a bit of a break from the internet. so many mushrooms... have to confess: i don't want to eat any in a little while, as gorgeous as the pan-fried parasol (pictured above) steak was. there's a mushroom i haven't seen since childhood. i never ate that mutant russula, though (above right). and never saw as many gypsy mushrooms in one place as i did in kemiö, but i was too busy picking and eating them to take any pictures.
here's a shot of yours truly eating crepes, again. this time at the organic apple orchard where summer seems to be never-ending. i even went swimming for the first time this year, finally. there was no one else besides us at the beach so i risked a skinny-dip and it was worth it, the sea was so warm and nice. the ram lambs had grown into rambunctious youngsters and there were some new hens. i tried to encourage them to have a sip of beer, but they disapproved.
i visited sagalund, which was all closed for the season but i still peeked through the windows and roamed the premises, pocketing some seeds and cuttings i pinched. this tiny succulent got stowed away in a cracked acorn and made its long journey to the pot of my money tree here at home. i really hope it takes root, it's the cutest thing.
some friends i first met in ireland were visiting and we went to liesjärvi national park for a day. first we went to the visitors' centre where i really enjoyed the exhibition and marveled at the size of a stuffed lynx. i bought a really good book on finnish mushrooms which revolutionized my view on russulas already and put a label on some familiar but previously strange caps.
next we visited the korteniemi heritage farm where we were greeted by people from the 1910's who were picking seeds off of flax. we were presented some soap made from pig fat and tar, which smells great but it kind of gives me the creeps. the old farmhouse was beautiful and i was so in awe i forgot to take any photos indoors. there was a sheepskin and wool bedspread that was exceptionally wonderful, and also old handmade tools that i adore.
i couldn't resist the kainuu grey sheep and they dribbled over me with their black tongues. sheep smell so lovely, i wish i could sniff some every day. the farm also had a fierce mama cow, too wild to be milked. check out the fluffy ears on her! she was very protective of the young calves, charging at the dog we had with us. luckily there was a sturdy fence in between.
after seeing the smoke sauna and a great big spruce behind it, we had a picnic by the lake and headed to the old woods. it was frustrating to have to keep going up the trail with so many mushrooms all around. needless to say, i didn't keep a great pace... this incredibly fluffy puffball was one of the gems. even my fantastic, new book doesn't have anything quite like it.
the kyynäränharju esker was a tiny ridge between two lakes, with a little bridge over the stream in the middle. we walked across before sundown and back afterwards, the view is from the bridge where i was able to stabilize my camera on a railing. i wish we had had more time, the evening was also unbelievably warm, i never even needed my sweater. it would have been a perfect night for camping out.
from the national park we drove to my place through the dark countryside and spent the next day in the woods as well. i had promised my guests a forest full of mushrooms but the week had been warm and the ground was bone dry, so the haul wasn't exactly abundant. i was worried the heat might have killed the ripening cranberries, but there they were, plump as ever in the dry moss. so now i all have to worry about is early snowfall.
my friends left early this morning and i have been enjoying the silence and being alone again. it was good to see people, but almost a week of non-stop socializing is a bit much. i need my rest now.
