Countryside on a winter day

I'm not a winter person, but countryside can be so very beautiful also on abright winter day.

 All the ones below were taken through the car window(Yes to Nikon!!), Irish driving like a mad man an every now and then commenting: "The noise of the camera drives me CRAZY!!!" Then drove wee bit faster...And I just went on snapping...

Lupaus - Resolution

Valokuvatorstain haaste on lupaus. Vuoden vaihtuessa en sellaista tehynyt, mutta eilen sydän oli pakahtua, kun omat lapset olivat niin kertakaikkisen ihania ja lupaukseni on koittaa olla kärsivällisempi äiti...


The Photo challenge  and here this week was  "Resolution". Yesterday I was about to burst my heart with love, because the kids were so wonderful, and I promised to try to be more patient mother for them...

 We went outside to save all the mats that had bee out there for 2,5 days (yes DAYS!!), because couple first one were cold ones, about -13 degrees. But then the half one turn out to be almost 0 and snow and I did not want all my mats and rugs stink like a wet dog, so kids were standing like two snowmen watching their mother running about insanely. 


Ehkä 2,5 päivää mattojen tuuletusta haikkujen aidan päällä on tarpeeksi, tuumasi Vuoden Äiti ja iski lapset lumisateeseen ja alkoi tampata ja kantaa mattoja hullun lailla. -13 astetta olikin yhtäkkkiä nollakeli, enkä tahtonut märän koiran hajuisia mattoja sisälle puhtaille alttioille.

 Mother of The Year kept on ignoring kids(except taking pics every now and then...Oh my, oh my!!) so they carried their "sun chairs" outside where they were able to keep eye on their crazy mom and decided to have a picnic. Extreme outdoor experience started and the picnic consisted of REEEEALLLY dry pieces of bread, meant for the Highlanders. But I guess melting snow made them wee bit softer.


Maalaislapset ja extremeulkoilu osa 1: Piknik. Vuoden Äiti vain tamppasi mattoja ja valokuvasi, vaikka lapsilla ilmeisesti nälkä kurni vatsaa. Ratkaisu; leikkimökistä kannettiin äidin tarkkailuetäisyydelle tuolit, highlandeille tarkoitetut kuivat käntyt hanskoihin, ja ei kun piknikille.

 Everything is "CHEERS" these days, so "CHEERS" it was with the dry bread as well.

 Then the expected happened. One of them was bound to be falling. And of course it was Onni, still holding his super dry piece of rye bread. Mother of the Year lift him up, and so the picnic went on again, and carrying mats went on again. 


Vuoden Äiti antoi yhden varoituksen, ette sitten kaadu-tyyppisen, ja jatkoi hommiaan. Mottona "Siperia opettaa". Ja tietysti Onni putosi. Vuoden Äiti nosti lapsensa ylös ja jatkoi mattojen kanniskelua.

 Buuut since they have to do, get, speak, eat, drink exactly same way, Emmi-Sofia had to make a joke fall again. Mother of the Year lifted her up and then the picnic went on and carrying mats went on again. Sometimes I lose my patience with things like this, especially if it includes fake crying and tantrums, but with my promise, we all just laughed!

Emmi-Sofia tietysti perässä hankeen oranssilla aurinkotuolillaan, koska nykyisin JOKA IKINEN asia pitää tehdä samalla lailla kuin veli (tai sisko, kun on Onnista kyse), mutta enpäs menettänyt malttiani. En varsinkaan, kun tällä kertaa toimi ei aiheuttanut valeitkua tai kiukkua.

 I heard "lets go and see Anselmi." and "JOO" as an aswer. Mother of the Year decided to warn once and only once about the electric fence, and then the Extreme Outdoor Experience continued.

Maalaislapset ja extremeulkoilu osa 2:Tuleeko sähköisku vai ei. Vuoden Äidin kasvatusteemana oli edelleen "Siperia opettaa" ja niinpä Vuoden Äiti vain valokuvasi ja odotti jysähtääkö vai ei. No ei jysähtänyt!

 "Do you wanna try?" "JOO" and they both put one hand on the wire....

 That wasn't enough, so the Extreme Outdoor Experience continued by climbing on top of the pile of pallets. Mother of the Year  warned once and only once about falling down. And up they climbed. Mother of the Year had now changed her task into pushing the snow of the drive way, since we were expecting a sales boy for the terrace glasses. And somehow the city sales boys are usually bit taken aback by 10 cm of wet snow meeting their fancy leather shoes.


Maalaislapset ja extremeulkoilu osa 3; kiipeilyä kuormalavojen päällä. Kasvatusteema "Siperia opettaa" jatkui, ja kerran putoamisvaroituksen jälkeen Vuoden Äiti keskittyi vain valokuvaukseen ja odotti putoaako vai ei. No kerran putosi. Onni. Tietty! Yhä sama rutikuiva ruisleivän palanen märissä hanskoissaan. 

 "Look Mummy, Andelmi jumped AGAIN inside the feeder! Go and LIFT HIM OUT!!""

 Lots of worrying, lots of hassle, but I was patient, and then the expected happened. Onni fell. Still holding his piece of super dry rye bread. No crying, and up he climbed again.... And I did not lose my patience.

 "Do you wanna roll down?" "JOO" and then Mother of the Year ran and stopped this game from happening. Some limits even to the Extreme Outdoor Experience.

"Kieritäänkö alas?" "JOOO!" ja siinä vaiheessa jopa vuoden äidin piti lopettaa hommat ja puuttua asiaan. Jotain rajaa jopa Exremeulkoiluun!

 So after these are you surprised, that I have no idea how he has gotten a black eye and scratches on his cheek.... That's how it goes in this farm family despite the huge amount of love we have for one another! I promise not to lose my mind over small things. They are great, FANTASTIC KIDS!


