Who Will I Meet Tomorrow?

It's raining outside. Hard. I just went out to have a look with Niko (almost three) and he said "Siellä sataa kovaa kovaa" (It's raining hard hard.) He was right.

I carry a book around with me full of positive thoughts and ideas, and this book includes a list of "things I like doing". I read it the other day and noticed that I had written "Sitting inside in the warm with a book when it's raining hard outside" not once, but twice.  I guess this means that I like doing it a lot. Do you know that feeling?  When the weather outside feels cold and threatening and you are sitting somewhere safe and warm doing something you enjoy.

Niko says its raining kovaa kovaa

Anyway, that's me right now. My day has been a mixed one today, some good things and some not so good, but right at this moment it feels nice to be where I am, listening to the rain beating it down outside the window.

The reason for the question in the title is this. Exactly a year ago I spent the morning working as a volunteer at the seurakuntakeskus (parish hall) for their autumn sale. The idea of the event is to raise money through selling foods, coffee and other products as well as raffles etc in order to buy Christmas presents for those in the parish who are less well off and might need a helping hand.

The day was a lot of fun last year, and was made extra special because I met two people for the first time who went on to become two of my very good friends, Elvi and Heidi. That's why I love talking to people I don't know - you never know when you might be looking at a new potential friend - and we can never have too many of those.

Tomorrow I will be working with Elvi once again...she's dishing out the pea soup and I'm collecting the money! I have to admit she got a little annoyed with me last year because I spent too much time talking, although I hope she's forgiven me now. 

If you're anywhere near Somero, drop in and pay us a visit any time between 11am and 1pm. It's all in a good cause, and we look forward to seeing you.  If I meet anyone special tomorrow then I will definitely let you know. Sleep well and enjoy the rain, Jody.

You Think the Weather's Bad Here?

I was born in England.  This means that I am used to bad weather. However, when people hear that I live in Finland they often look horrified."How could you live there?" they cry. "Isn't it cold?"

Yes, the winter in Finland is cold.  But this is because in Finland we have real seasons. Seasons that change. Seasons that are different from each other. I like that. You know where you are in this country.

In the UK, however, there is one season. Rain. It can look exactly the same in December as it does in July. And at the same time you can be surprised by the sun at any time, the only thing is, you never know when, or if, or for how long. 

I have just got back from the UK. When we arrived it was cold and grey.  Then there was one day of random sunshine on Saturday, after which it returned to cold and grey, only this time accompanied by rain.  Lots of it.  In fact it rained so much over the next four days that there were floods all over the North East of England. Fifty-eight of them to be exact. Houses were flooded, schools were closed, motorways were shut, trains were late....you can imagine the rest. It was total chaos all over the place.

I arrived back in Finland to be told that the weather had been "terrible" here. I looked around to see the leaves turning gold and orange and brown in the trees, felt the fresh air and a light smattering of rain on my face.  Honestly. If this is what they call terrible, I recommend a quick trip to the North of England. Let's see if you've changed your mind about the Finnish weather when you get back! Oh....and take an umbrella.

Happy 90th Birthday Dad!

Today my dad has reached the grand old age of 90. I'm over the moon about that, as at times over the summer I wasn't sure if he'd make it. He woke up to a room full of balloons and happy birthday banners and he is wearing badges saying birthday boy and number 1 Dad, which in my view he is. I couldn't upload the photos in the UK but here are a couple now. 

England has lived up to its reputation of being rainy all the time. There has been a month's rain here in the last two days and there are roads closed all over the region due to flooding. Nothing new there then.

Regards from a wet, cold and rainy Darlington. And happy birthday Dad, I hope you know how much you are loved.

Jody

Why Am I Laughing?

The goat at the back is eating my hair...

Because a goat is eating my hair.

I visited a farm yesterday just north of Newcastle with my oldest friend Juliaana who came down from Scotland for the day.

Goats are one of my favourite animals and I would happily spend all day feeding them if I could. The crunching sound when they eat makes me happy.

I like the attitude of goats too.  They do what they like when they like.  I remember once when I was working in court, and one of the experts who was due to give evidence had a text message from his wife asking him to call her as there was an emergency at home.  He thought someone in the family had fallen ill, so, feeling very worried, he asked the Judge if he could be excused from the courtroom to make a phone call.

Ten minutes later he was back.  I asked what was wrong, hoping that it was nothing too serious. "One of our goats decided to jump through the roof of the greenhouse," he said. "The thing is, the goat is in the greenhouse, and I am in court.  I am not sure exactly what my wife expected me to do from here...."


