3rdWeekend

Again this week on Friday after work we drove to Lappala. This time I was just travelling so I had 3 hours of time to crochet granny squares. It is going to be a blanket for Lappala. For this blanket I use AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool and 10% nylon) (100g = 238m). I have plant dyed the yarns by weld (yellow) and cochineal (red).

This view proves we are soon there. We will across the lake Kemijärvi by Lapland's only ferry and in few minutes we'll be there at Suomu. Despite we use private car, Suomu is accessible by public transport. You can get for example by a night train from Helsinki to Kemijärvi and by a local bus from Kemijärvi to Suomu. Suomu is a small and sleepy, very private feeling location by the Arctic Circle. That's why there is not many public routes daily to Suomu and back, just few, but that's all you need.

This was our 3rd weekend at Lappala. We are still in the middle of cleaning and arranging the places. But this weekend we also sat down to welcome friends. We had our very 1st visitors at Lappala. It was nice to chat with friends about Forest Sámi culture and help out by volunteering in Forest Sámi costume history by bringing into common good my own knowledge. The flowers in the picture have traveled a long way to Lappala's kitchen by the Arctic Circle. 💝 You can notice, Lappala's kitchen has finally got new old curtains. I have 3 of these and I have made them years ago for our veranda at home. I brought all 3 to Lappala and later you will see the other 2 windows wearing them.

This weekend we were also able to build instead of just cleaning. Unbelievable but true, this bed fit into that tiny box. At the end it was practical because we were able to transport it in the car and didn't need a trailer for that. If we have a trailer with us it wastes more petrol. So, it is more environmental friendly to pack it all up into a tiny box and make a customer build it. It needed 3 hours to finish it. But yes, it was possible to do so. 😂

You can spot BlanketNo9 on the bed. You can also notice an old lace pillow case I brought from home with the pillow. The lace bed cover is original from Lappala. The bed cover under the lace is temporary until I will find or make the right one under the lace blanket. The right side table is actually an original plant stand from Lappala which we use now as a bedside table. The space between the bed and wall is small but the plant stand fits perfectly in. It is just enough to place your glasses and book on to it. On the left side stands the original chair from Lappala. At least temporary it plays the role of a stole and a bedside table. 

This weekend we had just few hours of time to explore the possible routes we want to investigate in Suomu. 

Lake Kemijärvi is big and it is impossible to miss it if you are visiting the area. Because of its form it seems to be just everywhere.

It is a big enough to feel almost like a sea. But it is not. Even the dogs have notice the biggest differences compared to the sea.

It smells different and tastes different than the sea bay by the Gulf of Bothnia at home. Our sea at home is not so salty but at the end it is a sea and has salt in it. But lake Kemijärvi is a lake and not salty at all. Every time Nuka and Pii reach the shore they really need to taste it to see is it still un-salty or not!

The lake and the shores also smell so different. It all is very exciting and new to both of them: Nuka and Pii.

Nuka is already 11½ yrs old. She is still in a good physical and mental fitness. She had her vet check up in August. She has some osteoarthritis and we updated her "just-in-case" meds for that because her beloved hunting season has just started. She will have her dental care in November. Pii will have hers too.

In Suomu and all around in Lapland are also something else interesting than water. There are free running reindeer that are someone's cattle. That's why you need to have your dogs always as chained: on a  leash. No matter how well they obey, there is no exception. The most common damages to wild game and reindeer is done by tourists' pet dogs that are set run free on their Lapland holiday. No matter how sweet and pet they seem at home, when they meet the wild they will turn out predators. Make sure your dogs are chained and don't get free by accident. 

Chained and on leash your dogs can enjoy these beautiful routes and outdoor without worries despite you might suddenly spot a reindeer or another wild animals.

Many people travel to Lapland only for the winter and snow. Also autumn is a beautiful time. Local people are back to work after the summer. But local hunters usually have their summer holidays actually on autumn. You don't need to fear them. But if you do, wear something red or orange to make sure they will notice you.

Parquet

We have lived in and with Green Lady for 17 years. We have vintage parquet flooring in 2 rooms. Already then when we moved in, it needed updating. And we've been doing so. But actually nothing has lead to desired outcome. We've been talking about changing the parquet flooring but we see it vain. Simply because it is old wood flooring and I want flooring that at least looks like old wood. So, what is the point to waste wood and forest for that? It is not very sustainable.

