December is the darkest time of year. Kaamos is the word for the period of darkness when the sun doesn't even rise above the horizon. We don't have it as bad as Lappland, where the sun doesn't rise at all for a few months. At worst, we had about 4h of daylight.
Sunlight is precious :)
But at least we have a warm and cozy house and pretty stars to enjoy :)
I would have wished for more northern lights, but was happy to see them even once :)
In November I went to a Pathfinder planning meeting at Iso Kirja, in Keuruu, where the TED Pathfinder Camporee will take place this coming July. These are some pictures from around the area. It's a pretty place.
This past autumn was beautiful with lots of sunny days and warm temperatures.
I spent October and half of November visiting friends, doing housework, going jogging and taking pictures. It was nice to relax for a while after going non-stop for months.
Apples were plentiful. Apparently there had been lots of berries too, but I got home too late to pick any :(
Also had the privilege of meeting Morten, Laura's Danish boyfriend
The guys convinced me to go downhill skiing a week ago at Tornimäki, here in Mikkeli. It was my first time and they had a hard time keeping me from turning back, but they succeeded and I succeeded (well, kind of...)
with Lasse
Matti
thinking I'd rather stay at the top than brave the steep descent
this is what happens when you go down the hill. First-timers beware!
Afterwards we went back to the church and warmed up with hot chocolate and a Toblerone while playing Carcassonne and Ligretto for hours :) A great day!
Here's to looking forward to a great year 2010, full of happy surprises, dreams come true, new friends, meeting with old ones, more travels, new opportunities, kept resolutions and becoming better people! I'll close with one more thought: Carpe Diem!
When the millennium changed a decade ago I was 12 years old and doing a load of laundry :D Ten years have seen a few things I guess. We moved back to Finland, bought a house and got a cat, Misti (the mother of all cats, nearly 40 so far). I graduated high school and made my way to Argentina. Spent time in Kenya, England and Kazakhstan too and entertained grannies at the nursing home in between. And I fear the next ten years will go even faster.
It’s hard to imagine the next years being better than the past ones, but that’s what I’ve thought every year, and each time I’m positively surprised. The pros always outweigh the cons. Level 4 idiom ‘All in all’ they’re always good.
Climbing in the Alatau mountains with Rebekah and students, April 2009