That was about eight years ago, and it has made me laugh ever since. Goats will be ruled by no-one.

I also had to post a picture of this sheep. She has a head like a teddy bear and I thought she deserved to be featured on this blog as I have never seen a sheep quite like it.  She seems quite a contented sheep, don't you think?

10 degrees today, and grey skies. Regards to you all from both me and this happy sheep living in the North East of England.

Real Chips from Darlington!

Chips from a UK fish and chip shop

Usually when you leave your "home" country to live somewhere else you miss things that you were used to and cannot buy abroad. In all honesty there are only a few things that I miss from the UK these days, but there are a few. I have to admit that it is much easier to be a vegetarian in England - more than ten per cent of the population don't eat meat or fish (more than the entire population of Finland) so there is a huge choice of vegetarian food everywhere you go.

Look at the size of this onion ring!

Apart from that though, there is only a short list of things that I like to eat when I come over the to the UK, and I have to say that almost all of them are very unhealthy. One of them is "real" chips from a UK Fish and Chip shop (not French fries...they don't count). I have just eaten a portion of real chips - which I think must have contained about nine million calories. But hey, you only live once.

For dessert (which I shouldn't be eating at all) I am having these chocolates on the right called Minstrels. I expect to have put on around ten kilos by the time I am back in Finland.  Also included on the list of "things to eat" while in the UK are a jacket potato with cheese and coleslaw, prawn cocktail crisps and a cooked breakfast of egg and vegetarian bacon.

As usual the weather today has been chilly and damp. At the moment it's 9 degrees but it feels colder than that. The headlines on the news are that a man has been arrested for the murder of two policewomen in Manchester and that the current government is very unpopular.  Apparently if there was an election today then the labour party would win by a landslide majority. So there we are.  Unhealthy food, cold weather and an unpopular government - a typical day in England! Wishing you all a happy weekend - regards to you all from Darlington.

True Love Exists. The Evidence...

When I still lived in the UK I used to work as a lawyer in family matters, and this meant that my clients were often people going through tough times, frequently as a result of divorce. I learnt a lot in that period about human nature, and about the fact that you never really know what is going on in someone else's life, however fine things may appear on the outside.

I did this type of work for almost ten years, and I came to the belief that it would be a good thing for every married couple to retake their vows every few years.  This way they would really have to think about why they were together and what they loved about their husband or wife.  The idea being that hopefully they would start to appreciate the other person rather than taking them for granted, and be able to celebrate the positives in front of family and friends. I still think this is a good idea.

However cynical you may be about love, this week I was shown evidence from two friends of mine that it really does exist, and I wanted to share this little story with you in case your own hope is fading...

Kyosti and Maritta have become good friends of mine since we met through the Somero English Club.  They have been together for the last fourteen years.  Last year Maritta took a year off work just so that they could spend time together, go travelling and enjoy each other's company, which I thought was a great idea.

This week though, I saw each of them individually. On Tuesday evening a few of us sat together and played some favourite tracks of music, the idea being that we would then explain what made it special to us. Maritta played a Finnish song by Matti and Teppo called "Ensimmainen" (the first), and said very movingly that it would always be her special song because when she first met Kyosti he worked away a lot, and he told her that every time he heard this song it made him think of her.  I was impressed. To say that after fourteen years together, and to pick that song, is already an achievement.

Then the next day I bumped into Kyosti in the bakery.  We talked about the concept of "happiness" and things that made us feel good. He said spontaneously that what made him feel the happiest was when Maritta got home from work and put her arms round him and they could just be together again.

These two stories, from two people I have grown to love and respect over the last few months, really made me smile. Love exists...and here it is! So many people split up and get divorced these days, or don't really feel loved in their own relationship anymore, and both scenarios are sad. Kyosti and Maritta though, show that it doesn't have to be that way, even after a long time together.  So this post is to celebrate them...both separately and together... thank you K and M...you give us all faith that love really is out there somewhere, and it's fantastic that the two of you have found it. So to those of you who are still searching, don't give up - true love really is out there if you have the faith to look for it.  Happy searching.

Our Very Own Top Model

Just a quick note tonight as I am really tired and have been looking forward to going to bed since I woke up this morning!

