A flock of chicken may seem just a group of birds roaming around randomly. When you observe them for hours, days, months and years, you discover that there is a complicated social structure in the chicken community. There are also family bonds and other life-long relationships. Hertta and Japp were the king and the queen … More We are family!
The shortest day of the year 2019, 22nd December, is ending as we are writing this. Here, slightly above the Polar Circle, sun climbs above the horizon for less than two hours. Though we do not see it at all as it remains behind the hills and fells even at the highest point. Our one-and-half-hour … More The shortest day of the year
Livestock guard dogs can become great sheep whisperers. We did read a lot about this before we became “Maremmano-people”, but we had no idea how far these dog´s ability to communicate with another species goes. Our dogs do neither give commands to the sheep, nor steer them by staring. They just somehow gently and silently … More Speaking with another species
The year 2019 started really cold and continues really snowy here in Finnish Lapland. It just keeps snowing, day after day, week after week. There are no fences left in our world. Or if there are, you can just ski over them. Snow fall is most challenging when it comes with a lot of wind. … More Winter of extremes
It is the coldest of Lapland´s eight seasons, the “frosty winter”. Just few weeks have gone since the winter solstice. Days are still short. Temperature outside is around – 30 Celcius degrees while we are writing this. Yes, to be honest, the coldest days of the winter are rather challenging, just trying to survive the … More Midwinter magic?
It was another busy summer! We were simply too busy to write about it. But at least we took some pictures. One of the first duties of the season was rearranging the growing place for young asparagus plants. There always must be new trials, some for each season. This mysterious group of seedlings is one … More Just like summers used to be – before they invented holidays!
If the last few springs have been cold and late, May 2018 has been warm and early. The lake became free of ice cover already May 14th, about one week early, compared to the usual. At the same time there have been so many quite clear still nights, and these conditions create the perfect lake side viewing. … More The darling nights of May
In Lapland, days are getting longer. The second one of the Lapland’s eight seasons is about to start, perhaps slightly late this year. The season of frosty winter is ending and the season of crusty snow is starting. The difference is that the day temperatures are suddenly warm. The surface of snow melts during the … More When sun shines into the log shed
Beginning of the Chinese year of the dog was recently celebrated around the world, including Finland. For us this really feels like the year of the dog. Our sheepdog puppies are soon five months old and busy creatures. Puppy day starts with a short walk and checking the surroundings. A morning walk? Just joking. Doggies really … More The year of the dog – and a doggy day
Small puppies, great journey – and a special day. While Finland was celebrating 100 years of independence, early December 2017, two little sheepdog puppies made a journey from one end of the celebrating country to the other. The destination was Teeriniemi in Finnish Lapland. Puppies soon changed their arrival shyness to curiosity. They are gowing fast and … More The (to be) mighty sheepdogs
