It´s the changing of the seasons...

...he says ”I need them”

I guess I’m too Scandinavian

the relief of spring

intoxication of summer rain

the clearness of fall 

how winter makes me reconsider it all

Ane Brun - Changing of the Seasons

My bedroom window faces almost exactly due east. This means that I can see the sun rise every morning over the harbor. In winter it comes up late, and off to the right, over the water south of the airport. In spring it rises earlier and directly above the landing strips. I have not lived here in summer yet, but it is bound to appear even earlier and further to the north; perhaps even behind Harbor Tower I - the other apartment tower located a stone’s throw northeast from Tower II where I live. I’ll find out in time.

The blinds in my apartment are cream-colored and seem to be semi-permeable for light, meaning that they do a good job of providing cover from people seeing into the apartment (at least I think so) but I am able to see out through them, similar to a screen window. This means that, whether I want to or not, the sun is very noticeable in the morning hours when it is shining directly into my apartment.

At first, I wasn’t crazy about being woken up by the sun, but over time I’ve come to embrace it. I like how it keeps me in tune with the seasons. I have stopped using my alarm clock; if I don’t wake up on my own first, the sun works as my safety net. 

Good morning

I have also learned, very roughly, to know what time it is based on the position of the sun. Recently I had stayed up late one night on the weekend and I was hoping that I would be able to sleep in and not wake up too early, and the next morning I immediately noticed that the sun was higher in the sky than usual and guessed that I’d probably slept about an extra hour, and it turned out to be almost right on.

So, even though I live in the city and I fully enjoy the modern lifestyle that I have chosen, I do like that I have a window (literally and figuratively) into something that is natural, simple and pure, and that although it may not be much I’m at least reminded of that at the outset of each day.