Snow melted again

It was a deja vu. We had heavy(ish) snowfall, nice white ground for a week or so and then came the plus degrees and rain. 

Hail and thunder

This year, after the hot weeks were over, we've had one heck of a thunder season. Can't remember similar. Thunder and lightning and hard rain day after day, several days a week. Today was the latest episode of thunder and lightning right on top of us, accompanied by hard rain and hail, nearly 1cm in diameter.

Cold cold summer

Our summer so far has really not been a warm one. Rain, and temperatures between +10 and +15C in the day time making our summer only a few degrees warmer than last winter was! Night temperatures have been below +10C constantly for 2-3 weeks already, killing nearly everything in our garden. The only thing prospering despite the cold are the strawberries, native to our stark country.

 

 

Before and after the rain

Today, we had the first cery summery rain shower of the year. There didn't even seem to be clouds on top of us, but all of a sudden a windless rain shower hit our yard, in the middle of some grilling. It was over by the time we had eaten our dinner, and we went for a walk with the dog in the evening sun, that was making shining through some scattered clouds just above the treeline.

On my lunch break today, before the rains came, I went for a walk with the dog. The sky was overcast, the ground was soddy from previous rains and melted snow and ice, but we went walking around the footpaths. Many trees are pushing out their leaves now - rain and a bit warmer again does that - and these little blue flowers I don't recognize are popping up everywhere in the neighborhood [edit. they are scilla sibericas].

 

 

Rainy Christmas

White Christmas truly was only a dream this year. Not that uncommon in Helsinki, really, but some sun and less rain and wind sort of would be nice. We had a warm Christmas despite the miserable weather, with cadles burning and cinnamon and clove smells in the air.