House by the lake is no fake

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Living by a body of water, certainly is on the bucket list of plenty of dwellers, but yeah, it would be totally great live there“ Gun Roswell

Helsinki, Finland

A house, built on top of the rocky hill, gives the onlooker chills, as it’s just by a cool looking lake, and that kind of a place, is just the best, at least during the seasons where the temperatures are warm and totally nice, the weather somewhat mild, and chilling down by the calming lake, well, there really is no better place, for spring or summer.

But, when the damp and cold October winds start, the house by the lake is starting to feel less of a place nice, with the howling winds and pouring rain, leaving a bunch of stains all over, the cold seething into the old bones… but the warming fires inside and out, keep them warm way into the darkest of nights, making the feel and looks all cozy without a fright.

And then soon enough, it is winter time, the freezing ice covering the lake, and then things don’t look as loaded with strife, as the old skates come off the hook, taking it out there on the lake, swirling around on the icy cover on a sunny but cold day, and hey, all bundled up and prepared, the house by the lake is simply great, no matter the season, so yeah, no complaints!

Take a steam bath, in a lukewarm Sauna (Happy Independence Day Finland!)

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“It is always warm in the sauna, the temperature close to subtropical, even more so, when pouring water onto the heated stones, the sizzling sounds, the steam, all of it, making it hard to breathe, at  least for a moment there, before it all settles and there is nothing more of to care, the ol’ brain having gone all mushy, and isn’t that just blissful!” Gun Roswell.

Take a steam bath, in a lukewarm Sauna

The Finns do love their sauna, there is really nothing there, holding trauma, simply the sense of family and calm, the warmth, water and smells of heated wood, filling the small dark corner of a nook, where the weekly grind will slowly but surely slide, off of any kind of skin, and it’s really not a sin, to just let all the worry go, take things slow, for a moment in time, even if needing to steal the spell, to have for oneself, then becoming one with the cosmos, as the fuzzy steamy atmosphere descends upon the small room, the place which the whole family shares, for just this one fleeting moment, letting go of all, embracing the nothingness and into it fall, until it is time to put another log into the fire, stir the steamy stones and wait for another heatwave to hit.

Happy Independence Day Finland! (established 1917)

100 Years

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Posted in Celebration
Happy 100th Birthday Finland!

“Finland is no utopia” Bernie Sanders

100 Years

In the midst, of the roughest of winters
When a death sentence
Could have been as simple, as a splinter
In the year of our dawn
This is what our fore fathers saw:
The opportunity for independence
Even, if it meant a death sentence

Marching to the Tsar’s palace
Their intentions nothing out of malice
Nor, the intent of treason
But demanding simply, freedom

A heartfelt request as that
Was approved after a lengthy chat
Returning home in triumph
With these once people compliant
Celebration all over the land
Sooner than later begun

And it lasted a hundred years
Sometimes, turning into tears
But one hundred years later
All of us know, there is nothing greater
Than freedom and choice
Having your own voice
And a place, to call home

Happy 100th Finland!
And here is, to 100 more!

Midsummer in Helsinki City Centre

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Posted in celebration of Midsummer and Photography

The Helsinki Cathedral

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Alexander II

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& Friends

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The Senate Square7

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Havis Amanda

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Esplanade21

 

Happy Midsummer to One and All

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Posted in celebration of Midsummer and homage to Finns

Midsummer may not be a religious holiday, but it surely is a religion for us Finns 😉

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” When in Rome, do as the Romans do” 

(Or in this case Helsinki, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Turku, Tampere, Porvoo or basically any Finnish town or village!!!)

Sisu, Sauna and Koskenkorva (Ode to Finns)

Finns, what a nationality
We have quite the ability
To enjoy ourselves
With life’s simple little things

Sauna, heated to at least eighty degrees
Surely hot enough to melt any cheese
Beating each other with branches of birch
Almost as purifying as absolution in a church

Sisu, the spunk, guts and percistence
We have plenty of through out our existance
Rally drivers, Nokia, Linux and the rest
We only deliver the best

Koskenkorva, pure spirit made out of barley
After drinking, don’t ride your Harley
The Swedes may prefer their Vodka
But for the Finns, it’s pure dogma

We have lakes and forrests in abundance
So please come and join us
For a visit in the green of nature
It won’t leave you denatured

finns

Kalevala Day (Finnish Culture Day) in Finland 28th of February

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In honour of Kalevala Day 28th of February, Celebration

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“Words shall not be hid
nor spells buried
might shall not sink underground
though the mighty go.”
― Elias Lönnrot, The Kalevala

Kalevala Day (Finnish Culture Day) in Finland 28th of February

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The Kalevala or The Kalewala (/ˌkɑːləˈvɑːlə/; Finnish: [ˈkɑle̞ʋɑlɑ]) is a 19th-century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology.

It is regarded as the national epic of Karelia and Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The Kalevala played an instrumental role in the development of the Finnish national identity, the intensification of Finland’s language strife and the growing sense of nationality that ultimately led to Finland’s independence from Russia in 1917.

The first version of The Kalevala (called The Old Kalevala) was published in 1835. The version most commonly known today was first published in 1849 and consists of 22,795 verses, divided into fifty songs (Finnish: runot). The title can be interpreted as “The Land of Kaleva” or “Kalevia”.

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nicolai kochergin_kalevala_19_the mistress of pohjola chases the vainamoinens boat_01    nicolai kochergin_kalevala_16_vainamoinen and ilmarinen go to pohjola to take the sampo_02

nicolai kochergin_kalevala_15_ilmarinen makes a new wife of silver and gold_01      nicolai kochergin_kalevala_05_ilmarinen crafts the sampo_02

nicolai kochergin_kalevala_05_ilmarinen crafts the sampo_01    nicolai kochergin_kalevala_04_vainamoinen seeks the beauty of pohjola_03

Runeberg torte: In honour of the Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877)

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Posted in Celebration, National Day, Food
Finnish National Anthem

“Our land, our land, our fatherland,
Sound loud, O name of worth!
No mount that meets the heaven’s band.
No hidden vale, no wavewashed strand.
Is loved, as is our native North. Our own forefathers’ earth.

Thy blossom, in the bud laid low,
Yet ripened shall upspring.
See! From our love once more shall grow
Thy light, thy joy, thy hope, thy glow!
And clearer yet one day shall ring The song our land shall sing.”

Johan Ludvig Runeberg

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Runeberg torte: In honour of the Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877)

Runeberg torte is a Finnish pastry flavored with almonds and arrack or rum and it weighs about 100 grams. Raspberry jam inside a sugar ring is commonly placed on top of the tart.

The torte got its name from the Finnish poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) who, according to legend, enjoyed the torte with punsch for every breakfast. Runeberg tortes are typically eaten only in Finland and are generally available in stores from the beginning of January to Runeberg’s birthday on February 5.

Delicious!

runeberg torte