still cold, but spring can be smelled in the air...

I went to the Craft fair last week with my friend Lydia, and she took this picture of me beside the Atomium on the Exhibition grounds of the Brussels Ex.  I know its a cheesy tourist pic, but everyone has to have a few in their collection, right?  (or how else would I know I was there?)

The weather has not been completely cooperating these days.  Here's the latest forecast... recently it has been cold at night, bleary sunshine only peeking out occasionally and still no daffodils or tulips in the city gardens.  We're about a month later than last year's spring, and I for one have had enough of this dreary weather so am very thankful for the yellow globes in the following icons--even the prospect of rain doesn't bother me, as we'll need it to wash away the grit and grime, its just too bad it has to be over this coming weekend!

Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday
15° C | 12° C	17° C | 7° C	14° C | 4° C	16° C | 3° C	15° C | 5° C

winter wonderland but destructive forces made life difficult

A Santa Lucia celebration

Wednesday was magical...at 9.00 the entire school went to the gym, where they had decorated it nicely with trees, lights and lit candles.  The lights were turned out, the music started and 120 children (who can claim northern European ancestry) paraded in with white robes, candles and singing "Santa Lucia".  They were led by a girl wearing an evergreen wreath outfitted with candles--yes they were lit!  This was a grade 12 girl and our grade 5's recreated it for our assembly a little while later.  Here's a picture of our sweet little Norwegian girl (flanked by some other Scandinavian children) wearing a similar crown but with battery-powered lights on her head...I always wondered about the dripping wax...ceremony and facial in one?