Karin Parker's blog

2012-02-11T14:08:00.000+02:00

Northern lights, over the frozen lake, accompanied by the reflections and ice pillars of city lights. It was pretty cold, but the weather has been crazy. One day more than twenty below zero, then the next just -5'C or so. It feels unsettled. We can have tremendous snow fall and then the next day is very cold, clear and intensely crisp light. There are birds singing, and early hints of some coming back. I am frustrated that we've not seen some good revontulet displays from Oulu: the three fantastic geomagnetic storms have coincided bad weather here. It is so annoying to hear that there have been great lights over Shetland while we have stared at cloud.

2012-01-29T14:11:00.001+02:00

I get very excited when I hear of birds I used to see in the UK venturing up north. Cormorants used to sit on the boats in Bristol docks and I have been looking out for them here. I didn't think one would turn up on the river when the temperature drops to -22'C.

It was a glorious morning with wonderful light for photos.

The daytime sky is becoming bluer and it does feel like spring is possible - even if it will be a couple of months or more away!

Today was one of those days when it has truly felt great to be alive, and to be living up here. Biting cold, crystal ice and a lovely warm sauna to come home to.

2012-01-14T19:21:00.000+02:00

Finally there have been some clear skies and the sun has been visible.

And at midday the sky was blue: not very intense, but it was so good to see. The temperature has dropped to about -8'C which is still incredibly warm for the time of year.

But, it's great to get outside. I am enjoying 'dementia skiing': using nordic walking poles. I guess I am just getting old - but at least I get some exercise.

2012-01-08T16:40:00.000+02:00

I've not done much photography (except for cats) as the weather has been poor. For a start we only just dipped below zero between Christmas and New Year, so have had very little snow cover. The ice has been omnipresent and I am much appreciating the spiked shoes I bought a couple of years ago. The birds were really late leaving and I am sure I heard greenfinches in the back yard area yesterday.
Persistent cloud has stopped any hope of watching revontulet; so far this is all I have seen this winter.

I have much appreciated having a long winter break - over two weeks off work. It's been a great time to get a few things done, even starting some studying to get more qualifications together in order to be elegible, eventually for a permanent job here. In the UK it seems there are many ways to qualify to teach at secondary level across a range of subjects here you have to have a standard much higher (Masters level in specified subjects). I wonder if there'd be any science teachers in England if the same standards applied.

2011-10-26T21:59:00.000+03:00

The swans are still here. The temperature has hardly dipped below zero and it's been very damp and murky.

Behind the clouds apparently there have been great revontulet. I don't like this weather - anything between +5'C and -5'C is too English for me. I much prefer the colder, clearer skies e ven if the birds have by then flown.

2011-10-17T06:49:00.001+03:00

A grey heron wouldn't be anything to write home about back in the UK, but there were 16 gathering a month ago around the lake shore at the back of the house. That's quite a record this far north. Incredibly shy, they were too far away to photograph and I thought they had flown off a long time since. Yesterday I was out on a rare stroll and one flew by.

2011-09-10T19:29:00.004+03:00

The birds are gathering and getting ready to leave and I am not looking forward to the emptiness of the winter. It's crazy to think that the noise of a few thousand cranes in a field will suddenly disappear.

It's hard to describe the sound the cranes make. It's loud but not unpleasant. I do miss the huge flocks of starlings from the UK - this is the closest thing to it. They rise up, disturbed and then fly off to another field as a huge crowd. And then in the sunset more threads of cranes continue across the sky.

I guess they do this for a week or so before they all fly off permanently.

Behind the clouds last night there were great revontulet, so now the photohunt for those begins again.

2011-08-21T12:46:00.003+03:00

It's autumn. It's the start of the hunting season. A bird watching trip to a nearby lintutorni, a sanctuary where a week or so ago I saw three white-tailed eagles (two adults and their young), and the place is packed with cars and caravans. Luckily there is one area of Liminka Bay which is safe for the birds and protected from hunters, but it did feel like an abuse of The Nature. Sure, I'm the foreigner, not understanding the desire to blast animals out of their lives each year, and it's not really my place to make comments on the Finnish culture: afterall hunting is an important means of providing food before the hardships of winter, for all those impoverished four wheel drive owners who stalk their way across the swamp in the latest hunting designer gear.

2011-07-12T18:32:00.006+03:00

I've been really enjoying just watching birds this summer, and not concentrating on photos so much. All over Finland there are bird watching towers, usually with excellent access paths. However they are not close enough for fantastic pictures: I need to watch from a hide with great patience and a lot of mosquito repellant to get those. However, there have been some opportunities.

And I was delighted to find this mute swan and chicks. Okay, they can be found in just about every public park in the UK and are aggressive and greedy. This one however is at the northern edge of its range, and migratory. We don't get many here - the whooper swan is the usual star.

It does pay to have the camera accessible at all times. This bittern flew out of some reeds by a lake where I had stopped to watch another English staple - coots.

We have had several more days above 30'C, which is far too hot for me. It's made me more tired and lazy so I've not been out taking photos of many golden sunsets either. But the dusk is getting a little darker now and there are flocks of birds beginning to gather, even in mid-July.

2011-06-14T19:58:00.005+03:00

It's a week into the summer holidays and we've had a heat wave - several days over 30'C. I was regretting getting rid of my air conditioner in the UK and have ordered one here (they'd all sold out!).

I spent a fantastic few days in Oravi, in the southeast. It was a superb way to start the summer break, with three active osprey nests near by. And I got up at 4am to try catch the morning light, and hear the thunderous morning chorus.

Now I'm back to doing things at home - all the admin that's built up plus a load of tidying up. I've some translation and planning to do before term starts in August - I feel very relieved to have had my contract renewed but really have to do something about my Finnish as it will help me improve my chances of getting a job elsewhere if the teaching contract ever does end. I am aiming for the intermediate language proficiency exam in August 2012.......

2011-05-25T20:48:00.002+03:00

These are 2km from my home; 7 bee-eaters who have got a bit lost.

A lifetime tick for me, and I would never have expected to see these in northern Finland. Apparently there have only been 10 previous records for Oulu, and only for single birds but there were seven in total. Unbelievable; uskomaton.

2011-05-01T11:23:00.002+03:00

The snow has gone from the garden, and night time is very short already. The pied wagtail, that symbol of summer's return, is back. And it's Vappu so most of Finland will have a hangover tomorrow. It's still pretty cold (with morning frosts), and there are no shoots on the trees yet - it is a strange time before plants actually explode into life again.

2011-04-25T20:16:00.003+03:00

The Easter weekend has been warm and sunny. There's still some snow in the garden but there arte also sprouting strawberry plants. I have contributed criminally to my carbon footprint to get photos of birds, finishing up with a blurred osprey and then a sea eagle (above) from Sannanlahti yesterday. After all the barren months of osprey hunting, I see one on the first day out in Liminka Bay this year!

This Easter bunny was running around the fields of Muhos which were bare of cranes. I drove for miles trying to spot them.

There were hundreds of swans (whooper) out in Liminganlahti, but further round the coast I saw a pair of mute swans - really common in the UK but a first for me here.

I keep meaning to get better at goose identification. I guess I'm not so concerned with tick lists but getting good pictures. A book has just come out here cowritten by the local photographer Jari Peltomäki, Lintukuvauksen käsikirja which I can't wait to read (probably in English translation) as this is the sort of photography I want to do - birds in action and with character. As well as being in perfect focus and composition - I have a lot to learn.

2011-04-17T12:15:00.002+03:00

The migration is in midflow and the world is good. I drove down to Kiuruvesi yesterday to meet a friend - finally finding some roads where it was necessary to change gear to go round a bend. Most of Pohjois-Pohjanmaa is undeniably flat and dull to drive around. It was great to get out, and a drive usually clears my mind too. Being used to English roads it is extremely hard to keep speed down.

Temperatures are still dipping below zero and the wind is fierce so it's not t-shirt weather yet. I am also wondering about the best times to start planting seeds. I think my blackberries survived the winter (up on the balcony in tubs under frost blankets), and I am keeping fingers-crossed my snake's head fritillary (fritillaria meleagris) bulbs might sprout but this is a big ask. This year I do want to try to devote more garden space to growing veggies, and also to indulge the cats with more stuff for them to climb and lie on in their 'catio' space.

2011-04-09T21:26:00.002+03:00

And so, they will come. The spring has returned and the sun has some strength. Although this effectively means the end of the aurora season, the serious birding now begins.

Yesterday I saw no swans but today I went further south and saw plenty. I've not managed to catch the spring influx before, so don't fully know the places to look or exact timings. I'm glad I am slowly beginning to understand the local info websites, although progress in the language department is still slow.

2011-03-09T14:28:00.002+02:00

I spent a day in the golden eagle hides near Utajärvi. Even though the temperature was above zero, I was really glad of the heating and comfort. These places are incredible. Sitting 25m away from feeding eagles......breathtaking.

Even though the weather has warmed up so most of the eagle are fending for themselves and not lazily relying on carcasses, one bird came at 8am and then a pair late in the afternoon.

In between there were ravens and magpies keeping the place moderately busy (twelve hours in a hide does feel a long time but I've always used bird watching to set the troubles of the world to rights in my head - it's definitely a spiritual thing for me!).

2011-03-05T11:00:00.002+02:00

This is a sequence of 30s exposures taken on March 3rd. The display was nothing like the one earlier in the week, just a 'Kp 3' and this was towards the end of a curtain breaking up.

It's ironic that watching this display I felt it was fairly unexciting, when twelve months ago I would have killed to have seen this!

2011-03-02T09:48:00.004+02:00

The best display since I arrived in Finland - and even better as it was at 8pm and the temperature was only -3'C. The pictures simply don't do it justice - you just have to see the dance of the lights for yourself to believe it to be true. The orange is street lighting reflected from cloud. This was taken about 6km for the city centre.

2011-02-19T18:35:00.003+02:00

The much-hyped magnetic storm that even made the BBC news site didn't show here during night-time hours. It produced a great display in the morning as indicated by data on the web, and I hoped it would last but when I optimistically drove out of town, there was nothing but a beautiful full moon and some wispy cloud. This picture was taken at -25'C in full moonlight. These trips take a bit of planning: I usually set two cameras up ready with wide angled lenses (with spare batteries which can drain very fast), and make sure I have enough layers to keep warm. My toes and fingers always end up freezing though (yesterday I wore some fantastic socks knitted from dog fur). I have a map of suitable viewing spots that have a good view north. This one is about 20km from home.

Even when it is really cold and clear, it can snow. These beautiful flakes were on the car yesterday morning.

2011-02-12T21:27:00.002+02:00

It'll be a while before the migrants are back, but there's more daylight and those birds that stayed are singing more and the world feels good (even if the temperature varies by 20'C from one day to another). The waxwings are still tormenting me by showing up every time I don't have my SLR. This one was part of a flock by a supermarket car park. Ironically in the UK that was usually the best place to see them thanks to all the rowan trees planted there.

2011-01-30T20:18:00.002+02:00

The temperature has been all over the place - above zero for a day last week and back to -20'C the next day. The ducks in the city are hungry for bread, and pulla.

The light is glorious when the sun's out. If it were England I could believe it is spring time, but I know we have another three or four months of snow ahead still. But the birds will come back soon.

In the meantime, the Oulujoki ducks do provide a good subject for photography, even though the light is a challenge.

2010-12-29T19:46:00.002+02:00

There was an unexpected show of revontulet last night, at 6pm too which was early enough to freeze (-20'C) and then get warm in the sauna. I could only see the green with my eye, but the camera showed more colours. They are breath-taking and I know I still haven't seen a really impressive show!

2010-12-26T21:34:00.003+02:00

Christmas really does feel as it should for me here. I am still humbled that I get invited to other people's houses to join in their family Christmas, and as that is on the 24th I also get to have another Christmas the next day with the cats. I love having a 'real' tree with presents under it (and how come I get far more presents here than I did in England?). Admittedly many are for the cats, but that just pleases me even more. The eleven of them are settling and there have only been minor disagreements recently, and they are controlling their toilet habits a bit more.

There's not been so much snow in the north here but many days of biting cold (-30'C already in December). The cats are still trying to go outside when the can, but maybe not for long.

I have a lovely long holiday - work resumes on January 10th so I am hoping to read 'War and Peace'; there's not so much photography to be done right now.

2010-12-12T20:04:00.003+02:00

This December we have had some beautiful clear days, but even at noon the sun has little strength. I am getting out and about with the camera, and have been chasing aurorae a few times with limited success but it's been good fun even if I have had a few late nights. I'm finding it important to get outside during daylight so have to be careful not to oversleep at weekends. In the week I try to get outside when I can and am grateful for a couple of early finishes at school so I can at least do a couple of commutes in daylight. The snow is making everything so much lighter, and the clear skies are beautiful: I've never seen so many stars.

