June 28, 2009

A Taste Of The Tropics.

Scandinavian summers are short and elusive. This far up north, we live for the sunshine and can be found frolicing in it as soon as the first rays shine down on us in the early spring.

The climate here can be described as one long autumn season. The Gulf Stream keeps the climate temperate and very even and stable throughout the year. The winters are long, dark, windy but relatively mild and the summers are short, rainy, full of light but cold.
However, once in a while exceptions will defy the rule. In the winter, we can get hit by heavy snowstorms, which can cause traffic havoc and will confine us in our homes. Likewise, comes July, there can be weeks - and if we are lucky - months of very warm weather, once the wind blows from the right direction bringing hot and dry air and allowing the high pressure settle in over Scandinavia.
Such is the weather right at this moment. The air is still and hot, the sun is strong and everything is vibrant and alive. People as well. It is amazing what a change in the mental state of the mind good weather can bring. Combined with the light nights, this is the summer of my dreams. The only cloud on my blue skies is the realization that it is Sunday and I have to go back to work tomorrow; how unfair life can be at times. Additionally, this heat makes me lazy and at this point some of my plants are in need of trimming and pruning. As I sit on my terrace in the shade of the perfumed Honeysuckle and Jasmine writing this, I am already making excuses for why the gardening can wait until perhaps next week.

I also know, that in the evening my house will turn into a furnace, due to the large windows facing west. They act as the glass of a green house and comes evening, the temperatures inside rises at times to about 40C (104F), making it feel like a desert. Air-condition systems are not common in Denmark and the only relief is to open all the windows, hoping for a draft. However, I do not mind. While I sit inside in the early part of the night, and sweat profusely watching yet another magnificent sunset, I savor every minute, as I know that in a few months, this will all be a distant dream. I will be sitting in the same spot, submerged in darkness, covered with five blankets (at least) still freezing, while watching the cold city lights below.

Now back to my weekly clematis updates. Changes are less obvious with each week as the plant is now growing less and all its energy is spend on forming flowers. There are plenty of buds at this point, so lets hope they will all turn into lovely blue flowers in a few weeks. The honeysuckle is also unusually rich and majestic this year, hiding most of the clematis at this point.

As the changes are less pronounced, I decided to post a picture of the same spot as it looked some months ago, just to illustrate the big change the summer season brings each year.



13 comments:

Keera Ann Fox said...

I can relate! It is 26C in the shade here, and I have the perfect symbol of life on the Gulf stream: A space heater with a fan. Right now, only the fan is running, circulating the warm air.

Mahmud Yussop said...

How wonderfully can plants soften the walls and fences.Your plants are doing very well and I think would be a joy to enjoy a cup of tea ( or coffee) in the garden with them blessing your soul.I guess summers are for the free spirit and winters for hibernation. Here in the tropics life is like one long sentence, no changes in seasons.Sometimes I feel like trading a bit of our summer with winter.I mean real winter, not air-conditioning!:))I hope one day I'll have the chance to experience winter and snow.

j. said...

I find it amazing that over here, people are always complaining about the heat and wishing for snow when people who live in colder places wish for warm weather. Im glad to hear that you have a nice and warm summer over where you are because I do think there are places wherein summer hasnt fully arrived yet. :-)

ps

I soo love your garden. FLOWERS!!!

xx

V

Gal Friday said...

I love that you keep a photo "diary" of your plants! The March photo compared to the June photo is an eye opener! I just love the lushness of the summer season(with or with out the sun, becasue as you know, it hasn't been too sunny in my corrner of the globe lately).
I, too, haphazardly attempted to weed a little today, but grew tired fast and quit. It has grown into an enormous job I have let go(and I haven't been away on a holiday, even).
I like your attitude towards the heat and dealing with the hot temps at night. I HATE air conditioning, personally, and don't mind being a little uncomfortable if it means I don't have to have an air conditioner trapping me.

Absolutely Ladylike said...

Dear Zuzana, it's so nice to have you back :-) Your garden looks beautiful...Enjoy the Scandinavian summer (I know it's beautiful even if it's short).
And I know....weekends are gone so quickly...
Have a wonderful week, filled with pleasure, much love: Evi

steviewren said...

Protege, it's so nice to have you back home in blogland again! I'm eager to hear about your travels. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the sky on Midsummer night.

Your garden is lush and beautiful. Mine small flowerbed needs water badly. My water spigot is broken so I have to carry water down to it. It just finished raining for 10 minutes....the ground probably didn't even get wet. That bed has my only summer flowers in it, so I'm going to have to get some water down to them.

