As she walked beside me gazing into the distance

Pine

Snow

Road

Field

Lines

This was a heavy week indeed, but finally there is time to relax a bit. I'm planning to do some walking in forests during the next four days, and this may mean something longer (in hours and kilometers) than usually. But that is up to the flu symptoms, I hope this starts to be over finally.

I borrowed new books from the library to be read during Easter. I have been more lax than usually as regards reading books, haven't been able to hold my attention properly on reading. It could have been due to reading wrong books, but I think it is due to be more tired than normally.

I took these photographs on Tuesday, and somehow I think there is a kind of Easter feeling in them.

(Posting title is from the poem The Last Day by George Seferis, translated by Edmund Keeley and Philip Sherrard.)

Easter landscapes

Evening

Paths

Outdoor museum

Easter

Here are four more photographs taken during the Easter weekend, at Hämeenlinna and on the road back to home. The last one shows the Easter decorations at Riihimäki, quite colorful.

City of Hämeenlinna

Bridge

Fir

Boat

Flood

Library

Bicycles

We visited during the Easter weekend the city of Hämeenlinna, about 100 km north of Helsinki. Here are some views - it was warm and sunny.

Colorful - Easter traditions in Finland

Myyrmanni

Feathers

Egg

Crocus

Lily

Fence

Spring is advancing, so here is a colorful set of photographs. I have mentioned Finnish Easter traditions in 2009 and in 2010, and now is that time again.

Short summary: Children are dressed as easter witches. Then they go from house to house and get candy. With our three daughters the preparation for this is quite a big thing.

Years are diffent. This year the snow lasted a long time, but today on Palm Sunday we are having +15 °C, a great day for spending time outside.

Today was also parliamentary election day in Finland. I expect the voting rate will be quite high, not only because of the nice weather but also because the heated discussions happening during campaigns.

Oh - and the first spring flowers are emerging. Now it feels like spring.

Catkins and sunset skiing

Picking catkins, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Ski tracks, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Tracks and lights, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

There are Easter traditions in Finland involving catkins. Children go around with decorated twigs and ask for candy in exchange.

Later today it got colder, below freezing, and thus conditions for skiing were excellent. And there was a nice sunset as well.

A story of catkins - Finnish Easter traditions

Catkins 1, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Catkins 2, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

Catkins 3, originally uploaded by jiihaa.

I decided to make a second posting today, as I had to go out (in the rain) once more during the afternoon. [To collect willow twigs.]

Why images of willow twigs and catkins? Well, this is self-evident if you know of the Finnish Easter traditions: "At Easter you may well see quaint little characters walking around Finnish villages and suburbs. Children with sooty faces and scarves tied round their heads go begging, carrying broomsticks, coffee pots and bunches of decorated virpovitsa willow twigs. Little girls and sometimes even boys dressed as witches go from door to door, reciting good luck poems in return for money and sweets."

Is this a spring-time version of Halloween? Well, not quite, but a bit similar. Quoting the previous source: "... the custom is a novel example of the Finns' ability to assimilate and revitalize both Eastern and Western traditions."

With three little daughters in the family, you can guess what will happen tomorrow. If you want to know even more, there is always Youtube.