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!
spring is coming here too
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