Hyvä Himos, Hyi Himos - Fame & Shame Himos!

First props to ski resort Himos cottage rent service;
Our cabin had a broken sofa and without any hesitation they relocate us to a better one. Nice facility,  great company, food, siinä etc.

BIG shame comes from not keeping the area clean.

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!

It's Snowing in Espoo, Finland!

Some wet snow just came down from the sky in Espoo, Southern Finland. I guess I forgot for a while that we are in Finland. Last night the temp was below 0 celcius, the ski slopes are open up North and they just got 10cm fresh snow so stupid me, this is Finland and it's only early May!

For example at Saariselkä in Lapland they have 11 out of 15 slopes open. This is what it looks like:

Have a great winter, spring or summer you all!!!

Go Blues - In the Quarter Finals!!!

My team the Blues from Espoo made it to the quarter finals in the Finnish ice hockey league. They finished at 6th place and since the Helsinki teams Jokerit, the Jokers, were 7th and HIFK finished behind them, I dare to say we are THE #1 in the capital area!

The first Blues quarter final home game is on Saturday March 22nd at 17:00, be there - if you still can find the tickets...

GO BLUES!!!

PS I personally would have been ok without this not-that-surprising "return of the winter" we have today. It's already more than 5cm and more is coming all the time. 

...well, on the other hand it might help out a bit the ski slopes that try to keep operating even here in southern part of Finland all the way to Eastern late April. Currently it doesn't look so good, but for now they are in fairly good shape. Up north in Lapland the slopes are open until May. 

Have a great weekend you all!!!

Winter Walk - or just a Walk...?

Yesterday I had again the pleasure to go for a walk with Mrs. We headed towards the sea shore and it was great to see that we still have some elements of winter in place, like part of the sea was frozen. That is covered with ice so that you can even walk on it.

For some of you it might be shocking news, but last year you were able to drive on it. If you double-click the picture, it should enlarge and you might see the rescue team a.k.a. firemen apparently practicing in case someone breaks through the ice. The water is pretty cold, even though many people have a habit to swim through the winter.

Pay attention to the cover at the end of the pier: That is for the swimmers and hence there is also a water pump that keeps the water open in a small area big enought for a quick dip.

Naturally the beach cafe was open, though we didn't have a break at this one but the other further down the shore.

I've posted a picture from the cafe terrace earlier at summer time, check it out.

Continuing the theme with birds - if you checked the link above - this is what we had along the way.

That place with the ducks, weather and all reminded us both soooo much about Brussels winter. It's not that ofter I miss it, but having so great memories of several walks in the parks and woods it easily comes back in mind. Not to talk about Brussels winter weather being just like that - similar to spring in Finland.

Well, in Finland we have the dog shit revealing when the snow melts away... Unfortunately the sun was hiding behind the clouds when I took the pictures and the end result being all of them having the shade of spring dog poo all over - expect the ice.

To finish off, let's bring in some color, particularly some blue:
The Finnish ice hockey league is getting close to the play-off season. My team the Blues is about to make it in. Dang, they won the league leader Kärpät - the Weasels - on Friday. Ok, on Saturday they played again and Kärpät won it :o)

If the Blues plays strong in the last games and Jokerit - the Jokers - fail, the Blues might even make it directly to the quarter finals with 6th Place.

 

C'mon Blues!

 

Safety tip for Sochi Olympics: Safe Sports Solution at Vantaa, Finland

I live in Finland, which can be considered one of the safest corners in Europe. But no, today this is not only pink foam, good spirit and happiness for all of us. Otherwise one would think the signs like below would not be needed at a Tikkurila sports arena at Vantaa, Finland.

Remember to leave your guns and steak knives at home when going to watch a basketball, handball or futsal game...!

At Sochi Winter Olympics 2014 www.sochi.ru they have apparently 60.000 security guard, police and military people to protect the athletes, officials and fans. Damn expensive solution when you could do the same with few stickers.

PS The corner of the image on the right side is from Helsinki Olympic Games 1952, turning spot of the marathon run with Emil Zatopek in the picture.

PPS Finland has opened the medal flow at Sochi, Enni Rukajärvi won silver at women's slopestyle - HYVÄ ENNI!!!

It's Winter, yippikaieeee!

-15 C to start the morning, great!

What made me smile was a post in a great blog by Tsupukka, check this out - it apparently reserves a space for your self, not the others...

Have a great winter - and weekend!

Hyvää Uutta Vuotta - Happy New Year!

New year - something new, something old, something changing, happy! As always.

What bothers me a bit is the lack of snow. It would be great to get some and to be able to enjoy the winter sports. Several ski resorts in southern Finland have been forced to close down due to consistant rain & lack of snow. Even Vihti, the one where I opened my season on December 8th.

Well, the ones who play golf are likely to be happy since they have their golf open...

Have a fabulastic year, hyvää uutta vuotta!!!

Heil the Sun - without snow...

The sun is a rare visitor at this time of the year in Finland. Today it made a visit to an empty marina and picked up the level of the view - and mind naturally. The sun is fairly down at 1:30 pm :o(

As you can see, no boats left to die in winter ice & snow. Hopefully in few weeks this will be all frozen. Most years it is already at this time frozen and would crush all possible boats left in.

Tomorrow the last day of the year and up North in Lapland only some weeks to go before the sun comes up again.

November in Finland - Blackout!

So today the sun didn't come up at all. Rainy. Windy. Dark. Cold. Even too windy for candles outside.

Or technically an optimist would say it did shine, even if behind the gray rainy clouds but still. A pessimist or a realist would say it didn't and hence it became a standard November day in Helsinki area, Finland.

Yesterday was something else...!

Even if the mild wind was freezing by the seaside at down town, in sun it was warm and niiiice!

What was specifically great, was that I got to use the sunglasses! Perhaps for the last time before March.

A pessimist will never be disappointed ;o) Have a great gray November!
...or go to Lapland at Northern Finland, they have snow but the sun will go down soon - for months...!

Damn I love winter. And summer. And spring. And autumn now and then.

Why, baby why...?

Below you will find a link to a page with pictures that have one common theme in my mind: WHY?
http://vivas.fi/mita-ihmetta-ja-miksi-31-aivan-taysin-kasittamatonta-kuvaa/

Here is a taster...

Regards from Winterland, I just told you it is fall time. Well, it's Finland and things can change fast. This is a fresh pic by www.iltasanomat.fi showing the cool status from about 300 km from Helsinki.

Winter - right around the corner...!

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!