Nature – Page 2 – Blue Moment

Day 18: Meet the Penguins

February 19, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Nature, Outdoors, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Nature, Outdoors, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

Boulders beach, and its colony of African penguins, is one of my favourite spots in the world. On my first visit in 2006, I stayed in the hotel there and spent the night listening to a couple… fighting(?) under my window. Despite the poorly slept night, in the morning I had the beach all to myself and I spent a glorious few hours taking pictures.

With increasing tourism and reducing penguin numbers, the city is trying to protect the colony by enforcing stricter separation between penguins and people. So you rarely see them wondering along the streets anymore. But the charm is still there.

A walking penguin always looks like it is going somewhere with great purpose. Or at least it thinks it is on a Very Important Business.

Day 15: Wild Ocean

February 15, 2026February 28, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Africa, Alanna, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Travelling, WaterTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Children, Kiara, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, South Africa, TravelLeave a comment

Hermanus was windy today and the waves were majestic – and loud! It is almost hypnotic to watch them crash againsg the shore and seabirds fighting the wind (or hiding from it).

The waves carry shells, pieces of coral and other interesting bits and pieces onto the shore. We had to limit both girls to four treasures per beach to ensure our clothes will still fit into the suitcases for the journey home.

A good day to get out of the hospital.

Day 10: On the go

February 12, 2026February 12, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Alanna, Kiara, TravellingTagged 365 Project, Alanna, Children, Kiara, Nature, TravelLeave a comment

The girls travel well. They’ve had their fair share of long trips – partly because we genuinely love travelling, but also because they are half Finnish and half South African. Whichever half you live close to, the other one is a long way away.

Travelling is great – even if flying itself is mostly just a lot of waiting in uncomfortable seats

Day 8: Ice crystals

February 7, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Finland, Makro, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Finland, Makro, Nature, Outdoors, WinterLeave a comment

We have a big glassed-in terrace in our back garden. When the temperature stays below zero for several days in a row, the glass gets covered in ice crystals. It looks like it belongs in the ice palace from Narnia (or Frozen, for the girls’ generation). Trying to take pictures of it is impossible, though. A photo never compares.

Day 3: Winter Wonderland

February 2, 2026February 2, 2026Posted in 365 Project, Espoo, Finland, Nature, OutdoorsTagged 365 Project, Espoo, Finland, Nature, Outdoors, Scenery, WinterLeave a comment

The first time Stuart visited Finland was for Christmas 2010. It was an exceptional December. Over one metre of snow blanketed Helsinki, and the city was running out of places to plough it. Parking lots and walkways disappeared under snow mountains in an attempt to keep the streets clear. The temperature dropped below –27°C the day before Christmas Eve in Asikkala, where we were spending the holidays.

Everyone kept saying how rare that winter was, but I don’t think Stuart truly understood it until we moved here. The past four winters have shown how much muddier a typical coastal winter is. Because of the sea, day temperatures rise above 0°C on more than half (sometimes two-thirds) of days in January and February. Snow melts, turns slushy and heavy, mixes with sand and dirt, and becomes cold mud. Not exactly postcard-perfect winter scenery – at least not before the next snowfall briefly covers it all again.

Therefore, even with numb fingers, a frozen-solid car, and limited time outdoors, I love these crisp, sunny, beautiful winter days. You can see the cold in the air and the way light reflects.

–10°C would be perfectly fine, though. –20°C is pushing it.