The cats demand to go outside when they can but generally last only a few minutes before coming inside (it's -15'C or lower). A couple of the Finncats want to stay out longer, as if to prove their sisu.

A book club has started up here for English speakers and that's been really positive. Before this I had resisted most forms of social networking, especially in English, but the chance to talk about books was too good to pass over. Also, I am struggling with motivation for learning Finnish and feel so utterly stupid when it's used (and am aware that at work the expectation is that I should be much further advanced than I am). I can at least understand the gist of conversations, but need to apply myself more to vocabulary building. To be honest, 6 months in an all-Finnish speaking environment would be great for me (but at the moment I'd rather stay in paid employment). I do now realise how lucky I was to move here with a job: even if I were able to speak Finnish I know I would not stand a chance of getting a job in a Finnish speaking environment as preference is always given to native speakers. Anyway, I'll resume classes after Christmas and keep going with the slow progress I am making.

2010-11-28T16:25:00.003+02:00

We've had very cold temperatures already. While the UK is in the middle of news headlines about travel chaos and record freezes for November, YLE has described the chill here as 'a bit frosty'. That reflects -22'C last night, which was positively tropical compared to northern Lapland.

The clear skies have meant great light - even if only for five hours.

And I have been incredibly lucky with the northern lights, having seen two good displays in a week. Last night I was out with a fellow enthusiast, looking for a good north-facing spot. The forecast was negligible but while we were sat in the car in a fantastic spot trying to get a GPS location, the skies lit up and we were treated to a really good show. Still only greens, but I am very hopeful of more colours this winter. Hopefully there'll also be some good opportunities to practice some astrophotography too. It's so great to have the energy to look for these things - I certainly didn't feel so adventuorous last year; maybe that weird light thing that I stick in my ears (dubbed the iSAD by a friend) is working.....

2010-11-19T20:05:00.004+02:00

It's about five weeks until the shortest day, and already it feels like I've not seen the sun for too long. However the snow makes it all much brighter. I am getting out to take photos much more, but it feels like a battle against grey.

It gives me the chance to fiddle with monochrome though. I do want to try to keep taking bird pictures, even if the only subjects are the ducks on Oulujoki, sitting in ever-decreasing areas of running water.

I'm very happy to leave the ice swimming to them.

2010-10-30T20:28:00.003+03:00

I missed the main gathering of swans this year, but there are still a few around Liminka right now. It does feel like everything is closing down for winter and I have tried to be ready this year. The garden is cleared, winter lights up and the camera kit by the back door for when the northern lights show.

I feel a lot more positive right now, having started taking St John's Wort (not available here) and also I have started using the Valkee device, nicknamed the iSAD by a friend of mine. If shining bright light into my ears for 12 minutes a day stops SAD, it will be well worth the 185€ paid (but yes, it does seem expensive - I'll know in March if it's been worth it).

The autumn break has gone quickly - I didn't do much except visit friends in Kuopio. This involved 250km of tense driving as the winter tyres had not been fitted and there'd been a snow fall everywhere 30km south of Oulu which I hadn't spotted on the forecast. I now know to check the webpage of road cameras and temperatures and to make sure that I get the tyres changed in good time next year.

2010-10-12T20:21:00.002+03:00

There was a big solar storm a day or so ago, and in a break in the clouds I got this picture from the local lake. I wasn't totally prepared and the weather was changing again so I didn't get much chance to practice photos. This was a 30second exposure and I was really pleased to get the Pleiades in shot. The lights continued but behind the clouds which brought the first serious snow of the year. And I guess I better get the winter tyres sorted......

2010-10-10T09:42:00.004+03:00

These are the best waxwing shot so far - shooting into a very cloudy sky so the exposure needed some help from photoshop. There are many more of them now in Oulu and yesterday morning there were about 50 in the tree right nearest the house.

I had my first experience of a Finnish hospital last week, after an unfortunate collision of cat teeth and flesh. Although the waiting time and area were comparable with what I know of English A&E the treatment, obvious things missing in the assessment, like questions about the injury ('can you move your thumb?' or even ''does it hurt?' would have been a good start) were missing, and there was a complete lack of dignity for very sick people waiting on trolleys after initial assessment, and waiting for X-rays etc.. I was extremely embarrassed to be told to sit and wait on this 'death row' while a nurse got me some medication. A few curtains to give patients some privacy from gawping strangers like me would have helped. Although I have always been against private medicine I have got an insurance application to fill in. Horror stories from friends and colleagues have just confirmed the need to do this. I do miss the NHS. Anyway, despite being given the incorrect antibiotics for a cat bite (wrongly identified as a scratch by the doctor), and having nerve damage to my thumb, it's healing up. And thankfully the cat fight that caused it has also calmed.

2010-10-03T16:28:00.004+03:00

I am greatly enjoying the autumn colours. My camera is permanently stashed in the car now, ready for a detour on the way home if the light is good. I realise how little I have explored the area in which I actually live: all these photos were taken within 1km of the house. I have also found a path down to the lake (the shore is 100m away but through reds and swamp) and hope that I'll get out there more often. At the moment there are some ducks and gulls lurking, but I am too late for the visiting white-tailed eagle I'm sure by now. And as for the waxwings - there are plenty around, flying over and not settling to eat the many berries. I still haven't got that shot yet.

2010-09-26T20:37:00.002+03:00

After what's felt like weeks of rain, we had a beautiful, clear autumn day. The cranes have just about gone - I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. Watching them fly over at sunset was breathtaking.

Today there were just swans from the same lintutorni, and a rather late buzzard flying around. More locally, there have been waxwings and fieldfares flying around. Last year they carried on south as the rowan berries all dropped (apparently a sign of a harsh winter).

This year there are still berries so I am hopeful of that elusive 'perfect' waxwing shot.

In the meantime there are plenty of other photo opportunities, and today's light really helped me feel more positive about the night's drawing in and the approach of winter. I am also hoping there'll be more northern lights visible - there were some great solar storms over summer so maybe the sun's activity will continue to increase. My camera kit will be ready by the door, just in case.

Work is going well, and I continue to be very grateful not to be in a job in teaching in the UK. I feel also that I am settling more into my house - it is taking a long while but I hesitate about things like which pictures to put on the wall, which perhaps would make it more homely more quickly. My cat family has grown - up to 11 now. All rescues, all true individuals and luckily so far fairly harmonious. Yes, the label of crazy cat woman applies and I certainly enjoy feline company 24/7 more than that of any human - but I am sure I really don't care what anyone else thinks of that.

2010-08-29T19:13:00.003+03:00

The cranes are incredible, and watching the flocks gather is breath taking. Autumn is here. Sure, I am not looking forward to the winter darkness, but term has started well and I am trying to get a bit fitter, so my mood has lifted. I am really pleased to have my own 'class' which I hope I'll keep for three years, and my timetable has the most magnificent free Friday afternoon - so I am also feeling pretty good about work. Now I just need to motivate myself to make progress with Finnish. I am understanding more each week, but still berate myself for not putting in the effort. There are some excellent courses here in Oulu, and I am also attending some of the lessons in school with the students - which makes for some amusing classroom dynamics when the chemistry/physics teacher becomes the FFL student.

I had my first experience of a Finnish funeral a couple of weeks ago, and of course it raised many issues for me. It was a shock how different an occasion it was to my experiences in the UK, and the formality and atmosphere felt really quite grim to me. I know such things cannot really ever be happy, but it did not feel like a celebration of the life which had sadly ended.

2010-08-11T19:54:00.003+03:00

Now in England I'd still be on holiday, so going back to work in August is still a shock; in my head August is not for working. Never mind the fact that I've had ten glorious weeks with no pressures! I always want more.

However, the summer has peaked and the flocks are gathering. I guess I feel worried that when it gets darker, so will my mood and I want to avoid another bout of depression. So watching the geese last week I did feel sad, and a little anxious. Work has now started and I'm relaxed and positive about a new year and a 'homeroom' class - a grade 7 I hope to tutor for three years. It's a scary but exciting thought - being responsible for a group again. There is some irony though for me; often I consider myself face-blind (I'm so very bad at putting names to faces), and I have three pairs of identical twins in the class. In addition, one of the breakthroughs I had last year was that I do have influence over children, and they listen to what I say (in the UK this was a truly alien concept as 99.9% refused to listen and all my guidance was water off a duck's back, and the remainder never dared admit they did listen!). So now I know I need to chose my words carefully as they might stick. Not something I'm particularly good at.

2010-07-25T19:56:00.003+03:00

I had a fantastic time on the Finnature photography workshop - 6 days in the Vaala area 100km southeast of here, targeting black and red throated divers but also anything else that we came across. The local guide, Eero Kemilä, who has years of experience, made it priceless - not just because of his skill in finding cooperative subjects but also for the way in which he safely got me up and down a 5m tall ladder so I could get stunning osprey pictures.

I did learn a huge amount too, and feel I can get much more from my camera. However, being on the course with semi-finalists from the International Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition who possessed professional f/2,8 lenses, I did feel like the absolute beginner. I came away with a huge shopping list for kit - and started off by buying a Mac and Lightroom (so now it's easy to put on copyright labels to the pictures!). It's taken me three days to sort through the nearly 100GB of pictures I have taken and apart from a selection for this blog and facebook, I've not yet selected the pictures I want to print off to egotistically frame and put up round the house.

I'd seen red throated divers many years ago, back in Shetland but literally the only record I had an unrecognisable 5mm high image on an old print, so being just a few metres away from a pair with two chicks was incredible. I'd not seen black throated ones before and they are truly stunning birds with really clear plumage that was quite a challenge to photograph.

As for the ospreys - well if I couldn't take decent pictures of those from the hide I was in, then I shouldn't own a camera.

So, now I'm staying in Oulu for the rest of the holiday and pondering what to do next. Unless I win the lotto, getting one of those beautiful white Canon lenses isn't realistic, but I do hope to make another trip - I quite fancy sea eagles in the snow. I'm not so keen to go trekking across the swamp again - it's like quicksand only with plants instead of mud. I wish someone had told me not to step on the yellow plants as gravity then takes over and fills your wellies with water, and you start to sink........ Still, it was all part of the experience.

2010-07-16T13:56:00.005+03:00

I am currently 'between holidays'. I went back to the UK for the first time in 2 years last week, and tomorrow am off on a photography workshop just 100km away. I've not had time to process the four and a half thousand pictures I took yet, and heaven knows how many more I'll take when I am actually on a dedicated photo holiday!
Anyway, it was certianly interesting going back to Bristol. From the airport, the satnav took us through the city to get out to Dursley where I was staying with friends. I didn't really feel any tugs on the heartstrings, and 'oh, I remember this place' pangs as the noise, crowded traffic and general rush took over. Sure, I was pleased to sdee the beautiful Suspension Bridge, but didn't have any urge to visit anywhere at all in the city. Strange, having lived there 22 years.
I was however really pleased to get to Slimbridge, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
The view up the river from the kingfisher hide has soothed many a troubled head of mine. And as ever, the kingfishers proved elusive and didn't turn up over the hour or so we were watching. I didn't like the arrangement in the new hide - it was better in the 'good old days' when it encouraged birders sitting on uncomfortable seats rather than anyone wandering around looking at displays of plastic nests and noticeboards.
Later in the week I got to walk a little along the canal towpath - again an old favourite.
I was extremely pleased to see old friends - and I still wish I could transport them over here to Finland. It's a bloody long way to come for a chat, and I must admit, I miss people rather than anything else. Sure, good sausages and English breakfasts but on my new cholesterol-lowering diet I know they are no good for me. I apologise to anyone reading this who is offended that I didn't look them up: I was on a tight itinerary and I will be back in a couple of years or so....
I did feel very uncomfortable going back to my old school, and won't be back there. It was partly my own baggage of unhappy memories, and also the whole tension around school politics and stress from excess and unreasonable workload expectations which just seemed to ooze out of everyone there. It put my own issues around my job into a very humble perspective. I respect anyone who has the energy to stick at the UK education system; but I would also say that you deserve a better life!
So why so many pictures ? Well, we visited the Andover Hawk ConservancyTrust (heron and kestrel feeding above) and Rhayader Red Kite Fedding Centre at Gigrin farm. The latter was on a very cloudy day so I hope to get back there with stunning blue skies so the pictures won't be so washed out!
Going to Wales made it all so much more of a holiday, and I really want to thank Carolyn and Al for all their hosting - driving, crossword practice, and great food.
I think it'll be at least two years before I go back. It no longer feels like home and I was so grateful to step onto Finnish tarmac (which may have had something to do with the absolutely awful service and attitudes at Charles de Gaulle airport where I changed flight). Catching up with everyone was great, and I hope to do more skyping, but I do feel more comfortable in Finland.

