Oops! Over two weeks gone without a blog post... in summer reveries. This is an old picture and actually taken in early September, but it fits the mood. It's been +25 C or more every day, only now a bit cooler (but still over +20 C). The sort of days when you feel like you want to do nothing, just be.
The 'being' in this context involves, e.g., going to the beach to swim (almost every morning) - I consider myself a contemplative swimmer: I'm not fast but I AM tenacious and can go a long distance. And it's the process of swimming that counts, not how fast you can go a distance.
And sitting in the deck chair in the balcony, reading. Lately, The Stone Gods and Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson. She can use words to make them dazzle and keep you in their spell. I also finally read the autobiography of Mark Everett (of the Eels) which I'd bought ages ago, Things Your Grandchildren Should Know. He seems a wonderfully sweet man, and optimistic despite a hard, hard life. And Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, they are entertaining and very very funny but also have more than meets the eye. I've plenty of books in my shelf that I've bought at one time or another and haven't got 'round to reading. The deck chair awaits again?
I DO have work to do, too... but I'll get to that tomorrow? August starts tomorrow. If I get back to work tomorrow, it'll be nice and organised, to start right at the beginning of the month. Oh, I was planning to go to the Alppipuisto Jazz tomorrow if the weather is good. Maybe I'll get to work on monday? Monday is good for work. August and monday.
The 10 days at the countryside up north were very lovely. But too many mosquitoes and gadflies which all seem to target me specially! Back in the city, an entertaining morning with the nephews on the beach. Plenty of fighting imaginary pirates who sure got a good whupping. Good that my 5-year-old nephew was commander of the good guys, otherwise the battle would've been lost. In the middle of the fierce battle, the young sir asked me: "So, are you not a grown up yet?" Hm... :-)
Also, a lovely trip with brother's family to the Pihlajasaari island, a popular summer place for Helsinki residents for over 80 years. It felt good to be a part of continuing the tradition. We swam at the beach where the ferries to Tallinn pass very close, (just outside the swimming area), then ate at the restaurant in the old wood villa and spent a while climbing and investigating underwater life in the puddles on the rocks by the shore.
On a different day, my elder nephew went to his first ever rock concert with his parents (Muse), whilst I kept company to the younger. Computer games, watching cartoons, eating ice cream cones (alternating with bare waffle cones), Wii Sports, legos. Quite an active evening that was. My elder nephew suggested that as a payment for my babysitting his brother, he will grant me a free audience. The cheek. He's 10. :-)
Another lovely half-day with sister at the beach and then lunch and a glass of white in the restaurant Wanha Mylly, located at the Herttoniemi manor park (used to be the manor of the last Swedish commander of the Suomenlinna sea fortress) some way towards the city centre. It has the most wonderful shaded patio and a great selection of wines, and the river crab salad was delicious.
Now I'm hoping that the swimming weather isn't over yet (+20 C sea water is still ok, +18 C starts to get too chilly). I wouldn't mind if it rained properly on some days, though. I LOVE mushrooms - no silly jokes about magic mushrooms, thank you - and it's been so dry that I'm worried I won't find any chanterelles at all this year. Of course there's always some to buy, but that doesn't involve the joy of discovery. Besides, the ones at the fruit and veg stand at the mall have looked a bit mangy. I went to look for mushrooms the other day and walked through a large field of clover. It was such a sad sight: all the flowers dead, dry and brown.
I'm also waiting for my annual already-tradition, Flow Festival, held in mid-August at the site of the old Suvilahti power plant right in the city. New and exciting music, gourmet food and central location, just a couple of metro stops from where I live. My kinda festival. :-)
The 'being' in this context involves, e.g., going to the beach to swim (almost every morning) - I consider myself a contemplative swimmer: I'm not fast but I AM tenacious and can go a long distance. And it's the process of swimming that counts, not how fast you can go a distance.
And sitting in the deck chair in the balcony, reading. Lately, The Stone Gods and Gut Symmetries by Jeanette Winterson. She can use words to make them dazzle and keep you in their spell. I also finally read the autobiography of Mark Everett (of the Eels) which I'd bought ages ago, Things Your Grandchildren Should Know. He seems a wonderfully sweet man, and optimistic despite a hard, hard life. And Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, they are entertaining and very very funny but also have more than meets the eye. I've plenty of books in my shelf that I've bought at one time or another and haven't got 'round to reading. The deck chair awaits again?
