Signs of Spring

It's been a while since I've posted.  I don't know why, but I've been feeling really busy lately.  Perhaps it's all the "spring cleaning" I've been trying to do before we leave for home. I've been organizing photos and my curriculum for next year.  It's a slog.  Ah, but spring is here!

You can see it in the woods, in the gardens, and in my knitting!

I cannot forget the birds!  While we see fewer and fewer mallards at the duck pond, we did get to see a Mandarin duck as he was passing through.

The gulls!  Good Lordy, they too are less in number, but in early April it was SO loud at the pond. 

And, this bird nerd, well, he is loving every minute of it.  Here he is confirming some bird he just saw on eBirds. 

The best part of spring, however, is how Swedes celebrate its coming.  They call it Valborg and it's a BIG deal in Uppsala.  First they get the streets all dressed up in Swedish flags.

The students get their floats ready to go down the Fyris River.

And, the Carolina Rediviva (university library) places the countdown clock out to let us all know soon the festivities will begin!

People crowd all along the river to watch the running of the floats.  We opted to go near the "third fall" or the last dam on the suggestion of one of Scott's students.  Sure enough, the crowd always cheered not when floats made it successfully down the falls, but when they ate it.  Lots of fun floats and costumes to be seen!

Then at 3:00 sharp or as the Swedes say, "15:00 on dot" there was the donning of the caps.  The vice-chancellor of the university comes out on the library balcony says some things, then waves his cap and spring has officially begun.  This tradition has been around since the early 1900s.

After the donning of the caps, and the spring songs, that crowd of students will run down the hill to the various Nations (kinda like fraternities) for Champagnegalopp (parties with, well, champagne and alcohol).

When the sun sets young people then go to organized bonfires to further celebrate the coming of spring.

How can you not love a nation that is so committed to celebrating their different seasons?  I for one cannot wait to see what Midsommar (mid-summer) brings!