2010-06-25T18:09:00.002+03:00

Awesome. Just had a breathtaking 24 hours in a photography hide at Pohtiolampi Osprey Centre. Anyone can take pictures like this - it was an incredible experience being just a few metres from fishing ospreys.
It felt quite nostalgic going back there - I think it was the first place I visited in summer 07 when I made my epic tour and decided to move here. I'd forgotten how different the south of Finland is - the roads aren't necessarily flat and straight. Having said that, driving 500km on Juhannus Eve was an experience I do not wish to repeat. Is safe over-taking included in the driving test here ?!

2010-06-21T20:58:00.004+03:00

Unbelievably it's the third week of the summer holiday now - time has certainly passed quickly. I've been birding, sorting out a 'catio' cat cage for the house (I now have very happy felines), and trying to do some gardening. Finland is now intensely green and blue, and covered with mosquitoes. Apparently we'll have three 'seasons' this year as it was so hot in mid-May.
It still feels strange that I have ten weeks without having to think about work in any way - no exam results to wreck the middle of the holiday like in England. Perhaps to emphasise this, I am getting anxiety dreams about finding myself working back there..... I always did find it hard to relax !
This shot was taken a few weeks ago - an opportunistic crane fancies some curlew chicks as a snack and the parents are objecting.
A nd a couple of shots from Ranua zoo.
I am looking forward to the photography 'workshop' I'm booked on in July - a week with one of Finland's best photographers taking pictures from hides. I am hoping to learn a great deal to improve my photos. It feels like it will be a very productive summer.

2010-05-30T16:51:00.002+03:00

Okay, so it's not a great picture but hopefully it's unmistakably an osprey, as seen from Virkkula (Liminganlahti). It was too far away to be seen without binoculars. I don't know how many times I've been to that bird hide hoping to see an osprey hunting over the bay but I got lucky on Friday. Its dives were awesome and I can't wait to get better photos next month when I go south. To say I am thoroughly this early summer of birding and photography would be a ridiculous understatement.

2010-05-23T13:47:00.003+03:00

I spent yesterday trying to dig a tortoise fence in the garden, from which the old lady will not escape by digging under or pushing through. Last year she seemed happy enough with a smaller surround but I wanted to try to give her something bigger and more permanent. I am still terrified someone will come along and steal her - gardens are so open plan here. I know the days when she can go out will be limited but it's not much fun for her being in the house all the time.
My blackberry bushes arrived -I think three out of four will survive, and there's some fresh growth already. I am not so optimistic about them bearing fruit though.
Elsewhere there are a few flashes of colour, and even buds on the apple tree I gave the severest pruning too last autumn.

2010-05-21T18:32:00.004+03:00

A couple of days of gloating about Finland being the hottest country in all of Europe (last Sunday I think), and now of course the bane of our lives have appeared and the bloody mosquitoes are biting away. It seems like there'll be three seasons this year (not the usual two) as they have started early. Having gone birding in a forest/swamp area yesterday without realising the Finnish Air Force were out and about, I have huge, itchy blotches everywhere. I always was allergic to insect bites; I just hope the antihistamine tablets kick in fast.
Of course the water has been cooling too and these pictures are from Koitelinkoski (yes, that tree again). I was there on a fantastically warm and bright evening. The weather is about to change and become 'normal', ie not the high twenties. Despite the insects, I do hope that we get more of this weather later in the summer. When the snows cover everything, it's hard to remember just how magnificently green and blue the country is in summer. The leaves have pretty much exploded in a week. Trees and bushes which were just branches now have leaves - yes I know that's obvious but when the process literally happens over two days, it is shocking. I just hope the blackberry plants which finally arrived looking a little worse for their journey, settle in quickly and show their own growth spurt.

2010-05-16T12:41:00.003+03:00

The four day weekend has been very productive, with a couple of trips out birding and time spent in the garden. Ironically, I have seen ospreys at every tower in the last two weeks. The very blurred photo shows one which perched for an hour or so, about half a kilometre from the tower in the forests near Vaala.
I am hoping to go there for a week on a photography course in July, to get pictures of kaakkuri. I have some very small images of some I saw on Shetland many years ago, and think they are phenomenal birds. I saw my first kaulushaikara (bittern) ever yesterday in Vaala too.

2010-05-13T18:21:00.003+03:00

The weather couldn't be more different! It's been 24'C with a warm but gentle wind, and I was sat on a beach for an hour or so after birding from my favourite tower on Hailuoto. Last Friday, after 20 months of 'hunting', I finally saw the ospreys there. Of course my memory card was full at just the wrong time but I got a couple of passable shots as I rapidly try to clear space on it. From this hide I've also seen an adult sea eagle and a pair of marsh harriers.I headed there today wth the full set up (two tripods, two cameras, telescope, chair, packed lunch...). I did see an osprey again but no better photos this time. I am looking forward to my trip over Juhannus to the Osprey Centre, and then I do hope to get good shots.
It was very odd today, to be sat by the sea which still had ice in it, and yet it felt so warm. And the light was so bright all my photos are bleached out (I really need to learn how to process RAW images). I am very glad for a 4 day weekend thanks to a public holiday and a Saturday worked back in autumn. I can now sort some garden things (I'm on a mission to grow blakberries, karhunvatukka), as well as planning all my end of term 'wind down' lessons.

2010-05-02T10:33:00.002+03:00

The Vappu weather has been damp so all thoughts yesterday of birding were replaced by watching tv and generally avoiding student japes and drunkeness in the town. I'm too old and long in the tooth to go to people watch when there's so much booze flying around. Even the 'official drink' sima available as alkoholiton is enough to blow 11 years of sobriety!
However I have enjoyed the long weekend and finally got out on my bike for a quick ride round the lake, which is melting away, and the few patches of snow in the forest won't last long. I can now start planningthe garden - I want to track down some blackberries (karhunvatukka) and get a cat-cage (the 'catio') built. Quite what the regulations for this are within my own group of houses I am not sure but it will not affect anyone else's view.
I'm also making plans for my first trip back to the England in July, trying to fit in visiting people as well as having a bit of a holiday with friends who have kindly taken a week off work for the duration of my stay! I've decided I'm too much of a wimp to drive over there, having become accustomed to wide roads and a relatively tiny amount of traffic here. I cannot quite believe I was so skilled at street parking with a 30cm gap between cars back in my old road - now I contstantly berate my own skills ('can't even park straight....'). I'm looking forward to seeing friends again, and some of the places I used to love (West Bay, the Cotswolds, Bristol itself), and also to having a bath. I suppose after two years that's one thing I have identified I miss - a good long soak reading a book and listening to the footie on a Saturday afternoon !

2010-04-29T20:46:00.006+03:00

I do love the flexibility of my job here - if I am not teaching I don't have to be at work. Admittedly, I've arrived by 8am everyday when I may not start teaching until 11am (and that's when I get my prep done!), but by 2pm today I was up a Liminka bird tower again!
There was another 360' halo, and the tiny black dot at the bottom is a sea eagle - honest! It wasn't going to come much closer but I did get a couple of better shots.
It's not quite in its best plumage, unlike most of the other birds making a huge racket as they rebond ready for breeding. It's incredible to think all of the crowds will disperse, nest and bring up young, and then regather in just 4 months and clear off again.

2010-04-22T20:58:00.001+03:00

They're all coming back! And I am looking forward to a summer of bird towers and photography.
Maybe I'll even get better at identifying what I see.

2010-04-18T10:43:00.002+03:00

Suddenly there is a huge energy here. Watching the water flow past huge chunks of ice yesterday, the spring felt unstoppable.
The countryside is changing rapidly, and again it feels like Finland for me is two totally different countries. It has felt almost impossible to remember the intense blues of the water and sky, during the very white winter. I am so glad that the summer is coming, and am planning every opportunity I can to get out birdwatching. I as at Liminganlahti on Friday after a quick escape from work.
There were a few swans and a couple of crane arriving, and the inevitable 'what bird of prey is that' dilemma looking over to the western edge of the bay. I am hoping I'll see my first northern ospreys this year - I know I'll catch some in the south on one of my trips, but it's become a bit of a mission to see some locally after last year's unsuccessful hours on Hailuoto!

2010-04-14T20:44:00.002+03:00

When a text message arrived at midnight on a school night (Sunday) I was admittedly in two minds about dashing out aurora spotting! There'd been solid cloud for the last week or so, just at the time when major magnetic storms were happening with excellent displays in clear skies.
However I'm really glad I did get out as I FINALLY saw the revontulet. Admittedly I'd missed the best part of the display but it was enough to make me believe they do exist, and be keen to see more next autumn (the season really is just about over now).
The pictures really don't do it justice but as you can see cloud was coming in fast, and I hadn't quite got the camera kit set up properly. I will know in future to have a bag set up, ready to grab and dash out with when I get an alert. I was however really pleased so decided to include a couple of shots here. They're taken from the southern shore of the Pyykösjärvi, looking north to the Kaijonharju area so there is street lighting visible in the background. This also meant that to the naked eye the sky looked cloudy and the green only appeared thanks to the camera. Earlier there had been an eerie green curtain, typical of the northern lights (but no photos of that unfortunately).

2010-04-04T18:49:00.003+03:00

I've spent most of the last week in bed with some 'flu' bug. It's hard to describe; the Finns call it flunssa but it's not influenza; nor is it a 'cold' in the traditional UK sense as the germs are less, erm, snot-producing. It's the first lengthy bout of illness I have had since arriving and I was in danger of having to see a doctor for a sick note but did get to wwork for a couple of lessons. I am still paranoid about losing my job and didn't want ill health to be a basis for it. I should however have stayed at home and am glad of the long Easter weekend to recouperate (we don't get a long Easter holiday here from school - just the Friday and Monday as public holidays).
The thaw has started - even though my back garden still has half a metre of snow. It's been frustrating digging my car out of slush, and hoping that overnight it doesn't get frozen in. The temperature in the day is a steady 4'C or higher, and the fron yard is clearing very slowly. However I do have a water moat about 6cm deep between me and the road. It has been an unusal winter, apparently, as there's been a lot of late snow and little thwwing and then refreezing. This has meant for a lot of snow work and worry about heavy loads of it falling from roofs. A couple of weeks ago there were some amazing falling icicles in town. And now the birds are coming back - the nosiy greenfinches for a start. I do hope my blue tit nesting box will be occupied but an enthusaistic cat may have put the birds off. I hope they realise the cats cannot get out......
I finally got notification about my qualifications from the National Board of Education. I appparently do qualify to be a permannet physics teacher here, but need 40 extra credits for chemistry (at grade 7-9 level). A bit different to being dumped in the UK teaching anything that I could! So if a permanent post for physics came up, I could apply. This is unlikely as chemistry and physics go together, but I am just relieved that I do not have to do a whole Masters' degree (which is standard for teachers in Finland). That means I can concentrate on another year of Finnish classes and maybe track down a chemistry course somehow later on. Or just carry on with a temporary post for as long as I can.

2010-03-21T10:21:00.003+02:00

My posts here are getting less frequent, and I apologise to anyone who is following my ramblings for that. I've not felt very communicative of my own thoughts (however there's been plenty from Punapippuri showing I'm not averse to escapism into my comforting cat world!).
I'm going through one of my cyclical depressions - not as frequent as annual SAD but they've affected me for my adult life, are undoubtedly inherited, and I do know how to manage them and when to get help. Achieving that within a different health system has been more daunting, and having the proverbial camel's back broken by a straw relating to work was a bit of a surprise but I'm walking in the right direction now I think. And there's always antidepressants as a back up if I can't find my own way.
In addition to the mental health dip I've felt physically rough and finally the wake up call about diet has come through thanks to a battery of blood tests and more inherited health problems emerging. I'm now allowing myself one day a week to eat 'what I want' - it'd be awful to waste all that lamb in the freezer! For the rest of the week I am trying to convince myself I do like fish, and am trying to eat lots of veggies. It's actually been quite refreshing so far.
The light is back, but we still get more snow. The temperature has crept above zero for maybe one day, but was at -29'C last Monday morning. There's been more snow than for many years (and yes I have the inevitable lumityö again today). In the ski break we did have good weather and heading up to Ranua was a highlight. I really love the place and taking pictures of polar bears in snow was ace.
I know there's some debate about having them in a zoo reflecting Finnish wildlife, but to my mind it's a lot better than putting them in a zoo along with penguins anywhere south of Oulu! Watching otters playing with ice and lynx padding through snow - wonderful.
The elusive arctic fox was also on show. In fact, Ranua does usually break the rule of 'all animals in zoos are asleep', and it was only the bears who weren't present. And hibernation is a good enough excuse.
One thing which continues to be elusive is the revontulet, and I think it'll be autumn before I see any. I did miss one good display through sheer inertia, but more displays have been predicted but thwarted by weather or the earth just being in the wrong position. Next spring a trip to Kittilä has to be planned. I am trawling through all the aurora prediction sites and enviously look at the skycam in Sodankylä , but somehow I've not been lucky. Part of me knows I'll see them when the time is right, and actually I'm not really feeling alive enough to appreciate them fully at the moment.
In the meantime there are plenty of shades of white to get used to. Within 100m of getting on the ice road to Hailuoto (white road, white verges, white sky) I wasn't convinced I could do 10km. However even in all that a path did somehow emerge.

