Hyvää Juhannusta - Have a great Midsummer!

It's again the time of the year when particularly Finns and Swedes enjoy the supposed-to-be-summer-festive (it should be summer, seldom is...) of Midsummer, Juhannus. Most of people who have the chance head up towards countryside, a summer cottage at a lakeside or seaside.

Traffic jams (big in Finland scale, only queues in European scale), cold, crowded summer housed, wet, cold swimming, lousy cooking conditions, no shower, no electricity, wet fireplace, small beds if any...

Despite of all that, it is sooooo loveable! Beautiful Finnish countryside, out of your daily routines, outdoor cooking, wooden heated sauna, swim in a lake, talks, games, reading, BBQ, fresh air, bonfires, white nights, good company = summer at countryside - mökki life!

Stay smart particularly when you go swimming, last year at Midsummer only 1 person drowned in Finland, biggest count in the past years being from 1999: 20 people drowned!!! For the ones interested in stats, check it out from here.

Helsinki became a ghost city today at Midsummer eve at noon when all the shops and market place closed. Many restaurants and cafe's are closed, while many remain open to treat the urban Midsummer people as well as the tourists that stop by with the cruise ships.

What beats me is why can't we still let the shop keepers to decide themselves when their business would profit to keep the shop open. We have soooo many rules and limitations also with this and I can tell you the unions are doing their best to keep their position strong. Well, I'd say the unions have been fighting a battle to survive as the world around them has changed while they still try to continue as they have for decades.

In addition to my previous Midsummer posts, I'd like to share with you an article "Enjoying Midsummer the Finnish way" by thisisFinland, (also on Facebook) a news forum produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

Have a great Midsummer 

- 

Loistavaa Juhannusta!

Thank You 2014 - Welcome 2015!

 The year in pictures and minimum words. Let's leave some space for your imagination! I kind of feel sorry for the ones who have not had the chance to be part of the trip. At least majority of you - I bet you recognize yourselves ;o)

Where did it all start from?

 From something unclear can be made something great!

 C'mon Baby Light My Fire!

 Let's check what's around and go for it!

 We gotta work for it - in the right places!

Let's enjoy the trip and have some fun!

 Enjoy the view and of course the company when ever possible!

 Remember to recharge the batteries - fill up the tanks!

 Celebrate the success and milestones!

 Challenge yourself!

 Enjoy the moment!

When you fill up the tanks, you can enjoy the ride!

And then work again, stop to think for a moment when needed!

 You can do it!

 It's not that high mountain to climb!

 You'll have friends to work with you if you are a team player!

 Know your hoods!

Take the moment!

Show your colors, commit to the team and the cause, everything is there for us to take! 

Welcome 2015, I'm looking forward to the trip with you!!!

Happy New Year - Hyvää Uutta Vuotta 2015!

What a day!

After some renovation & paintwork until fairly late last night, some wine was well deserved. Today has been a great day after a good long sleep (that is waste of time anyway...);
...After a quick small bite a quick workout at the gym.
...Cycle back home (in rain) for a breakfast & shower, to go out for the household community yard work, "talkoot", which is traditionally followed by BBQ snacks & drinks outside. Since it was raining, this was done covered by the rain at the car shelter. Niiiiiice!
...Sauna!
...Siesta!
...Chill out & light up ~30 candles, in- & outdoors.
...Prepare the best pizza in town.
...and now...
EL CLASICO!!!
Barcelona - Real Madrid, Barca leading 1-0 with a goal by Neymar at his el Clasico debut.

And writing this is the half time show :o)
To give you a taster of the home team, check out the ad by the home team sponsor.

To finish off, here is something closer to my preference...

Hala Madrid!!!

Hothot Summer - Almost over!

Last night we had a fantastic thunder storm and another is expected for tonight. Temperature is expected to stay above +20C and I can tell you it is a lot for Helsinki area this time of the year. Today was also otherwise exceptional temperature, climbing even above +30C here and there.

Soon days like this are long gone - and it's not far. Most likely this weekend will be the last ones, let's hope we will still have one or two warm ones to go before the fall. Unlike Belgium, the fall begins in September with temperatures max +15C at day time. 

I will miss the warm BBQ moments like this.

If you think cold weather will keep me from repeating that, think again. Also bicycle trips continue, here is one of the pit stop places nearby.

And these fellows were in the hoods.

In the hoods they are also fixing the pool for a brand new winter usage, this was a month ago - I should go and check out the status of the moment. 

Good night fellows, let's see how the night will be...!

Bronko's BBQ Sauce - This is GOOD STUFF...!

Imagine going to a supermarket at a local mall up North in Finland, the country of reindeers and Santa Claus - the REAL Santa, locally called Joulupukki. From the store you find a GIANT size of a man, real deal American with cowboy hat, sun glasses (indoors, of course), and a gitar behind the counter. Is this Finland or what...?

Ladys and Gents, it was Mr Bronko at the counter with a BIG smile and full of good spirit!

