Just an ordinary winter day. A lot of snow everywhere, temperature between 18-24 minus degrees. I did a tour around countryside looking for Otters beforehand for a special purpose on Friday. Hopeless - all the places I know were frozen. Well, I saw Smew, White-tailed Eagle, Dippers, Bohemian Waxwings, Eurasian Tree Sparrows etc.
( some snow pics... )

It's time to start feeding birds. I took some grease bars and rowed to the island. The weather was quite chilly, -5 degrees and windy. The lake is already half frozen. Straits, bays and shores are covered with ice. This autumn has been colder than last year. I was still rowing here on Christmas Eve 2008. Now it looks like the lake will be fully frozen much earlier.

I spent the weekend in the eastern Finland with my niece and her father. My niece started studying in the University of Joensuu this autumn. On Saturday, we decided to visit the Monastery of New Valamo. On Friday when we arrived to Joensuu, the ground was snowless but when we woke up (quite late) on Saturday, we had snow on the ground. Not much but anyway. The monastery's graveyard pictures posted on here.


( the snowy Monastery area... )

...at least I hope so. Pawprints of Lynx, an empty Osprey's nest waiting its inhabitants, Crane's footprint, a newly broken old tree...

On Wednesday I drove 900 kilometres to Finnish Lapland. I spent two days there with two friends doing different kind of outdoor (and indoor) activities and then back to the south. We had a small holiday flat in the middle of the Levi centre. To the closest slope 300 metres, restaurants 150 metres... The stuffed reindeer's head was on the wall of the flat :)

 

( Levi... )

Today I went skiing after work! It was snowing all day long and the slopes were almost empty of skiers late in the evening. I had never before tried to ski in white fresh powder snow. It was FUUUUN!!! (Sorry, I forgot my videocam home!)

After passing the iceroad (alive) I decided to visit Marjaniemi, "the lighthouse" place.

The old pilothouse of Marjaniemi in Hailuoto

 

( the lighthouse... )

The official iceroad to Hailuoto was opened on Friday. I had never before driven by car on the frozen sea and of course I had to test the road because I happened to be nearby.

 

( on the iceroad... )

Finally, I found ski boots and bought them. Of course I had to test my boots. I must agree that there is a huge difference between boots and boots. I didn't feel any pain in my legs (caused by the boots). A slight pain in my "tail" caused when I heroically saved one kid's life who happened to lie down on my way. Another fall down happened during the last slide. Nothing dramatic and I'm in one piece.

Downhill skiing seems to be fun and good physical exercise. I think the next investment will be my own skis.

 

( My downhill skiing boots... )

Today, I continued successfully my downhill skiing hobby. I went to Himos skiing centre for the first time of this season.

 

( downhill... )

You know how difficult it is sometimes to get decent wildlife photos. For example today, I was just sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee when I spotted a hare just in front of me.

 
( a closer look... )

It's been snowing recently. This is the view from my living room window at 10 pm today. Although, it should be dark, the snow makes the landscape reflect all the lights of the city.

OMG! OMG! OMG! We have SNOW...

 

( snowy pics... )