2010-02-28T11:05:00.003+02:00

There has been a glimpse of blue sky, with fantastic light. But then this weekend we've been deluged with snow- lumityö in the front yard has been a good substitute for exercising but I do wonder just how high the snow piles are going to get. The temperature has also crept above zero for the first time in a couple of months, and I'm not looking forward to driving on icy roads.
Hopefully for the ski break we'll be well below zero again. I've a friend visiting and really want to get up to Ranua (and beyond) without getting too stressed about driving. I'm very much looking forward to a break - I think I am having delayed culture shock and work has been hard. In the UK when I got depressed I could rely on work being a place where I could get on with my job and was left alone to do so; here I can do to a certain extent but everyone is genuinely concerned if I feel down, it's been hard to deal with ! I have been to see a doctor and have a follow up appointment next week. I was somewhat horrifed by the suggestion that it might be okay to go on a mild dose of antidepressants in the long term if they had in the past worked when I took them in the short term. It will be interesting to see how that discussion progresses: the ones I have taken have indeed been excellent but coming off them was hellish, and the idea of always taking them seems like giving up hope!

2010-02-14T11:44:00.004+02:00

At last some light and the sun has even looked yellow at times. Work has really got me down recently and is making me think a lot of cultural differences, my own work boundaries and management (having been a poor manager in the UK, it's a subject that still has some sore points!). It's reflection time again I guess. But, as always, 'the nature' is beautiful and pulls me out of my mental mire.

2010-02-03T17:17:00.002+02:00

I've been reluctant to blog recently for a couple of reasons. First, I've not taken any decent photos as the weather has, on the whole, been cloudy. Hence the domestic scene that awaits me each day when I get home! If I am lucky, I'll be back in daylight. If I'm unlucky, there'll be a heap of snow to clear before I get to park the car.
To be fair I have taken many cat photos, but they get reserved for Punapippuri's blog. I am really enjoying my new camera, a Canon EOS 7D and can't wait for some blue skies and crisp pictures. Clear skis at night would be great too, for some astronomy shots. The revontulet (northern lights) have been flashing away behind the clouds on a couple of nights, but I've not managed to catch them.
In addition I am finding work issues difficult again, regarding the Finnish system of temporary and permanent posts. Oulu City has made some budget errors, which combined with the recession and local employer decisions, are leading to drops in hours for some people mid-way through contracts. Plus of course the uncertainty of whether I will have a job next year, and the employment for foreigners being pretty dismal across the city. I try not to worry but am busily taking out an unemployment insurance policy. Were I not to teach at my current school I doubt I would find a job in Oulu; however the plus side to that would be having to enrol on the basic Finnish language course for immigrants, and maybe that would finally move my language skills along (but would be a little different from spending time looking up the translation for oxalic acid, unsaturated fats, nuclear structure and the like!).

2010-01-10T13:01:00.003+02:00

We've had slightly colder weather than usual, which has made things like break time duty less pleasant, but it's so good that the days are getting longer and the sun even seems to have a bit more power to it. I've spotted more halos and still dash out with a camera each time to get pictures - the novelty hasn't worn off!Yesterday though the light started brilliantly but by the time I went to Koiteli it was very cloudy. Admittedly, this picture's been adjusted a little, but it does sum up the bleakness of the afternoon.

2010-01-05T14:28:00.003+02:00

I'm beginning to wonder what it is about Kuopio! The first day I spent in Finland (November 2006) I saw my first ever solar halo. Since then I have seen maybe 10 or more (and still never lose that childish delight in them). Well, I finally got down to stay with some friends there over the last few days and of course demanded we visit Puijon Torni. And from there we just so happened to catch this amazing solar pillar, and accompanying 'sun dogs'. And we even managed to wangle a visit to the outdoor viewing tower to get the photos (many thanks to Jaakko for sweet-talking the staff into allowing this!).
It was about -25'C plus windchill up there so we did not linger.
This was my first trip away for more than one night so was anxious about the cats - I have to get used to this as I do want to visit the UK in June or July, and have a phototrip booked up in July too.

2009-12-30T22:43:00.002+02:00

Last year I think I was well insulated from the winter in my kerrostalo without a car - no snow work to do for a start. And I am still trying to work out the best way of avoiding ice all over the car each day.
Christmas has been great, and again I was humbled by kind offers of spending the 24th with a couple of families. I was overwhelmed with presents - from people here and also parcels from the UK (PG tips decaff, custard, and Dutch coffee - I just cannot get used to the highly acidic stuff here and drink it in full knowledge it doesn't do me any good).
This year, now the 'honeymoon' is over I have found the darkness more difficult, and am delighted we've passed the solstice and very gradually there's more daylight. We seem to have had a lot of snow already which makes things so much brighter, but even so I feel I am wandering around in a daze of not knowing what time of day of actually is. it probably does not help that I keep listening to BBC Radio 4 with 2 hour time difference, and no hint of Finnish being spoken.
I have however managed a few things in Finnish - for instance trying to talk to some petrified neighbours about whther their cable tv had packed up as mine was deciding to pack up at 4pm each day. It was not such a simple matter of calling the company, but talking to the 'caretaker' of the 'management company' for this group of houses (really hard to explain as there's no equivalent in the UK but basically when you buy a terraced house, rivitalo, here there's a company that is responsible for everything from changing backdoors to providing recycling bins - and cable tv falls under the remit of this company). Still, I managed to explain the problems and get some answers, and the issue seems to have been fixed and I can now resume watching Eastenders and the football. I know keeping up with UK stuff is not helping my language, but ......
And speaking of things English and possibly addictive - I discovered raakamakkara which are the nearest to British bangers I have found so far. They are an extortionate 18€ per kilo from Stockmann but have been worth it so far!
So that's quite a lot of me harking back to the UK but to be honest I don't miss the place and the lifestyle I had. I am pleased to have sold the flat, and am happy to start organising a holiday there in June but still am delighted to be here in cold, dark Oulu. So here's to the new year and even more progress in my search for steady sanity and peace of mind!

2009-12-13T12:14:00.002+02:00

At last, a Finnish winter day! It's ten below freezing and clear. We have very little snow but at least there's some, and it was good to see the sun (this is about as high as it gets at the moment). This year the dark has got to me - the lack of snow combined with the 'second year is always worse' effect. However I am glad to have one week of term left and all the assessments done. Now I just have to find an amusing lesson to keep my classes occupied in the last week.

2009-12-06T20:16:00.002+02:00

Hyvää Suomen itsenäisyyspäivää!

2009-11-29T13:10:00.002+02:00

Today just feels dark. It's cloudy, there's no snow and it's raining. This shouldn't be happening, but to me it's proof of global warming. However I did get lucky and saw a beautiful sunset on Friday. I seem to actually be seeing the sun once a week, which is comforting.
I have reserved a car, and will pick it up on Wednesday, all being well. A Toyota Avensis, assembled back in the UK about 6 years ago. I decided to go for a bigger car as I will be driving a lot, and also sharing it for morning lifts to work. I am so pleased to have this sorted.
A couple of my friends back in Bristol, and even some here in Finland, seem to be having a rally bad time at the moment. I feel really sad and wish I could help, but am selfishly grateful that all is going well for me (and I know they don't begrudge that). However when I look at the chaos and turmoil some of them are experiencing, and how unfair it is I do wonder what on earth life is about sometimes. November - the time for existential angst and big questions! I am so pleased to keep it simple, with the cats.

2009-11-24T18:53:00.002+02:00

It was a massive relief when the money for my flat came through finally, and if I have the energy I will pursue a formal complaint against my solicitor. I also can go ahead now and look for a car here.
I was delighted to find a blog, Ice Crystal Halos with more photos of these incredible things. I submitted a picture of the one I saw on Sunday and was so pleased to find it might be included in a book on halos at some point - apparently what I saw is rather rare. It was so beautiful I cannot resist posting another picture of it here.
Since then, however, we are back with rain and plus temperatures - maybe there will be a black Christmas afterall. It all feels pretty damp and miserable at the moment.

2009-11-22T12:00:00.003+02:00

At last the sun was visible today and the awful damp cloud has lifted. We've been grimly above zero most days this week, with horrible mizzle. Even after a lengthy discussion at work none of us could remember having seen the sun for at least a week. I am hoping the temperature will dip sharply and the snow will arrive soon.
However last night the clouds cleared and I got my 'northern lights alarm call' and nipped outside. It was clouding up but I did see a couple of green columns from the back garden. We seem to be on a good monthly cycle now, and I am optimistic for a decent, convincing sighting soon. This weekend I haven't exactly felt enthusiastic about much thanks to my solicitor completing the flat sale but failing to give me any money. I'll have to start fighting that battle on Monday when I hope he bothers to return my communication. But yet again, dealings with the UK have felt like wading through treacle.
I did cheer up a bit with the sun this morning, especially when I went to the lake shore and saw a incredible halo on the lake surface. I've not spotted one like this before, only ever in the sky. Here, the sky was bright blue but thanks to camera exposure, it looks like a summer sunset in the picture! However it was 10am and the lake is covered with ice 'crystals'.
So, yet another reminder that the world is still beautiful and nature keeps going, even if the machinations of bureaucracy like to throw spanners everywhere.

2009-11-15T12:06:00.002+02:00

We're continuing to be relatively snowless, but that's meant I could sweep some old leaves up earlier. Also I risked taking Punapippuri into the back yard without a leash - I am trying to get some Christmassy pictures for my photocard this year. But of course cats don't pose, so it's proving a challenge. And Punapippuri decided he wanted to go inside quickly as his furry paws were getting wet.
I have finally exchanged contracts on the Bristol flat, so all being well it will be finally sold on Friday. The hunt for a car begins then, and I also have thoughts about a new camera body in preparation for some photography trips next summer. I'm planning a visit to the UK too in early June (probably). I am not sure how I feel about that - I will be very glad to visit people and feel I have enough of a distance now from the UK and my old job not to feel too negative about going backfor a visit. When the money from the flat comes through I know that will be a big psychological transition: I lived in it 14 years and it is my last concrete connection to Bristol and my 'pastlife'.

2009-11-11T18:16:00.003+02:00

Unfortunately these are the lights of Oulu city, not THE northern lights. I did get a brief glimpse (maybe) of some vague green lights in the north a couple of weeks ago, but by the time I'd got to my viewing point (on the southern side of this lake), it had clouded over. However, there is more solar activity than last year so I am pretty confident I'll get to see them this winter. I've several friends watching out for them - they've promised to text me if they see them. The tip off I did get came at 11pm on a Saturday so I raced off on my bike, with camera but without lights or gloves. Luckily there was no ice around but I felt a fool tearing down the cycle path on this mission to spot the aurora. And I was also pretty cold.
At the moment I'm running down into winter hibernation mode physically which is fine - except for when the alarm goes off in the middle of the night to get up for work - but mentally I'm very frustrated. The flat in Bristol is still not sold: I'd love to know how solicitors can get away with doing so little work and charging so much for the privilege. The place has been ready for the buyer (and the buyer has been ready for the place) for two months but our respective solicitors have held things up. It is truly impossible to explain such things to my colleagues here. I've also had niggling problems tying up loose ends with the illiterate, ineffective agents whom I trusted to rent out my flat. The departing tenants left me a plague of fleas from their cat which needed dealing with (they were not even allowed pets - but I do see the irony of being a mad cat woman myself and having tenants sneaking a cat into their home). If anyone in the Bristol area is thinking of renting out their flat and want to know which agent to avoid, I am more than happy to advise! So all in all I feel quite grizzly about things back in the UK.
Here life is going well although it would be good to have more snow. The local paper is threatening a 'black Christmas' (which I believe means less than 10cm of snow). This is a scary thought as the snow makes so much difference to the brightness of the sky. Global warming is certainly being commented on here a lot. Still, today we had a few flakes - but not enough to stop the local ice cream van from its rounds.

