We’ve had a “long weekend” in Sweden, as 1st May (falling on a Friday this year) is International Workers’ Day and a public holiday; and the night before, 30th April, is Walpurgis night (Valborgsmässoafton) with traditional spring celebrations like students’ carnival parades, bonfires and choir singing to welcome spring.
This year, the closest I got to all that was passing by on the opposite side of the street to the senior high school on the 29th, while they were preparing for the parade.
The weather on the 30th did not really tempt me to go out to celebrate.
But, in between rain-and-hail showers…
… spring has continued to make some progress over the weekend though; as can be seen below in pictures taken today on a walk in my neighbourhood.
The trees are slowly taking on various shades of green…
… and a field of narcissuses that I’ve been “checking on” from time to time is finally in bloom – all turning their heads towards the sun.
so gorgeous, that emerald green grass and yellow flowers. really beautiful.... and that is some very large hail and it is odd shaped to.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra. Yes the hail was like frozen drops. Not all that large, but odd. The blue background is the plastic cloth cover on a bench on my balcony.
DeleteThese pictures are beautiful! Your photography skills have advanced so much - it's great to keep seeing more and more beautiful shots.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rae. Sharing through blogging is a great way to learn, both with pictures and writing :)
DeleteYour pictures are gorgeous, even the hail on the intense blue background. I love all the flowers in the first picture, and the beautiful parks. I sent you another post card. I think I sent it Thursday. Because I think the other one is lost in the mail. Maybe this one will work.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ginny - and your first card was not lost, it arrived "safe and sound" today!
DeleteIt's a grand time of the year. Green and colour slowly coming back.
ReplyDeleteSpring has been unusually 'slow' here this year, and as much as we're longing for a bit warmer weather, it has its advantages... We get to enjoy the spring flower and first greens for a bit longer.
DeleteIt was nice to have such a long weekend; although my work life is not stressful at all, I do enjoy being able to get up when I feel like it and not having to think about which train to catch etc.
ReplyDeleteWe've had a lot of rain here last week, including yesterday, and so right now there is a LOT of green out there, it has overtaken the colours of the flowers until they will catch up again with a little more sun.
Forgot to say that I like the hail picture very much. It has something surreal about it.
DeleteThanks Meike. The picture was a close-up to begin with and then cropped a bit further. Hail in itself always feels somewhat surreal, though!
DeleteGloriously springlike. It lifts the heart.
ReplyDeleteThe rain and hail looks so cold against that blue background but it's good to see the spring colours returning all the same. Everything looks so joyous!
ReplyDelete