In the pic you can see also Bronko's mother, on a sauce bottle named after Momma Dee. I have now tasted all 3 sauces available in the shop, the sweet, smoky and spicy, and man I can tell you they are indeed worth this post!

Get to the shop, at least the Citymarket at Iso Omena shopping hell in Espoo had them. More about Bronko at his site www.bronkosbbq.com .

Bon Appetit - Hyvää ruokahalua!!!

PS My Kingsford did again great deeds with the BBQ stuff, today using the Smoke House. Believe me or not, the branding on the arm is genuine Bronko's BBQ branding - I was reaching for something...

Sorry...

...for the silence! I claim that I've been too busy to stop and write. Of course I would have had the time if I would have taken it, while still I'd say it's been quite hectic. Since the last post I have been twice out of the country, been fan in 2 football tournaments and watched other games - perhaps ~14 all together, worked almost normal weeks, played basketball several times, cycled some tens of kilometers, BBQ's quite a lot, been lazy, hosted and visited friends. The normal stuff.

Today I had a bit bigger BBQ set than normally;

This pic does not even include all, as I took out the halloumi cheese only at the end. Last night the set was almost as big, but with less different options. Today I had a vegetarian in the table so it did have a small impact...

As we are on the topic of food, I've got a tip for anyone who is in hoods of Tallinn, Estonia either with a car of is able & willing to take a taxi for a bit longer distance. Longer...? ~25km.

http://www.hyyruveski.ee/
It is a short drive from Tallinn and what you can do is to hunt your own food :o)
They have a small pond with trouts and you get to fish your own food.

For me it took about 15 minutes and 4 shrimp baits. Our meal was 2.070 kilos.

After the smoking, it was veeeery nice.

Check out also the wooden tool.

So if you are up to a bit different meal and experience, check out the Trahter Hüüru Veski Forelligrill at Paldiski maantee 351, Hüüru küla, Saue vald, Harjumaa, phone (+372) 607 143. You better hope you are as lucky as us with the weather, it was fantastic to eat outside by the river!

Hyvää ruokahalua - Bon appétit!

PS What did I say about Team Switzerland in the Ice Hockey games? They got silver...!!!

Change of the seasons

Seasons are changing.

On Friday night came the first rains in several months. The snow cover is now down to about 30cm in Helsinki area. Spring is coming, the coming week even up North in Lapland the temp is expected to stay above 0 C. Let's see if I can get the backyard deck cleared from snow by Wappu, May first carneval. Now there is about 1m of snow that has come down from the roof.

Football season has started and the players and teams can show what they have learnt during the long winter months. Some Finland top league games have been canceled due to pitches being covered with snow. Well, this is Finland so it should not be that much of a surprise if you schedule games for early April. My main interest team started with a win - the team didn't play that well, still getting the well respected 3 points with 2-0 win.

Basketball season is getting close to end and playoffs and finals are being played. Both another of my teams and my main interest team finished with a small disapointment, having still a good season. Question is how could I take a smoother attitude towards the games? With deep knowledge and experience combined with strong sense of justice, living fully in the moment with passion and temper, not shutting up if things keep going the wrong way". The good thing is that in the core of the moments is a BIG sense of caring about the good, right things to happen... If you have no idea what I'm saying - don't worry, some do have an idea.

It is about the time to change also from winter tyres to summer ones. I was hoping I would not need to do it for this car as I was supposed to get a new one already over a month ago. Well, the Belge went on strike as there are plans to close down the factory and I'm one of the ones suffering. Well, It will be quite easy one for me as I don't have job or business on the line - just one car.

Shoe season will also change soon. In some weeks I might be able to take out the leather sole shies and have an option for the subber sole shoes. Niiiiiice!

Same thing with winter jacket - that will change into lighter ones.

If I'd have the time and chance, it would be fantastic to go up to Lapland for skiing! I doubt the slopes nearby Helsinki will stay open for long.

BBQ season started already weeks ago - at least feels like it. That will continue for loooong.

Candle season is also in the middle of change. They are not that fancy for that many hours per day as the daylight sticks around longer in the evenings. Still, candle season lasts 12 months per year.

Have a great season - what ever season it is!

Looong Easter Friday - Piiiitkä Perjantai Pääsiäisenä

Yesterday was the "Good Friday", Pitkä Perjantai.

I don't get it, why is it called the Good Friday? The origin for the day is in the death of Jesus. Anyways, I didn't have a good Friday, I had a GREAT Friday!!!

After a good night sleep a Easter morning sauna is always a good thing. Then putting together some furniture as part of an ongoing project. At noon, outdoors.

Cafe Merenneito peer 28.3.2013. I have somewhere a pic where I am in the same place bare feet in shorts, toes in the water...

Great walk, good smooth excercise, refresments in the sun and back home for BBQ.
...what's that black right from the fire?

 Could it be my Weber?

 Oh yes!

 It's good to set it a bit higher - better working position :o)

Siesta, dinner and some family, tv, pc etc. time to finish off the day. Not bad at all!