Long-lasting weekend

Even though I'm alone at home with our young son while my partner is working for two weeks in Svea, I'm still feeling I'm pretty privileged to have him at home for two weeks after a working period. Those two weeks we were together was just like long-lasting weekend. Everyday was Sunday for us.

We were lucky with weather during those two weeks, now thinking from perspective of a small babys mummy, not from an eager snow scooter fan. We were having some days around zero centigrades. Then I took our son out just in a baby carrier. That's so much easier than use a baby stroller. Our son likes to be sitting in a carrier, where he can be looking around or taking a nap if he feels like that. When it's colder I'm feeling better to use a baby stroller, where he can be protected against wind. The horizon is getting lighter now so it's also pretty encouranging to have some walking tours middle of a day.

Farewell Sun

We have said farewell to the sun. The sun went down last time at 26th of October and we'll see it again at 16th of February. We're still having some twilight at the daytime couple of more weeks, but after that we're in the real polar night, were there isn't difference between day and night. Latest now it's time to find the candles on the table and enjoy a warm cup of cocoa in a sofa and let peace and quiet take over.

Peek to the darkness

It's still coming light at the day time, but the beautiful full moon gave us a nice peek to the coming polar night. Earlier the coming time of total darkness was something unrealistic, something very distant. But having some walks with the dog out on the light of the full moon gave a feeling about the coming time. Now I'm almost waiting forward for the months in darkness.

Now it's time to get used to have daily walks in the town also in darkness. It's time to remember to have reflectors on again - both on us with two feet but also on those with four.

The most eager ones have already started their scooters and been happily driving around. For me this amount of snow isn't yet anything impressive, I prefer wait little bit more and enjoy then driving without getting worried about cooling problems or hitting stones.

Our dog isn't howling the moon. He knows that only thing which is worth to howl are bitches.

It's already getting light in the early morning, but the moon is still going around on it's orbit. I'm not any early bird, but when it's that beautiful morning, it's actually pretty nice to have a little walk with the dog. 

The world where the sun doesn't set

We had the last sunset at 16th of April and the next one will be 25th of August. I just love this time - you can be awake when ever and it's light anyhow.

Walk with the dog

Sometimes it's nice to have a walk with the dog in different places, just not beside the town.

Our dog has needed to learn all kind of things, just for that he has possibility to follow us. Sitting on the scooter isn't his favourites, but on that way we can have a walk with him little bit outside the town.

From Hiorthhamn it's nice to start to walk upward and enjoy the view to the town.

Our "TV-tower" is a pretty popular destination for small scooter tours.

Lot of pictures you can see from Longyearbyen is taken from here.

There were a nice halo. That's always a beautiful phenomenon.

Our dog had an important task: He was carrying our down jackets and ekstra clothes.

Welcome back!

Just guess what's making that beautiful colouring on the mountains - the sun is finally over the horizon! I haven't seen it yet, it's still behind the mountains, but just that pink colour on the mountains is making me so happy.

Symphony of light

We have had fantastically beautiful week. Whenever you have looked out, it has been just so nice, even though freezing cold. At the day time we're getting a clear blue twilight - and in the same time full moon and even polar lights! 

When you are seeing this kind of weather forecast, you can't be in a bad humour. Clear sky, not too bad wind and stable cold temperatures - perfect!

It's nice to wake up for breakfast and enjoy a cup of tea while watching strengtening blue light.

The sun is still about 6° under the horizon at it's highest, but it's close enough to remind it's excistence.

I don't actually know if I'm more fascinated about the increasing day light or full moon over the mountains.

16 centigrades both inside and outside - just below and above zero. I don't actually believe we're having that cool temperature inside the house, but we're living in an old house and windows are not the best possible to keep coldness outside. But I don't mind about it. The town is heated up by surplus heat from the powerplant and at least we're having a natural ventilation in.

South greets North

This dark season has been really nice and easy, that is how I feel about it. We have had enough snow all the way and there hasn't been any long lasting mild periods. When there is enough snow and I'm having dry shoes I'm mostly just happy. And now: We are already getting first signs about return of light!

Middle of the day sky is getting already nicely lighter on the south side. Sun is there, under the horizon, getting closer and closer to us again.

Just turning 180 grades, towards north, and we can see northern lights dancing over us - also middle of the day.

Welcome winter

When we came from the holiday in early October was Svalbard covered already with white snow. Winter time had arrived. The sun was shining last time on mountain tops at 26th of October. Next time we can see it at the middle of February.

