Blog 5

Over the Easter break I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in a waterfront cabin on the outskirts of Uusikaupunki which is on the edge of the Archipelago Sea. An incredible natural wonder, it is situated in the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland.  It is considered to be the largest archipelago in the world, based on the number of islands and islets within it. I enjoyed a campfire on the shoreline on the evening of Good Friday and felt blessed as I watched swans, geese and even a white-tailed eagle fly past, also enjoying the mild weather and evening light

Night view from the shore

I have been made very aware during my time here, that one of the reasons that Finland is continually ranked as the happiest nation in the World Happiness Report, is directly connected to spending time in ‘the Nature’. It is clear that this reverence for nature is woven into the cultural fabric and after experiencing my own close encounter with the beauty of the forest and the lakes, I can understand why.  I have always found joy in spending time on the coast and in the Australian bush, and I especially love getting up close and observing tiny details.  I can easily spend hours at the beach wandering around the rockpools and be completely drawn in to the microworlds that exist in the crevices. I adore seaweed and kelp and the variety of textures and colours are endlessly inspiring to me in my artmaking.  Now I can add a new obsession, and that is Finnish moss!  What magical stuff is this; all spongey, soft, and colourful? And tough at the same time, surviving the freeze and then springing to life as soon as the air warms. I found a new kind of microworld, and it is equally otherworldly and beautiful.

I took many photographs in the forest. It was a lovely compromise as I was unable to gather moss as tempting as it was.  It is one of the few exceptions to what is known as “The Everyman’s Rights,” or Jokaisenoikeudet, the right for every person to roam free, forage, and gather from forests and natural areas regardless of land ownership.  What an incredible law.  It is so refreshing to be visiting a country that trusts its citizens to do the right thing, tread softly in the natural world with respect for all creatures and plant life.   I’ve been informed that autumn is the best time for foraging, when the forest is bursting with berries and mushrooms.  It is the perfect reason for me to plan a return trip.  How exciting it would be for me, especially coming from Australia where we are taught from a very young age, not to eat berries or mushrooms that we find in the wild, for fear of being poisoned!

Despite the weather becoming very wet, and it being ‘off season’, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the nature.  I felt grounded, the peacefulness was intoxicating, and I understood too the benefits of silence.  My silence allowed the birdsong to become the soundtrack to our walks.  We heard the wind shifting the pines and the gentle drips of water falling from branches as they gathered the soft rain. The ripples on the lake told us the wind levels, the intensifying crackling of the wood in the burner let us know the hot tub was ready! The loud yelping of my husband as he plunged off the end of the jetty into the cold water, unsettled some nearby ducks but otherwise, we were in happy and in harmony with nature, completely calmed and restored by her.

I hope that you also experienced happiness over the Easter break! 

Kiitos,

Katey

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention some new foods I tried, as recommended by my Finnish friends; Mämmi an incredibly unattractive but strangely comforting traditional Easter dessert, and the exquisite Fazer Mignon chocolate eggs, that should come with a warning to unsuspecting foreigners that the shell is real and not candy! Luckily no eggshell was ingested.