In order to relax in the evenings we sometimes sit down as a family and watch some sort of reality tv programme. One of them is Finland's Top Model. I don't even know why really, as none of us is interested in modelling or fashion or anything to do with that world in general. I guess it's just one of those programmes that let's you switch off mentally - it's so far removed from our everday lives. Anyway, that wasn't really the point.

The point is this. My confidence has been knocked quite a bit lately by certain events at work and I know several other people at the moment whose self esteem is not where it should be.  I thought these photos might help!

Minttu does not fit top model criteria.  At just over 80cm, with a set of wiggly teeth and certainly not very steady on a catwalk she still has top model attitude. If you told her she couldn't be a top model she wouldn't believe you.  In fact as soon as she sees my camera she starts smiling. Here are some poses.......

So I thought I would send all those of you (us) suffering from a knock to our confidence a bit of Minttu attitude.  Never mind what the rules say, or whether you're exactly what other people want you to be. The important thing is to believe in yourself. 

Hold your head up high, get your wiggly teeth out and SMILE to the world.  You're ok exactly the way you are!

This is Freedom!

Just as I was dropping Minttu off this morning I looked from the car and saw something up above that appeared to be moving very fast. I was of course delighted when I realised what it was.

It was this squirrel who was running very quickly along some electricity cables. Of course I was quite far away but I grabbed the camera, which luckily was with me, and managed to get these silhouettes.  In terms of high level photography of course they are not great shots, but somehow I just love the feeling of freedom that comes with these photos. 

The squirrel couldn't have appeared at a better time. He (or she) reminded me that life is for living.

I drove to work with a smile on my face.  The message was clear. You just need to find your own particular high wire cable...and once you've found it, don't hesitate. Just look straight ahead...and RUN!!!

Ten Positive Things

Oskari enjoying life

Sometimes when you are going through a really bad time it can be really difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When several challenging things happen at once it can feel a bit like being buried under a pile of rubble.  There have been occasions this past week when my greatest desire was to get under my duvet and stay there.

But actually, these are the times when it's most important to keep your head up and to search for the positive things that surround us all the time, even when we find it difficult to see them.

Elvi in the sunshine

I sometimes play the "ten postive things" exercise. It's simple and I am sure you can guess the rules.  All you have to do is to stop for a few minutes.  Wherever you are and whatever you are doing.  Then look around and force yourself to spot at least ten positive things. They can be physical things that you see or things that you remember, it doesn't matter. But I guarantee you will find them if you try.

I played the game this evening. I had nightmares last night so woke up tired and I would rate the day at work at around two out of ten, so by the time I got home I figured it was a good day to play the game. Here's my list....

1. The white roses I bought on the way back from work.
2.  Minttu's fragile little legs (she can now manage around six steps....sometimes even ten)
3.  The satisfaction of Oskari the cat (AND the fact he no longer wees on the bed)
4.  The memory of spending the afternoon with my friend Elvi yesterday afternoon
5.  The secret chocolate I have hidden in the cupboard!
6.  The fact that it looks as though my Dad is going to make it to his 90th birthday (next week) which at one point I didn't think was going to happen.
7.  The rain this evening which felt really refreshing on my skin when I stood outside.
8.  Yesterday's surprise phone call from my surrogate daughter, and one of the world's most wonderful people, Yesica, who lives in Colombia.
9.  My friends.
10. Watching Luca (4) and Niko (2) running around this evening singing "emme pelota ollenkaan, sanoo apinat"  (we are not afraid at all, said the monkeys).  No idea where this has come from...but it was funny.

I should perhaps add to this list number eleven, which is now that Lucie has left the room I can turn off Desperate Housewives, which does NOT feature on my feel good list.  There, it's off.   I told you you can spot positive things if you try!

So whatever life is throwing at you at this moment in time, don't let the buggers get you down (as we say in English).  Hold your head up high, stay confident and keep looking for the positive things. They are always there if you remember to look.

Thank You Flowers

Will you help me distribute some Sunday morning flowers to some special people?  People who really deserve  a thank you? If you have received the link to this post either from me or from someone else, then these flowers are to say thank you to YOU.

 

There are some special people out there who deserve a thank you - just for always being there.

I think it does us all good to take a few moments from time to time to remember who are real friends are. I have appreciated mine more than ever this week and  felt it was time to say THANK YOU.

Real flowers are always better of course, but even thought these are only electronic ones, I think the message will get there nonetheless.

If you know someone who also deserves a thank you for being a good friend - send them the link of this post and let them know you are thinking of them. Let's use the occasion to say thank you to our friends together.

Have a happy Sunday!