It has been so hot here. The daytime heat is supposed to get up to 97F today. The humidity is 49% and the heat index is 100F or 38C. All I do is sweat when I'm outside.

Jill said...

So glad you are having such MARVELOUS weather! I, like you, do not feel as productive when it is very hot...it seems like the perfect time to sit in a breezy patio chair with an icy drink and a book or magazine!

Diane said...

OK, darlin', 104 INSIDE is just TOO hot!! Lordy! I'd be setting up a cot outside and sleeping there!! :)

Your garden looks luscious, though, and I'm so happy you're home (and that your blog finally loaded for me!!) xo

Zuzana said...

=Keera,
what a great idea!;) I have to get myself a fan. I have actually gotten one a few years ago - it is a ceiling fan and it would a great one here as my house has vaulted ceiling.;)) have a great Monday and stay cool - we are suppose to hit above 30C in the end of the week.;)

=Mahmud,
I missed your wise comments.;) And thank you for the compliment on my garden.;))
I wish I could serve that cup of tea for you and I hope one day you will get a chance to experience snow.;))

=Valentine,
so true; we always wish for what we do not have and see the grass greener on the other side. That is only human I guess, we long for changes.;)
Glad you like my flowers.;)) xo

=Tina,
yes, "progressive photography", that is me indeed.;))
I hate AC too, I used it so little I could in the US. I always felt it was uncomfortable creating a artificial environment.
I so hope the weather in your part will improve, but you know, central Europe is experiencing terrible weather with floods. So you are not alone.;)
Have a great Monday.;) xo

=Evi,
thank you so much for the warm welcome dear, I hope your week will likewise be lovely. So right you are, weekends fly by too fast.
xoxo

=stevie,
it is good to be back, I missed you all!
Wow, your weather sounds really hot! I love the heat more than anything, but I agree that the worst is to tend to plants when it doesn't rain. I have no hose so I have to water all of them by "hand" too, so to speak, carrying up and down the stairs up to 10 x 10L of water. It is so exhausting!
I hope you will get some rain soon ad I can not wait to hear about your car purchase;)))

=Jill,
ah, you are speaking my language, that is the only way to spend a hot day!;)) I can not wait to do exactly that next weekend. Now if I can only survive Monday, it will be fine.;))

=Diane,
glad you can see my page again!!;))
And yes, it was a bit too hot, I agree.;)) And it is also a hot Monday morning, impossible to lay any makeup on.;))
Always glad when you stop by dear friend.;)) xo

Claus said...

I have recently learned that in European summers (in the northern parts) rain is a common thing! I suppose I am used to the tropical kind of summers of this region (Central American/Caribbean), where it's hot, suffocating, vibrant and sunny every day. It is from here that the current takes some heat your way, and considering we had pretty hot days even a few weeks ago when we were suppose to have rain, I hope the good weather stays a little longer up there in Scandinavia.

Interesting to learn that air conditioning is not that common there either, and that just like us, you rely on open windows and the kind summer wind to cool. I like summer evenings the most, because one can freshen up without getting that cold.

Amazing garden transformation! I like the summer garden, but the Autumn-ish aspect of it without flower is rather pretty as well!

Gal Friday said...

I heard only a little about the flooding and rain(in Austria?), so I should NOT complain about our clouds. And if it were as hot here as it has been for you, I would be complaining about that, too. *sigh*
I hope that things have cooled down a little for you in the meantime, Zuzana.

Hilary said...

Oh Z, that looks so beautiful. Look at that change! I know what you mean about savouring the warmth, but I'm lucky enough to have and use my air conditioning. There are times when that kind of heat feels overwhelming, especially if it continues for a few days and nights. I hope you at least have a fan! Those buds look like they're going to bloom really soon. I need you to come here and plan my garden. Right now I'm raising a fine crop of weeds. ;)

Zuzana said...

=Claus,
yes, it rains here very much, summer rains are common. But of course we rather enjoy the heat.;))
I agree with you and Tina, AC we can be without.;))
Glad you like my garden transformation.;)) xo

=Tina,
yes, Austria and even Czech Republic. It usually is this way, when central Europe has bad weather, we have gorgeous sunshine.
No heat relief though, the opposite, it has gotten even warmer, but that only makes me happy (I would rather be on my terrace than at work though);)

=Hilary,
thank you so much dear friend. Yes, the garden has been growing incredibly this year, as if it knows it is being exposed to the world out there and want to show of its beauty. I have never had my plants this green and in so much bloom. Lets hope the clematis will be as stunning as the rest of them.;)) xo