Spring

A very cold walk along the River IJssel (pronounce Icel).
The floodplains were... flooded.

Originally the frosty period was to last at least two weeks. The country was up in arms about a skating race (200 km on ponds, rivers, canals and lakes; starting in the middle of the night), but it was not to be. It was not to be anyway due to Corona, but the weather gods decided one week of cold was plenty.

Ice skating on a pond in the "English Works".

So, on Sunday, plenty of people managed to get in trouble on or in the ice and by Monday the snow was starting to disappear and the ice was no more.

Like pearl-shaped diamonds, waiting to be collected

You may know I love snow and to see it so sad and dirty and melting is not nice. Mind you, I did manage to get plenty of walks in and even saw some ice skaters. I didn't join them, my skates have long since made their way to a family member who did like to skate and getting out on slippery ice was asking for trouble in my opinion.

The difference in temperature is great though. Last week we had nights with -14 degrees Celsius. This week on some days we are going up to +15, locally even +18 degrees! Those are proper spring/early summer temperatures. 

Find the cat.

I do still wish the snow and cold could have stayed a week or so longer...

All photos were taken during a really cold walk along the River IJssel last Saturday. 

Photo on Sunday 2015-05

Spring is on its way! 

Easter lily

This was taken a few weeks ago, after a lovely walk. I was sitting on the rock beside the house and enjoying the sun while wondering how long it would take for the Easter lilies to open up! 

This view is from my kitchen window and no, the weather today is not sunny. It is in fact rather drab and miserable. But the perfectly named flowers are blooming in time for Easter!

'Spring'

You may remember the photo I posted last year in this same meme concerning spring. I actually was spending time on top of Lifjell in the Telemark region where it snowed most days. If you have forgotten: here's what it looked like. This year I am spending my spring in Norway again. However, this time I had something completely different to photograph. 

I had seen these magpies a few days ago. Flying back and forth to their 'building site'. And last Sunday they were still busy with it. So, I snapped some photos. You can see one of the magpies quite clearly, the other one is a bit harder to find, but it is there. Right underneath the other one actually, you can see the top of its head. 

This is my 48th entry to Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

'Spring'

This week's prompt is quite fitting: after all it is spring. And spring it is over here in Norway. I am staying on the top (or near the top anyway) of Lifjell (in the Telemark province) which rises to little under 1300 meters. And there is snow here. It snowed when I arrived, it snowed when I took this photo last Monday. Two kilometers down the mountain and the snow is hardly there anymore though and another two means you will only see it on top of the mountain!

There is still snow on the roofs of the cabins, but during the day it will melt off and you see drips from all the roofs. During the night though, snow falls again and adds to what has just melted away! As I am typing this on Monday I can only tell you a lot more is still expected to fall especially from Wednesday onwards. Rain in the valleys, snow on the tops. You've got to love Norway!

This is my fifteenth entry for Photo Theme for Thursday. Why not join?

In the air

Spring is in the air that is. Last time we had temperatures like today (15 degrees Celsius) was November 21st last year! Or so they said on the radio anyway. Well, however long ago it was, it was nice to be outside again without a coat. Especially a winter coat!

It's spring!

Spring

My spirits are lifting. Slowly but surely they're coming up out of the blue depths they've been wallowing in and arriving in the sunshine. Helped by a day off, a good book ("First among sequels" by Jasper Fforde), sunshine and rising temperatures. So, out we all went, annoying the neighbour's cats, hanging up the laundry and trying to get a photograph of those little metallic beetles in the end of the branch (nope).

While out in the garden I discovered a plant I hadn't seen before. Well, only in other people's gardens, never in mine. Ground crawlers and only found in the spring, they are considered by some gardeners to be quite a pest. However, since my garden is an eclectic mix of 'never doing much' and trees that came blowing in, a butterfly bush, a berry bush and my christmas tree of two years ago, I probably wouldn't be the authority to ask. I did take a photo however. I think it's of the speedwell family. I like the flowers, they are cheerful and in the absence of any other flowers in my garden, they herald spring to me.

London

Well, I'm back from London. Where only two weeks ago, England was more or less covered by snow, this weekend it was a far and distant memory. It was beautiful weather. Sunny and quite warm, 14 degrees Celsius. The hats and scarves were immediately replaced by short sleeved shirts and on a couple of occasions even shorts (must have been Americans). The picture is of crocusses in Hyde Park. The daffodils were also coming up, but not blooming yet.

On Saturday morning I had to do a tour of London, giving out information about history, use etc etc. In the afternoon I was off and could do my own thing. And at night I had to do a light tour, which is quite silly really, since half of the buildings and monuments aren't nicely lit or lit at all!

The people on board were a nice mix: the three oldest were nearing 80 and the youngest was about 13. Everyone had a good time: either shopping to their hearts content or doing the sights. Of course the lovely weather helped a great deal. Spending a whole day in London while it's bucketing down with rain is not something I recommend.

In May I will be showing my parents (and sister, but she's come with me before) and a lot of friends London. I'm looking forward to it...