2009-10-23T16:18:00.004+03:00

I've had a fairly successful week birding. Yesterday I went to Hailuoto. I did not join the twitchers wanting to spot the first Finnish American plover (amerikankurmitsa) which had stopped by, but was after laulujoutsen, the whooper swans. I was not quite sure where to go luckily there were enough flying around to guide me to some fields where a few (maybe a hundred) were resting.
Yet again, seeing a huge flock of flying birds was incredible. Especially as they are so shy and secretive when breeding, and now just gather and let humans come relatively close before taking objection.
I know I keep including shots of this view, but it is one of my favourite places on the planet. It felt bleak and barren, and in the distance were a few ducks and swans, but not much else. The swans were walking on ice, about 200m from the tower (the picture below was taken with my very budget telescopic zoom).
I had hope for a few crisp autumn blue skies but it has been cloudy, and hovering just above zero all week so remained quite damp. This hasn't made for good photography, but has been much better for driving.
I'm going mad with frustration over the sale of my flat in the UK. Having bought a place here and moved in within a month, it's really unbelievable that my flat has been empty with a buyer eager to move in since the start of September. But we are both at the beck and call of solicitors who seem to do absolutely nothing and get paid extortionate amounts for the privilege. I want to get a car as soon as I can, and need the money released for it. However at this rate it will be 2011 before that happens. Everyone keeps asking here why solicitors are involved in house sales in the UK. A bloody good question, as they seem to do absolutely nothing but without them the process cannot happen.

2009-10-18T10:50:00.004+03:00

I am very glad to have reached the autumn break. I was thinking how quickly I have become acclimatised to a lighter workload, and how eagerly I counted down to this holiday. In the UK I would be twice as exhausted and irritable with my classes, and have had at least two days off sick in order to pace myself to get to the end of the shorter half-term. It's all relative, I guess. And still I believe nothing would ever entice me back there, even if I am currently hating getting out of the house for the 7am bus in the dark and drear of sleet and knowing it'll get worse.
However after sleet, we get snow and then suddenly the world is several magnitudes brighter. The view from the upstairs balcony is probably going to stay the same for 6 months (except whiter, and then in spring bluer skies) - just as well I like it! I have rearranged the furniture out there and found that birds can get through the cat netting so I hope to put seeds out for them without encouraging the squirrels which will upset the neighbours.
I am also cat-sitting again for three lovely tidy girls nearby. Their humans have found me a car to use while they are away so I have had my first drives on winter tyres. Thankfully the roads have just been wet, not icy as I still dread that induction. Especially as the car is an old (yes, old - possibly just at the takeover by VW) Skoda. Admittedly it put a smile on my face as without power steering and ABS it actually feels like proper driving again. So, fingers and paws are crossed here for warmish clearer weather so I can be brave enough to take a few trips out of Oulu.

2009-10-10T20:49:00.005+03:00

I was really pleased to spot my first waxwings (tilhi) of the season on the way back from work yesterday. Last year it took me ages to find any, and I got no decent pictures so I am on a mission this time. Today I was out clearing my garden (which felt like butchery given the way the shrubs look now), and there were a few churring away in the trees - when of course the camera was inside. Well, maybe it just proves I don't take it everywhere with me.
After the waxwings yesterday I decided not to waste the opportunity of a beautiful autumn afternoon and went to the University Botanical Gardens.
I kept remembering the trips there with my friends from the UK in summer when everything was so green and I couldn't quite believe I could be in Oulu. Now it is still beautiful, but starker. This year I can really feel the 'sap falling' and the need to bed down for the winter.
I have been sorting through my photos - to clear my hard drive and also to start compiling the annual calendar for Christmas presents. I guess it's been quite a year and I must admit choosing just 12 pictures will be hard. Maybe a theme instead (water perhaps -I must have a couple of thousand shots of snow and ice and meltwater). Anyway, once all the hedges in the garden have been brutalised, that's tomorrow's job.

2009-10-08T16:27:00.003+03:00

We've had several centimetres of snow, followed by a thaw, and then big autumn storms. And then the peace of clear skies and a windless lake. it feels to early to hide in the darkness when there are still times like this. However I have given up cycling in to work as the weather is very changeable. However I did get a couple of circuits done round one lake this afternoon. And some of the gulls are still there so autumn's not over yet.

2009-10-04T11:12:00.002+03:00

Another beautiful morning yesterday. And just in case I have been showing bias, here is the view to the other side of the bridge- Stora Enso at sunrise....

2009-10-01T16:34:00.002+03:00

The temperature was 0'C this morning, and I've noticed the wagtails have gone. I feel I am paying far more attention to the changes than last year when everything was new. I'm also not looking forward to the cold. Well, that's not entirely true as I don't mind the snow and temperatures below -5'C: it's the grot around freezing that's horrible. However, at the moment the light is stunning and there are still hundreds of gulls around on the lake.
Today I had a great time with one class dissecting an eye. Not quite the usual thing to put into a physics lesson, but we had been studying light. Back in the UK schools had to have special arrangements with butchers (or abattoirs) to get hold of pigs' eyes, but I had the idea a while ago that it might be possible to get hold of elk eyes. Yes, I do think elk are magnificent animals and spent a fair amount of time looking out for them in the forests (and also from the car hoping they wouldn't jump out into the road), and of course, they are also very tasty! Knowing a few people with hunting connections I asked if it would be possible to get hold of eyes now the season has started. A colleague's husband obliged and I spent the day absolutely delighted with what the scalpel unearthed! The lens was utterly superb, and vitreous humour not the usual squirty black gunk that we got from the porcine equivalent. I really was chuffed with it and I think the students got something from it too! Such a shame I can't send a batch back to the UK.
Although I do not have access to as much equipment as in the UK, and have to improvise a bit, I am really enjoying being responsible for my own lessons and the apparatus. If the washing up is dirty then it's my fault, and I have full control of what I put out. I have worked with many excellent science techinicans (and there are some I would really love to have here), but sometimes those who are not so good, or took a dislike to me, totally had the power to wreck lessons by supplying duff stuff. I still have memories of a whole term with limewater that just would not turn cloudy to show carbon dioxide. Of course, as soon as it was back in the prep room it worked perfectly...... Now I only have myself to blame, and of course the part of me that came up with 'The Slightly Anarchistic Cookbook' does push things a bit. Maybe distilling a can of cider to burn off the ethanol is not quite on the curriculum (it certainly gets attention) and gives me the opportunity of teaching about the evils of methanol too (essential here as wood alcohol stills are not unkown). It is great teaching about pressure when there's snow on hand outside to do P=F/A experiments, and every Finn is an expert in ski types.

2009-09-27T11:46:00.002+03:00

A few images from Friday morning's cycle ride into work (Pyykösjärvi , above and Oulujoki, below).

2009-09-19T21:48:00.001+03:00

From Muhos lintutorni this afternoon.

2009-09-15T17:07:00.000+03:00

Sunrise from the upstairs balcony this morning.

2009-09-14T16:15:00.002+03:00

Oulujoki this morning at 7.30 (from Lassinkallionsilta looking east).

2009-09-13T18:12:00.004+03:00

The summer break feels like a long time ago, but the weather is - on the whole- still good enough to get out and about. However I did cycle out to a local 'bird tower' yesterday, and realised that perhaps a jacket would be a good idea as the wind was biting. And maybe 12'C is not particularly cosy. It was also a bit frustrating to see no birds when I got there. This is fair enough given the time of year, but I am always optimistic. It's interesting noticing the flocks of smaller birds collecting in the city and nearby gardens - definitely a sense of gathering before the great departure.
The annual outbreak of fungi is well and truly underway here in Oulu, and my lawn has at least 5 different varieties. I'd like to know which are edible, but don't want to be like the immigrants always after a free meal who get food poisoning when thy pick the write ones (as recently reported in Helsingin Sanomat). I'm only just over-coming my fearful British instincts and picking berries to eat; by next year I might be a little more confident.
Recently I've had a bit of a bug - in common it seems with most people here - but have also lost motivation to get out and about so this weekend made a concerted effort to be out of bed by 10am and get some exercise. Cycling round the lake a couple of times this morning felt great and as usual, when I do such things I really enjoy it. I didn't manage to settle to another chapter of the ever-present 'Hyvin menee' language course, but have at least been making steady progress there during the week. My first 'intermediate' lesson last week shifted me well out of my comfort zone but I am determined to keep going. I may be bottom of the class but many attending had been in Finland for over 10 years, so the ability and experience range is pretty huge. I am, however, relieved to not be in a class of 30 one year exchange students who have been told they have to come along as part of the cultural package.

2009-08-30T15:16:00.003+03:00

I had hoped to get the bus out to Liminganlahti to see the 'autumn gathering' of birds but it rained steadily yesterday, and has only just cleared up. Without a car so much more planning is needed for trips out of the city, so I eagerly await being able to afford a car when my flat in the UK is sold. This will not cure my inertia to get out and do things admittedly.
So I have had another lazy weekend, tackling the Guardian Prize crossword (and failing, as usual), and watching tv. At least Spurs are having a stunning part to the season. I do, in some ways, regret having so much contact with the English language (tv, work etc.) as progress with Finnish continues very slowly, but at least my classes will begin in a week or so. Increasingly though I am able to understand the gist of Finnish subtitles on the programmes I'm watching so something must be going in by osmosis.

2009-08-16T11:21:00.002+03:00

There is a 'night' here now, and the house lights are actually being switched on occasionally! I am not looking forward to the long hours of darkness, but there's still a few months to go before that happens. Term has started, and I'll be pleased to settle into a routine since this first week has mainly been shortened days, to ease everyone back. My timetable lets me have lunch each day and is blessed with only one 8.15am start, and one 4pm finish. I should be able to fit in a couple of different Finnish courses too as well as trying to attend the 'Finnish as a foreign language' lessons aimed at our students who are immigrants. Trying to learn alongside the students I teach is a very interesting experience, and the variety of attitudes to the language is quite entertaining in itself. I can really sympathise with those who are reluctant to learn Finnish because they do not really want to be in the country anyway and have left friends behind on other continents. However I do fully believe that if you wish to stay in a country, then learning the language is essential. I just wish I could do it more quickly!

2009-08-08T22:21:00.003+03:00

The weather this week has been very hot, and I've not felt much like getting my head into 'work mode'. I've spent a lot of time in the garden supervising the pets and reading (thank goodness for the plethora of Scandinavian crime writers -I am not likely to run out of new things soon!). The strawberries in the garden continue to ripen - I think I will have had a bout 1kg in total by the end of the season, and the raspberries are just starting to ripen. I've not been out with a bucket to the forest to pick masses of berries, but had more than a few on my walks around tracking down bird towers. I may buy some blueberries, just to stock up the freezer I bought so I can brighten up the winter days with mustikkapiirakka (and apple crumble).
To be honest, I've been completely thrown by 10 weeks without any structure, or worries about work. I've been used to 5 weeks' break - the first two weeks being spent discharging and destressing, and then the last two building up to term starting and the annual b*llocking that the department results were not good enough. I know I've blogged about this earlier (apologies for the repetition) butI am still finding it just as strange at the end of the holiday to have this mental and emotional freedom. Yes, I have been lazy and slept in late most days (after the obligatory early feline breakfast demands), and been up much later than usual at night - I just hope my routine will slip back a few hours next week. I did go in to school briefly to check all the stuff I'd ordered was in and to start filling in my diary, and I have my lessons mapped out - but I'm far more relaxed than even I htought I would be!
I do feel guilty at having made no progress with my Finnish (apart from that made by osmosis), and need to look out for an 'intermediate' class starting this term. I have however got paperwork sorted to have my qualifications checked to see if I have to do a Masters here to be able to apply for a permanent post (yes, even though I taught for 18 years in the UK, crossed the threshold and all that baloney - here in Finland these qualifications are not sufficient and teachers need Masters degrees, and there's stiff competition for posts). I'm also trying to transfer lots of other bureaucracy from the UK (medical notes, pensions, blah, blah) and that's taken some time and energy. And I am hoping to sell my flat too - that feels very final but I cannot see myself going back. I could never hack teaching there again, and I cannot see what else would pull me back. The housing market there is steadying, so it is a better time to sell than a year ago, so I may as well bite the bullet. Besides, I am fed up with the property management agency who seem to manage to take lots of money but not do much else.
I did have some sad news earlier this week, finding out a former colleague and friend who was working in Thailand had died. He was 32, and one of the brightest, kindest guys I knew. I've not found out much, and I suppose I should thank facebook for finding out at all. But it's also so impersonal. Without it I suppose I would never have had so many 'friends', and the benefits of that communication are huge, but then there's the tragic side too. His page now is a public memorial. After all, where else can we post things and grieve ? It has made me feel isolated though, because there's no one here I could drag out for a coffee and talk to about how I felt. And how sometimes I hate the net for bringing people closer only to rip them apart again - but that's a risk in f2f too. But that's besides the point.

