♥ All Hearts ♥

 

In Swedish, St Valentine's Day (14 February) is called Alla Hjärtans Dag = All Hearts' Day. Celebrating this day wasn't introduced in Sweden until the 1960s, though, and it wasn't until 1985 that it got officially added to our calendar.

So special decorations for Valentine's Day was not in the traditions back in my childhood and youth. February is still definitely a winter month here though, which means I usually keep some "Christmas red" in my indoor decorations at least past the mid of this month.

Yesterday, I recalled that I had seen these red hearts in an easily accessible drawer (i.e. not packed away with the Christmas things), so added those to my fake spruce branches; and also put a table runner decorated with hearts on the coffee table. 

This afternoon I also went for a walk to the supermarket and bought myself a bunch of red tulips. (No one else is likely to do it!) They're only buds yet, though, so will probably be more photogenic if I wait a day or two. 

The weather is also getting more winter chilly again here. No snow on the ground at the moment, but even with a bit of sunshine and blue skies this afternoon, it was still definitely wintry/icy cold, and no real sense of "spring in the air" yet. 

I'm prepared for when that feeling hits me, though... Last week, on my outing to the shopping centre across town, I bought myself a new set of kitchen curtains for spring/summer. But I probably won't be putting those up just yet. For now, it's enough to know that they are there in my wardrobe, waiting... 😉💕

 

 

All Hearts

 

In Swedish, Valentines' Day (14 Febr) is called Alla Hjärtans Dag = All Hearts' Day. (Often just referred to as "All Hearts".) This year, the day arrived accompanied by awful weather, and my guess is that not many couples around here tried to celebrate it by going for a romantic walk. On the 13th, we had lots of snow falling down us once more; and on the 14th it all started turning to rain, slush and ice again. I hardly set foot outside for four days (Tuesday through Friday). 

Today, however, I woke up to sunshine, a blue sky, and almost every trace of snow and ice gone again - for now. So I grabbed the opportunity to go for a walk into town and check out the City's effort earlier in the week to create a bit of Valentine's mood in the main square. (I had seen photos of and read about it in the local newspaper.)

Crossing a footbridge over to the Park on my way back, I also noticed quite a few padlocks along the railing there. I believe some of those have been there for quite a while  - but maybe some new ones were also added on All Hearts' Day? 

 

My other purpose for going into town today (besides snapping a few photos of The Big Heart) was to buy myself some tulips. It's also my mum's birthday on Tuesday next week (or was). She used to get tulips for her birthday (it's the most common cut flower sold at the florists' this time of year); and after she died (15 years ago in May), it's become a sort of tradition for me to buy some tulips for myself around this date, "to remember her by".

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I also popped into a clothes shop for "a quick look" (mostly really to seek shelter from the wind for a little while). But happened to lay eyes on a denim jacket that tempted me to also try it on - and then buy it. The thing is, I have an old one, but it is very short (to the waist only) and also really too tight now when buttoned up... So I have been on the lookout for a while for one a bit longer and wider. That has not seemed to be the fashion in a while - but looks like they're back now... The photo below shows the new one to the left, and my old one to the right. The sleeves on both are the same length, but the new one is both longer and wider. (I'll be able to wear a cardigan or sweater underneath it in spring/autumn.) I decided to buy it while still available in "my size"... (Even if with the shifting fashions, it's getting increasingly difficult to say what that is supposed to be!!)