Spring Psychosis

I walked into my kitchen early on Saturday to make coffee, as I do every morning, to be met with this scene outside of my window.  I thought, I better make it a double! It was April 14 and I could not believe that I was seeing snow.  Big, heavy, wet snowflakes were coming down in rapid succession and I do not think that blizzard like conditions was an inaccurate description.  Alas, Tanner needed to be walked so I resigned myself to the weather and took him out.  He had so much fun in the snow that it improved my mood.  And I knew it couldn't last, right?  I did feel a bit sorry for the wildflowers and daffodils who did not appreciate being wrapped in a blanket of white.  But I guess they've been growing in Sweden long enough to know that snow in April is just not all that uncommon.
Then I went to a long meeting at church in a basement room with no windows to the outside.  When I emerged at 5.00 p.m. I could not believe the beautiful evening that had been brewing whilst I was cloistered below ground.  While a bit chilly, the sun was bright, the snow was melting and hints of spring were back in the air.  We took another walk with Tanner, this one decidedly more lovely and dry and soaked in the beauty of the spring light that shines on Stockholm.  It was a three season day with the snow indicating winter, the temperature feeling like autumn, and the wildflowers indicating spring!  Summer is still lurking somewhere...we hope.  By Monday all the snow was gone from this pier.
 We walked out to Skeppsholmen and Kastelholmen.  The spring light grabbed our attention once again.  Most of the snow was completely gone and it was a lovely day to be out.   I had heard rumors that the cherry blossoms were thinking about blooming. With the snow over the weekend I feared that the blossoms would all be on the ground.  As we turned into Kungsträdsgården, I could see that they weren't in full bloom yet, but there was a definite effort going on!  The cherry blossom bloom is one of my favorite things here in Stockholm so I will be wandering down there regularly this week.  It is beautiful, of course, but definitely the most assuring sign that spring is here and summer will soon follow. There is a cherry blossom festival Saturday. If there is anything blowing around, I hope it's just loose flower petals!   
I do wonder however, how many more 2, 3, or even 4 season days we have ahead of us.

Stockholm is Springing to Life

We've had a string of warm, sunny days here in Stockholm.  The entire personality of the city and its inhabitants has changed!  I was able to wear shorts all weekend and I gotta tell ya, I'm a totally different person when the warm weather hits.  I have had loads to do over the past several weeks, being a pastor and it being Lent, Holy Week and Easter after all and on Saturday I had errands to run, preparations to be made, a dog to walk and friends to visit.  I woke up at 6.30 and hit the ground running.  Usually by mid-afternoon on days like these, I'm totally worn out and ready for a long winter's nap.  But the sunshine and beautiful air of Saturday kept me going and going and going.  I got a lot done and was ready to wake up to a beautiful Easter morning.
Yesterday was a public holiday in Stockholm and it was gorgeous.  Our boat doesn't go into the water until Saturday so we did something that we haven't done in ages...we packed a picnic and headed out to one of the city islands, Skeppsholmen, on foot.  (Holmen means islet.)  The city of Stockholm is actually made up of 8 or 14 (depending on how you count it!) different islands and it is so much fun to cross bridges, enjoy the water views and find a sunny spot to relax.  I do not grow tired of looking at this beautiful city with its amazing views on the water front.  What a joy to walk through a quiet city, with the sun heating us up.  Tanner swam, we found a sunny spot, and enjoyed a wonderful picnic from the leftover bounty of our Easter table.  After we had napped and relaxed and taken in a bit of people watching, we walked over to another island called Kastellholmen.  Beautiful buildings adorn this small island in the middle of the city bay.  Tanner was roasting in the afternoon heat...about 75 degrees (22C)  which is really, really warm even in the middle of summer let alone the end of April!  He had no problems jumping into the icy waters of the Baltic!Eventually we wandered back home, taking in the lovely flower pots that people had planted. 
The city is beginning to bloom...the moment when spring becomes complete however is when the cherry trees on Kungsträgården pop.  I am watching and waiting with eager expectation.  It is indeed one my favorite moments of spring in Stockholm.

