Hello Friends!

Slipping into the final days of November but it finally happened! –Frost

Saturday the temperatures began to really dip. The overnight lows sent the Ice Fairies into a frenzy as they transformed the entire garden with ice crystals and a very fine dusting of frost while we slept warm & snug.

With errands to run Sunday morning & afternoon, I regretted not snapping a few pictures before we drove off. Many early morning photography opportunities are lost as they disappear the moment the sun gets up and the temperatures climb even a little.

But! Behold! It all worked out in the end! Arriving back home mid-afternoon to discover everything just as we’d left it several hours earlier. The sun came out, but the temps only warmed slightly & never climbed higher than -3c (26.6f)

Today offers a magical scene entirely anew, as the fairies intensified their overnight technique with frosty gusto, dusting everything again -leaving crusty jeweled whiteness & chunky sparkling crystals everywhere.

This bit of frosty magic left by the Ice Fairies might be longer-lived than previously thought. The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s (Ilmatieteenlaitos) week-in-advance forecast included several mm of snow starting on Monday (today) – but that forecast was modified this morning with a decreased to nominal chance of snow this week.  See the forecast here.

Looks like we’ll have frosty conditions for the next few days or so. Luckily, Pekka changed out the summer tires on black beauty this weekend. No slip sliding away for me! (if you started humming along to this song – A+!) Simon & Garfunkel https://youtu.be/ZNt5FnMK2sM

Our Sunday errands included a bit of Christmas shopping. There are two new people on my shopping list this year. A 14 year old boy & a 12 year old girl – both of whom are kids we selected from the JOULUPUU tree at our local K-Rauta hardware store.

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Last year, Finns donated more than 54,000 gifts to children who otherwise would have had a bleak Christmas without any toys or presents.  If you would like to know more about the JOULUPUU locations and/or the Junior Chamber International /JCI visit the links included/highlighted in BLUE.

There are a several locations throughout LOHJA where a child can be selected -identified only by their various ages.  You can leave the donated gifts at many places around town – but hurry! Deadline is 9 Dec 2018. Your town may have other donation points. See the link above.

• K-Rauta
• Kodin Tavartalo
• Prisma
• Kioski Synnerberg
• Säästötalo Latvala

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Regarding other items Christmas-related, I’ve dedicated the coming weekend to final preparations for the making & baking of my family’s traditional German Christmas cookies.

Saturday will be spent entirely mixing up, rolling out, and pressing Springerle cookies in various Old-World designs. (Having a chance to set overnight, the designs pressed into the cookie tops remain even after baking.)

Sunday will be a day filled entirely with baking both the Springerles and Lebkuchens (a dough that’s been ‘melding’ since October.) I’ll roll out & cut Lebkuckens while the Springerele’s are baking.  It’s a scene of great initial chaos that slowly evolves into a rhythmic & purposeful chaos – especially when the end is in sight! 🙂 I’ll post photos once the flour dust settles!

The coming weeks are poignant in the minds & hearts of Finns everywhere.  Seventy-nine years ago on 30th November, 1939 Finland was attacked by Russia in what was later to become World War II but is known to all Finns as The Winter War. A documentary film : https://youtu.be/p07kTBNsgr0

The 6th of December is Finland’s Independence Day which was obtained in 1917. Last year as you might remember was Finland’s centenary = Suomi100 – Now Suomi101 !!

So I will end this post now – leaving you with the task of clicking here & there and hopefully taking some time to watch & learn more about Finland with the film & video links included above.

From us to you – Have a very good week – See you again soon! ❤