TADAAAA ! ! !

 

( how I did it... )

Am I grown up or what? I bought an advent calendar and not just a calendar but the Moomin Chocolate Calendar! I have to wait 1 hour and 15 minutes before I can open the first window.
I can't wait, I can't wait...

It was in the newspaper. According to the survey that was made by the University of Tampere, kids (5 to 6-years old) in Finland think that Groke is the scariest thing ever! I'm disappointed, I though they were more worried about wolves or ice bears which can attack and eat the poor kids when they walk to school early in the morning. Is there one single provable case when Groke has done any harm to anybody! I doubt that.

   

The new inhabitant of the island cottage - a handmade blue Moomin! Thanks suukko4 

 

 

Ten days in Ireland! Seven days in the southern part of the island in Kerry and three days drive through the lovely, fascinating and fabulous countryside from Dublin to Kerry along the eastern coast and western coast back to the capital city. These pictures give you a pale hunch about the atmosphere around the "sheep cottages" we had rented.
( the sheep cottage... ) 

   

I hanged new curtains and felt the place much cosier. Finally, I managed to set the fire on the stove without enormous amount of smoke inside the cabin. Nice warmth spread inside the whole cottage, which was a good thing because the weather was chilly. Wind blew from the north and only 5 degrees of Celsius with some rain made the cabin very attractive.

On Sunday I made a short (3 hours) walk around the island. I enjoyed my life without glasses because I could see brightly although it was raining. Couldn't do this during my previous life! Bad news is that I have to wipe spiderwebs away from my eyes, there are webs everywhere. I saw Ural Owl. Two weeks ago I heard its voice but this time I really saw it. I focused on looking at the owl with binoculars and totally forgot that I had the camera - sorry. 

The frogs are dead :(  It has been so cold, even some degrees below zero during the night time and they froze to death. I hope there are some puddles where they survived...

This weekend was a pleasant experience because my eyes seem to be okay now - finally! I don't need medicines any more but sometimes I moisturise my eyes with special drops. Still, I'm able to see very good when it's almost dark and when it's bright I don't need sunglasses but I have to admit that I like to wear them if it's shining. The sharpness of the eyesight could be a bit better but it improves every day. I could spot Black-throated Divers and Ural Owl far enough. So, I'm happy.     

I bought fabrics for the new curtains to the island cottage. I started really turning the cabin to a Moomin house. Darn, I didn't know how expensive fabric could be (13.50 Euro/metre). Didn't want to waste a huge amount of money and took the fabrics to my sister who had an honour to sew them. Although she's a professional sewer it took three hours to finish them. Boy, I would never have finished them myself! 

I gave a name to my boat! For now on it's called MÖRKÖ, that's GROKE in English but because it's not sailing in the international waters I like the Finnish version better. The name is painted on the tail of the boat. Finally, it was not so difficult decision although I had some other options.

 

I bought Hemulen, Snufkin, Snorkmaiden and Tooticky.

 

New year and new adventures. At the moment I'm looking for the Stargate codes to Germany...

 

My new Moominmug "Thingumy and Bob" (Tiuhti ja Viuhti in Finnish) traveled with me to the island. I really needed it many times filled with hot coffee because spring took two steps backwards last weekend. Stormy wind blew whistling in the corners of the old cabin. It was snowing and hailing and from time to time the sun tried to shine. The lake had so big waves that it was almost impossible even try to row away from the island. Luckily, early this morning the wind was gone and I could return safely.
The experience of being four days on the island in an old cottage without electricity was fantastic. The main effort was to keep the cottage warm, an old stove did it but of course it had to let some smoke inside before the smoke found it's way outside through the chimney. Cooking with the same stove was fun too. In the evening when twilight came, I set candles on fire and read a book. Black throated Divers were howling on the lake (I could hear it inside the cabin).
In daytime, I hiked around the island. I found really unusually many dead trees with woodpecker's nesting holes. One Black Woodpecker became especially familiar with me when I called it imitating the woodpecker's voice. The poor woodpecker went almost nuts trying to scare the invisible competitor away from his territory. It drummed and called loudly and angry looking. Next time I try to get closer with my camera! Here are some shots from the first visit:

mikrokosmos


Valokuvatorstai