December 12 & 13 2009

I still remember taking the photos above one year ago. December 13 is traditionally the Santa Lucia Day here and marks that Christmas and the Winter Holiday is close. Gingerbreads and Saffron breads and candles. Days are short. One year ago the 12th and 13th of December it felt more like it was mellow October  than December. Thus it didn’t feel like Christmas was 11 days away. 2 days later the snow came and we got a long and real cold winter with temperatures that didn’t rise above the freezing point at any time during more than 2 months. This year we’ve literally lived in a Christmas card for weeks already – with snow and with temperatures that haven’t once peaked above the freezing point during the last three weeks. The snow brings light and makes the short days bearable and I choose cold, snowy, sunny (or even cloudy) days and snow-enlightened evenings and nights over muddy, slushy days –  and dark, depressing evenings.

December 12 & 13 2010