Darkness and Rain

stripes and polka dots

I’m prepared…

For rain, I mean. I have my umbrella, and a raincoat, and waterproof shoes. I’m ready to tackle October, rain or sunshine… And I don’t need to be a pessimist to predict that we can expect more rain than sunshine from now on.

This is Finland; we’re not afraid of a little rain (or hail, or snow, or…). Or, let me put it this way, if we let the weather get in the way of life, we’d be stuck indoors most of the year. Because it’s only going to get worse: soon it will get cold, and there might be snow (hey, I’ve always said I was a pessimist! Or maybe just a realist… ).

And it will be business as usual, never mind the weather. The trains will be on time, the roads will be cleared, and people will go to work in the morning. Unless they work from home, of course, as so many do these days (including me).

casual rainwearstylish umbrella

It’s not the weather that gets to me (although I don’t like snow and cold weather); it’s the darkness. This is the time of year we’re losing daylight at a rate that will make your head spin if you’re not used to it. Right now, sunrise is just before 8 am, and sunset after 6 pm. Another couple of months, and we’ll barely see daylight at all.

OK, maybe I’m exaggerating: we’ll still have a few hours of daylight, or something remotely like it. Is it depressing? Well, yes, I suppose it is. But you get used to it. Besides, it’s just a few months. And after a long, dark autumn and winter, the days will start getting longer again in spring.

I suppose we could think of this autumn / winter darkness as Mother Nature’s way of saving energy, or daylight, for summer. You know, like putting it in the bank for a while, till the weather gets nicer.

Hey, maybe I am an optimist, after all!

pattern mixing over 50casual style 50+

Outfit details:
jacket: Didriksons / top: Selected Femme (old) / trousers: Repeat /
shoes: Fila (old) / bag: Marimekko / umbrella: Esprit (old) / scarf: A + more (old)

Tiina

How are you coping with having less daylight?

PS: There’s a new Dilettante Artist post, too: the mood of the day… or year…

Linking up with:

Elegantly Dressed and StylishHigh Latitude StyleA Labour of LifeCurly Crafty Mom, Doused in Pink,  Not Dressed As LambLiving on Cloud NineElegance and Mommyhood, Nancy’s Fashion StyleShelbee on the EdgeA Pocketful of Polka Dots Style SplashAway from the BlueMummabstylish Mutton Years Style and I, Confessions of a Montreal Styling DivaIndependent Fashion Bloggers

16 Comments

  1. arlene gomes
    12 October 2020 / 2:18 am

    I don’t like when we change the clock (Fall behind) an hour and it gets darker earlier. But I’ll take that instead of darkness most of the day. I always liked rain and still do. I don’t know why. When I was a little girl, I couldn’t wait to get out there with my boots and raincoat on and get in those puddles. Now I just like to walk in the rain, of course with an umbrella! The only time weather keeps me inside is when it’s zero degrees out or a snow storm. Arlene from NJ

    • Tiina
      Author
      12 October 2020 / 4:43 pm

      I know what you mean; I’d prefer to have more daylight in the evenings (or, in the afternoons, in Finland…) than in the morning. But in a month or so it will be dark most of the day, anyway.

  2. rawsonjl
    13 October 2020 / 6:54 pm

    We broke out our umbrellas today and I was just happy it was rain and not ice or sleet or snow! I did notice it was barely light out while driving my boy to school today though. I don’t like these shorter winter days.

    • Tiina
      Author
      16 October 2020 / 3:06 pm

      Oh yes, I’ll take rain over sleet or snow any day, too!
      We’ll just have to get till the end of year, then the days will start getting longer again. Well, that’s what I keep telling myself…

  3. q
    13 October 2020 / 7:17 pm

    I’m not prepared at all for the shorter daylight hours. And thinking that soon it will be dark already around 4 pm feels harder than ever this year. I try to stay positive and think that now that I am working from home I can have that one hour lunch break (instead of the 30 minutes, which is the more typical) and be able to go out for a walk or bicycle ride during daylight hours.
    And again lovely outfit, very appropriate to cheer one up when it is rainy. -q

    • Tiina
      Author
      16 October 2020 / 3:13 pm

      I know what you mean… I used to complain that it’s dark when I leave for work and dark again before I get back home. Now I keep complaining that I’m home all day, and yet I barely see daylight… But yes, a longer lunch break is nice, and so is skipping the commute.

  4. 14 October 2020 / 3:50 pm

    You look great! I really love the scarf tied in neck against striped shirt look! And the polka dotted umbrella is the perfect touch to your whole outfit!

    Life is a Shoe

    • Tiina
      Author
      16 October 2020 / 3:15 pm

      Thank you!

  5. mireilleftm
    15 October 2020 / 5:48 pm

    I just picked up an umbrella at Aldi yesterday since all of our are broken! I believe that the best way to tackle weather is to be prepared for it: we now all have rainboots, rain jackets, winter jackets… so we can go outside rain or shine! Love how colorful your umbrella is!
    http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    • Tiina
      Author
      16 October 2020 / 3:18 pm

      Well, you know what they say: there’s no bad weather…

  6. shelbeeontheedge1
    16 October 2020 / 4:55 pm

    Tiina, this outfit is just perfectly adorable for a cold, dark, rainy day! I love your umbrella! In the northeast US, we are down to less than 11 hours of daylight and before we know it we will buried in snow. By Christmas, it will be getting dark by 4:00 pm. But I do love all the cozy clothes for this time of year! I just would prefer more daylight hours. Fun post! And yes, I think you may have a bit of optimism in you! Thanks for linking.

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    • Tiina
      Author
      19 October 2020 / 6:22 pm

      Thanks! I know: I’m dreading the winter darkness, too. And hoping there won’t be too much now. Last winter we hardly had any snow here (in southern Finland, that is; they had plenty in the north). Still, can’t wait for spring…

  7. 19 October 2020 / 2:23 pm

    I can’t imagine sunrise being so late in the day, it’s always sunny so early here, especially in summer. It’s nice though, being woken up before my alarm by the sunlight coming in through the window 🙂 I find it harder to get up with my alarm in winter when it’s still dark, even though the sun is up shortly after!

    Hope you had a wonderful weekend 🙂 Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup!

    • Tiina
      Author
      19 October 2020 / 6:27 pm

      Oh well, we hardly have any daylight in winter. You get used to it. And we get almost round-the-clock daylight in summer (when sunrise can be as early as 3 am and sunset at 11 pm here in the south), so it evens out nicely.

  8. thestylesplash
    19 October 2020 / 10:58 pm

    It’s the lack of sunlight that gets to me too. It was still dark at 7.15 this morning when I got up for the school run and it’s dark by 6pm. Knowing it’s only going to get worse fills me with dread every year – it never gets easier. At least you have a lovely red polka dot umbrella to brighten up the dull days! Thanks for linking up!

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

    • Tiina
      Author
      20 October 2020 / 6:03 pm

      Thanks, Emma.
      I find the autumn darkness a bit depressing, too. But I keep telling myself that it will get better after Christmas as the days will start getting longer again.

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