More Powerful Than You Think

We all need a helping hand

After a horrible week at work and then another trip to the hospital yesterday, the arrival of the weekend was a huge relief. My haemoglobin levels had dropped so low that I had to be given some iron through a drip at Salo hospital.  I've been feeling a bit odd ever since though, so I have no idea whether it worked or not.

All in all this past week has been like going through the spin cycle of a washing machine.  I've encountered one or two people who would not know the concept of "compassion" if it hit them in the face. The kind of people who abuse their power at the expense of other people, and seem to get a kick out of it.  I'm sure you know the type.

And at the same time yet I've seen plenty of others who spend their life trying to help and support other people, expecting nothing in return.  We really need that second group to cope with the existence of the first. In any event it feels good to come back to a place where there are friendly people who have better things to do than spending their time stabbing each other in the back.

Beautiful pot of rasperry jam from Marja-Leena

Minttu knows who her friends are

 An additional plus is that the sun is shining. Today in Somero it is 16 degrees, the sky is blue and as a result I am starting to feel vaguely human again.

We spent the morning at Oravatupa, then went to the market at Lamminiemi (a well-being centre for rehabilitation) where there were several local producers and craftspeople selling their products.

We saw our friend Manu there and Minttu grabbed hold of his finger and would not let it go. Even though she is only 14 months, she knows a good person when she sees one.

Hand-made flowers..



candles...



wood products



...and bread from Kotinisu in Ypäjä

In any event,  I genuinely believe that there is a lesson to be learned from every single experience, whether it feels good or bad at the time.  And after a rough week, I have thought a lot about how much power each of us has to affect the well-being of those around us. It is easy to hurt people, or ignore them or make them feel small if that is the kind of person you are. Sadly these people will always exist.

But at the same time it is equally easy to make someone feel special and significant and to boost their confidence and well-being by the smallest of gestures. In this way we all have a huge amount of power.  I received a lovely phone call yesterday evening from a work colleague, and today Marja-Leena appeared with this beautiful home-made pot of jam. Do you know what?  These two things were the highlight of my weekend, and suddenly a bad week was turned into a good one. Oh, and Minttu grabbing hold of Manu's finger of course...

 

We all have the power to make another person smile without much effort at all. Why don't you go out there and see what you can do? 

Look in the Mirror

Why this title? Because someone said these words to me this week. And not in a nice way. The implication was that if I looked in the mirror I would see something I didn't like. So this morning I did.  I had to get up very early, and after brushing my teeth I stared for several minutes at the person that I saw looking back.  I saw a face starting to develop wrinkles, looking a bit tired and with more than one grey hair having appeared.

I took a picture.  I don't like it particularly, and certainly don't find it flattering, but I want you to see what I saw.  Anything else wouldn't be real.

Anyway, I looked at the face. I was looking in the mirror - literally - as this person had suggested I do. And do you know what? I didn't see a bad person staring back at me.  I saw someone who has not been very well this year, who gets it wrong sometimes, who has made plenty of mistakes and who still has a lot to learn. But I also saw someone who genuinely wants to do something, somehow, to help others, whilst I am still young enough to do so.

 I found out this week that in a few months I am going to lose my job.  Obviously this was not good news anyway, but it was made even less enjoyable by the fact that I was told the news in the middle of the staff canteen whilst on a coffee break.  Classy, I thought.

Some people have bosses who care. Some people don't. Anyway, the news has made me think about what to do next. And as I looked at the face in the mirror this morning I wondered what that person should be doing with her life.

I don't have all the answers yet,
but I know that wherever she ends up, the person I saw this morning wants to find a way to help others who are going through a tough time.  And at least when someone tells me that they are having a difficult time at work, I will be able to look them in the eye and say I understand. Because I do. By the way, I took these pictures on the way to the office this morning, because I think it is always worth stopping to see beautiful things, even if it is just the colour of the sky.

So if you are feeling insecure, or attacked by someone or just a bit lost - take a few moments to look at the person you see in the mirror. You never know, you might see someone looking back at you who has more to offer than you thought.

Somero People - Meet Tanja Alenius

Tanja Alenius is originally from Forssa, but now lives in Humppila and works in Somero developing travel and tourism in the area.

Tanja's first job was in telephone sales, and perhaps surprisingly she looks back on that five-year period as being a happy one.

