Every new beginning, is some beginning's end

Here we are once again. One year is ending, a new one is about to begin.
This year has been nothing I could expect. It has been terrible and beautiful and depressing and challenging and finally peaceful. The 2014 began as usual, with purposes and hopes and dreams. Half way during this year I suddently realized that the dream I have been chasing in the last 5 or 6 years simply will not happen. I realized that I had a dream and was so focused and involved in it that i never payed really attention if the rest of my family was following me. Well it turned out that the rest of my family had totally different dreams. That has been a very hard moment for me. I let myself slip in depression and self pity and resentment and anger. I ate myself away gaining even 2 kilos a month ( yes :( ). Then a couple of months ago something just changed in my mind and heart.What does it mean that my dream is notcoming true ? In wich book I read that my way to happiness was only the one I had in mind ? I'm a woman of faith and even if i may seem a bit of a peculiar Christian, I have a deep faith and friendship in Jesus. Would he simply abandon me ? I don't think so. And i realized that a great part of my dreams might as well being fullfilled right here where we are and where my family seems to dwell quite good. And anyways life can change and turn in every moment, so sitting in despair eating sweets wasn't probably the best way to be prepared just in case one day my\our life might turn in the direction I wish. So I decided to take action. I stopped with the junk food and lost 10 kilos in few weeks ( during the holidays I might have gained some kilos back- I didn't checked- but now I'm not afraid of it, because I know I will start eating healthly again in few days because you see, I don't need to fill my heart with calories anymore); I started to get out with my lovely toddler as much as possible and to be as active as possible at home. Sofa-time it's made to be interrupted as many times as my family needs it, moving keeps me in better shape. I'm watching my whole life with totally different eyes and finallt I feel in peace. I feel that there's so much I can do and be happy about. I feel i can have the success I want in what I do, but I need to be doing something to get it ;) So this has been my 2014. What 2015 will hold for me it's up to the Lord, what I have to do and want to do is to roll up my sleeves, work as much as i can, eat healthly, excercise and have fun, have fun and have fun, trust the future, love my family and myself, learn new skills and make new plans. Forgive others and myself, let go of leftover resentment and anger and be free in my new lightened body and heart.

Have a great 2015 everybody,

life is good.

Winter & Wool

This morning we woke up at -18. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the frozen snow was glittering and so was the whole world. When it's so cold the air itself freezes and you can see these tiny crystals floating in the air. Birches' fronds covered in frost looked like delicate lace. As a nature lover my heart is full of amazement for the stunning beauty of nature in the very different season we enjoy during the year.
The colder climate inspired me for a new knitted hat and a pair of crocheted fingerless gloves. The knitting always takes longer ( I only learned to knit when I was 30 years old ) but I crocheted the gloves in less than two days. Unfortunately I don't have a pattern to share as I invented either the hat and the gloves while working ( and of course didn't write it ...).

:)

Christmas days

Christmas Eve was a very relaxed day. After dinner as we always do we watched 'Nativity' and talked about the birth of Jesus. After the baby was sleeping and the older children were upstairs me and papaF did some final wrapping and went to bed. Before going to sleep we noticed it was snowing again. We woke up on Christmas day in a fluffy and white world, with a blue sky and beautiful sun and -14 degrees. PERFECT.
After enjoyng surprise on James face and the unwrapping of the presents, we relaxed with a movie and then, while lasagne were cooking we wend out of the door with James to enjoy the beautiful day. We pulled him around in Seba's stiga but after a while he asked us to go back inside because it was so cold. The day passed beetween movies, chatting, playing with the little one and a lot of knitting for me ( I was in need of a new woolen hat and now I have it ! ). A light(er) dinner and another movie after to finish the wonderful day.
This morning it has been snowing again for a while but today we spent the day inside. A lazy morning watching 'The desolation of Smaug' a quick pizza lunch and the afternoon spent chatting with Gaia and trying to figure out what to knit now ( still no idea about that ). Homemade Tacos dinner and Lord of the Rings read aloud while nursing Jimmy to sleep. A very peaceful Christmas indeed.

So this is Christmas,

for once a lovely one,

 ok not for once really,

but indeed a lovely and peaceful one.

 

Outdoor

Yesterday evening it has started snowing, but this morning the sky was blue and the air was crispy. Our garden was full of life, footprints everywhere and birds coming and going and singing. We have spent so much time outside today, finally we could get Jimmy wearing his snowsuit and snow shoes and gloves and we brought him around in Seba's stiga. I took a lot of pictures and we shared laughs and thoughts. I hope in many more days like today :)

I'm not sure if I'll be back before Christmas, just in case my best wishes goes to all the lovely readers who might drop by.

