Autumn's Arrival

After a gloriously long 'brittsommar' Stockholm's version of Indian Summer, I think perhaps we are settling into the autumn season. The weekend was warm and sunny and I took full advantage of the opportunity to enjoy it. Because of work and other social commitments we didn't have enough time to go on the boat.  I missed being out on the water but I have to admit it was pretty fun exploring the island of Djurgården on foot.  It had been a long time since we wandered around here since we usually take every warm day and head out on the boat.  I had forgotten what a lovely part of the city this beautiful park is.  We walked for a long time and then sat on chairs that were still out at a closed restaurant.  It was peaceful and lovely and warm and beautiful.  I was amazed at how prolific the flowers were and felt resonance with the sunflowers as they stretched their big faces towards the waning sunshine. The apple trees are heaving with gorgeous fruit. I was happy to enjoy these last warm days of the "warm and light"season wandering around beautiful Stockholm.
We walked by the restaurant where we went on the weekend we came here to interview, 13 years ago.  We wandered by the outside of the residence of the American ambassador.  We soaked in the warmth and beauty of autumn with a taste of summer thrown in!
It's gray today and leaves are strewn about the sidewalk.  The air is not so cold but the grayness of the day, the falling leaves, the emerging colors of autumn breaking forth from various trees along with it now being October makes me feel like we are definitely into a new season.  As I was walking around today I was laughing to myself because today would've been deemed a pretty cold autumn day in southern California where I grew up. I remember hoping that it might get cold enough to actually wear a sweater!   I also remember watching the trees trying so hard to change color.  The most we'd ever get would be a pale yellow.  The leaves would fall off the trees but the deep colors of this beautiful season never came into view for me in California.  I still appreciate the beauty of autumn and the dazzling display that nature likes to put forth.  Today smelled like autumn, even the anemic autumns of my childhood in California.
I love the fall.  My favorite sports are played in the autumn season (American football, baseball playoffs and volleyball), my birthday is in October, the cooler temperatures were always a welcome respite from the hot summer in California and by cooler I mean in the 60's instead of the 70's (in centigrade, that's 10's instead of 20's) and all in all I just loved the change of season.  It's not that I mind the change of season here it's just that now autumn means that winter follows and winter in Stockholm is well, slightly different than winter in southern California!  But life moves through seasons as well and the best part of autumn turning into winter is that winter turns into spring!