Rest peacefully Tom; I'm sure you're up there somewhere in those southern skies.

2009-08-01T17:51:00.003+03:00

I've spent a lot of this week looking after the patient, Punapippuri, who is recovering from his knee op. He's not taking things easy, and was climbing cat trees earlier on. I think he was very frustrated at being left in one room that day while I went on a futile osprey-spotting mission.
I've had to admit defeat for this summer (mainly because I have to return the car I borrowed on Monday, and have run out of time!).
On Thursday I went off to Hailouto to try to track the family I've been watching on the webcam. Since one youngster, at least, is off flying I thought my chances would be higher. I wandered along the most likely path (having tried a few others before) and gradually came to the realisation the approximate location was not as indicated on the webcam (which is really sensible as it puts off visitors like me and keeps the nest secure!). I did meet some lovely locals who gave me more guidance. I headed off elsewhere, but didn't hit the osprey jackpot - instead I had great views of sea eagles! Too far away to photograph really but it was great to see them soaring, and from one tower I actually saw one sat on a rock, then hunt from the lake and be mobbed by gulls. Awesome! But I still went home feeling a little bit miffed!
The geese are gathering in numbers now, and I guess there's a sense that the autumn migration will start. From Liminganlahti todayI watched the greylags flying, apparently for fun. They'd form a line and hit some warm air, and rise up and down - like a relaxed 'Mexican wave'.
The smaller insects have declined (thankfully) but some of the bigger ones are now around, and quite beautiful.
I know I have another week or so of holiday left, and will feel frustrated not to be out more as I'll be restricted to bus and bicycle. The latter's essential to get fitter, but I'll miss the easy bird tower access. I think I have managed about 12 this summer, and have about twice as many more within a 30km radius of home to visit.

2009-07-28T19:44:00.004+03:00

It's the first anniversary of my arrival here in Finland. When I think about the year before it, I cannot now believe I was such a risk taker - resigned with no job to go to, no place to live, just a knowledge I had to come here. I'd never done anything like that before (and hopefully never will again). I was told I was brave, greeted with envy - but to me it felt compelling and something over which I had no choice. yes, the cliche; it was Fate. Well, Fate has treated me well, and I won't go on to another 'I'm so grateful' rant but thought I'd post two pictures which for me sum up the year. They are not the best shots ever, but let me explain.....
My cats mean the world to me. Stran and the Britcats made the journey here (even though Monty was only here a short time, I still am glad for every day we had - I still miss him). And now I also have two Finncats who have different personalities and attitudes, but the family has integrated. And I hope I have begun to integrate. The two best buddies are in my garden, on leashes but that is the way here. In the back ground is a lump of rock I 'imported' from Norwegian Lapland - I love the north and also the geology here because of how it shapes the land.
And the Oulu area is flat: it was under the sea not so long ago (dig 50cm down in my garden and you get sand). It also does a damn good sky. The freedom is immense. My flat in Bristol afforded me a tiny view over to more rooftops, and seeing a bird was a novelty. Now the neighbourhood thug is a curlew who shouts from the rooftops. And in winter he will be gone and I'll eagerly await his return.

Okay, what about the things that have not been so good ? Well, I have been thinking about this for a week or so and concocted a list of sorts.

1. Mosquitoes. Enough said.
2. When you move into a new place, you have to buy lamps as the previous owner takes them away. And the fittings are all different from the UK - it just took a bit of acclimatising to but really threw me at first. However, the oven and fridge are left in place.
3. Meat is ridiculously expensive, and lamb is hard to find throughout the year. And I do miss good old British sausages. Being in Oulu, it's easy to get to Sweden to stock up on cheap meat, but sadly not bangers.
4. Variable Sunday opening hours - in some ways I like having to plan ahead and realise I cannot shop on Sunday, but to only have the shops shut in spring and autumn is weird.
5. When I buy a car, it'll cost an arm and a leg as taxes are so high on them.
6. Bus timetables - again this took a bit of getting used to. Much easier to use the website which tells you the nearest stop, time to get there, time of arrival of bus etc. but until I got this as a shortcut on my mobile, I had many long waits (often in the wrong place, and of course in winter as you just cycle in summer).
7. Ice - love the snow, but anything with a low friction surface - hate it. Sorted by buying shoes with spikes on. Best 100€ I spent.
8. Paperwork and bureacracy - as soon as you find the right person to talk to, everything goes fabulously smoothly, but finding the right person is the trick.
9. Of course - the language. I'm totally to blame here for not working hard enough on it, and much more makes sense now than before, but I still have a huge mountain to climb. On that score I have to say how grateful I am to everyone for facing their own anxieties and speaking English and so patiently helping me with my Finnish.

So, here's to the next year! I want to sort out my qualifications so perhaps my job is more secure, and focus on the language. I also have a house that is becoming a home, and a garden to develop. I harvested some strawberries yesterday - life without slugs certainly has many benefits!

2009-07-23T10:47:00.003+03:00

The weather's been wet so I've been out birding less. I did have a good blast of silence at Liminganlahti yesterday (after the showers had stopped) and the area was active with geese flying over and terns diving. I only managed poor photos, as you can see.
My trip to Pohtiolampi will have to wait until next summer as Punapippuri (seen here happily destroying a crossword) has to have an operation on a luxated patella, and will need all the tender loving care I can muster afterwards.
Had he rested more after the injury, he might have avoided an operation. But how do you get a less-than-year old cat to take it easy?
On Tuesday I went out to see friends near Oulu, and saw the biggest, most luxurious turtle (red eared terrapin) pond possible. There are three huge female turtles (who are spoilt rotten and have amazing facilities), and each day (if it's warm enough) they are put out into the pond area. The water is heated slightly - from an old sauna stove- and there's a biological filtration system in operation involving a reservoir pond, swamp pond and then the main pond which is about 10 metres long. It made me feel very guilty about the conditions I kept my three in (they were rehomed in the UK and I know now have summer pond access), and it's also made me think I do have to carefully plan out Tessie's enclosure more carefully. Okay, she does not need a pond, but she at least deserves the biggest area I can possibly provide.

2009-07-16T13:03:00.004+03:00

It seems like the more time I have the less I am blogging - perhaps that's just an indication of settling here more. I have been enjoying my (lazy) routine of an early wake up to feed the cats, and then a lie in, getting up at about 10am (on a good day) and then going out birding or sorting bits around the house. I've been going to bed late to make up for the delayed starts to the day, and now we are getting a little bit more 'darkness' at night, hopefully I'll settle into a more social rhythm. Last week, with visitors, was far more active and I am trying to keep up some exercise. Having wanted to get fitter and lose weight, this has totally failed. I had no idea Finland was so full of cakes and pulla!
Last week's visit went really well, and we opted for a stay overnight in Kemijärvi which was just beautiful and definitely the right choice.
Ranua was as photogenic as ever - this time we caught the bear feeding too. At the Amethyst mine the next day we hit a lucky streak and found a lot of great rocks. One of my friends managed to walk away with an incredible piece having paid a 'bit extra' for it. I was delighted with the crystals I found - the biggest yet. However the piece I have from my first visit two years ago is still the most precious: it was after the dig there I decided I'd emigrate, so Lampivaara and that area of Lapland has quite a chunk of my heart.
I realise how little I do here now I live in Oulu, and having visitors has made me appreciate how much there is to see. We went to the local beach at midnight to see sunset; something I'd not really bother with on my own. We were, however, far from alone as the might of the 'Finnish Air Force' legions of thousands of mosquitoes were with us. Out of decency I shall not display the picture of my ankle, resplendent with about 15 bites. Yes, I used repellent and the area was covered, but they still managed to get me.
My osprey spotting did bear fruit yesterday with a quick glimpse to of the parents between the trees by a forest path on Hailuoto. I don't hold out much hope of a good vantage point, so think I'll be off to Pohtiolampi next week. I did however nearly miss this elk which was by the side of the track. Hopefully it's the last one I'll see, if I am going to be driving all round the country!

2009-07-03T21:36:00.004+03:00

I feel I have done nothing in this week's heat but I know that's not true in reality. I now have a blackcurrant bush in the garden. I am sure it will drop all its fruit and sulk until next year, afterall this is not a good time to transplant anything. I've resisted mowing the lawn, which is more like a meadow with its buttercups but it attracts the damselflies, and I like the wilder look.
I cycled around the other local lake today, Kuivasjärvi. And I did of course wonder why it's taken a few months to do this ! I then strolled around the Botanical Gardens. When I first heard of the place I admit I laughed - what could possibly be here at 65'N but take all that back. Okay, I remember Kew and Westonbirt Arboretum, but this place is literally a little haven and I am amazed at so much growing. My knowledge of botany is pretty poor, but seeing so many different flowers was just beautiful. And it's a lovely place to walk and take yet more photos.
I'd never seen one of these before: flies like a butterfly but is in fact a damselfly (beautiful demosielle). So far this summer I've not had much luck with dragonfly shots as I've found few that have settled.
This duckling appeared to have no mother: one candidate did appear with some other ducklings but I'm not sure they were reunited. Despite the fact it came charging over towards me, I am sure the last thing it would want is mothering by me with 6 cats for siblings.
I've spent most of the day cleaning and telling the cats to stop shedding fur. I have two visitors from Bristol coming tomorrow for a week. I am feeling a bit more relaxed about this visit, and am toying with the idea of an overnight stay in Rovaniemi or Kemijärvi between our Ranua and Sodankylä visits. Reading the 'Lonely Planet' guide has made me slightly more positive about Rovaniemi (I had a near anaphylactic reaction to the Santa World or Land or whatever tackiness there was on napapiiri, and vowed never to cross the Arctic Circle on that road again.....). Still, I'll see what my visitors want to do - the museum at Rovaniemi sounds great but there's a strong draw to the beauty of Kemijärvi.............

2009-06-29T22:31:00.002+03:00

Maybe unsurprisingly my circadian rhythm is completely disorganised and I seem to finally wake up at about 11am, having gone to bed (for me) extremely late at about midnight. The heat (over 25'C) has not helped but I am not moaning about it! I am thoroughly enjoying my own garden for the first time, especially now the tortoise has her own area and Punapippuri joins me out on his leash. I do look extremely dirty, but that is my sun tan (honest).
The local lake is busrsting with lillies and I'm trying to get pictures of dragonflies in flight. Birds are a bit easier, and I've been to a few more lintutornit but overall am getting the best resuts from Liminganlahti (for the record, that's where I want my ashes scattered when I Blog No More).
I met my first 'dusk elk' on a trip to Vaasa. Driving back late we saw (luckily not coming too close to) a youngster who wandered in front of a car, and rapidly moved back to the forest where its mother was. Very sadly though on the trip we also saw two dead cats on the road. I've got used to much less road kill here - probably because the ravens and crows clear it quickly, so these little moggies were a shock.
I enjoyed seeing Vaasa, although it was only a quick stop helping a friend move. There are still huge areas of the country I've not explored - I do wonder how far I will get this summer (I still have a car for a month!).
Finally I have registered with a doctor here. As ever, once I found the right person to talk to the process was strightforward - it's just not easy finding the right person (especially in English). However I was very chuffed to arrange my insurance renewal with the same woman I took out the policy with last year; this time we spoke mostly Finnish. My vocabulary is still pathetically small but I no longer break out in a cold sweat at the thought of making a phone call (though I have delayed so many admin tasks that have ended up taking only a few minutes after the months of procrastination). I've finally got my will sorted. I'm not trying to be deliberately morbid but practical; after all I have 6 mammalian and 1 reptilian dependant. And with no close relatives I am in an unusual position here where inheritance 'routes' are very biological, and meant to be very fair so avoiding family disputes etc. And yes, it does all go to the cats' home so I guess that's another tick in the box for my qualification as 'Crazy Cat Woman'.

