Tag: seasons

Friday Fun: My Favourite Season in Romania

While this year has been exceptionally warm and sunny, and the summer has extended into September and October, I would generally say autumn is the best season to visit Romania. You might get the occasional snowfall on the mountaintops, but overall the temperatures are more pleasant compared to the furnace of the summer months. Plus you have the incredible colours of the leaves, almost good enough to rival Canada and Japan.

Even the Ceausescu monstrosity looks better amid the autumn foliage, from the blog Locul de la Geam.
Despite the noisy, dusty, grey built-up areas, there are also many parks in Bucharest.
The Botanical Garden in Bucharest is especially popular as a backdrop for wedding photos. From gradina-botanica.unibuc.ro
My own paltry attempts at photography on my phone.
Oh to sit on that terrace, at the back of what was formerly the Cultural Centre and Cinema in Curtea de Arges.
If you want to admire palaces and mountains in the dazzling Prahova Valley, you’ll have to set off early, because it tends to get extremely crowded. From GetYourGuide.com
Slightly less palatial, but much loved, my grandmother’s house, with the grapes still among the most delicious in the world.
Finally, if you want to see this stunning landscape as we cross the pass between Muntenia and Transylvania, then you will have to come to a writing and reading retreat at my parents’ house at some point in the future. Photo credit: Plimbarea Ta.

The Seasons

I wrote this a while ago, but it feels oddly appropriate for this time of year, when winter keeps telling us: ‘And another thing…’

If I make it through September, fold my pinnies, cool my forehead,

Don’t wait for gaps to be filled – there is no clemency

Left in any fibre.

If I make it through October, it won’t be for want of trying

To end the throb of left-side temple

Trapped flutter under the skin.

If November doesn’t bring morose companionship on wet flagstones

Where would my certainties drain?

They’d pool like ink on poor quality paper.

And if you can’t wait until December for my waxing sleight of mind

I waste my breath and months

Wondering why you never measure up.

Friday Fun: Reading Nooks in All Seasons

There are reading nooks for all seasons. Maybe you can fit four into your house… or here are some simple ways to tweak them to fit each time of the year.

The delicate shoots of spring can be admired from this bed, when you still feel lethargic after a long winter. From Bored Panda.

Watching the mountains turn green from your reading nook is lovely in Spring. From Michael Rex Architects.

Greek island views are much more suited to summer, from Bored Panda.

Of course, you could move outside into the garden. From Pinterest.

But the balcony offers a shadier alternative, especially for e-books. From Hunter Design.

As the nights turn cooler in autumn, it makes sense to move indoors. From She Knows.

Somewhere far away from prying eyes is perfect when school starts again in autumn, from Pinterest.

While in winter we have a hankering for wooden chalets, curtains, plaid and cosy lights. From BeDe Design.

From this viewpoint we will certainly not miss Santa when he brings us some new books. From Woo Home.

A Year’s Worth of Haikus

A light-hearted read for the weekend: haikus for every season, and a good excuse to upload some favourite pictures.

January

Perfect crunch on ice

Spiked boots and burning muscle

Welcome warmth of soup

February

Where are friendships now?

The chalet sighs for Christmas

Lights buried in snow

March

How much hope, what joy,

When stubborn hardy rootling

Gushes forth from sod!

April

Long before the fall

The camellia’s head hung low

Blushing memory

May

Scented white lilac –

However brief its glory

There is no contest

June

No cherries this year.

I wonder if this season

Will greet me again.

July

So much life and hope

Drinks and laughter lighten

On long summer days

August

Annual body roast.

Not a second on the beach

To savour salt air.

September

Back! Back! They twitter.

Settling nicely in the groove,

Keeping tan well creamed.

October

Demented squash shapes

Stretch out arms imploring, catch

Chill hush in the air.

November

So it closes in:

Each year a little harder

To bear the long-streaked rain.

December

Not naughty, not nice –

Can it be time already

To freeze our desires?