ice and snow. or lack thereof

The most snowfall Stockholm has seen this season came in November and we missed it being in Boston. We have had a few dustings, some freezing and two big thaws. The most snowfall Boston has seen this season (and probably over a lengthier period of time) has come since we left Boston.

My parents, 80&81, have been shoveling and hacking at ice since we left and we've barely had enough snow to scrape together a mini-snowman which promptly melted two days later in the first thaw.

Winter returned to Stockholm long enough to refreeze the lakes for great skating. But then it departed with a cover of ice on all open areas and secondary roads. This past weekend people could have skated to the neighbor's house. The school's parking lot across the street from us was as close to a skating rink as any could be. I was tempted to put skates on X and let him practice. I would have had we not done other indoor activities.

I see more water and green grass than snow outside my window today. Will winter ever take a true hold?

snow shoveling

I shoveled for the first time in 15 years of living in Sweden. That's mostly because I now have a drive to shovel, but it's also because Stockholm doesn't get much snow.

Snow can fall from evening to morning to evening again and there's barely a build up. Coming from Boston where snow accumulates to school shut down in a few hours I was originally amazed that we never get more than a few inches (around a decimeter) at any given snowfall.

My driveway is long. While I shoveled the melting inch today for fun. I know there will be a day I'll have to do it to get the car out on a cold morning in a hurry. And I don't think I'll be sad that deep snow is rare in Stockholm..

long distance skating

Skating seemed to be the activity of choice for a significant population of Stockholm's outdoorsy type. Already out on the ice I had in mind that my Facebook status update would read that I had strapped on my long blades for the first time in a few years. Several of my FB friends had beat me to it so I got to make comments like "Me too" on their status. Though feeling far from original I eventually posted my outdoor achievement.

The teachers at dagis were also out on the ice this weekend and the morning polite banter revolved around ice skating. Some had skated on Saturday in no wind and beautiful January sunshine and others (like us) braved the wind and overcast skies for a first-time-out-in-ages glide.

It's amusing to consider what a frozen lake signifies in Sweden when compared to a cosmopolitan upbringing in a warning-sign oriented USA. Here people speak lovingly of good ice (smooth and without snow) and prevailing winds for tail-wind journeys of long distance outings, while in the greater Boston area, venturing onto an icecovered lake is on par with the recklessness of running with scissors.

Now that we live walking distance to Stockholm's most popular skating lake, it might be time for an investment in a better pair of skates.