"It was great," she says, laughing. "Certainly challenging, but I really enjoyed it, despite the fact that it's probably the least respected job in Finland!  I probably had to make around fifty calls a day, selling anything from magazines to insurance. Two thirds of people weren't in the slightest bit interested, but most were still polite. I would say five per cent in total were really rude...and it was never young people, always the older generation that were really insulting."

However challenging it was, Tanja did exceptionally well at the job, becoming sales manager when she was still a teenager. After this experience she decided to move on to study business (tradenomi), gaining expereince at the same time in a media and marketing company linked to the college.

"That job was fantastic because it was so creative.  We were involved in marketing campaigns, organising events and visual identit, and I loved it. We were learning all the time and we were encouraged to try new things. It was ok to make mistakes and I was surrounded by creative people, which I really enjoyed."

Unfortunately, as this job was tied to Tanja's training course, it ended once she graduated, and then followed a period of six months at home.

"They were really long months," she remembers.  "It was difficult. We had just moved to Humppila and I didn't know anyone.  I had no car and I was stuck at home with nothing to do. It was really tough."

It was during this period that Tanja first applied for a job in Somero. The first time though she was not successful, so she started work in a supermarket just to get out of the house. Then out of the blue she received a call from the Town Hall. 

"It was last September.They had my cv, and were asking if I was interested in a position as project leader for a travel and tourism development project. It was exactly what I wanted to do, so of course I was over the moon. I said yes staightaway."

Since that phone call, Tanja has been involved in strengthening Somero's travel and tourism network. She was also in charge of organising the Pirturalli car orienteering event last month.

I asked Tanja about Somero's future potential in terms of tourism.

"I think we need more activity-based tourist attractions," she says. "We don't use the river enough at the moment for example, and we could also develop more in terms of winter activities.  We could have ice saunas and husky rides, that sort of thng. The other big area for growth is to attract people from Helsinki and other big towns who want to escape for the weekend. It is peaceful here, and we should fill that gap in the market by providing a real place for them to escape to when they want to get away."

Tanja is one of those people who is full of inspiration and new ideas. You tell immediately that she oozes creativity. If you were involved in a new company or project, then she is exactly the sort of person you would want to have on the team.

"I like people," she says. "I like watching them and knowing why they act in the way they do. I also like taking pictures, drawing, painting and I'm learning how to do tattoos."

At still only 23 years old, Tanja does not know yet what the future holds, but she is certain that she wants to work in a creative atmosphere.  She also wants to feel inspired by a team with whom she can develop new ideas and help improve existing ones.  I am quite sure she has an exciting and varied future ahead, but for the moment we are lucky to have Tanja with us here in Somero.  She carries with her a sense of positivity and optimism which is good for Somero's travel and tourism - but also makes her great company over a cup of coffee!

Somero Church and Hello to Oregon

Matias Roto's last sermon before retirement

I am off for an early night this evening, but I just wanted to post some pictures first from yesterday's church service in Somero.

The occasion was a service of blessing for those who work for the church, including my friend Heidi Sippo, family therapist Anja Nwose and our new vicar Anne Koivula.  I went along with Niko who was very good despite not yet being three.

Heidi Sippo and Saara Roto

It was also an important day because it was the last sermon of Matias Roto who has just retired this summer. Matias and his wife Collette were two of the first people we met when we arrived in Somero, and it was a lovely surprise to hear them speaking French. Collette's mother tongue is also French as she comes orginally from Cameroon. I will write a post in the next few days to tell you  bit more about this very colourful couple.

After the service there was coffee and cake in the parish hall which was very well attended by over a hundred people.

Heidi receives floers from Asko Ojakoski

The differences in "church culture" between what I was used to in the UK and here in Finland are really quite striking. Church services are definitely more formal here.  People talk to each other less and the atmosphere here tends to be much more formal, which is something I have found a bit of a culture shock. Yesterday though it was quite the opposite. The atmosphere was very welcoming and friendly and the reception afterwards was full of positivity for the work that the church does in the community.

Family therapist Anja Nwose

I have a great deal of admiration for the group of people who work here in Somero, because they work to help everyone in the municipality, regardless of whether they are churchgoers or not. Having got to know many of them personally I know how genuine they are and how much effort they put into creating a real community for all of us, and whether you are a religious person or not, that has to be a good thing.