Nämä seikat huomioonottaen, ei ole ihme, ettei Vuoden Äidillä ole hajuakaan, mistä johtuvat Onnin musta silmä ja naarmut kasvoilla.... Sellaista se on välillä maalaisperheessä, vaikka rakkautta riittää, niin jatkuvaan huolehtimiseen ei ole aikaa. Siperia opettaa.... Toivottavasti myös minulle kärsivällisyyttä!

WHAT NEXT?

Less than a week from my last post and too much has been going on... Good new or bad new? Maybe chronological order is the best!

I finally started x-mas decoration. Cultural differences kicked in again; Irish was already shocked on Independence Day, Dec 6th, that we don't have Christmas tree up!!!! Panick!! I tried gently remind him, that last year, when he got to decided, by actual X-mas, all the needles were all over the house and the tree was basically bare. Onni was crawling back then and even the tiniest touch on the shiny decorations, and baby was covered with needles. (the crying, the cleaning, touchingcryingcleaning.....ARGHH!!). I just decided, that if I don't go and get the tree, it is possible to get it postponed as far as possible. But to make his spirits up, I did this:

 And this:

 And elfs' clothes:

 And left my chilies still hanging, since they are very X-massy red:

Weekend came and there was no way to postpone the tree. Whole family was packed into the tractor and we drove to our forest. Well, moose/elk /deer hunters had just decided to hunt there that day, so we probably ruined their days fun (and our own chances to get some moose meat....). They look like Santas with their red rain hoods on and the kids were mesmerized! WOW!!

 This tree has nothing to do with our x-mas.

 We had hot chocolate and Moomin cookies with us, since this trip included huge 500 m hike on a very demanding forest surface... ;D

 Dunno what this face is about. The hot chocolate WAS good!

 Accidentally GREAT bokeh....If I may say so myself. It was SOOOOO dark in the forest, that I thought nothing will turn out even semi-decent, but I like this one!

 We were fairly soaked....

Then bad season begun; Onni had to go to the dentist check-up and heart check up on the same day. Holy Mary, I was thinking, since he can get these MASSIVE tantrums that only 1,5 year old is able to get. The heart check up was in the early afternoon, so I had to wake him up for that, so I had sleepless night thinking my survival skills on the following day. Well, my son knows hoe to surprise; before leaving for the dental place he was screaming with eyes rolled inside out and legs completely stiff, so getting him dressed was like running 10 kms. But once we got to the dentist's I had an angel with me. "Thank You. Merry Christmas" Bye-bye" and these sweet smiles, opening his mouth when asked and the ladies were charmed. "What a perfect child you have...." Hell, yes!

The heart check up was requiring bit more driving, so I was listening this mad screaming for 35 minutes, but once at the hospital the angel appeared again. The doctor was doing his work with nothing but quiet "yesss" and "okei" comments from Onni. Oh the amount of praises again. The result of the check up was anyway quite good; he does have extra noises coming from his heart, but from the right side, which should not be serious. We will have an ultrasound some time next week, but the doctor told not to worry AT ALL. (He def does NOT know me!!!!)

On the way back home, my younger sister called, and told that my older sister has gotten seriously mental. Mixing alcohol and medicines. Insulting her husband in every possible way. Saying things like "I will kill you. With a knife..." I know things have gone worse slowly, but this was a shock. I did not know she was drinking so much. I did not know she was turning violent. I did not know she is actually mentally sick. We are really REALLY scared for the holidays. I'm really scared for my Dad...Poor Dad!I'm scared for her children and husband. I'm scared that she does something to herself. Mental care in Finland is so overloaded at the moment, that it is really difficult to get help. This is so horrible, maybe the most horrible thing that can happen to someone close to you. Whole personality has changed,she used to be the most caring and loving person, and now this violent monster is inside her. And she is blaming the hubby for everything. In her sick head his death would solve her problems... I told the husband to call an ambulance and take her to mental hospital if anything like that happens again. These things are not meant to take lightly. So that's shadowing the spirits here....

I have to try, for my own family's sake to push that aside. There is only certain amount I can do to help.And if I dont stop thinking and worrying about that, I'll end up next to her in the same hospital . We were joking with the younger sister, that it would make Dad's life easier, he could visit two of us in the same place....

Now off to feed the cows and then grocery shopping.... Life has to go on!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Tänään sitä tuli. Taivaan täydeltä lunta, nimittäin. Nyt tosin jo plussan puolella mennään taas. Ja hyvä niin. Kaivinkonetta ei kuulu eikä näy, lehmien vesitilanne on siis edelleen huolestuttava, jos kovat pakkaset iskee päälle!


Today we had lots of it! Now we are back on the positive side of the temperatures, and that is good at the moment. We are waiting for the digger to solve the water problem for the cattle and if there is heavy frost, things will get difficult...

Valkoinen - White

Marraskuu ja makrojen haasteen kuvat löytyivät pihalta...Uskomatonta! Enpä olisi heinäkuussa uskonut, kun revin saunakukkia luomupelloiltani apinan raivolla, että nyt ihailen niitä - ja vielä ihan kameran kanssa... :D


It is November and all the photos for the macro challenge were taken from our yard. Unbelievable...!  In July I was ripping these same flowers from my organic fields(not clover, that is wanted one!!), and wouldn't have believed that couple months later I would be admiring the same flowers... :D

Vertailun vuoksi: Marraskunn 26. pvä 2010....Lumihan pysyi sitten maassa huhtikuulle!
For comparison: November 26th 2010, and the snow stayed until April!

 Toivottavasti ei yhtä kova talvi yllätä noin aikaisin.Liikaa töitä tilalla!
Hopefully not this year, too much to do on the farm!!!