Murals

About three weeks ago, when we visited friends in Hämeenlinna, we together, went to look at the mural the Australian artist Guido van Helten just had started to paint. It already then looked fantastic. Our friends had told us he is now almost finished with painting. Yesterday on the way back from the automobil and road museum Mobilia in Kangasala via Hämeenlinna we again went there. The fog really was thick all day long. I thought it would be impossible to shoot any photos of the murals. Luckily right before in Hämeenlinna the fog disappeared. It still was gray but good enough visibility to shoot the murals. WOW ! He had finished two paintings and was working on a third one. They all are amazing, beautiful, breathtaking,huge, impressive . . .

Oil Tank 468

 

Some days ago our son told us the Oil Tank 468 would be open for the public for three weekends in a row, Saturdays and Sundays 6-9 pm. My husband said let’s go there. Some 22 years ago, when still at work and the tanks still were in use, he had been there because of his work. I remember, he back then, told me he had climbed the ladders straight up to the top and then back down. He was not 100% sure was it this exact same tank but it looked exactly like the one he had been up on. From what we read on the net we understood when dark the tank would be lighted up in different colors. There were many, many people. We were there in good time, already right after 6 pm. Sunset at about 7:30.We waited and waited. At 8:30 pm it was pitch dark but no colorful lights. Lot of people started to walk away from there and so did we. Lights or no lights, I still think it was worth going there. After a beautiful warm sunny day the evening too was very nice. By the way, I just googled for more photos and found some very nice ones, shot after dark, in different colors. Should we have stayed until 9 pm ? Probably.

Gluten free cheese cake

On Thursday morning I made a gluten free cheese cake baked in oven. Everything looked fine until I noticed the recipe probably was a two page one and I had printed only one. I went back to read the recipe, Oh no, in the last sentence on page two it said cool the cake over night in the fridge to set. Over night ! ? ! Oh dear ! We have friends coming in less than four hours. What now ? The cake is steaming hot. OK, I had to figure out something. Quickly I put the cake on the terrace table to cool a bit. Then for about half an hour in the fridge. After that into the freezer for the rest of the time. My husband said what if it’s deep frozen when they arrive. I too was worried . But, it turned out to be delicious and almost set. Only a small part right in the middle was a bit too soft. I also made some egg rice pastries but they were not gluten free.

Malminkartanonhuippu

I haven’t been to Malminkartanon huippu since 2011. Back then I went there almost daily to step the 426 steps. I used to do them 2-3 times. It’s an artificial hill about 90 m about sea level. We were to make a trip to Lapland with friends later in the fall 2011. I needed to train to be able to walk up the fell in Levi. The fell is about 530 m. I was happy I had trained even if we didn’t walk all the way up. Just some shorter tracks. Yesterday I went to the Malminkartanohuippu to have a look at what it looks like now. It’s been both on the news and in the papers, sometime ago already, that the steps have been painted. I walked up the hill and then walked the steps down. About the painted steps. I really can’t tell which I prefer. Painted ones or not. But, I will go the more often now while still no frost or snow.

Coloring

I have occasionally looked at books with pictures to color in the store. But I didn’t want to buy a book with many, many pages of pictures of which I only like a few. Instead I printed a free image from the web to color. My husband wondered if the coloring isn’t meant for children. But, I said, there are free coloring pages for both adults and kids. Hmm, anyway, he thinks it’s a waste of time to sit and color for hours. I say, it’s great therapy, relaxing and fun. I say young or old, doesn’t matter 🙂

Physalis

I guess this fruit is well known to so many of you. These are the first ones we have bought. I had to look up for tips on how to use them on the internet. I used them in smoothie. Next time, if I buy, I will try them in a salad or perhaps decorate a cake with them. One thing, they look nice in photos 😉

Jacky

In the spring we talked to the vet about when to have Jacky castrated. I asked should it had been done already because I read it’s usually, now a days, done at an much earlier age than we have had it done to our other cats. Usually by the time they show signs of marking their territory. He said it’s okay to have it done later. Come back after the summer vacations. On Wednesday we took him there and had the procedure done. The vet said he needs to wear the plastic collar for twelve days. I don’t think none of our other cats needed to wear a collar for that many days. But, if it’s how it must be then be it. He soon learned how to master the thing. I’m afraid he thinks he must wear it for the rest of his life. I tell him every evening only so many more days and you will get rid of it. I bet he will be ever so happy when we take the collar off. Only eight more days to go.

Barnacle Geese

It’s still quite warm here. But, the birds know it’s time to migrate. Already for days we have, daily, both seen and heard flocks of hundreds of geese migrate. They usually stop to eat and rest in the nearby field. Same field where the cranes have stayed for a couple of weeks. On Wednesday, on the way home from the supermarket, we stopped just to take a couple of photos. In the photo also are the four cranes and a few Canada geese  but they are hard to spot as they stayed far further down the field.

Mural

Today we visited friends at their summer place. They told us there is going to be a huge mural on the wall of the Kantola silo not far away from them. The artist Guido van Helten already has started to paint it. Our friends said it’s not finished yet but if you are interested then let’s go see how it looks like at this stage. I actually have seen some pictures of his murals on the internet but to see him live high up there on the crane painting was breathtaking. I’m not sure how tall the silo is but I read in a paper the mural will be Scandinavia’s tallest one, 50 m tall. Amazing, beautiful. Dear friends, thank you for a great day and for taking us there.

The Cranes

The cranes are still here. The same four cranes. Two couples. Always at lunch time in the same field and practically the same spot. They have stayed here now for about two weeks. Maybe they will still stay till the night frost before they migrate.