Signs of (Swedish) Spring

 Not being a big fan of winter, spring is very welcome in my world and I mark all the signs with delight.  Being Canadian, that means melting ice, flowers and trees coming into bloom, lots of mud, birds returning and nesting, and generally people coming out of their house cocoons again.  Sweden has these and some extras that I have noted.

The daffodils are later here than at home, but there is a cute little blue flower that seems to be everywhere, they are stjarnkloka.  But growing right behind, very vigorously in Jennie and Rich's garden is the ground elder -- a truly nasty weed propagating by underground runners.  Now that's what should be declared an invasive species.

Instead of salt, little granite gravel is spread on sidewalks and roads in the winter for traction.  At this time of year when the snow piles in the parking lots are melting, they all are encased in the gravel.  Also, homeowners are expected to rake the gravel out of their lawns onto the sidewalk or roadway where a crew with sweepers will come and retrieve it for next year. They have been clearing the roads, bike paths and sidewalks since I got here.

New life is also seen in the restart of laying eggs from the hens.  R and J have about 9 hens and get about 5 eggs per day.  Not bad! And today a guy came and gave them 3 more chickens.  How kind!

The city is planting flowers, and, take note all you other places, not a pansy to be seen.

Tomorrow is the worker's holiday here -- essentially like our Labour Day.  The kids are off school and most businesses are closed.  Tonight is bonfire night.  All the brush that has been collected and pruned is burned and there are parties out on lawns and in some village squares. Nice to have a day off (even if the kids did get 10 days vacation at Easter just a few weeks ago).

And one more sign.  Being fairly far north, Sweden is racing towards that time when the sun hardly sets.  Already, the amount of daylight is significantly greater than at home.  How I most experience that is in sunsets that last and last.  

Happy Spring to you all!

Be Prepared

Yes, that is the Boy Scout's motto and a good one it is, for it teaches the kids to think ahead, evaluate and act.  For many years, I had a grown-up version of it as my motto -- with good planning, anything is possible.  

Even now, I book my flights well in advance and choose the best dates to suit my and the people I am visiting's schedule.  I take out insurance (yearly makes it easy).  I have researched hotels and trains and restaurants and activities.  I collected some photo albums to bring along with me.  I like to get to the airport early so if there is an issue, I can better deal with it.

I usually bring some sort of activity for the girls here.  This time it is a miniature flower shop model.  All three of us are working on it in stages.  There are many elements and the little fingers are especially good with the building.   

Planning and preparedness also go along with "the problems that money can solve are not the big problems".  There, the situations have cash as the solution and having that available, means that one has thought ahead.

But then there are the unforeseen  challenges: (A Balrog! and I am already spent. -- have been rereading The Lord of the Rings),  the health crisis that money cannot prevent or cure,  a pandemic that changes all the rules,  a relationship that changes, an accident.  Do we feel punished for such things happening to us when we have tried to do everything right? . How we deal with the bad stuff is at least an equal assessment for our character as how we deal with the good stuff.  

I try to remind myself that I have been and still am extremely blessed.  I know I will not avoid all the troubles that can come, but I will remember that storms end.  And if I can help someone else in their storm, then being here is important. I will take every opportunity to be in relationships!

Travelling again

It has been more than a year since I wrote a blog.  What has happened -- house!  The new place in Chippawa has, for more than a year, soaked up all our extra time and energy.  But all that is another story (very happy ending).

I'm back in Sweden.  Richard's health has been a challenge for the last several months and so to ensure he has the flexibility of being downstairs at night, I am in a studio apartment in a residential neighbourhood just a 6 minute walk from their house.  I have a full kitchen, bathroom and sitting area all for myself.  It's small but very comfortable, so that works out great.  Same IKEA linens I have at home.

I learned that the girls take themselves to school in the morning -- a change even from September when I was here and cycled with them each day.  They grow up so fast.  They finish early in the afternoon and so come home, sometimes at different times, but they are responsible and so there are no worries.  Today they helped make the lasagna for supper and then we played and did crafts.  What fun!! Tonight was Pickleball.  They had a blast there.

I'm here just when the sidewalks and roadways are being swept for the pea gravel that is spread for the ice and snow.   People rake it out of their lawns onto the sidewalk or roadway and then the big sweeper comes and picks it up.  Like the weather in Niagara, there have been enough warm days to bring out the daffodils and the lovely little blue flowers which are everywhere, but now it is cool again, so the blooms are lasting a good long time.

Did some grocery shopping (as usual) and discovered that they have renovated my favourite store, not for the better.  The aisles may be wider, but the product selection is significantly less.  Makes one wonder about the idea of too much choice being bad for business.  Rode back on the bike, after realizing that I had put my purchases on the wrong bike and being frustrated for the key not working.  ICA Maxi even has 2 kennels outside indicated for Dog Parking. Most of the people who are out walking, are walking dogs.  Just like home.