Entering the Month of May

 

Above, my photo calendar picture for the month of May (photo from mid April, 2025).

As we enter the month of May this year, there are also still cherry blossom trees in bloom.

On Friday 1st May (Labour Day and a holiday) I did not go very far, but just went for a stroll around the estate where I live. Even so, I caught quite a few "signs of spring":

 Narcissi, grapehyacinths and dandelions together in one flowerbed. (I'm guessing the dandelions weren't planted, but I quite like them in the mix...)

 

A single tulip next to a park bench where I sat down for a while.

 Cherry blossom in the playground park. 

 

On Saturday 2nd May, I took a bus into town and after my errands there walked back home through the city park and along the river.

 Chestnut trees unfolding their leaves.

The main square with the old Town Hall in the background, and fountain in the foreground. The Town Hall was built in 1910, and as the district court has just moved out of there to new premises, it's now under discussion what it's going to be used for instead. 

The fountain has images reflecting the town's history of textile industry.

The round building in the park is a restaurant/café.

 Yellow flowerbed along the river in the park.

The Green Rabbit, one of my favourite sculptures. It's official name is Mate Hunting, and its eyes keep moving (only a little each day) so that they're never quite in the exact same position as last time you passed by... Artist: Marianne Lindberg de Geer.

 

It was a summery kind of day, and people were even sunbathing along the river...

Linking to Weekend Street/Reflections  (More "street" than reflections this time!)

Spring Is Sprung

In Sweden, we traditionally celebrate the arrival of spring on 30th April - Valborgsmässoafton / Walpurgis Night - with bonfires, choral singing and speeches. I did not personally attend any such celebration this year; but Spring seems to have been pleased enough with all the attention, and responded gracefully by giving us a beautiful first week of May.

1st May is Labour Day and a bank holiday here, and that afternoon I went for a walk into town, in search of signs of spring.

The early blossoming trees have been having a confusing time during April, with very shifting kinds of weather: some sunny days, but rather chilly winds, and several frosty nights. But they’re doing their best…

The city’s gardeners have also been busy planting pansies and other spring flowers at the end of April. This plantation is found near the railway station.

Some planting still going on – here, outside a restaurant

A beautiful afternoon for people to just sit around outside and enjoy the sun again.

Magnificent magnolia tree in the park

Labour Day is a day for political demonstrations and meetings. This is from the Social Democrats meeting in the park; with our government minister for social security speaking here this year. (Our present government consists of the Social Democrats + the Green Party.) I hung around and listened to most of her speech; but not the whole meeting.

Across the river from the Town Park there is a small park, now named after and dedicated to the memory of a former minister for foreign affairs (also a Social Democrat), Anna Lindh, who was tragically assassinated in 2003. 

The monument in the park is entitled Non-Violence and was created in 2010 by Fredrik Reuterswärd.

More cherry blossom trees on my way back home!

Linking to Friday My Town