jean
jean

What Scandinavians Can Teach Us About Embracing Winter

👋 @odd

|
Embed
odd
odd

@macgenie Thanks! 😃 That was a nice article about Norway/Scandinavia. I have to admit right away; we Norwegians can be a bit cold and reserved until we get used to the stranger. And south of the Arctic circle we are more so generally than north… I guess it depends on the person also.

I was recently discussing the phrase “There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather” with @maique and @helgeg ! 🥶

Today I even went for a brisk walk, in the slightly chilly weather, and we had it “koselig”, (“hygge”) inside - lighting a candle and having a cup of coffee.

|
Embed
Miraz
Miraz

@macgenie My favourite new word: ‘outdoorphins’!

|
Embed
jessekelber
jessekelber

@odd Hhhmmm, sort of reserved upon first meeting...no such thing as bad weather...that sounds strangely familiar. Except here they call it “The Seattle Freeze" and all the newcomers still complain about the "weather.”

I do wish we could import some Hygge, though.

|
Embed
odd
odd

@jessekelber Yes! I heard about the “Seattle Freeze” on the podcast Roderick on the Line 🥶 I guess we share some of the same weather and reactions to it.

Sometimes “hygge” involves alcohol too, especially among the younger people. It can even evolve into “helgefylla”, which I don’t hope we export. (Getting drunk on weekends).

|
Embed
skoobz
skoobz

@macgenie @odd @jessekelber I’ve also heard the first big storm of the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest being called “the Big Dark”. Between the low sun angles, shorter days, and strength of the front coming in, it gets pretty dim. It’s not wise to dwell on it. Just find things you enjoy.

|
Embed
helgeg
helgeg

@odd At this point I would like to point out that “helgefylla” derives from the word “helg” (meaning weekend,) and not from the name “Helge” 🤣

|
Embed
odd
odd

@helgeg Haha! Yes, I didn’t think to point that out, Helge, but you are completely right! @jessekelber

|
Embed
jessekelber
jessekelber

@sku_b just the /first/ storm? As far as I know The Big Dark is just sorta...Winter.

I remember walking home from school in the dusk/dark transition, so like 3:30?

Given the last week or so, we’re there for the year ;-)

|
Embed
jthingelstad
jthingelstad

@macgenie 💯😊❄️

|
Embed
odd
odd

@jessekelber @sku_b Checking out Seattle on Yr - it seem worse than Western Norway in winter! 🌧💨🌨🌩💦 @helgeg

|
Embed
skoobz
skoobz

@jessekelber Pretty much. I was out there a couple winters ago and heard the sarcastic joy when one sunbeam came out after a few days of clouds and rain. Then it went back about its business of being winter there.

|
Embed
jessekelber
jessekelber

@sku_b sounds about right. Look up “Almost live” on Youtube. Sketch comedy show back in the 90s that did a number of bits on this. I particularly recall one at Greenlake on the first day of spring when the pasty white legs come out of hibernation...

Bonus, you get to see a young Bill Nye! He’s wearing shorty-shorts, but hey, it was the 90s.

|
Embed
In reply to
ctwardy
ctwardy

@macgenie That was lovely, thank you.

|
Embed
jean
jean

@helgeg Haha. I admit it was my first thought...

|
Embed
jean
jean

@ctwardy We can learn from our ancestral lands. Mine is actually Scotland, which is close to Scandinavia.

It took this Florida girl a number of years to adapt to the Pacific Northwest, but I feel this is my true home.

|
Embed