The crocus are showing their yellow and purple blossoms, pushing away the gloom of the long winter days. They are running rampant everywhere as an early harbinger of spring and it is still a surprise to me to find them in patches on people's lawns, on nature verges and popping up in the woodland glades. This is typical of the little groups of them you find in the woods.



They make a bright, beautiful show while it is warmish and the sun shines, but the minute it begins to cloud over, they close up again and await the sun's warming rays. When we came closer to the flowers, we spotted a beautiful humla or bumble-bee busy collecting pollen and nectar. I'm not sure whether we have them in Australia but they are very different from the normal honeybees I remember. These ones are much larger, slower and generally seem friendlier than the busy little bees who I used to see scurrying around the gum trees. These bumblebees take life at a much more leisurely pace - my sort of creature.



I wanted to reach down and give it a big hug, but then guessed that it wouldn't be such a smart idea. I always come home happy after a walk through the woods or park or along the shoreline as there is so much to see and savour. Our most common walk takes us around the edge of town, through the main park and around the shore facing the island of Trehörningen and along Strandvägen at least as far as the boat club. On more energetic days we continue on to Lövhagen, a pretty camping place and youth hostel a little further along the road. That is at least a 10km walk and certainly gets your heart pumping. But with the sea and granite cliffs on one side and the forest on the other it is the very best environment to take a wander in any season. There is always something new to experience.

In the local park, we came across Lambi's "big sister" - a beautiful standard poodle (though I think matte wasn't too keen on us taking a photo)



See, despite the blue skies and sunshine you still need to keep rugged up in spring. I do wear my inbetween jacket if I'm simply going out for a short trip, but the winter jacket if we are out longer or I'd freeze! And while we were out walking I also discovered a new restaurant in town. Over in the eastern part at Estö, there has been a vacant kiosk site for several years. I saw that it is now a Thai and sushi take-away restaurant. I was curious as I haven't had decent sushi for ages and wondered at the fact that it was both Japanese and Thai.

It seems that it was started up by Samruay Kudan, a Thai man who has lived in Sweden for sixteen years. He has been working in the very swish and highly regarded sushi restaurant Miyako in Östermalm, but longed to own his own place. What luck for us that he came on a visit to Nynäshamn last summer and thought it would be a perfect place for a restaurant. I really hope it is a success for him and I intend to frequent it for some sumo sushi or a plate of gai met muang or paneng gai. My mouth is watering as I type. Yum!