Hello again from Vanha Talo Suomi!

I got bit by the seed catalog shopping bug!

I tried everything to avoid being a statistic this year, but all my best efforts were naught as I succumbed almost immediately to an online post about a new seed company here in Finland. Granted, the company probably isn’t really “new,” – only my discovery that it existed was new!

At first I thought the post in the local gardening group was asking if anyone was growing some of the items, which inspired me to run through the list and see. When I found a couple items they had were the same as what I’m growing here, I commented to say so, but got no other replies. While I was waiting for someone to comment I began clicking around further on the Finnish/Swedish tabs of the seed site.

Pages and pages of seeds!  I originally thought the company only had 15 or so varieties. Well, they had hundreds! With so many seeds on offer, I thought I might as well look to see what else they had. As it turns out, there were more on offer than what I already had – which necessitated a purchase!

So, yes I’m infected, and probably contagious. If you end up doing any seed catalog shopping after reading this post, I take full responsibility! 🙂

With that disclaimer out of the way, let me tell you what I bought!!

• Lehtosinilatva “White Pearl” – Polemonium caeruleum “White Pearl” – Jacob’s-ladder

• Kesälewisia ‘Elise’ – Lewisia cotyledon ‘Elise’ – cliff maids

• Herttakello – Campanula alliariifolia – Cornish bellflower
• Acaena caesiiglauca – glaucous pirri-pirri-bur – silver-leafed New Zealand burr
• Varjolilja, ‘Burgundy’ – Lilium martagon, ‘Burgundy’ – Turk’s cap lily
• Lindelofia longiflora – Lindelofia longiflora

• Nepalinhanhikki “Miss Willmott” – Potentilla nepalensis “Miss Willmott”– cinquefoil

• Sarvitähkämunkki – Phyteuma scheuchzeri – Rampion
• Ukontulikukka “Banana Custard”- Verbascum hybridum –
• Lehtoakileija “Bordeaux Barlow” – Aquilegia “Bourdeaux Barlow” – columbine
• Ranskantulikukka, album ‘Wedding Candles’ – Verbascum chaixii f. album –
• Sulkapiiska – Perovskia Atriplicifolia – little spire
• Akileija “Black Barlow” – Aquilegia vulg. “Black Barlow” – columbine
• Jaloritarinkannus “Black Knight” – Delphinium Giant Pacific “Black Knight” –
• Alppiunikko – Papaver alpinum mix – alpine poppy

A few years ago I promised to never try growing seeds again, after my attempts ended in failure.  I guess you should never, say never!  Earlier this month I set out a few tomato seeds as well as some green pepper seeds I’d saved and dried. (We go through a lot of peppers every winter for the numerous big pots of chili we eat trying to stay warm.) Well, look what I grew!!

There’s no guarantee that any of these tomato or pepper seedlings will amount to anything, but it was fun seeing them pop up. They’re doing pretty good so far probably due to the warmth of the floor heating they’re sitting on, plus there’s a grow light in that room for the ficus tree.  That poor tree goes nuts every winter dropping leaves because it doesn’t get enough light during our shortened daylight hours. After getting the grow light in action, the leaf drop quickly subsided and the tree seems to be holding on to the leaves it still has, for now.

I mentioned in the last post something about an antique dresser. We bought it at the same time as the chest. The dresser was lugged up the stairs and my back is still aching. Note to self: you’re too old for that sort of sh*t…

Here it is looking lovely…

 

I also forgot to mention last time anything about Pekka and I locking ourselves out of the house. Yeah, that was a really dumb thing to do, and No, there was nothing fun about it. We had to break a window in the porch to get back inside. When you have a long list of projects to do, what’s one more thing to fix/replace/repair??!! <sigh>

We’re hunkering down for a couple really cold days and nights as some chilly temperatures descend upon us tonight and tomorrow. The good news is that temps will warm up to almost 0 this weekend – which will no doubt also mean some more snow! Local reports have us at about 15cm of snowfall in town, more up north of course..and less in a few other places. So far so good!

I was only going to change out the static old picture of the house (yes, that old ugly yellow photo) after we finished this project…but that looks a little further down the road than I had thought. So without further ado…

Hoping the week has been kind to you.  Until next time ❤ Vanha Talo Suomi