Good morning friends, I hope that you had a very nice weekend. I spent time in the countryside which was refreshing and relaxing - picking flowers, walking through the vast fields, taking photos and enjoying time with my little boy. I woke this morning to realize that I'd not shared many photos with you from my trip to Gotland. If you recall this past June, I was on a styling and photography retreat taught by German Artist Dietland Wolf in Sweden... And do to begin the week here is my Midsummer photo story with a strong focus on the land where we stayed and the golden sunlight.

All of these were taken on the last evening of my stay on Gotland when the sun bathed the island in the most radiant golden, warm light. When I first started taking photos, the light was more clear and white... Then it slowly became more and more golden. You will notice this in the photos I think. It was surreal to experience the sunset there; I'd not experienced light quite like this before, it was magical and left me in love with Gotland even more. I felt like the island was a special place for not only its natural beauty and stillness, but for the light quality. I noticed it constantly no matter how clear the skies - the island always had the most beautiful light quality so taking photos was a dream come true for me.

I hope you've enjoy these photos as much I enjoyed taking them. As I was roaming the property where we stayed to capture my surroundings, I felt overwhelmed with emotion as I knew the next morning I would fly home and I didn't want the magic to end. I could have easily spent a month on that island (or the entire summer) if my little boy could have been by my side. I kept thinking that the island was perfect for children and families because there was so much to explore and was like going back in time - everything there was so simple, fresh and connected to nature. The bakeries, the farms where we ate, even the little gift shops - simple and authentic in every way.

If you ever get a chance to vacation to the island of Gotland, or take a workshop with Dietlind, don't even think twice about it - go - and bring your camera! (Photography: Holly Becker for decor8)