We could have sand dusted it all like it is recommended but have not chosen that option. Why? Because the parquet is from early 60's, and it has few very deep holes that reach so deep that if you sand dust it all the way deep in, that would broke the whole parquet. Anyway we would need to leave it half way and it would look brand new here and there and very old here and there. That would probably seem funny. Also, we still have the traditional insulation in the house, which means we have sawdust also under the flooring. If it gets heated up by sand dusting by machinery it causes a risk of the fire. We don't want to take that risk. Add to that, sand dusting cause a lot of dust and avoiding it would need a lot of trouble. Too lazy for that.

That's why we have been trying to create the surface to look vintage old but cared and loved. All these years. With many different kind of methods, liquids, waxes etc. With the unsatisfied result. Until now. Now it seems I have accidentally found the way.

In early June I fixed the broken wind catcher. I used Extra Virgin Macadamia Nut Oil that Young Lady had forgotten into our kitchen and it was out of the date. I used it for the wind catcher. Later I used it for the weaving tools and noticed it really creates a beautiful surface also with 3D surfaces. I got a bit excited and oiled by it also some spinning tools. And there I faced an accident. I dropped just one tiny drop of the oil on the parquet. I did like always before when I drop any oil on the parquet. Wipe it by my sock and pretend nothing happened and a moment later none sees nothing. Except now I noticed with horror that it didn't fade away. I just spread around and left a very visible dark brown spot! EEK!!! 

I comfort myself that the parquet is so ruin already that nothing can make it worse... Except next day I noticed it actually looks great. I talked with Him and we decided to make a test for ½ m2 area because it actually is so ruin that we really can't make it worse. After few days we noticed it looks great and decided to oil the whole parquet flooring in these 2 rooms by the Macadamia nut oil. Then we ran into a problem. In the whole Finland, actually the whole Europe, seemed to have run out from Macadamia nut oil. I even consulted my Australian friend to find a shop that can deliver it online straight from Australia to me. See, Macadamia actually origins from Australia. But, we actually found two small groceries in Finland that seemed to have this oil in their store. One was 1½ hour drive far away and the other 12 hours drive away! I called to the closer one, they kindly checked out the situation and set aside their whole storage (4 x 250 ml bottles) for me. We jumped into the car and head to south.

Poor Pii was not very happy about the oiling because it lasted for 3 days and she is a person of order. She was quite ok for the first 2 days until we need to remove her dear loom to get also her very own corner oiled.

I did the oiling by my very own bare hands. I rubbed and massaged the oil into the wood. I must confess it was a very hard job because the starting point with our vintage parquet was so miserable. I have worked hard before with our flooring so I knew what to expect. I always did one part of the floor and moved the furniture to be able to do so. That's why it lasted for 3 days. But we all are satisfied with the result. Also dear Pii who needed to be separated from her dear loom just for 10 hours. 

I know Extra Virgin Macadamia Nut Oil is considered one of the most expensive cooking oils. I must tell you it is anyway cheaper than many liquids & waxes manufactured for wood & parquet floor maintain. Besides it is 100% natural oil without poisonous ingredients. Of course it doesn't fade away the holes and all the scratches on the flooring's surface. It actually deepens most of their shades and all the holes and faults in the parquet. In our case we had so many that it actually looks good now. The oil highlights all the natural figures of the wood and scratches. Now it all looks very old and worn but also loved and cared. I love it when I can spot out some scratches which origin I know. I love this house full of stories. 

I needed 4 dl oil for 36 m2 area. I still have 3 full bottles left. I will re-oil it all after a month. And in the future few years at least once in a year. That will show do I need to oil it annually or not. The cost for 4 bottles and gasoline to drive there and back was total 50 €.

NOTICE: The towels & rags you use in oiling include the danger of fire when they dry out!!!! You need to dispose of them in a special way. Check that out -before starting- from your local instructions. I did burn mine in the wood burning fire stove. If you don't have that option you need to find the way not to cause a fire! I used the rags only to wipe away any extra oil.

AutmnColors

Earlier this month I dyed by Natural Indigo these 700g of our own snag grey AAW yarn (50% our own ethic produced arctic angora wool, 40% ethic produced FinnSheep wool, 10% nylon)  (100g = 238m). Today I brought them to my mother-in-law. She wants to knit me a long wool dress. I can't wait it to be ready!

Today we took Nuka...

...and Pii for a break out walk from hunting.

We went for a walk around the bay.

