The nicest winter

Of the three we've experienced, this is by far the nicest winter Finland has given us. I suppose it depends on how you define 'nice,' but for us, this winter has been nice because it snowed back in late January and then it just...stayed. The kids have been able to play outside in the snow on a daily basis for weeks on end. We've gone skiing. We've gone skating. It has been cold. It has been dry (with occasional bouts of snow). It has been SUNNY. So sunny!

And now with so much daylight (12.5 hours), the combination of bright and sunny and snowy is just magical. It is also a little confusing, since the calendar and the sunshine and the sound of birds chirping is trying to tell me it's spring, but the snow and the temperature (-17C yesterday!) are still very much winter.

It remains to be seen whether the transition to spring will be drawn-out and tedious and gray, like it was last year, or whether it will just burst upon us one of these days, flowers emerging fully bloomed from the snow (ha).