Happy Solstice day !!!!

Finally the solstice has arrived ! This means that the sun is starting a new cycle and day after day we will have longer daylight hours and the darkness will be only a memory for few months. Until I moved here today was just 'the beginning of the winter' but now, after surviving the darkness this day has a whole new meaning, I bet all those who live in the far north ( or south ;) ) can relate.
I spent the day cleaning and decluttering getting ready for Christmas, I guess some more work will be done in the next couple of days and then I want to enjoy a very peaceful joyful and relaxing Christmas.

Laughs

Laughing is a great gift. Today I will share few images that made me laugh out loud or smile very big !!

Our Christmas tree didn't survive at the stove, too hot even if it was of course not so close at it.

I think somehow the tree it was charming isn't it ?

Of course today we replaced it, hopefully the new one will last until the end of the festive season :)

 

Fun with the little one ! 

There's nothing better then let a little one take the lead to experience some big fat fun ;)

 

 

New decoration on the terrace. Looks like a fairy tale. When I went out to take few pics my face opened in a smile without my mind deciding it. I guess my heart took control of all my muscles and acted consequently :)

 

Sunrise 9:23

Sunset 15:07

hours of daylight 5:44

One minute less, one day to go.

 

Unexpected gifts

It happened again. The kindness of strangers. This is the fourth Christmas we spend here, away from our homeland, away from our relatives and longtime friends. It could feel a bit sad and lonely. But every year we've been surprised by unexpected gifts. So after the incredible kindness showed by some of the guests we had during the open house weekends ( four different people, three of whom we didn't know , brought us a present during the visit ) today poured on us so many gifts that it's stll hard to believe ...

 Incredible isn't it ? One present for each child and one for the entire family. We couldn't believe it and we feel so humbled and gratefull for this. And if this wasn't enough for today our friends who own a restaurant in town gave us some freshly made sushi ...

 I have to admit i was very skeptical about sushi, but after tasting it with this yummi ginger and soy sauce ... well I was wrong, it's quite good and more then worth eating ( or over eat as in my case ;) )
Well the miracle of Christmas once again, baby Jesus is about to come and the unexpected kindness remind us what Christmas is all about: LOVE

Here the last two days following the light, then the new moon and the solstice will draw a new start. Light will come back. and no, before you ask I find it perfectly fine loving Jesus and honouring the light and celebrating the solstice. I've come to believe that Jesus' birth is in this period because HE is a light as well so if I was the Almighty and I could chose the perfect moment for my son, the Christ, the Light, to come on earth, I think I'd chose this time of the year as well.

Sunrise at 9:21

Sunset at 15:07

Hours of daylight 5:45

same as yesterday

Almost there

Snow and frost and sun and bright sunset and we're almost there, solstice in two days and Christmas just behind the corner. Excitement and happyness and laughs and shiny things and secret boxes and whatever is yet to come is worth seeing and waiting for :)

Sunrise at 9:21

Sunset at 15:07

Hours of daylight today 5:45

one minute less then yesterday

Four seasons

Today was a good day. We've been gifted with the four seasons in one day: I woke up with the pouring rain, had breakfast with heavy snow, cooked lunch with a cloudy sky and went food shopping in the sun. Great !!

Sunrise at 9:20

Sunset at 15:06

Hours of deylight 5:46

One minute less then yesterday

Why you moved to Finland ?

If i could have one euro for every time someone asked me this question in the last three years I'd be a millionaire. It seems that the decision to move from Italy to Finland is mind blowing for most of the people I meet. So I started thinking about it quite a lot lately. I don't alwas get along with finnish ways or society. And of course I miss many things and many people from Italy, after all it'smy homecountry. And I couldn't have the life I was dreaming moving here ... so why am I here ? Well today I got a reminder of the reason.

 This is today's sunset. The picture has been taken at 14:30. Wild. No, I mean WILD.

Such beautiful sight, pure, bright, clear ... and absolutely dreadful, if you think that at 15:00 it's night, and I mean NIGHT. And there's no way to change this. It's the nature, the divine, the creation and we can only accept this. As we can only accept the cold, the ice, the snow and the summer's nightless nights. It's the nature taking the lead and reminding us little humans that we're just this, little small creatures mostly powerless. And powerfull at the same time when we overcome all this, and maybe we can even enjoy it.

