Summer's Here ...

Summer's here.  Spring was too short.  

We'll miss going for cool walks and picking dandelions.

Dandelions are magical.  

They are way up there on Lucas' list of fascinating things,

 together with balloons and bubbles.

Wintry...

Whilst Lucas was at preschool yesterday, I went for a quick walk in the woods and took some photos.  It was -1ºC.

My favourite series of shots: snow on branches framed by trees.

Typical scene in the woods.

Frozen pond.

Interesting collection of logs.

Twigs in the snow.

  

Someone couldn't wait to get home after school.

Fast and Furious.. Snow

I had wanted to blog about our year end trip back to Singapore and KL but then it snowed for 2 days.  So change of plans, have to blog about the snow!

It started snowing suddenly yesterday.  Big fat snowflakes falling fast and furious, then light powdery snow.  By this morning, it was a couple of inches high.  

Lucas did not like the snow.  He took two steps out, I took one photograph, then it was back indoors!

We ventured out to get groceries.  He was in his stroller, tucked up in his foot muff with the plastic cover down, totally shielded from the elements.  That was the only way we could travel, otherwise there was no end to the whining.

 I just love how everything is covered in snow.

There was so much snow on our balcony that I could build a snowman!  My first and probably last.  It was more difficult that I had thought.  It was hard to get the snow to stay.  Took me almost half an hour to make this two feet high snowman.  But it was great fun!  The snow was lovely, so soft and powdery.

Had to do it all alone because I couldn't get Lucas to come out of the house.  He hated the cold, hated the wind, so he hung around indoors wearing his winter jacket.  And it wasn't even that cold.

It is now snowing again.  Quite mesmerizing to watch the light snowflakes twirling and falling down.  Hope I can get some wintry landscape shots in the next few days.

Fall-ing

Everything is falling - leaves, temperature, rain - and in abundance too.

SZ

Today was a rare blue-sky day, so we headed out to the nearby woods.  I wanted to capture the lovely fall colours before all the leaves disappeared.

Lots of blurry running shots..

But a few nice ones..

The sunlight was lovely.

Translucent ears.

"If you jump in muddy puddles, you must wear your boots." - Peppa Pig

Now for some lovely snow...

Bye Bye Summer

We have been jilted by summer, which left us so abruptly after lulling us into thinking that the warm lovely days could go on forever.

I can understand people's obsession with the sun over here.  Summer is special.  I look back with longing to the days when Lucas was outdoors in glorious weather.  It is what he loves the most.  

The shots below were all taken by my father-in-law.  Scenes around our neighbourhood, in our garden, places we have been to and walks taken so many times before.  But these to me represent the best of summer, a wonderful reminder of lovely times.  Thanks, Dad!

Walking to the playground 

Lucas and his favourite slide

Duck-viewing by the Centraal Station.

It was hot.

Deer at the Queen's zoo.

Ah, the blue blue sky.

Den Haag's old tram.

A patch of green + a ball = happiness.

Add a touch of sepia, and we could be back in the 70's.

Sing along and enjoy :)