I recently took a few days in England, mostly to visit my family, but a little bit to get away from the dreaded white stuff. One of the days was sunny, and iit was liberating to walk briskly on ice-free pavements. Mid-March is a bit early for full-blown spring, especially after an exceptionally cold winter, so it was lovely to see big clumps of snowdrops growing wild at the roadside and in the woods. Most gardens had a display of crocuses.
In Cornwall, way down in the far south-west, and warmed by the Gulf Stream, the daffodils were just coming into bloom. What a treat after nothing but snow for many months.
Back in Norway, we've been enjoying some warmer days (by that I mean above freezing) but any careful optimism is soon quashed by a new snowfall. Yesterday all the snow turned wet and slushy, but last night there was a bright full moon, which means clear cold weather. Sure enough, when I got up today the lovable slush had turned into lethal rock-hard ice. Thank goodness for my magic boots.
My second spring will come in three weeks time, when we go to Utah to visit Tam and Nick, and our little gullklump Espen. It will be green and fresh, with flowers.
When we get back after three fun-filled weeks Norway will be waking up to spring, the birches will have tiny sweet-smelling leaves, the woods will be carpeted with white wood anemones - Tam's favourites. And then it will be 17th May, national day Hurra!