Kungsträdgården and the Cherry Blossoms

As soon as winter begins to wane and signs of spring slowly begin to appear around Stockholm, the local buzz turns to the cherry blossoms in Kungsträdgården. Located in central Stockholm, this row of trees creates one of spring's most treasured dazzling sights. As mentioned in a previous blog, we wandered through there a week ago. Some of the blooms were out but many were pregnant buds just waiting for enough warmth to jump out. I had heard from others that the trees were finally in full bloom and have been pondering when I could get down there during a time when the rest of Stockholm isn't to soak it all in! Once the trees bloom, day after day, the steps and the benches that surround the area are filled with happy people who want to surround themselves with such natural and fragrant beauty. The weather has also been quite un-inviting with the climate more reminiscent of November than May. But this morning I woke up early to a bright blue sky and knew that if I didn't get Tanner and myself out the door for an early walk, I would regret it. The forecast for the rest of the week is for more of the grim and after a few good rain storms and plenty of wind, the blossoms disappear for another year.It was gorgeous this morning. Bright sky, and the sun was even warm. The city was just waking up and Tanner was happily sniffing out the new day.

Arriving in Kungsträdgården after about 10 minutes did not disappoint. Very few people were in the square and those that were had cameras, just like me! The carnival of pink that was bursting forth in the middle of an urban area made my heart sing. I began to snap photos while Tanner searched for food and trash! I had to laugh. He didn't care one bit about the blossoms...I was feasting on the beauty around me while he was feasting on the trash that was left behind from yesterday's visitors!After snapping away and taking it all in, I began my walk back home. The sun was warm and I actually slightly over dressed in a long sleeve shirt, sweater and down vest. I'm anxious for sustained warmth to hover over Stockholm. But at least I know that once the cherry trees have bloomed, in a way, we've officially entered the beautiful season here in Stockholm. Let's hope the sun agrees with that philosophy and decides to take long, warm holiday here in Stockholm this summer.
All of the photos on the blog today were taken this morning around 7.30 a.m.

At Last, Spring...sort of.

We've had plenty of sunshine but not so much warmth. The flowers, trees, grass and bushes are trying to spring forth with life but it's a slow bloom this year. It does happen rather quickly however when it happens.
On Monday we walked through the city center. I had heard that the cherry blossoms in Kungsträdgården were out and experiencing that is one my of favorite things to do in the spring here in Stockholm. As you can see, they were trying like crazy to pop, but they just weren't quite there. I did hear from someone yesterday that they are now in full bloom. Guess I'll have to walk down there later today!

Also, the tulips are standing tall but not quite out in all of their glorious beauty. The daffodils however have popped open in all of their golden glory! I love the daffodil as to me, it appears as though they are great golden horns announcing to the world that spring is finally here! It's Spring! It's Spring! Let's celebrate in a loud and festive way!I went to a lunch yesterday on the Kaknästornet, a very large TV tower out near the island of Djurgården. This photo is not mine. I took it off of a website. It also wasn't that clear yesterday!

It has spectacular views and good food. I must remember that this is a really good place for a fika and get out there. It is stunning to see the world from far above. My photos aren't so great. The glass reflection against a sunny background wasn't such a great combination for my amateur photography. But even high above the city I began to see that things had "greened up" since Monday. I love how fast it turns, once it decides to turn. More flowers were in bloom, tress were waking up, and all in all, I felt like spring had sprung. But alas, on my evening walk with Doug and Tanner I also realized that there are still pockets around the city where the trees still look quite barren and the flowers need to be kissed a bit longer by the warmth of the sun in order to open up. But let's face it, who doesn't need to kissed a bit longer sometimes?And it's cold outside! I felt like I could've worn gloves on our walk and I was happy for the layers of a sweater, scarf and reasonably warm jacket. At least my winter coat is in the closet and I haven't had to wear boots for a very long time!
This time of year makes walking the dog quite a treat as you wander through the city looking to see what new life has come into being on any given day. You don't want to miss a day as so much is metamorphosing right this very minute. I couldn't resist this little planter with a friendly reminder to canine owners! Tanner likes "watering" the flowers so I guess it's a note that is necessary!The fact that it's written in English makes me wonder if they are directing their comments to us?! Actually, I know the owner of the restaurant and he speaks English all the time, but it's still kind of funny given that we speak English to Tanner!
It's beautiful and lovely even though it's still chilly. I know we'll get some rain, but for now, in spite of the chill, I'm thankful for the sunshine and all the blooms that surround me.