It is very beautiful out there!

This week I also received a souvenir from the woods. He brought me an abandoned wasp nest which He had noticed while hunting for the food for us.

I am here

This week card is "I am here". Again I made you a picture of my own. "I am here" echoes in my mind a selfish but healthy concentration on the moment and presence. To slow down and notice the little moments that create happiness. But also enjoy about the little moments without any burden of gratefulness or anything. Just be there where you are and see it. BUT this also echoes in my mind as "I am here... for you". To me this really echoes the last week's card Friends. I am here for me but I can be here also for someone else. Like some creatures are here for me. We all need it that someone keeps their eye on us and watches us an look after us. Pushes us away before the falling tree hits us. The story of this picture is that where ever I take a nap I often wake up someone keeping the eye on me. This pic is taken on a moment when I just woke up sleeping on the floor, someone else on the bed and Pii watching me under the bed. 💕

WeekendRagRug

On summer 2024 my loom faced a disaster by Copy&Paste. On September 2024 I fixed the damage but after that I must have done some more fixing. See the black yarn...

Copy&Paste are about to come over for a few week visit so I decided to finish the remaining warp and the last rag rug. I decided to call it Weekend because it is made of weft rhythm 7/5 and included double stripes (Saturday and Sunday).

It was quite interesting because I was not quite sure how long the remaining warp was and how much weft I had for the rag rug so that it will be matching to HallwayRagRug. But, at the end I was there. It is exactly 2,5 meters long.

Only this (40cm) of the warp was left over from my 30 meters warp we set up on my loom on May 2021. That's 4 years ago! We've woven so many rag rugs of it! 

Here it is. FashionNOW rag rug. For this I used old recycled linen and cotton clothes, LP-yarn (80% of recycled cotton and 20% of other fibers) and textile industry left over material. Only the warp is brand new 100% cotton like in all these rag rugs I have made of this 30 meter long warp. Both Nuka and Pii seem to love it like they love the weekends! Unfortunately they can get it only when the snow falls.

Heatwave

I bet you have been waiting the news about Pii. The 1st suggestive diagnose was "blood cancer or something else" by the MidSummer. We have now received the final diagnose after the surgery and CT-scan. Her right side salivary gland has been damaged and can't work. That's why it creates the lump under her chin on her throat. There is no disease or reason. Obviously it has been caused by a trauma she has faced when speeding around in the garden full of joy and chasing the birds through the berry shrubs. Perhaps some branch has sting her throat area without making a wound to her skin but caused inner damages to salivary gland and bruise like bleeding. Her open wound finally closed 1½ weeks ago. Since that we have been waiting what happens next. The options are

            1. she needs another surgery to remove the damaged salivary gland

            2. during the time it heals up and doesn't need to be removed

            3. during the time the damaged gland fades away and other glands begins to do its job

So far it doesn't create new big lump. It is rather like a chicken wattle. It doesn't bother her in any way at this point. She is just a happy dog now when she has got rid of the post surgery plastic collar and is able to go in to her very own and precious nest behind/under my loon (sorry, her loom which I am allowed to borrow every now and then).

 

Three weeks ago started our heat weave. I was a bit worried because of Pii and her life in the bucket (post surgery plastic collar) and the open wound. I consulted the vet for the wound care because of the heat to prevent it to get inflammation. We rinsed the wound at least twice in a day with saltwater solution (home made according to the instructions). When the heat weave had started we changed it to wound irrigated solution (Prontosan) and continued the routine of cleaning the wound. We also cleaned the plastic post surgery collar at least 3 times in a day (once-twice before). And changed at least 3 times in a day the menstrual pads (twice in a day before). The wound was not infected and slowly started to close when the wound drainage kept on reducing.

So far the heat weave has stayed 3 weeks every day (no break). That's the record since they started to measure these things at early 60's. On the 1st week I felt "wow, I am on a free holiday in Greece", on the 2nd week "I want to order my flight back home", the 3rd week I have been feeling like a little fat pig in a rotisserie. I don't know yet how I will feel on this 4th week. I have never been in this kind of heat for this long. I did spend for about a month on Crete island but it was not the same. On Crete the sun goes up and down. The nights are dark and you can see the moon and the stars. That doesn't happen here. We have the Midnight Sun so the nights don't bring any relief for the shine and heat. For example today our sun rise at 4.09 am and will set at 10.44 pm only to rise up again at after 4 am. In theory there's a bit more than 5 hours between the sunset and sunrise but it is not enough to bring the darkness nor to fade away the heat.

