Despite being a foodie, even I admit that frying sausages over the fire is part of summer at the summer cottage.
Day 129: Sausage
Category: Finland
Day 127: Once You Get Soaked
I went to my first proper music festival in years – and it was pouring down for most of the day.
But once you get soaked, you do not really get wetter.
The gigs were fantastic, it stayed warm and the company – most importantly my sister, brother-in-law and parents – never let the rain get in the way of a good time.
Great day!
I did feel a little sorry for some of the bands on stage two, which was not exactly waterproof. Unbelievably, most of the equipment kept functioning even through the worst downpour.
Day 126: Late Arrival
The more firmly you intend to leave early on Friday, the more likely it is you end up putting out some random fire at work.
Even when we arrive at the summer cottage too late for the girls’ bedtime, driving out on Friday is always my preference. The weekend feels longer, when you wake up at the summer cottage on Saturday.
Being able to sleep in while the grandparents entertain the kids is just an added bonus.
Day 124: Sunset in Hannusjärvi
It is impossible to take a picture of a sunset without it looking fake. I still keep trying.
Day 123: Seaside Picnic
Food tastes better when eaten outside.
The nearest “beach” to us is just a quick hop away. It’s a secluded little strech of sand, and you can’t get there with a car. Consequently, it is often pretty quiet.
With the weather being great, we went for a picnic on a whim. We grabbed whatever we fancied from a store and cycled to the “beach” for a few hours of games, snacks and scenery. The girls even waded to the water, but it was still way too cold for a swim.
Best night of the week.
Day 122: Finnish Baseball
As a kid, I loved Finnish baseball (pesäpallo). It’s quite different from American baseball – most notably, because you pitch the ball up, not across.
So, when I came across a set of used pesäpallo equipment for kids at some sale or another, I did not hesitate for a second.
The girls’ success rate of actually hitting the ball is still low enough that we can practice in our backyard. I do not expect that to last long.
I would still love to pick the sport back up myself, but unless you are part of a fairly serious team, you can only really play in summer. And in summer, there is so much else to do.
Day 119: Herbarium
When it is not homework, it is fun.
As a summer activity, we are collecting flowers with the girls to press them. With my mum, they are also catching bugs to inpect and draw.
Anything to keep them engaged in reading and writing.
Day 113: Opposites
Moving from Johannesburg to Espoo transfers you to the opposite end of the spectrum in almost any criteria imaginable for comparing cities.
Some contrasts are obvious. Johannesburg has more than twice the people of entire Finland, and around 20x Espoo. In Espoo, kids can walk and cycle safely to school, whereas in Johannesburg… not so much. People smile to strangers in Johannesburg, but in Finland… not. And then, of course, the weather is just a little different.
In summary, Finland excells at fundamentals, but Johannesburg is amazing at everyday luxuries: easy outsourcing, endless restaurants, beautifully maintained gardens…
In Johannesburg, you may go to sip coctails on a beautiful terrace on Sunday. In Finland, you likely go for a hike in a forest.
It’s easy to dismiss basics when they are well cared for. But the lack of them makes yor life difficult. Just consider the multi-hour blackouts that regularly plague Johannesburg.
But occassionally, I just really miss the luxuries.
Day 112: Busy Bees
The house belonging to kids’ scout group has a handfull of beehives at the edge of the property. The bees seem pretty used to strangers coming and going, and they paid no attention to me or my camera.
During spring, the kids sell the honey (there is a bigger farm further away) as one of their fundraising initiatives. This time of the year, they just observe the bees.
And learn to stay away.
Day 111: 10,000 Photos
Our summer cottage has been in the family for longer than I’ve been alive. I have spent every summer by this same shore. Some little things have changed, but very little.
I got into photography in 2008. Since then, I have probably taken 500 images every year with this same scenery as a backgroung – often even from this very same spot. That’s nearly 10,000 photos.
And it is still worth taking just one more.
Blue Moment 