Update: If some of the images in this post don’t load, please refresh the page and see if they appear. I think I’m going to have to switch from Photobucket if this problem with images continues! Argh!!!
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We’re not quite there yet here in Southern Finland, but soon the temperature will stop peeking its head above 0*C/32*F and will remain below freezing until sometime in March (or later, if you’re far enough north), with the accumulated snow sticking around for a while after that. Depending on where you are in Finland, winter can last from 5 to 7 months or so, and temperatures can drop to -40 degrees or colder, so if you don’t enjoy winter sports and activities and can’t stand prolonged periods of darkness, you might have a hard time here. I take these temperatures and conditions as somewhat of a challenge and have, over the past few years, come to not only tolerate the winter, but embrace it (a few outings from last winter can be found here, here, here and here). No bugs, no rain, silent forests, gorgeous scenery…what’s not to like?
A few shots from last winter:
But as I said, we’re not there yet. We’re still in the late-autumn/early-winter phase of freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw etc. Here in Southern Finland we got our first dusting of snow last week. The Woodsboy was ecstatic about it. He’s now old enough to have vague memories of last winter and he begged me to take the sled out of storage, which I did. He’s chomping at the bit, but I told him we need a little more than a light dusting before I can pull him around. 
On Sunday we took a drive to the Gulf of Finland to get out and enjoy the unusually sunny weather. Definitely doesn’t look like winter here yet:
Just a few yards/meters away, everything was covered in frost:
And ice is starting to form on still water:
In just a short while it will be time for snowshoes, fur hats and heated tents. Ice fishing for perch and building fires on the snow and ice. Tracking animals in the fresh powder and photographing frosty forest scenes. Camping on top of 4 feet (over a meter) of snow and relaxing by fire- and candlelight through the long, dark nights. I’m looking forward to it and I hope you’ll join me!
First three photos beautiful, rest didn’t load.
Thanks!
Hmm…Try refreshing the page. That might work. Photobucket doesn’t seem to be very reliable lately!
Still nothing, Matt.
I stopped relying on photobucket. Too bad, really as it used to be a good hostingsite.
Sorry Ron!
I’ll see what I can do…
Thanks for posting these! We’ve had some snow but nothing like that yet. Still about 30 days away from the heavy blankets of white wonder. Can’t wait!
We’re still going back and forth between frozen and wet, e.g. today it’s wet and soggy. I’m looking forward to consistent sub-freezing temps and that nice bright snow!