So Long February

February

I wish I could say this is the end of winter, but unfortunately it isn’t. Here in Finland we have at least a month of winter to look forward to…

Anyway, now that we’re all caught in this never-ending Groundhog Day of same-old-same-old, I wanted to share a few photos that show what life is like now, the second winter of the pandemic.

OK, maybe that was a bit dramatic. Let’s put it down to cabin fever or something…

The truth is that winter, and especially the very cold weather we’ve had this month, makes it easier to bear all the Covid-related restrictions. I have no desire to go out (shopping, restaurants, seeing friends) when it’s really cold. I’m perfectly happy staying indoors. And in this situation, I also prefer working from home. OK, I admit that I’m not a very social person to begin with, and I’ve always been a bit of an introvert, and I’ve always used cold weather as an excuse to stay in.

Helsinkiworking from home

The irony is that this year, Professor M and I have actually spent more time outdoors (in winter, that is) than probably ever before. That’s because Professor M also works from home, and unlike me, he is a very social person. He needs human contact (other than just me) and daylight. So, we take long walks, just like we did in summer and autumn, at least a couple of times a week.

And it was so cold in February, the sea froze. And, like so many of the locals, we also ventured out to take a stroll on the ice.

So, what you see on the photo below is people skating, skiing or walking on the frozen Gulf of Finland, just off the coast of Helsinki. We had a long walk, passing the small islands and some of  our favourite summer restaurants (now closed, obviously).

walking on icewalking on iceHelsinki

Of course, that was a couple of weeks ago. Given the much warmer weather we’ve been having lately, and the fact that all the snow is now thawing (turning the pavements into ice rinks), I probably wouldn’t venture out there anymore. But at least I have the photos to remind me of that lovely, sunny, and cold winter day.

What are your favourite winter activities?

Tiina

winter sunset

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 , The Grey BrunetteMutton Years Style and I, Confessions of a Montreal Styling DivaIndependent Fashion Bloggers

10 Comments

  1. Flora
    28 February 2021 / 8:56 pm

    Reading this (from the S of France) it looks lovely. I would probably stay in too, though.

    • Tiina L
      Author
      3 March 2021 / 11:21 am

      Yes, winter can be beautiful. And when it’s moderately cold (around -5), it’s actually very nice to go for a walk (provided you have a warm coat, of course). It’s the zero degrees weather I hate: the snow is thawing and it’s slippery, and there’s mud everywhere.

  2. mireilleftm
    1 March 2021 / 8:17 pm

    A walk on the sea sound like a fun (and cold) adventure. I have really noticed the impact on sunny days vs grey days no matter the temperature: the temps are a lot easier to deal with when the sun is out!
    http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    • Tiina L
      Author
      3 March 2021 / 11:23 am

      It was fun. And we walked a long way, too! Mainly because once you’re on the ice you can only get off in certain places. We ended up going to some of the small islands, which was nice as we usually only see them in summer.

  3. 4 March 2021 / 12:33 pm

    WOW look at all those people on the frozen sea! It looks incredible! My husband and I usually go on holiday during the winter, and we love to visit places that are really cold lol. Perhaps we should add Finland to our bucket list!
    I’m going to be posting another blog post within the month about European bloggers to follow. I’d love to include you, Tina. If it’s ok with you, may I use one or two photos from your blog?
    Oh, and I’ve started a new link-up on Fridays called #neverendingstyle – I do hope you’ll come along and join in!
    Hugs
    Suzy xx

    • Tiina L
      Author
      4 March 2021 / 4:32 pm

      Thanks! And yes, Finland is definitely worth visiting. Of course, I may be a bit biased saying that…
      And of course you can include me in your post, I would be honoured to be featured!

  4. 7 March 2021 / 12:05 am

    I can’t imagine seeing a frozen sea, that’s amazing! 🙂 I have never seen anything like that before! It’s good you got to go enjoy it and take a lot of photos 🙂 We can often spend summer days at home staying out of the sun and the heat so it’s nice in winter to go out more when it’s not too warm for us, and the weather is nicer for running around at the playground with the kids, haha!

    Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup!

    • Tiina L
      Author
      9 March 2021 / 1:09 pm

      The sea doesn’t freeze every year anymore, I guess it’s the goal warming… But all it takes is a couple of weeks of really cold weather, and the sea around coastal areas freezes. I wouldn’t go out there anymore, though: I think the ice is getting a bit too thin.

  5. shelbeeontheedge1
    7 March 2021 / 3:22 pm

    Beautiful photos, Tiina! I am much like you and use the cold as an excuse to stay isolated and away from people! Plus I just get too darn cold to go outside in winter anyway. We still have probably another 8-10 weeks of winter where I live and honestly, spring cannot come fast enough. I am craving some sunshine and fresh air! How cool that you could walk on the frozen gulf! I don’t think I would be brave enough to do it even if it was safe! Thanks for sharing and linking with me.

    Shelbee
    http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com

    • Tiina L
      Author
      9 March 2021 / 1:14 pm

      Thanks! Well, the Gulf of Finland is rather small (the whole Baltic Sea is small), so it freezes easily the it’s cold enough. It was quite an experience to walk to the islands see usually visit in summer, though. But I probably wouldn’t do it anymore, now that the ice is thinner.

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