Northern lands make you feel like you're your own hero, year after year, solstice after solstice you survive the wild wheel of seasons trying to be a part of it and not an enemy, you learn how to flow and accept.

Here in the wild north I'm learning so much about my relationship with nature and life and cycles,

and probably all this is well worth moving.

Following the light today

sunrise at 9:19

sunset at 15:06

hours of daylight 5:47

one minute less then yesterday

It's over

Yesterday's rush was the 'grand finale' of our december's efforts. Yesterday we had the last opening of the year and my oldest doughter had her Christmas dance show. Both have been absolutely great. In the five hours of the opening we had probably around 150 guests, among them some really lovely people with whom we exchanged personal contacts to keep in touch and meet again. An incredible experience. Then at 15:30 off we went to the dance show. Great as usual with the same little tear shed by this mommy heart.
Yesterday evening, sitting on the sofa, me and Gaia just realized that all the busyness of the last 6-8 weeks has gone and we feel a bit lost. You know the feeling ... you work hard, hurrying from one task to another, mumbling that 'never ever again...' and when it's over you're ready to start again, you wish you could start again, you feel you NEED to start again ... :) there's probably a strange creature living in my head isn't it ?
But well, I'm trying to focus on the fact that saturday will be the solstice, THE SOLSTICE !!! and it means that we made it once again. The light will overcome the darkness, days will get longer and longer everyday and in few weeks the world will be again an easier place to be. The miracle of life, the circle of our existence. I can only bow humbly my head in front of such great creation and Creator.

Following the light

sunrise at 9:18

sunset at 15:06

hours of daylight 5:48

1 minute less then yesterday

In one week ( 8dec-15dec ) we have lost 12 minutes of daylight.

Snow and guests

Last night we got snow and this morning we woke up in a whitened fairy world. And today we opened with the old house association and got tons of lovely guests ( around 200 people !!! ) We started with a big bus from Russia filled with really nice people :) Now I'm extremily tired but happy. Tomorrow the last opening of the year.

Sunrise at 9:16

Sunset at 15:07

Hours of daylight today 5:50

( two minutes less then yesterday )

Handmade

I love to work with my hands. I love creating beautiful things and I hope that one day I'll make a job out of my passion. For tomorrow's opening I realized many beautiful thing. I smile very big just looking at them ....

I love them all ! 

Everything has been dome using mixed technics and natural fiber, knitting, crocheting, sewing and needle felting.

Sunrise at 9:14

Sunset at 15:07

Hours of deylight 5:52 

(two minutes less then yesterday )

Loviisan Joulu or Christmas chocolate

This coming weekend we'll open again our house. As member of LWT ( Loviisa's old houses association ) ww joined for the first time this year the Christmas opening of the old houses. So I spent the day preparing chocolate and various sweets along with my lovely doughters as well finishing few of my knitted and crocheted creations that I will (hopefully) sell. Open the house is a lot of work but a lot of fun too. You get to know, meet and talk with litterally hundreds of people in two days ( the first weekend at some point there were 72 people in our not-so-big living room and kitchen !!!!!) , some people might think it's a nightmare, but our family loves it, even James ( 2 years and half ) is very pleased of all the coming and going. So the whole family works together to make it a perfect day, I must say we're a very good team now :)
Here some pics of today's sweets ...

Yummi isn't it ?

But let's follow the light now

sunrise at 9:13

sunset at 15:07

hours of daylight 5:54

two minutes less than yesterday

Black-out

Today we had very strong winds, a real storm. If you have ever had a metal roof you know well the very loud noise it makes every time the wind hits it. Scary if you're not used.
This evening we expeienced also several black-outs, dark in the darkness. We experienced the life and total darkness of the former owner of this house back at the beginning of '900. No street lamps or led-lamps to ease the pre-solstice day. Good to be candle lovers ...

Sunrise at 9:12 today

Sunset at 15:08 today

5:56 hours of daylight

2 minutes less than yesterday.

Here comes the sun

Today we had the great pleasure to see the sunlight.

The sky was full of thick and grey clouds, but at some point a sort of crack and here they come, sun beams lighting up our world. Worth a pic and a song

The picture was taken around 12:00 and the sun was already going down, but still it was there for us to enjoy !!!

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right
....
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
And I say it's all right

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun
It's all right, it's all right

Thanks to the Beatles for expressing so well my gratitude today :)

sunrise: 9:10 am

sunset : 15:08 pm

hours of daylight 5:58 (two minute less)

Christmas hints

In the darkest moment of the year we honour the light :)

Sunrise today at 9:09

Sunset today at 15:09

Six hours of daylight