Hello Friends!

Here we are nearing the final week of November and transitioning to the twelfth month – December!  The year 2020 has been one of the weirdest, ugliest, and most challenging years many of us will ever register. Count yourself extremely lucky to be reading this. Not actually reading THIS, but to be reading anything at all! Pat yourself on the back! You’ve dodged potential Covid 19 virus infection for several months. You’re getting really good at this, but don’t drop the ball! Keep up the effort – the whole world depends on you!

We continue to do our part here at Vanha Talo Suomi. Working from home, socially distant to the point of being hermits. Thank goodness for online ordering! Where would we be without an internet connection – I shudder to ponder the alternative.

Our outdoor routine has continued right through this week, weather permitting. There were weeks of good weather and then weeks of just plain crap. So much rain! We even had a dust of snow on November 20th which lasted about 24 hrs. The autumn leaf colors were fantastic as evidenced in the photo below.

Then snowfall arrived – a light dusting

Things are back to just leafless, snow-less and wet. The extended forecast doesn’t include much of a chance for snow, but who really knows anymore?!

October consisted of several loads heaped upon the trailer to clear yard waste – perennial cuttings, branches, grass clippings, etc plus a few trips hauling the refuse from the shed building. There are still a few loads of that sort awaiting removal. Eventually they too will get loaded up and carried away.

As for the shed building, we haven’t done much more internally. Spent a good deal of time and manpower busting up concrete slab footings and landings that extended off the building into a new garden bed we intended to put in. Not skimpers on the concrete those old owners! A solid 8-10 inches /30cm thickness or so. Talk about hard labor! Pekka nearly killed himself and was forced to up the ante through the purchase of a heavier sledgehammer! With the aid of his new 10lb hammer he managed to get that concrete block out of there after several hard hours.

Now the front of the shed is completely cleared of concrete, boulders and large stones. Brick edging in place, we’ve moved a couple items into this new space from other areas. A climbing rose which wasn’t getting enough sun in its previous location should respond happily now in a much better situation. Plans are to add conifers and roses.  The roses have been ordered for spring 2021 planting, but some arrived already and were planted straightaway.   Updates to the rose collection page are underway.

October was done and dusted and along came November. We were, (I was) on pins and needles awaiting the election results – which this year remained inconclusive for weeks – yet TODAY in fact, or maybe yesterday the results were more or less official. All I can say is that I lost my voice in happily screaming and chanting “No More Trump!!!” We popped the cork on a bottle of celebratory prosecco to celebrate President-Elect Joe Biden!

Mysteriously, the month of November just ticked by rather quickly and was nearing the final week when I realized, after becoming another year older, that I hadn’t posted to the blog in quite a long time. Lo and behold, here comes another post!

Can you believe anyone would still be selling plants in November!!?? Most nurseries here button up in October and shuttle off to their holiday homes. Not Viherlassila in Turku! They will be open through the holidays, selling all manner of holiday items and Christmas trees, so why not bugger off the final unsold plants if they can? At 50% off we were all too happy to save a little green. Sunday we bundled up and headed out early for the one-hour journey to Turku and came away chilled, but the trunk was laden with trees and bushes. Believe it or not, there are still a few places left to plant things!  We aren’t doing this for the sake of doing it! Plus, thanks to the ever developing new garden bed, we can maintain this for a bit longer yet! 🙂

A couple shots from the yard. Before and after if you will

Leafless and saturated by rain. Not sure how much more some places can handle. Our trip Sunday to Turku had us driving past lots of farmland flooding, swollen creeks and rivers. Thankfully our place is situated above any waterline issues. Even digging in the yard showed no adverse effects from the crazy Finnish weather. Good draining soil!! Lucky stars!

It’s Thanksgiving week for Americans – just read that millions are traveling over the holiday period. US is really driving itself into the ground. All the rest of the world can do is shake their heads in disbelief and shock. Get it together America!

Hear’s hoping we all survive the virus, make it through the dark winter which is approaching and can meet again on the other side.

No Christmas post to look forward to – we each have enough to concern ourselves with, and no doubt things to do. Make sure one of the things you are doing is staying safe, and staying well!

With hearts full of thanks and fond wishes we wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving, a joyous Christmas and new year brimming with goodwill, happiness and love.

Until the next time ❤ Vanha Talo Suomi