This Week: Spring!

Isn’t it lovely now when spring is just around the corner? It is so wonderful to wake up to birds chirping every morning, and to feel the warmth in the air. In a way I think it’s safe to say that it is the most wonderful time of the year.
You get this urge to just step outside, to walk, to look at flowers and trees. You just want to pack a picnic basket and enjoy it contents on a lovely afternoon.
Karolina and I surely missed the last batch of 75 degree weather last week since we had the flu. But, spring is sure to return with the same kind of temperatures soon again. And then, then we’ll be ready!

For me it is still kind of exotic that spring will begin in the beginning of March. In Sweden you can have almost any kind of weather in March, a blizzard, a rain storm, hail…But, it is safe to say that you will NOT have 75 degrees in Sweden in March, EVER!

When we were kids back in Bromma in the 70’s spring meant that we could stash away our winter boots and put on our sneakers or “promenadskor”—walking shoes. We could start putting our spring coats on, ditch the old bulky winter jackets. AND, at school, as soon as the snow disappeared from the school yard we would play hop-scotch, jump rope, play with marbles and jump twist. Every recess we would play these games. We would run out of the class room even if we only had a five minute break in between lessons. Spring fever had hit.
Then we were eagerly waiting to ditch our panty hose and long pants in favor of bare legs. When we were able to do that then it was almost summer! Or, so it felt. We could just not wait to feel the cold air against our winter pale legs. I had a friend who was always the first to go out with bare legs. We envied her so much and we really wanted to do the same thing ourselves. But, our Mom always had us wait for quite sometime in late April until we were allowed to do the same. There is this saying: Sweat in the spring, and freeze out the fall.

The light evenings returned and it was so much fun staying out late and playing. We would take our bikes and go on long excursions in the light spring evenings.
We also played in the parks and in the forest. Always fun!
There is something so special with the light in Scandinavia when spring returns, the light seems to be more full of promises there than anywhere else. It is the promise of a long, light, warm summer to come.
Another thing we loved to do was to pick spring flowers. Oh the happiness when we found a glen that was full of wood anemones (vitsippor)!! Then we would pick and pick and bring bouquets home to our mothers. I miss the Wood Anemones so much!


Every Friday after school around 3 pm we often went up to the local play ground. There we met up with lots of friends and parents to grill hot dogs and drink hot chocolate. It was the staff of the play ground that provided the hot dogs. We just had to show up, and enjoy it. My Mom was there lots of time with her picnic basket full of sandwiches, juice, cinnamon buns and coffee. It was a nice way to start off the weekend. Sort of like a Happy Hour for the 3-13 years old crowd.

So spring!!! Bring it on!!!