My balcony is a magical spot. So magical that I have turned opening up my balcony for the season into a ceremony + ritual that we celebrate each spring. We also have a closing up + winterizing the balcony every autumn, of course. But, in the beginning of April, the sun has shifted and the light has returned to the balcony, signaling that it is time for the beginning of balcony season. And that means that this past week – we officially welcomed in balcony season at our place!
I don’t mean to sound snobby or braggy or anything, but there are balconies and there are balconies, right? And we have a balcony.
The thing is, we were super lucky when we decided to move to Norrköping back in 2021 and just happened to time it so right that we ended up getting a top floor corner unit that overlooks the entire city. And the view is, well, magical. It is absolutely breathtaking. And we are fully aware every single day that we get to live here. We most definitely do not take it for granted. And, I think that it’s also why we pour so much love and ceremony into opening, closing, and enjoying the hell out of our balcony as much as we can.
Last Sunday, the air was warmer, the sun was shining, and we decided it was time to put the balcony in order for the season. We took the tarp off of the furniture that we had covered over for the winter, Lina cleaned the windows + doors, and I cleaned the railings + swept the floor. Then, I made a few runs down to our basement storage to get the cushions, rug, and other items that we use on the balcony. At the same time, Lina mopped the floor. Then, it was just to put everything in order!
Of course, I spent the rest of the day (and much of the evening) immediately enjoying the space. It was perfect. Just sitting there. Breathing in the air. Hearing the sounds of city + nature. Feeling the shift in the seasons. Being aware of aligning my simple, everyday life with the flow of nature by turning a mundane chore in a ceremonial ritual.
In case you are wondering what my ritual was, it was the whole thing – the process of getting the balcony ready for the season ahead. The cleaning and preparation and meditating. It was the act of being mindfully present and aware and aligned with nature. Of choosing to make an everyday activity into something magical and meaningful and celebratory. In that way, all of my life becomes ceremony and ritual.
Amazingly, this entire week’s weather was absolutely perfect for celebrating the season of the balcony. It has been sunny, warm, and gorgeous out for about 6 days straight – not super normal for April weather in Sweden. I was able to get out at lunch during work this week, but the highlight was coming home every day and heading straight out to the balcony for a little sun before making dinner and settling in for evening.
However, not only have the days been beautiful this week, but the evenings as well. The sunsets have been spectacular. First, there was a new moon cycle that began. But, then, at the end of the week + this weekend, the waxing, slivery, crescent moon hung over the balcony, flanked to the left by Venus whining + twinkling brightly in the night sky.
Every day, every night has been so magical. So peaceful. It really has felt like the beginning of something new.
One of the best things about the balcony is that it is the place where I watch the city, the sky, and nature unfold and change season after season. It is, I suppose, my grounding space. And so, when balcony season returns and I can spend more time outdoors, I also feel a shift of energy, newness, inspiration, and life return after the long, cold, dark months of the year.
Welcoming balcony season means that spring (and very soon summer) energy is officially here for the next 5 months or so. The earth has woken and a new era has begun. It is the time of the year for indulging in long mornings outside with cups of coffee, late evenings outside with the sounds of a lively, pulsing city below, and quiet, stolen moments all throughout the day of simply stepping out and breathing in.
The rituals have all been completed now, and I am totally ready for balcony season!
xoxo. liz.