I DO have work to do, too... but I'll get to that tomorrow? August starts tomorrow. If I get back to work tomorrow, it'll be nice and organised, to start right at the beginning of the month. Oh, I was planning to go to the Alppipuisto Jazz tomorrow if the weather is good. Maybe I'll get to work on monday? Monday is good for work. August and monday.
***
The 10 days at the countryside up north were very lovely. But too many mosquitoes and gadflies which all seem to target me specially! Back in the city, an entertaining morning with the nephews on the beach. Plenty of fighting imaginary pirates who sure got a good whupping. Good that my 5-year-old nephew was commander of the good guys, otherwise the battle would've been lost. In the middle of the fierce battle, the young sir asked me: "So, are you not a grown up yet?" Hm... :-)
Also, a lovely trip with brother's family to the Pihlajasaari island, a popular summer place for Helsinki residents for over 80 years. It felt good to be a part of continuing the tradition. We swam at the beach where the ferries to Tallinn pass very close, (just outside the swimming area), then ate at the restaurant in the old wood villa and spent a while climbing and investigating underwater life in the puddles on the rocks by the shore.
On a different day, my elder nephew went to his first ever rock concert with his parents (Muse), whilst I kept company to the younger. Computer games, watching cartoons, eating ice cream cones (alternating with bare waffle cones), Wii Sports, legos. Quite an active evening that was. My elder nephew suggested that as a payment for my babysitting his brother, he will grant me a free audience. The cheek. He's 10. :-)
Another lovely half-day with sister at the beach and then lunch and a glass of white in the restaurant Wanha Mylly, located at the Herttoniemi manor park (used to be the manor of the last Swedish commander of the Suomenlinna sea fortress) some way towards the city centre. It has the most wonderful shaded patio and a great selection of wines, and the river crab salad was delicious.
Now I'm hoping that the swimming weather isn't over yet (+20 C sea water is still ok, +18 C starts to get too chilly). I wouldn't mind if it rained properly on some days, though. I LOVE mushrooms - no silly jokes about magic mushrooms, thank you - and it's been so dry that I'm worried I won't find any chanterelles at all this year. Of course there's always some to buy, but that doesn't involve the joy of discovery. Besides, the ones at the fruit and veg stand at the mall have looked a bit mangy. I went to look for mushrooms the other day and walked through a large field of clover. It was such a sad sight: all the flowers dead, dry and brown.
I'm also waiting for my annual already-tradition, Flow Festival, held in mid-August at the site of the old Suvilahti power plant right in the city. New and exciting music, gourmet food and central location, just a couple of metro stops from where I live. My kinda festival. :-)
***
Sorry about the slow passing of some comments lately. I had to turn on comment moderation because of Chinese spammers but forgot that it was turned on and therefore forgot to click 'accept' on the notifications that came to my inbox. Also sorry for not visiting blogs. It's all due to summer reveries.
Hope everyone's had a great summer!
5 comments:
very neat picture, and it does capture the weather here now also. The sand is the same color here along the great lake.
Lovely you can swim and you are right: it's not about speed, it is about length. The breathing and focusing on breathing can be meditative which I do find opens the arms to reach deeper into the water and the legs push and kick more evenly.
I'm reading a novel manuscript for a novelist friend of mine, and it is WONDERFUL! I do want to write more and I feel inspired by August 1, as you mention: start August with work.
I am glad you have employment. whew.
Keep enjoying the summer. Lunch with sister sounds fabulous.
our best,
gina and bea bea
I do have employment and I dont in the sense that I work on articles which IS the main work of a researcher, but nobody pays me for it. If only one could live on words alone. Ah well, there's more than one opportunity to apply for in August.
You are lucky to get to read a wonderful novel before anyone else! And good luck with the writing inspiration!
Hi Maria,
Came across your blog whilst searching for E L Wisty tracks and CD's. It's intriguing to see how Peter Cook has managed to penetrate the halls of Finnish Academia. Not something one would ordinarily expect.
He would approve of your manyana approach to work and would encourage you to give anyone who says different a poke in the face with a mop covered in fig jam.
Enjoy the summer and don't rush back to work, there's always next week.
Hi Barry,
I doubt I'd got into Peter Cook without the internet and Youtube particularly. And you're right, I do think Peter Cook would approve my work, erm, methods! Thanks for stopping by.
What a great account of what sounds like a very lovely summer Maria. So glad you are enjoying the beautiful weather. It's cooler here now and has been somewhat wet too, but I don't mind as long as summer isn't over yet.
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