2009-06-21T23:16:00.003+03:00

I'm on a bit of a mission to spot some ospreys this summer. The webcam of the nest from Hailuoto is absolutely incredible, and I am really hoping at some point to see the brood in real life. Two years ago I was really lucky and saw ospreys in two separate areas of southern Finland; now I'd like to get photos from the north. I will have towait a few weeks until 'hunting lessons' begin to have a chance of seeing these, and in the meantime as trying to spot raptors. I saw another marsh harrier (they seem to be relatively common in this area) but so far have only seen 'an eagle' as a distant black spot being harried by smaller black blobs, identified by an experienced birder here.
So I am working my way around local lintutornit, and trying to overcome my not easily dismissed vertigo.
I keep telling myself the views are worth it, and if I safely got up there, then I must be able to get down as gravity will help if all esle fails.
Having invested in a telescope but not in a digital camera mount, I am taking plenty of this sort of bad picture which serves as a memory rather than anything artistic or useful.
This crane could not be seen with the naked eye, and I've been quite impressed with what you can do just pushing the camera onto the eyepiece. And I cannot afford the thousands of euros for a 1500mm lens for my SLR.
It was lovely to see dragonflies again. They were busy mating today in the heat. This was at Hirvineva near Liminka. Foolishly I forgot to take my mosquito net with me for the walk from the car to the tower; the towers themselves are utterly blissful as the Finnish Air Force doesn't fly so high. And I am so grateful for the anti-histamine tablets which are working a treat.

2009-06-15T22:25:00.004+03:00

I was quite surprised when I realised it's been two weeks since blogging. I've been busy! The birding trip was incredible. Anyone with any interest in birding here should check out Finnature. I saw over 10 lifetime first ticks, got some great photos and went out the next day to buy a telescope. Being awake through out the night was also an experience which I would not have tried out had it not been for the trip. A very unpleasant experience however was the mosquitoes and I have now found something I categorically hate and detest about this country. Just on Saturday I finally went to the chemist to ask if anything could help and am now taking as many anti-histamine tablets as allowed. Today I was out in biting distance for a few hours and (touchwood, thumbs up, fingers-crossed etc) so far am not in the agony of itching which has dominated the past week or so!
I had friends from the UK visit. There's are many photos on my facebook page and also a link to a picasa album. We had an incredible time and I loved showing them 'my Finland' and even doing the domestic baking/cooking thing. Having been in a flat for 13 years which I considered totally unsuitable for hosting meals (cat hair carpets etc) I now love not being ashamed of the house becuase it can be clean! I still worry someone will get food poisoning, but think that's paranoia not reality. The elk and reindeer stews were a great hit, as well as the swiss roll (much easier to make than I thought!).
And I guess I was so happy not to fall out with my friends too! I'm not very sociable (especially when sharing a living space), and after my experience with a visitor in February I was very worried. But this time I think I was more relaxed, and everything flowed freely. At the airport going back I was really choked - for the first time I felt that people who are important to me are a long way away, and there are some aspects of my life from the past that I do still value very much. If people do want to be friends, they will keep in touch, and I am really grateful for those who do. I know that there'll be a long process adapting to life here, and I do feel the honeymoon is over and I am more critical of things here (eg why is there so much graffiti appearing in Oulu - why does it seem like nothing is done???!!!), and the process of making this my home physically and psychologically is going to be very long. Having no family makes it simpler on some levels, but perhaps having no family is not necessarily simple in itself!

2009-06-01T20:16:00.003+03:00

Yesterday I went out to Koiteli and took a few hundred photos. I guess I have begun to destress but the holidays never feel they have begun until the first week day and there's no alarm to obey. Today was full of shopping but at a delightful 'I don't have to rush pace' (with a car on hand I will gradually stock up on a huge supply of cat litter - how exciting!). I also cycled out to the customs office to pick up a parcel of goodies from the US, and pay the inevitable added taxes (I keep forgetting such things). And early (dreadfully early) tomorrow I am on a birdwatching trip which I booked 9 months ago. It starts at 2am so I suppose I should pack my bag. Even though it's not a photography trip, I do hope to sneak along a camera.

2009-05-30T22:20:00.003+03:00

Kesäloma! I cannot quite comprehend 10 weeks without school. And perhaps that's because it will genuinely be without school - no anxiety dreams about things not done, then going in for the exam results 3 weeks in to the holiday and descending into despair as the results were crap, again, and then having to spend the next week or so writing the action plan and speech to justify to management blah blah blah. Here it's all over - students got their grades today and those graduating to college/high school will get decisions based on our assessments, not public exams. That responsibility is scary and next year I think I'll handle the assessments better (the IB side of what we do at our school in particular). I also hope to put far more challenge in what I teach - after all I have some very bright students (as well as some who are not so bright). The physics has been a bit dull - I didn't put enough energy into making that exciting.
This past week has been really dissatisfying as I'm not a tutor and I have had no structure. Yes, I have done, loads of admin, but it does not feel like the end of term. I am not mentally and emotionally on my knees as I would be in the UK. Glad as I am about that, something still does not feel right - the job has been too easy so I want to make sure I do better next year.
Today though was all about the ninth graders leaving and lots of saying goodbye. It felt alien - afterall in the UK we just walk them out the gate as fast as possible and there's no 'graduation'. In fact I could never wait to get shot of them to do some work and finish off the year clearing away the paperwork. Here I realised that, although I have far more time for students and genuinely do like them, I still have a way to go to really connect. I was genuinely gob-smacked to be thanked by some for teaching them, and also by some parents. For once I didn't know what to say.
So now, a long holiday. I have got access to a car in exchange for checking on a colleague's house and garden. Good deal! It is weird driving an automatic - very freaky. Anyway, that opens up so much for me and I am so looking forward to birding and taking photos. And also to my friends visiting - I cannot wait for next weekend when the first couple visit. I just hope this fantastic clear, hot weather continues. Oulu tori was made for such times. I spent the afternoon outside Keltainen Aitta with colleagues who were drinking to the end of the year. It felt so good to be part of that - not the drinking (and I am happy not to be downing the alcohol), but the chat and banter which it's taken a while to break into but now I do feel like part of it all. I cannot say Finland feels truly home yet - and in fact as more of me gets signed over to here (I have a FInnish driving licence, and am off the UK electoral register), I wonder if this is the right thing as now it feels very final. Last minute doubts I guess. But I know if I went back to Bristol tomorrow I'd be wanting to come straight back. I've never really been sure where home is (maybe because I have never had such strong connections to people thanks to my disintegrated family), so it's got to be where the cats are. And they are very definitely here :)

2009-05-24T20:23:00.003+03:00

I can't quite believe there's one week of term left. And it hopefully will be quite an easy one ! The whole week is 'off timetable' and classes are with their homeroom teachers (=tutors in the UK). As I've not got my own class, I'm left with three cover lessons in the week, plus cleaning duties, song rehearsals and the church visit to celebrate the year (no, it's not a religious school).
So, I am not even sure what time I need to be at work. I aim to put in whole days at least in order to prepare for next year (the more I do now, the less I'll have in the last few days of the holiday). And yes, admittedly with two and a half months off I am wondering what I'll do. I used to get about two weeks' break in the summer in the UK, so now with four times that I am fairly amazed by the prospect of just being able to relax and unwind. I'm really looking forward to friends visiting, and to getting to know the area around Oulu. Photography and bird-watching are very high on the agenda for the rest of the time. At the moment my small garden is providing me with opportunities for both.
The garden is suddenly very green, and leaves seem to have appeared overnight on the trees. The raspberry canes still look very stick-like so I look forward to seeing nature creating something miraculously tasty from those by the end of the season. And speaking of taste, the barbecue was in action today with some almost Enlgish-looking sausages from Haaparanda. Another Ikea and supermarket trip to 'save' lots of money today. It was so lovely buying things that were not absolute necessities, but to make the place look and feel nicer. Even if the camouflaged cat-tent was a silly impulse buy!

2009-05-22T18:42:00.005+03:00

The garden got some much needed rain today, and we had a bit of a storm. I caught this rainbow over the back garden. I've got to get my head around quite how there were three mini 'bows' at this point, none of which was inverted (I think it's something to do with the lake nearby), but it was beautiful. (I think these are called supernumerary bows.) A proper double bow was just a bit further north.
And soon after that the laulujuotsenet flew over - a pair seem to be making a stop on the lake each night. Pity they weren't in view of the camera at all!

2009-05-17T11:51:00.002+03:00

I've not enjoyed the last week or so at work - being on a temporary contract in a city trying to save money by redistributing teachers has been a little stressful. I still do not know if my qualifications match Finnish standards and will have to donate a couple of hundred euros to the Board of Education to find out (and then there's the prospect of further study). However my position was in no way as vulnerable as others at my school and the whole process has been hard to watch. I'm 99.9% certain to have a job in August, but as nothing's in writing, there's still worry for me. Yes - I'm a long way from the risk taking that I went through just 12 months ago. Now I have a house and 6 cats to support. Now I am here, I'm greedy and want to stay.
But, as ever there are so many positives. Cycling through Ainola park each morning has been beautiful. The water is all moving again, and even though it's not the best picture, I just love the way the flow is shown in this one. The light has been dancing around and its been a lot of fun trying to take good pictures.
I also now have the delights of a garden. I raked the leaves on Monday - not being entirely sure which were my areas to rake. I am in a rivitalo (terrace of houses), and there are communal areas (I'm also hoping there's a communal lawn mower...). One disadvantage of this is that you cannot repaint the house or do whacky individual things. I sat through a meeting of our housing company on Wednesday and there was a very calm half hour (or so it seemed) discussion on what type of doors to have when we replace the old ones. This does have advantages though - there are caretakers to help out, and major building work is budgeted for in our contributions (I did not like the sound of roof replacement and asbestos....).
Still, the leaves were raked and I spotted strawberry plants growing. I am still somewhat disbelieiving that any place of mine could produce strawberries but I've been assured that the crops are good here because of the light. I then asked at work about the countermeasures needed against slugs. Slugs ? I then had to go through 'etana, mutta ei talo' which was greeted with some amusement and a fierce debate amongst expats over salting, beer traps and general mollusc destruction. Anyway, the long and the short - no slugs here. I should have guessed really when raking the leaves - not a sign of any insects to bite my and make me shiver. So, will I miss the woodlouse? No doubt the millions of mosquitoes will more than make up for them.
Today I've been sat on the balcony: we've got +21'C. I need to get the garden furniture sorted! The cats are fine with cardboard boxes but I think I need something more refined. I kept the balcony door open for them for most of the night and they loved being 'free' to wander. Yesterday I went for a walk around the local lake. I live slap bang centre picture on the opposite shore (about 200m from the water).
I think this is the nearest 'beach'; right by the house there are trees and it is very boggy - ideal for birds and there's at least one curlew who makes a huge racket everyday. But, it beats the sirens on the A38 and the Memorial Stadium sound system.

2009-05-03T11:48:00.002+03:00

Summer is on the way and we have had a glorious couple of days, including Vappu which is (one) excuse for a party and day (or more) of continual drinking. Given that the weather was spectacular, and warm enough to go out without a coat, then a celebration seemed totally in order. I've also learnt that 'alcohol free' sima (the national drink for the day) is actually riddled with it (to my teetotal brain) and in Finland alcohol free means less than 1%! In school a bout a 1000 munkkia were made over the week before - basically deep dried doughnuts. Great in moderation. It is great being in a country that seems to have a national dish (usually sweet) for every single celebration. My favourite so far has to be runebergin tortut.
I walked home through Ainola Park as the Vappu celebrations were beginning - hundreds of university students in coloured jumpsuits carrying 12 packs of beer (at a minimum). I avoided the day itself so didn't see the crowds in the market square with the traditional white caps. People-spotting seems to be the main occupation for those wanting to remain sobre.
The cats appreciated the sun. And now they have a high shelf to sit on and observe. They have already tried to attack the nets when the squirrel gets too close (cheeky thing sat on the eaves a few metres away tormenting them). Punapippuri is right now balanced on the edge of the balcony, and I am just having to trust the netting is bite-proof and secure. It is very firmly fixed and guaranteed, but even so I get paranoid. Already some of the local children are looking up at the place and pointing - the crazy cat woman is being recognised!
And yes, crazy cat woman has addd to the collection! What better way to spend Vappu than visiting an animal rescue place! Raahe animal home. It's not really comparable to the Moggery in the UK- Finnish cats are different and nearly all of them came to the fronts of their cages and wanted attention. It is so sad that in England rescue cats are so scared they hide away. They were obviously happy cats, but still in need of homes. In the UK they all so desperately need homes to but so many have been badly treated they have fear in them still: for instance Lewis and Harris here with me even after 4 years they still will not let me pick them up. Anyway, I fell for young Tuomo, who had been in Raahe a year, a very long time. He arrived yesterday and after a quick homecheck he had free run of the bedroom. He's a little spooked by the 5 others, particularly Aila (Islay) who is undoubtedly the top cat here (despite what Punapippuri may try to do!).
I can't believe there's less than a month left of school. I reckon on one week of teaching, one week of tests and then everything breaks down for camps and end of term celebrations. I twitch badly when I think of how much of the curriculum I have not taught (and I'll have to compress things much better next year), but that is life here. And yet Finland is top of the PISA studies. Maybe because the kids do the work they are given? Still, I cannot wait for the holidays and being able to watch the birds, cycle and just enjoy this lovely country. I am also greatly looking forward to visits from friends, and now I have the new house all will be luxury! I have just been so incredibly lucky all year, and still can't quite believe it.