Now the polar night has started, and also the "official" time of cosiness. The most tourist have disappeared from the town and everyday life is calming down. It's time the find the candles and enjoy the glass of red wine with no hurry.

Venus passage

That was the last change for our generations to see Venus passaging over the Sun. It was cloudy at midnight but we were lucky to get a quick view for a little spot on the Sun. Those who were more patient got to see much more when the sky cleared up later. I think that it was really cool there were made a public happening for that rare event.

A land of no sunset

We haven't had dark time at nights since 2nd of April and we had our last sunset 19th of April. Next time we can see the sun to set is 23th of August but we need to wait for dark nights almost until middle of September.

I don't mind at all to live some months in darkness when we're having such a long time light day around!

Vernal equinox

I'm feeling it's not that long time ago we got light back but now it's already vernal equinox. Now we're having longer days than people in the mainland! Just one month forward and we're having the midnight sun as well. To tolerate couple of month darkness is just fine payment for all that light what we're having in the next half years time. Now only thing we're lacking is proper amount of snow and coldness.

Sunshine on my life

Actually just in principle, not yet practically.

The sun has risen over the horizon (rose first time 16th of February) but it's still behind the mountains. If you go high enough it's possible to see the sun but as our town is located in north facing valley we need to wait couple of weeks more to see the sun from the town. Even though I haven't seen yet the sun it just so nice just to know that a dark season is over!

Shimmer behind the mountains

Some earlier years I have been waiting eagerly first shimmer behind the mountains. Now it just came and I'm just looking it amazed. Is the sky getting really lighter already? Is the dark season defeated? We'll get some real twilight in the end of the month, but we can clearly see the darkest time of the year is behind.

We just had an amazingly beautiful weekend. We went to the other side of the fjord and spend the weekend in a cabin. It was nice to wake up late and eat a breakfast with candle light, looking shimmering sky on the south, behind the town. Later incredibly bright full moon lightened terrain. Starlight was bland, but northern lights were dancing all over the sky. The dark time can be really ravishing!

A total moon eclipse

We were lucky to see a total moon eclipse again. Last year it was in an early morning and then it was freezing cold and good breeze. This year we were lucky. The total eclipse was a Saturday afternoon and even it was quite cold it was actually totally ok because there weren't any wind. We had a little skiing trip in Andventdalen, just to go little bit out of the town lights. There were unbelievable amount of cars on Adventdalen way! Lot of people had taken a trip with a car to take pictures of the reddish moon.

Moon over the town

Full moon is actually already just a memory, but it's always so impressing. We got also really nicely Jupiter close to it - even more impressing!

Our tour season isn't that exciting at the moment because of the dogs on leash -rule. Now instead of tours we need to be concentrating on other kind of activities. My dog isn't that good with pulling, but I borrowed a bitch and we were skiing together. He doesn't see the point to pull a skier but he's more than eager to follow a bitch. My friend is having some polar dogs and we have tried our herding dog front of a sledge. He's not the best puller, but at least he gets some exercise - and social activity with other dogs. That's also very important! And to being out with a dog sledge is really fun!

Time of the midnight sun is over

The sun hasn't set since 19th of April. It went under the horizon first time 22th of August. Then I was in Trondheim - and there it was dark at night time! I haven't actually been missing that... It's not getting yet dark here at nights, that we need to still wait couple of weeks.

One thing we're lacking here in summer time is moon. We get always a new moon over the horizon in summer time, but full moon isn't rising. To see the moon again at the sky gives me feeling of autumn. There isn't any doubt more that the summer is behind.

Midsummer

It was time to celebrate the summer solstice. The sun has reached now it's highest position but summer is still just in half way. Traditionally midsummer was celebrated with a bonfire and barbecue on the beach.

In mainland swimming is also included in a Midsummer celebration, but swimming here in the fjord where temperature isn't much above zero Celcius degrees isn't that tempting - at least not for me, but our fourpawed isn't agreeing that. Our dog is really eager to swim and if I can let him to run little bit after swimming he doesn't seem to be bothered of coldness at all. It's bigger problem to get him out of water! But a wet dog running and shaking his wet fur can't be that popular when there is lot of people around, so for both of us a solution against the shivering was to go home and have a warm shower.

Midnight sun eclipse

We were supposed to see that magical phenomenon in the late evening of 1. Juni. Instead of seeing the sun eclipse almost 60 % we were watching clouds hanging low on the mountain sides.

Can't be always lucky...

Halo

Time for stargazing is over, but in midnight summer we can see some other heavenly happenings.