Day 163: Each of the Seasons brings with it Gifts

One thing I love about Sweden is how each season holds customs and traditions that I get to look forward to all year long. For example, in the fall fresh mushrooms are in season and you can go out and pick them in the forest yourself. We haven't done that yet but I really hope to this coming fall. Then at Christmas time there are the beautiful, holiday lights and decorations that come out, in addition to enjoying hot glögg (Swedish spiced wine) and pepparkakor (gingerbread cookies) as often as you like. 

In the spring everything blooms and awakens afresh from the long, hard winter. I love how spring also awakens my senses and renews my love of all of the spring flowers. I am especially partial to the cherry blossoms. Big, poofy, pink blossoms that just burst into life, causing the branches to sag with their rich heaviness. Cherry blossoms are one of my favorite things that spring brings. Another thing I love about spring is that nearly every week it seems, a different flower blossoms. I step outside and there is a change of scenery every day. 

Then of course there is summer. It is nearly mid June and I am still looking forward to it. There have been some warm days but there have also been some cooler days and I am patiently waiting for more of the warmer version. In early summer there are the endless, lazy days of bicycle rides in the warm sun and swimming in the Baltic sea or lake Malaren. Of lying in bed at night wishing it was cooler as I lie melting and waiting for sleep to carry me into my dreams. In the later part of summer there is berry picking and pie making to look forward to.

Yes, each of the seasons brings with it gifts that I get to enjoy throughout the year. And in Sweden every season is treasured and relished. In the summer, certain things that are available only in the winter have been packed away, and in the winter, all of the summer things are packed away and winter is celebrated.  Each season is celebrated during that season and then it is put away until the time to celebrate it again comes around. Maybe it is because the seasons here are more distinct than the seasons where lived before moving to Sweden but I really love celebrating each, distinct season and really feeling a connection to all of the individual celebrations.