The climate has changed always but for the first time ever in the Earth's history it is changing because of humans' actions and that's why it is unpredictable, fast and dangerous to all of us. On Polar Areas the climate is changing faster than anywhere else and humans and the nature has difficulties to adapt on it. We need to make radical changes in our lifestyles if we want to make the climate change slower and easier. We can't stop anymore what we have caused in the past 100 years, but we can ease the upcoming disaster if we all want.

Finally last week we dared to take Nuka and Pii to swim because Pii's wound had healed and closed up. Swimming is a good way ti cool the dogs down (and myself, I love open water swimming in the sea). We usually take the dogs to the seashore very close to our home where I spotted grey seals this spring. Or we take them to Ajos. None of these are public beach. You are not allowed to take the dogs on public beaches but Ajos is a great beach also for travelers to take their dogs to swim. Remember to put your dog on leash and never set it free. The dog can harm the nature & animals or get run over by a truck or train that are very close because of the cargo marina traffic. If you google "Ajoksen uimaranta" or "Ajos uimaranta" you should find your way there if on a road trip through the north. It is a great place but remember to be respectful and tidy because there's vulnerable and very special nature around!!! Even you would not have a dog but being on a road trip it is worth of vising no matter the season. It is a gem that locals love. (And no, no public transport there. It is accessible by car, bike or on foot, not by a walking aids or wheelchairs.)

MySummerDay

This summer has been relatively cool what comes to the weather. Today the morning temperature at 6 am was +10 Celsius degrees. It seems it is going to be a warm day if the wind calms down. On the last weekend we had a night with +5 Celsius degrees with the wind.

I don't mind about the chilly days because dear Pii has still open wound after her surgery. It is slowly healing but we still need to avoid bacteria infections in it. I still stand for the opinion that menstrual pads for all kind of girls are the best ever medical care wound pads for post surgery care with dogs and cats.

The post surgery plastic collar is easy to wash and keep clean. I change Pii's pads and clean the wound at least twice in a day. At first the pads get attached to very firm but it eases during the time and they get loose easier with a gentle pull. 

At the end of April I ordered wool fabrics for Sámi costumes. I order my fabrics at Skaar Tekstil AS in  Norway. This time it turn out hell of process because of new EU regulations. 

Skar Tekstil helped me (again) with my order and sent it out for the delivery very fast. The package of 7 kg fabric arrived to Finland fast but it got stuck at the Postal service and customs because of these new EU security regulations because of the cargo companies. Skaar Tekstil AS was very helpful. At the end the parcel was returned by the Postal service because the declaration of it was impossible. 

Skaar Tekstil AS kindly sent the package back to me again and this time we got it declared in few days and I finally received the fabrics yesterday, after 2½ months waiting. I will order again from Skaar Tekstil AS. It is a corporation I can trust and they customer service is excellent!

PoorPii

This week we noticed something weird with Pii and went to vet with her. She has a weird lump filled with blood. 

That's why we needed to take Pii to North Finland Animal Hospital. Again I wondered why it is called "North Finland" if I need to drive 1½ hours to south to get there...

It is a long way to drive actually approx. 115 km to get help when your love one is at poor state. Dear Pii had her 1st vaccination and after few days she got very dramatic reaction because of it. By then (June 2020) we first went to local municipal vet and get help there and they set us ready for the long drive. Young Lady sat on the back seat and took care of the poor little puppy while I was driving. 

But we made it and got there just in time, just when she started to go to the final end. It all looked like in a dramatic film and it was my 1st experience of animal hospitals (this was new by then around here). We got ER care and Pii stayed over the night. By then we didn't know yet will she survive. But you know she did. She has also received all her other vaccinations but with a bit different ingredients. It is important to vaccinate humans and animals even sometimes you may get the reaction. Since that she has not got any reaction of vaccinations or medications.

This time 6 hours was enough. It means we spent 9 hours on the journey. She needed surgery and medications. We could have get her out a bit earlier but just when it was the time she had managed to get off the collar and scratch the wound at the clinic when they was getting her ready to go. So they needed to fix that.

Poor Pii has got grey hair in one night. She needs to wear that plastic post surgery collar for fortnight. I won't take it off to make her to get used to it because there is no other way at this time except to wear it. We take it off only to clean the wound. We still don't know what it is and why there was blood. (No inflammation.) We get more results on the next week.

