I've found myself loving and appreciating my family and roots in a new way lately (one of the good things that come with the age) and during these weeks here it has just deepened. We have spent good days in the country and here are some photos of our hoods and what we've achieved so far:



I love the short walk between Ahola and Suojala (a small one room house where my dad was born and lived his first year. Mom and dad bought Suojala last summer. It's taken a lot of hard work and renovating as well but it's nearly finished!)



I love how the wind plays in the trees outside Suojala.



Here's the bedroom after I tore the plastic carpet and the hardboard layers away. Underneath awaited a very unpleasant surprise: a perfectly annoying layer of cement that grandpa had applied in order to even the plank floor (we assume it's the original floor from the 1800's).



It'll take lots of time and patience to scrape and wipe the floor clean of cement. But I can already see the floor shiny white, it'll be stunning!



Henna and Markus joined us one day and we had a blast. We worked on the bedroom pulling out hundreds of nails that had kept the hardboards on the floor, Henna ripped of the wallpapers and Markus pulled down the walk-in closet from the corner (I believe the beautiful heater next to it is happy about it). Thank you for your tremendous help!



I'm dreaming of a wallpaper with roses or something for the bedroom walls. The heater, I believe, will be painted white. (The lampshade was crocheted by mom back in the day. Wouldn't it be perfect for the loo?)



Mikko and dad started pulling down the paneled closets and walls from the foyer.



Here's the sauna before Markus tore the benches away.



There are three granaries that will be bedrooms (I love the old beds!). Me and mom used two nights to empty this one; boy it looks good now.



We created a habit of ending the day with pancakes.



I felt so sad driving home from Ahola for the last time this summer. I can't wait to get back to work! We've really just scratched the surface so far; there's a ton to do but I look forward to it and I really hope we all (sisters and brothers and families) will get to spend days and weeks together in Ahola next summer. I love the place.

Henna is getting married in six weeks so we had to surprise her and celebrate a little.

Pauliina has a beautiful new home and we celebrated her birthday.

Everyday jubilations

Look at me, fix your eyes on me,
and I'll make every morning Christmas morning.
You just wait to wake and find yourself
running down the stairs,
the air filled with the smell of something delicious
and the house full of warmth.

Set your hands on me
and I'll make every night surprise birthday parties.
I'll give you the jumps every time you come home,
make you the center of attention
until you'll feel awkward getting used to it,
until you're forced to love yourself
more than you did
when the door handle was still in your palm,
turning slowly.


Samu Ainesmaa


A friend of mine just published his debut book. I got it yesterday, and I am so in love with his poetry.

I'm at Henna's for some days and the internet connection seems too slow to upload any photos, I'm afraid. I am eager to show you our first days in Ahola! Henna and Markus went out of town and I've had a wonderfully lazy morning/afternoon on the sofa under blankets. I had yesterday's leftover pizza for lunch on the balcony in my nightgown. I watched this on TV and fell in love with Jamie Oliver.

If I spent July at home I'd throw so many Garden Parties!

I had a friend visiting for Midsummer whom I hadn't seen in 10 years. (We met in YMAM back in the day.) It was incredible to share 10 years in one night and one morning; we'd heard the most important details over the years but it all became a lot more real now when actually meeting her. I loved having Eva over and sharing so much. It almost feels like I got a new friend.

I arrived to mom and dad's in the morning but am already well settled in the backyard.

Tomorrow we're going to Kestilä; I'll see Ahola (here's the story) first time since last summer, can't wait! I've been having so many visions and plans in my head throughout the winter and I'm so happy to finally start working at it!

With all this time in my hands (as much as I would've liked to spend some more of my holiday at home in Helsinki cleaning cupboards, spending whole days in the kitchen and going to all the cafés I haven't gone to yet, I'm quite pleased with a little break from my everyday surroundings) I'll be posting stuff from last weeks. The summer's been beautiful!

Hope you're all doing well!

There's just something very good about mornings.

