My Northern Home

For a good while I have been looking up this place from the map. It is just a stone's throw away from my home and in the map it show's a deep canyon in middle of the hill. The canyon name Hirviäkuru translates to ´Terrible Canyon´ So one more reason to go check the place!  The view on top of Pittiövaara hill were amazing. And again I was surprised how far I could actually see from there, as it doesn't look so high hill or stand out from surroundings.  The colors of the nature were amazing. <3  The view from the other side of the hill top, before arriving to the canyon.  Hirviäkuru canyon was impressive sight. It truly was deep and long and there was cool cliffs to peak down to the bottom. There is also a rock climbing place with fixed metal rings in the rock. There was this time also a family climbing, but as I usually try to avoid human contact in the wilderness, I sneaked around them and continued my way. I found also a coo...

It took me a while to decide what I want to write about my summer trip to Åland. The whole experience was just amazing and it is really hard to pin point something out there above the others. I will keep posting to instagram about the places I visited during my stay, but the one thing I can't put in couple pictures, is the one experience I have no pictures at all. On the first evening in the Saltvik viking village we had an opportunity to take a part in Bolt-ritual. It is a viking ritual, where we gathered on the old burial mound with the old gods. We stand in the stone circle with statues of Odin, Thor and Freya. There in the darkness of southern evening, in the light of the burning torches, we had an opportunity to ask something from the gods or thank them and give offer to them. One  by one people stand out to the middle of the circle and spoke out to the gods and us. As I stood there, I could feel something open up inside me somethin...

Here is some of discoveries from Kiimalaki, Kaarestunturi. Same as with Sattasvaara, I wanted to separate them in to their own blog writing. As I have been trying not to make these writings too long! I manage again find some Palleroporonjäkälä ( Cladonia stellaris ), which like wikipedia says is an important lichen for reindeers to eat in wintertime. Now days though when there is too many reindeers, you can't find this lichen anywhere else, but the places which are so rocky and deep, that reindeers can't go there. I'm always so happy to see this little guy. Back in Eastern-Finland we had this a lot everywhere, but there is no reindeers so no wander why. I found also from the top of the hill a place where a lightning had struck. And then this guy. For me it little bit looks like a dragon's head with big mustaches, like with the Chinese dragon. The most interesting thing I found though, was this weird piece of bone. It was super light, s...

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...

Sattasvaara or Sattas-hill The name translates to sand-hill, as "satta" comes from sami-language and means "a place where is a lot of sand". Highest point 515 meters from the sea level, according to my tracker. I visited here first time last winter, when it was cold and shiny day and there was a lot of snow everywhere. And have to say, that it was definitely easier to climb up there in winter time, when all the rocks where under a snow. Now the paths were really tricky and we had to look where we step instead admiring the view.  The northern wind was same as last time, a bit cold. But the sun was shining from the south, as in the last time. So we dicided to eat our sandwiches and drink tea on the door step of the old fire watchman's hut. Hut covered us from the wind and the sun warmed our bodies and souls. And of course the view is better to the south, as there is a big and not so beautiful mine on the northern side of the hill.  ...

Summer has come without noticing. Next weekend is the midsummer festival and we have reached the highest point of the northern summer. After this the day starts to grow shorter and shorter. This was some how shocking for me to realize. I think I have been living in some kind of never ending spring phase in my life. When did all the snow melt away? When did the night frost stop coming? When did the tree leafs grow in their full size? I'm now convinced, that I have been definitely too focused in all the wrong things in life. If you can't notice time passing by and seasons changing, it is definitely time to stop. Stop running and take a deep breathe. After all I moved here in Lapland so I could enjoy all the four seasons. Where the life phase is slower. To have stress-free life. And yet I'm carrying the stress with me. I know, I'm good at being concerned and stress about things. But I truly hope I could learn to be more relaxed. More trustful towards life an...