January Days…2014

Winter in Warsaw….January 2014

We returned to Warsaw after Melissa and Lance's wedding in Salt Lake City and open house in Houston.  I had been in the U.S. for a month, and Mark for 2-1/2 weeks.  

It felt good to be home in Warsaw in January….to begin new routines, goals and plans. I love new beginnings and this first month of 2014 was good for Mark and me. 

During our first weekend home we went to see the Christmas lights on the streets of Nowy Świat and Krakowskie Przedmieście….the best known and most prestigious streets in Poland's capital city.  

The lights were turned on in December after I left for the U.S., so it was fun to see the sparkles and pretty streets even in January.

The air was cold but Warsaw hardly had snow.  In fact, the last time it had snowed was the first weekend in December, when I left for the U.S. 

We enjoyed a meal at one of our favorite Polish restaurants…Delicja Polska

In the beginning, we were the only two in the restaurant….I think we must like to eat much earlier than most Polish people.

After dinner we walked the short distance toward Old Town, and toward the crowds and the large Christmas tree in front of the Royal Palace.

In Warsaw the public Christmas decorations stay up all through January…. and we enjoyed coming down on this first weekend in January like so many others.

The Rynek (central town square) was different this year. There was no Christmas market of little booths selling gifts or food….but pretty lights decorated the area….

….including the mermaid, the symbol of Warsaw.

This year a small ice skating rink was set up in the center of the Rynek.  There were plenty of skaters…. and we were just spectators.

I was amazed at the crowds of people who ventured down to the Old Town.…though cold, it felt refreshing to be outside with so many others, just walking the beautiful streets of Warsaw.

Happy New Year to us in Warsaw….2014

Warsaw's very large Christmas Tree in front of The Royal Palace

I could hardly believe how our backyard looked in January!  Last year the ground was covered in snow, as were the bushes and tree limbs.

Going for a walk in our neighborhood park was most interesting…no frozen ponds, ducks swimming in the water….and the ground was not white!

Capturing a beautiful sunset in early January...

In mid-January we had a powdered sugar dusting of snow….

Come January 15th…winter made its arrival….with snow falling all day

The familiar paths, parks and roads turned winter white as they were once again covered in snow.

Winter had finally arrived….

….but little did we know that this snowfall, off and on for just a week to ten days, would be the only snow of this winter.

Our beautiful backyard never tires me…I love to see the whiteness….the growing layers of snow….

….and our backyard filled with winter.

On the second weekend in January we attended a performance by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra. 

This was our 2nd visit to this venue….though this time we opted for orchestra level seats on the main floor.

Though I did not recognize any of the classical pieces that were performed, most were quite lovely.  There was only one piece I did not care for….the first piece performed.  To me it sounded like an extended, disharmonious warmup of the instruments….with everyone playing different music.  

Mark leaned over to tell me that it was actually the first piece, and it went on for quite a long while.  

Mark leaves for work around 7am or just a little after.  One morning the light was coming through the windows and when we looked out…. the sunrise was absolutely beautiful!

A wintry early morning in our Warsaw neighborhood.

The day dawns in pinks, yellows, oranges and blues….simply beautiful!

We love walks around our neighborhood park during any season….including cold winter days.

We have walked around the neighborhood ponds every winter….but this weekend in January we saw something new….an ice skater!

Though we had not had any new snow for a week, the temperatures had been quite cold (teens and near zero for many days)….which made the ponds very good for ice skating.

Our icy ponds….and ice-covered, frozen pathways….

After seeing the ice skater, Mark couldn't resist walking out on the pond himself!  He assures me he is just fine!

I will miss these wintry walks when we leave Warsaw….bundled up, but feeling so refreshed walking outside.

In one of the ponds there was a small area of water that had not frozen….perhaps because ducks and other birds persisted in swimming there.  

Even in winter someone was there to feed the birds.

The next weekend, in January Mark did not want to walk around the paths in the park, he wanted to ride his bike through the snow like he had seen others do. 

During the past week more snow had fallen, and all the pathways were covered with snow.  It was not difficult to walk….but riding a bike was a challenge because the tires were submerged in a few inches of snow, which made it hard to pedal and to steer.

Mark said riding his bike on the snow covered path gave him a good work out.

The layer of snow on top of the frozen pond made it impossible to ice skate like we had seen the previous weekend.

Though there was plenty of blue sky and sunshine….there were not many others out in the park this weekend.

I found a map posted at the park that was not graffitied…..the orange lines are the outer boundaries of the paths we often take. 

I love how the snow makes everything look so different.  The picture below looks back toward our neighborhood. 

In the snow on top of the pond there were footprints and ski tracks from cross country skiers.  Mark had already walked on the frozen pond, and he doesn't have cross country skis….so Mark decided that it would be fun to cross the pond on his bike….

He loved the thought of being the only one on the pond….frozen and covered in snow….while riding his bike! 

A few weeks later the tire tracks still remained in the snow on top of the pond!

I love our quiet winter walks.

Little did we realize….

….that there would be very few walks in the snow this winter.

Nearing home, we could see our brown, slushy streets.  After a week of no new snow and rising temperatures, the snow begins to melt and turns to brown slush…not my favorite part of winter days.

Our January days were coming to an end….there was finally snow for a week to 10 days….but then by the end of the month it had melted in most areas.  Such a different January for us here in Warsaw in 2014.