One of my favorite words in Swedish is videung (videkissar), also called willow catkins. Every year I purchase a few stems and photograph them, it is coming to be somewhat of a tradition. I believe for me it stands for the beginning of spring. But as in the Swedish children’s poem from 1869 called “Sov du lilla videung”, it means that when we see the willow catkins, it is still winter. And spring is yet asleep. Poem and translation from Wikipedia.

Sof, du lilla videung; än så är det vinter.
Än så sofva björk och ljung, ros och hyacinther.
Än så är det långt till vår,
Innan rönn i blomma står.
Sof, du lilla videung, än så är det vinter.

(“Sleep, you little willow young; still it is the winter.
So sleep yet, birch and roses, hyacinths and heather.
For it’s long until the spring,
Ere the rowans flowers bring.
Sleep, you little willow young, for it’s still the winter.”)