2009-04-26T20:30:00.002+03:00

The spring weather has been great - still not exactly warm but sufficient for the cats to be out on the balcony, which has been so lovely to see.
I know some people say it is wrong to keep cats indoors, and I do feel guilty about it at times, but knowing they can go out to rest in the morning sun is great. Ironically, if this house were in the UK, it would be perfect for cats to have free roam of the area, but here that's not what happens so mine will have to be content with their netted territory.
I got on my bike for the first time this year. The trip to work is great - clear cycle paths all the way (of course) and it will probably take 30 minutes at a relaxed pedal. I also headed a couple of kilometres north to the next lake, where's there's a good beach. I haven't really explored much around Pyykösjärvi yet (the lake about 100m from me) but haven't found any obvious paths yet. The ground is still very wet and icy right now.
I was näively surprised just how boggy the garden is now, when I put some nuts out for the birds (already spotted two varieties of tits and finches, plus the inevitable squirrel trying to empty the container).
For some strange reason I decided to upgrade my computer. Now this is normally an exercise in masochism and stress I only undertake after much deliberation and frustration, and even though I was cursing my lack of ability in linux at 1am, by lunchtime I had got myself a much improved system, which may even let my webcam work. I am very pleasantly surprised; such things do not usually work out!

2009-04-23T07:30:00.003+03:00

I wonder if this squirrel realise what ridiculously oversized ear tufts it has ? Or it might be that now it is growing its summer coat the ears and paws go red and fluffier first perhaps. I certainly would not like to mess with these feet:
The cats however, were gagging to go outside to have a go at it. No chance!

2009-04-20T15:18:00.002+03:00

Sunrise (about 5am) from the balcony.
Just about all the boxes are unpacked now, and I am debating where to put the pictures. I am still a bit stunned by having so much space, but no doubt it will fill up soon. It's really nice being able to let the cats onto the balcony so they have an extra 'room' - although it really is still too cold for them. The weather is erratic - still freezing at night but then bright sunshine in the day, punctuated with yet more snow and the odd Arctic breeze. I am eager for spring to properly start. I had intended going to Liminganlahti nature reserve yesterday to watch the migrants but think I would have been far too chilled if I had done so. Instead I watched UK football and had a day of doing very little - for the first time in a while.
I am glad I have my 'own place' again. Cleaning the old flat went well thanks to 4 amazing helpers who really scrubbed the place down - the Finish way! I'd be shocked if a single cat hair could be found there still! Now I can let Punapippuri wreck the wallpaper here and not worry. He's more into destroying keyboards at the moment, and any piece of paper I happen to be using (of course he doesn't want the ones I actually give him). I can also start building up things again such as gardening stuff, decent furniture etc. knowing I am not moving again, and I can create a proper home. It does feel a little odd having discarded so much in the UK, to be buying goods now but I don't regret anything. I did not have a garden there for a start, so all that is new to me. And the balcony needs kitting up with a cat climbing frame and lounger. I need to be patient as these are longer term projects - everything recently has happened at breakneck speed so it's time I took things at a slower pace.
It is also very odd to think that the first year of work is ending. There are only about 5 weeks of term left. I am frustrated that there is so little curriculum time, especially for the ninth graders, but am also glad that other activities do take priority as they do enrich education. However, when it comes to being able to finish the physics syllabus, it's a total pain!
The ninth graders will be sitting an English translation of the Finnish National Tests next week. These are non-compulsory exams which are taken by school leavers, vaguely equivalent to GCSEs back in the UK only the final grades need not be calculated using them (the final grades are left to the professional judgments of the teachers - yes, you did read that right: I have sole say over the final Physics and Chemistry grades of my students). Anyway the National Test papers are predominantly factual recall, and nothing like the style of questions from SATs or GCSEs from the last 20 years in the UK. So, given I have been teaching a lot of applications and understanding, I am very interested to see how the students will do. I've also told them not to revise, and know that many of them will, and don't believe me when I say 'there's nothing to revise for' because they are so keen to do well - well, most of them are! I've been preparing my own end of year test papers, and it's been very useful to use English questions from Testbase and old GCSEs. The students find the style quite refreshing, but panic at the thickness of the exam papers!

2009-04-13T14:27:00.003+03:00

The view from my balcony:
Unfortunately you cannot quite see the lake which is just 200m, in the direction of the pine (or is it a spruce?) tree. Less than a month from seeing this place for the first time, I'm sat in a huge upstairs 'study' and have pretty much unpacked. The whole process was so much less stressful than in the past -despite a couple of hiccups which others were very shocked by, thanks to the lack of solicitors and competing mortgage companies, the whole thing has gone unbelievably well. Admittedly I have to clean Bear Street still (I hate cleaning but apparently it's usual to have a party to do it in Finland!), and the cupboards here need a tidy (I'm not neat). However it's a home for the cats - who have discovered the joy of stairs and many more sleeping places. When it warms up the balcony will also be there kingdom (and I'm working out what to do about the garden as I think the squirrels may prove irresistible). It's lovely seeing them reemerge - this one was dancing around on the river in town:
The weather is warming up but last week we did have a couple of clear subzero days. I took this photo of a 'sun dog' (part of a halo)by the cathedral.
I had a great afternoon organising the move on my mobile sat on the terrace of the Keltainen Aitta bar watching the light (and debating with the UK Royal Mail about postal redirects).
We also had our school's ski day - the idea is to get everyone on skis either downhill or cross country. I was with the local cross country bunch and managed to avoid a pair of skis. When I do finally put on a pair, I don't want an audience.... Still, another day of clear skies and interesting clouds:
And best of all (but I was late with the camera) the migrating laulujuotsen:
The cats seem happy to be able to have many choice places to hide and sleep, and Punapippuri has explored the balcony - which needs kitting out with cat trees for them to lounge on. Tessie the tortoise was more sulky but did manage to eat half a lettuce despite everything.
So, this is it - having said I'd wait two years before buying, I'm now settling down after just 10 months. And very happy too. (I'll be even happier when the ice clears -it's getting a bit tedious now!)

2009-04-07T19:58:00.002+03:00

As expected, everything is chaos. Luckily work is not too demanding (spent most of today at a cross country ski place supervising). Just as well as I still have to pack a fair bit. Compared to last time it's a huge rush and hardly well planned. Tried to sign up for net access today at the new place to find it will take three weeks (two if I am lucky). Apparently some complex matter of finding the right ports. So I'll be suffering web withdrawl. Still, maybe it means Ill unpack properly and tidily instead! Still, no photos for the blog or facebook for a bit as I'll be online from work. Shame as I have some pictures of a halo from today on my camera. I've seen two haloes in as many days, and a fair few migrating laulujuotsen. Ihana!
The cats are very confused - I keep thinking that come next week they'll be much happier but it doesn't help right now! What a sense of deja vu.......

2009-04-04T18:07:00.003+03:00

I never want to move house again...... At least this time the packing is only lasting about 2 weeks, and I am just packing, not sorting. The removal company has supplied some excellent boxes -I just hope the removal people can cope with all the miscellaneous bags, cat boxes, furniture etc.. Their quote has been amazingly reasonable but maybe they'll change their minds on Thursday. It's all happening so quickly - in a week I'll be unpacking it all again. I am very much looking forward to having my 'own home'. This place, affectionately known as 'Bear Street' in direct contrast to its 7 syllable Finnish name, has been great but renting isn't quite the same as having a place where you don't panic so much if the wallpaper is shredded....
The cats are coping - though they did hide when the IATA crates appeared from storage! Punapippuri has had his operation so the place is considerably calmer and more harmonious. I am looking forward to cat-proofing the balcony in the new place and letting them 'roam'. There is a garden but that has no fencing so I am pondering what to do with allowing them access to that. Tessie the tortoise also will need to go out, and that will take planning too. It all feels very strange - to make my second house move within 10 months, when I hadn't moved before that for 15 years. And to be moving to a two storey house, with a garden. If it were the UK the cats would roam free as the nearest main road is 300m away, but in some ways I am glad that they have to stay in as I know I would worry far too much if any went missing.

2009-03-28T12:55:00.002+02:00

If all goes to plan, I could be moving in a fortnight. This is frighteningly fast and there's a lot to coordinate - but it's not the same as moving country so I am comparatively relaxed. yesterday was pretty stressful when the bank changed its mind about giving me a 100% loan (which admittedly was a huge shock in the first place, but meant I went ahead and made an offer on the house - which is legally binding here). Anyway, I managed to get together some money from the UK (thank heavens for telephone banking) and hopefully I should 'exchange' on Tuesday, and then moving in a few days later. I doubt I'll get Operation Cat sorted that fast, so may aim for the Easter weekend instead. Despite the blip in my blood pressure yesterday, it has been remarkably straightforward. Touch wood. Fingers-crossed (UK)/thumbs up (Finland).
This does mean many other things have gone on hold, like learning Finnish. Yes, I am picking things up slowly but am not really going for it. After the move.........
I was quite sad when I went for a walk around Hiironen today - thinking I started in August taking photos of the same spot each week (these are on Facebook) and was going to follow the changes through the year. Now by May I should have gone! I'll of course do the same thing at the new place - where I hope to be for many years . But I won't make the mistake of choosing a pine forest area for the photos this time (that album is really boring). Today's walk in bright sun and crisp snow was just so wonderful - so different to the pink soft light of winter. I love experiencing proper seasons.
Oh, and the little ginger monster is booked for his op on Thursday. I wonder if there'll be any wallpaper left in the flat by then....

2009-03-22T16:18:00.004+02:00

With the arrival of spring, the pace of my life has definitely gone up several gears. I may be moved into my new house -all being well - by May. Having spent well over a year packing and sorting for my move here, I may be reboxing and relocating within the space of just a few weeks. This is down to the efficiency of house moving here - no lawyers, no chains and hefty penalties if you fail to stick to time. I am really hoping all will go smoothly, and that I'll be in my own rivitalo, just 500m from a lake, for summer. The upstairs balcony will be ideal for the cats while I try to sort out how to allow them escape-proof access to the garden. The place is in superb condition with only a couple of changes needed, and everyone has been immensely helpful offering to pack, clean etc. for me. Even when told how many books I have, people have volunteered to help. I've been quite overwhelmed, and really touched to think I've been accepted here to such an extent that colleagues will give up time to help me so much. I will get a company to do the move, but Operation De-cat my flat will be the thing where everyone can join in, I think. And all ideas are needed on how to fix the place after Punapippuri has done his worst! He's due his op very soon - he spends half his time curled up on my arm pretending he can do no wrong, and the rest shredding the wallpaper or biting me or the other cats, wanting attention. I'm really not looking forward to putting everyone through the stress of moving again, but I hope they'll appreciate the new place (more sunny windows to lie in, plus the balcony).
Today I went out to a place 20km or so away, Koitelinkoski, on a river which was of course frozen but starting to melt. This was very definitely a photo trip to try to get pictures of water but it's a bit early right now. The sky started off beautifully clear and I keep being reminded that I need to wear sunglasses in this weather.

However the sky did soon cloud over, and we sat as it began to snow and grilled makkara and drank coffee which had never tasted so good.

2009-03-18T06:25:00.002+02:00

Problem solved - greenfinch! The spring migrants are arriving (thanks to all who helped ID the chap, and also to Kaleva which has an excellent nature column). So, spring is here! It certainly felt like it in the sun yesterday (ignoring the black slush on the ground). This is the season I've not been in Finland for so far so I am so looking forward to the birds coming, and the green shoots sprouting. '
One more nature plug - keep an eye on this osprey nest. It's just waiting..........

2009-03-17T20:57:00.002+02:00

This little bird was singing its heart out in the city treetops today. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what it is ? Unfortunately I didn't have my best kit with me.