My Northern Home

Our adventure to Sattasvaara hill was full of little wonders. It is wonderful to keep up crouching by interesting plants and weird mushrooms and rocks. Touch different kind of things you found. We are never too old for that! The terrain was super rocky, like most of the places here in Lapland. But I like it. And that also means here is a lot of different kind of rocks. Like in pic below! Magnetiitti or magnetite ( Fe3O4 ) is a rock-mineral and one of the main iron ores. Like the name refers, it is magnetic and I actually made a little experiment at home with a magnet from my fridge and a little piece of rock I took home. I could feel little pull between the magnet and the rock. I showed this to my geologist friend and he told me, that the blue and violet color comes from erosion by oxygen and water. So this one here is actually a rusty magnetite. How cool is this! Kalliokynsimö or Norwegian whitlow grass ( Draba norwegica ). Whitlow grasses (which are a...

I actually decided to take my own advice quite literally. So on my way to work I stopped the car next to this small river, which I cross every day on my way. I started to walk bushy track, that was following the river. The place weren't magical or exceptionally interesting, but I was smiling. Just being outside. For stopping. The river is called Vaiskojoki I found a lot of beautiful plants by the river and nearby swamp. Maariankämmekkä or Heath spotted-orchid  (Dactylorhiza maculata ) is actually very common in the north, and yet it stands out from the other vegetation as an exotic Orchid family member.  Suopursu or Wild rosemary ( Rhododendron tomentosum ) is one of my favorite plants. I love the strong smell which always welcome me when entering to a swamp. Metsätähti or Arctic starflower (  Trientalis europaea ) is surprisingly common here in the north. I think it's really beautiful.  Mesimarja or Arctic raspberry (...