real cold winter morning when I was standing by the bus stop. The windows of the bus shelter were frozen. It looked like there were ice flowers on the windows. The temperature was -27C early in the morning. Now it was -24C.

The squirrel in the woods by my work was eating  nuts that had fallen on the ground from the food basket. I said to the squirrel: "Today I will meet my friends the reindeer again". The squirrel said: "Wow! But put on real thick clothes because it's cold.”

I answered: "Look, I am protected against the cold in these clothes!"

The van with the reindeer came and the reindeer Studs was coming out from the van.  I felt so happy to see Studs again.

I said: "Welcome back Studs, are Jätte, Emil and Asla also here" Studs said "No" I have some other friends with me".

Studs continued and said: "This is Cesar".

And this is Evert.

And this is Oliver.

I met the Sami Ola Rokkas again. And was talking with him. Here I'm  on a picture with Ola. But this picture is taken in the year 2005.

Me met Ola Rokkas daughter, Ann Katrin. She cared for Studs.  She had a beautiful hooded Sami coat (I don't know the name of this coat in Sami language)  I pet Studs and a student who was there  helped me to take this picture.

Ola put on a harness at Studs so he could draw the sledge. One of Ola's mittens was lying on Studs back :-)

Ola pet Studs. Ola told us that you have to be kind to a reindeer. They are sensitive and if you are kind they will like you and work for you.

Ola said: "Come, Studs, now we will go to the pond".

And Studs followed Ola. In the background you can see Oliver.

Now Studs was fastened to the sledge.

Ola took a ride with Studs and he was running rather fast.

The reindeer Studs stopped when Ola told him to do this.

The reindeer Studs said to me: Do you want to have a sleigh ride with me?" Yes, I was pleased to make a sleigh ride with Studs.

I sat down on the sledge. Now Studs did not get permission to run so fast. He should run slowly with the Sami Gottfrid. A Sami woman who also was there helped me to take some pictures.

Then Studs decided he should run away with the sledge and me. But Gottfrid stopped him and I said: "Stop Studs STOP !!! I first want to get a picture.” And I was laughing.

After that, Studs was pulling me on the sledge. And the local television was there and the man filmed me on the sledge. And in the evening I could see myself and Studs on television.

It was real fun to hear the special sound of Studs clover going on the snow. It sounds like: "Plaff, knarr, plaff, knarr, plaff, knarr".

Studs was also pulling other people the sledge.  It looked so nice to see the reindeer and the sledge on the  the snow and ice  covered pond.

It was strange that we could go on the pond. In summer the ducks are swimming here.

Studs was waiting to give more people a sleigh ride. In the background the other reindeer: Oliver, Evert and Cesar. The reindeer Oliver also got a harness. But he was never pulling the sleigh today.

Now it was time for Studs to rest. He had a little talk with his friend Oliver.

Ola Rokkas was telling all kind of interesting things about the Sami and the reindeer. He had a Sami cap with a big red pompom. Ola said that if a Sami had his pompom on the front of his head he was not married. And if the Sami hat it on the back of the head  he was married.  But on this picture he only was showing how he could wear the pompom.

Ola is wearing a jewellery made of reindeer horn.

Ola’s trousers made lf reindeer skin. And he has a kind of ribbon around his ankles. It must be real tight between his trousers and his boots. It is dangerous if there will come snow in the boots. Then you can freeze your feet.

The reindeer bull (they call it "sarv") is rut in the autumns. Then they can be dangerous.  The strongest reindeer may  fertilize all the reindeer cows. A reindeer cow is called "vaja".

While Ola was talking about the Sami culture, the reindeer Cesar laid down and relaxed in the snow.  The cold did not bother him.

After Cesar laid down, the reindeer Evert laid down too.

And after that Oliver laid down too.

But Studs was standing and listening to Ola and me. I  petted him again. Now Studs did not have his harness, because he should not pull the sledge anymore today.

It was time to go home for Ola and his reindeer. Ola took Cesar to the van.

Here Gottfrid was coming with Oliver.

On this picture Studs at the left and Evert at the right.

And now it was time for Studs to say goodbye  to me. I said: "Goodbye Studs, I will remember you." Studs said: "I will remember you too."

When I in the evening went to bed, I had a beautiful dream. Somebody was standing beside me. It was the reindeer Studs who said: "Don't worry about the bad things in life. Remember me, I will always be your friend".