Meteorologists won't agree with me but, in my view, winter ends first when the trees acquire their first delicate greens. We are not quite there yet, spring still appears like a "lady in waiting".
It has been a looong winter, not exceptionally cold, just exceptionally long and it still refuses the right of way to a spring eagerly awaited by us suffering Swedes. You don't think this winter was exceptional? Well, look at the title picture above, taken yesterday around 15 pm and compare it with a picture taken the same day two years ago (SKIR GRÖNSKA).
I am just back from a three weeks' trip to Austria. The first days down yonder felt about the same as Stockholm does now; but since then spring has erupted there with a vengeance; the valleys have already turned into intensive green against the snowy white of the mountain tops. Day before yesterday, it was 28° C in Vienna, when I boarded the plane back to Stockholm.
It is wearing me down a bit to have to experience the whole sequence once again! But don't despair! In three weeks' time, all will be back to normal and I won't keep bearing a grudge against Father Frost any longer!