What a pleasant start for vacation I had at my friend's country house last week! I enjoyed the big old house and the silent stories it held. I listened to the sea wind and Sakari playing the guitar. I slept well and had yummy blueberry jam sandwiches for breakfast. I loved sharing with friends I hadn't spent time with in ages. I left home happy, rested and revived. Thank you!

I'm a little behind in posting. Here's the Garden Party I threw for the start of my vacation:

Annan tuntien ma luistaa,
päivien ja öiden tulla,
mitään toivomust' ei mulla,
mitään en ma tahdo muistaa
kukkivien puiden alla.
Päivä hehkuu taivahalla,
poutapilvet kulkeissansa
levittävät purjeitansa.

(from the poem Sydänkesällä by V.A.Koskenniemi)

I'm going to my friend's country house for some days. I am packing Erica Bauermeister's novel Elämän lempeät maut (The school of essential ingredients) with me; I got it from my sister as a summer present. She knows I love presents.

Rhubarb porridge in the garden the other night



and celebrating the start of my summer vacation with Jessika by trying out the new coffee shop Good Life Coffee on Kolmas linja 17 (ah, the best coffee I've had in a very long time! We're regular customers and our days craving for good coffee are saved!)

Bliss. Utter bliss of slowly realizing I'm on vacation till August. Long mornings, countryside, cottages, docks, family and friends, good times, here I come!

Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one's time, for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams we plant the seeds of our future. (Unknown)

A restless day at work with Jessika and a cozy night with Henni and rhubarb pie and a long conversation on (among other things) how "love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1Cor.13:4-7)

And an amazing pink sunset. Thank you.

(Helsinki is charming in the summertime. Oh the smell of blooming trees and cows out in the fields!)

I've got a feeling that I have a very beautiful summer ahead of me.

A slow morning (for the first time all week I don't have to do anything or be anywhere) with Mondo Ruoka&Matka, my favorite magazine that for some silly reason only comes out once year. Go get your copy; it's packed with inspiration, beautiful pictures and good tips!

TOP 5

1) listening to birds sing
2) our chestnut in bloom
3) the beauty and diversity of people and their hearts
4) Mielihyvää by Jukka Poika
5) African food (at Maailma kylässä)

I had the family over for breakfast. Mikko we missed you!

Here's what I was making on the messy breakfast table in my previous post (an engagement card for Henna and Markus)



and here's the view from my bedroom window. I loved it from day one.

The song of the morning: Skinny dippin girl by Joe Purdy

I tried out carrot cupcakes yesterday for a night at Helena's and they were so good I made them today as well for girls at work.

CARROT CUPCAKES

(makes 12)

250ml flour (I've been using different combos of almond, rice and spelt flour, you could also just use plain wheat flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1,5tsp cinnamon
a good pinch of ground cardamom
a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
a pinch of ground ginger
0,5tsp salt
200ml raw cane sugar
180ml oil
3-4 carrots
2 organic eggs (room temperature)

120g cream cheese
100ml powdered sugar
25g melted butter
organic almonds/hazelnuts for garnish


Mix the dry ingredients. Grate the carrots and mix them and the oil and the eggs with a spatula and add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Place paper muffin tins in a muffin tray and divide the batter into them. Bake in 175 celsius for about 10-15 minutes. Let cool complelety on wire racks. Make the frosting by mixing together cream cheese, sugar and butter until creamy. Cover completely cooled cupcakes with the frosting and sprinkle chopped almonds on top. Keep the cupcakes covered in the fridge overnight before serving; they'll taste a lot more and better the day after.

(You can also make a cake with the same recipe; just pour the dough into a lined or greased tin (diameter about 24cm) and bake for about 15-20 minutes, just until a toothpick comes out clean.)


(photo by Helena Mackey)

Best things lately: blueberry banana pancakes for breakfast, family, leaves on trees, the film "We bought a zoo" and the fact that I planted my first basil ever.