In comes autumn, out goes summer

The apple trees here in Sweden are not just for the flower show in the spring. They actually produce apples too. They are really fantastic to look at. I so want to go and pick one though I realize that it is likely full of worms. Now you would think being from Washington State I had seen my share of apple trees. I have. But they are in the Gorge in a orchard or in a horse pasture. The ones in our nicely manicured neighborhood are of the ornamental variety and while beautiful and I am sure less work, it has been a treat to welcome the new school year with the abundance of apples hanging so tantalizing from the trees. It is such a romantic way to welcome in the new school year. I think I will always associate that with Sweden. In July I was surprised to see them growing already. We don't really see apples at home until late Sept. It is amazing how fast the summer season goes here. So much light means that the growing season, while short, is very intense. Autumn has certainly arrived here. August had several beautiful days. Not hot but warm. I don't know that it really ever got hot here. We had a couple of days in August where it was muggy and therefore quite warm. The bugs came out in force. I thought I had seen bugs having worked a couple of summers in the Great Lakes region of the US but this was serious bugs. If you would look out into the light from the streetlamps you could see what looked like snow falling...except that it was bugs. One night we left the windows open for a few minutes too long in order to cool off the house. The result was unreal. The house wasn't really cool but we had MANY uninvited guests. I am sure the neighbors are scratching their heads thinking I am that crazy American gal because when the fly swatter became abdominably insufficient I resorted to real power...the vacumn cleaner. The kids and I donned capes (really) and I vacumned the ceiling. They would shake the curtains and 5 would fly out upon which I would furiously reach with the extention and suck them up. It worked fabulously. We spent a solid hour doing this and I believe exterminated 100-150 mosquitos. I have no sympathy for them. It is a big world out there. They have plenty of room. All I ask for is my house to be mine. As we headed for the school year the daylight tapered off as well as the temperatures. In fact last weekend they had the coldest Aug. 26th ever recorded for the south of Sweden. The nights of playing "football" and dunkjimma (like hide and go seek and tag together) became shorter and shorter and now have ake a backseat to her handball practices for the older kids. K has been particularly sad about this as his crush Victoria hasn't been around as much. She is 11 and he told her in Swedish on night while playing football that he was going to "win this one for her". All the girls swooned. B has become a bit of a leader among the younger girls and has been great in directing all the kids to speak only Swedish with K. I am so grateful this band of 15 or so kids who have been so helpful in this manner. The first days of school were exciting and yet the schedule it has produced is calming. Short lived though as the move is looming with lots of changes abound. I will write more as we complete our next and last travels of our year here...