Nuka knows all about it so she just feels sorry for Pii and lets her be. On the photo you can see the damages in Nuka's throat and chest area because of the dog attack she faced in February 2019. The white fur in her throat is growing from the loose skin. The attack and bite caused the fact all the skin loosed from the muscles around her neck, throat and chest area. It took a long time to get it mostly attached back. 

Nuutinpäivä

Today is "nuutinpäivä". It is the original and traditional time of the year to enclose the Yuletide feast. Well, to start to enclose it. After "nuutinpäivä", when all the  food and drink was collected by Nuuttipukki, it all was taken to one place to arrange the last feast for the whole village. To eat and drink it all away... to get people back to work at the farms in agriculture. Traditionally in my Sámi culture there was not much to do outside at the time when the world is at is darkest and coldest, so the Yuletide continued even longer and slowly slide from the MidWinterFeast to WinterMarkets at Feabruary.

I have been up to Yuletide for over a month now. At work we had a lot of fun arranging ThePorridgeParty for our teachers. We have 4 floors and not the elevator. The kitchens locates on the floors -1 and 3. That means a lot of exercise when cooking the porridge and decorating the building. 

Notice my craft glasses. They are big enough to see clear to the past, present and future! I bought them a year ago and simply love them!

I have been at the work for a week now, but my heart desires one more week for the Yuletide until it is the 19th of January. What happens then? You will hear all about it then!

The Christmast tree is at its best when the children have decorated it and are allowed to play by it and the decorations. In my Forest Sámi culture Christmas tree has a special meaning my grandpa and grandma transferred to us. Grandpa always brought the tree for us children. Usually the tree and sweets were the only gifts we received from him. But that was what we expected the most. Sometimes he took few of us to get the tree with him, depending on it from where he was going to get it. If it was somewhere near and we could go by foot, all the kids were following him. I was usually the last one in the line, because I was the smallest and the others had to walk first to make the path in the snow form bigger and better for me not to get drown into it. That also meant I was the last one when going back. In that way it was in my responsibility to pick up if anything had dropped down into the snow. 

In those moments we learnt that in every tree lives "haltia". It means a person like a spirit or gnome. Literally "haltia" translates also to "the occupier". And that is what the sprites are. They possess the tree. It is their home. You need to ask if you can cut a tree down. It includes a lot of walking in the woods to see which one you can cut down. And when you are going to cut it, you need to knock or kick the tree to warn about the sprite to make sure the one collects its items and moves away before you take down its home. 

So, to us the Christmas tree was -and still is- a gift from the woods, given permission to it by the sprites. And brought into the house for the children to play and enjoy. To bring in the spirit of the forest.

This Yuletide has included the traditional gingerbread cottage making with the kids and the parents-in-law. 

It has included Yule-spirit visits to the love ones and some extra charity too. We do charity all around the year, but traditionally we make something extra when landing to the Yuletide. Also that is the Sámi tradition I have learnt. We need to look after everyone. If we all take one whom we can take care of we all have much easier MidWinterSeason. Traditionally this time of the year has been hard and challenging in the arctic climate. In my ForestSámi culture you never leave the weak ones, or the ones in the need of help, alone.

This Yuletide has included a lot of wonderful moments and shared wealth. The wealth is not only or always the money. It can be something immaterial. What ever it is, it is up to physical and mental well being.

This Yuletide included also a visit to the hospital where I needed Xrays after falling down with the dog sled in a speed on hard and icy route. No fractures and after two weeks it seems to be quite fine again. But oh boy it was a hit!

One of the best gifts you can give to your dogs is to train them so well that they are safe to run free there where it is allowed. They say you can't let the sled dogs run free. That is true. But if you train them extremely well, it is possible. Extremely well means they need to come back every time when you ask and they never run far. Pii is a sled dog (Alaskan malamute) but also a hunting dog. In hunting she needs to be set free. Both Nuka and Pii hunt with humans, not alone. They know it is easier to hunt together with humans, so they don't try to do it alone. If the human doesn't follow they return and leave the game.

Notice: In Finland you are allowed to set your dog free only in hunting in your hunting region in hunting action. Not in any other case. If you set your dog free in the villages and cities the dog needs to be "immediately chained" when the situation demands or someone asks. Dogs running free do more damage in the nature than wolves ever in this country.

Hope you all had a wonderful Yuletide and a great start of 2025!!!!