Our new vicar Anna Koivula is welcomed to Somero

Collette and Matias Roto - always smiling

Matias is thanked for his service to Somero

Before I collapse into bed, I must say a big hello from here to Nancy Hamilton from Oregon in the States.  Nancy wrote me a lovely message this morning and has been following the blog to see what is happening in Somero. It was great to hear from you from so far away and you cheered up my morning on the drive into work.  Nancy welcomed an exchange student from Somero (Nina) into her home 26 years ago and they have been like family ever since. Now Nina's daughter is graduating next year so the family plan to visit in the summer. Please come and visit us Nancy and we can feature you and the family on the blog!  In the meantime, greetings from a distinctly autumnal Somero - it's great to know you are keeping in touch from the other side of the world!

Monday Morning Again...

Minttu does not mind Monday Mornings

I have to be honest.  This morning was really hard. I heard the alarm clock go off and it was as if I had only been sleeping for four minutes. It was as though I was getting up in the middle of the night.  Actually 6.15 to me is the middle of the night.

Getting out of bed demanded enormous effort, and even though that was now four hours ago I am still suffering from severe Monday morning fever.

I went to church yesterday (more about that later) where the message was to concentrate on the positive and to remember to be grateful for the things we have. I remembered that this morning when trying to fight that Monday feeling, and celebrated the fact that at least Minttu was in a good mood and did not seem to be troubled by her early morning rise.

On the way to work we passed a "muuntaja" (not sure in English, but some kind of electricity transformer building). I mention that because I have passed it a thousand times and never even noticed it before.  After Päivi's enthusiasm yesterday in photographing one though, this morning I noticed it for the first time. Amazing what you see when you change your perspective a little.

Another good thing.  Monday morning only happens once a week.  And the next one is now seven days away.  Wishing you strength, courage and happiness for the week ahead.  Jody.

The End of a Good Day

Päivi, me and Oskari (in that order)

Today has been a really good day. Having woken up to be greeted by the sunlight this morning, the day continued with its positive theme. It's now 8.30 in the evening. I am tired (especially at the thought of work tomorrow) but feeling content nevertheless after a day packed full of good things.

I grew up in London always feeling a little bit estranged from my family. My father has no living relations, neither do I have brothers or sisters. So in England there was simply no-one.  In contrast, the Finnish side of the family is a large one (I have 21 cousins on my mother's side), but of course when I was in London they were all very far away. As I have got older, my Finnish family has become more and more important.  I just feel lucky to have one in the same country as me for the first time in my life.

 

So today was a special day as I saw one of my cousins (actually my cousin's daughter, but cousin is easier) for the first time in twenty years. We had a really nice afternoon catching up on all sorts of things and promising each other not to leave it another twenty years until the next time.



seeing beauty in ordinary things

Päivi lives in Vantaa with her partner Jani and their dog Ressu. Having spent years in a call centre for Elisa listening to people complaining and whining on the other end of the phone, she decided to start her own business, which she has now run for the last five years. It's called Lainajalat, and you can see her site at www.lainajalat.fi.  Päivi offers a service where she helps elderly people do everyday things that they can no longer manage on their own. Lots of people these days spend a lot of time wondering if they are in the right job - or in fact realising that they are not - but then doing nothing about it.  Because of that I always have great respect for people that have the courage to take life into their own hands and make a change for the better, exactly as Päivi has done.

I took Päivi for a quick tour of Somero (which now includes the Oravatupa!) as she had never been here before. One of her big hobbies is photography, and I loved the fact that she too looks for beauty in ordinary things.  For me, the ability to do this is one of the things that makes life worth living.

In any event, I have reached the end of the weekend feeling optimistic about the week ahead. It has been a day full of sun, friendship and family, and that has to be a good start to anyone's week! Wishing you all a happy and positive week, Jody.

Do You Need Some Light Today?

the first thing I saw this morning

Many times  on this blog I have complained that when the sky is grey everything can seem dull. Both literally and emotionally. The start of the autumn can be a challenging time for many of us in Finland. It is difficult to say goodbye to the summer and few people look forward to the sleet and the dull days before the snow properly settles.

As a person who loves the sunshine myself I understand those things very well. So imagine my delight this morning when I woke up after a restless night to see the sun shining on the leaves outside my bedroom window.  It looked so inspiring that I had to take some pictures outside of the way the rays of sun were casting shadows on the ground and the trees.

These few moments in the garden got my day off to a really good start, so I wanted to share these pictures with you in case you are also in need of some light today.

It seems to me as though a lot of people are feeling a bit lost at the moment one way or another. If you are one of them, remember you are not alone. Maybe if we put our resources together we can help each other find out where we should be going. Here's some light from Somero to get you started on your journey!