LAKE COMO

We hadn't visited our home lake for a long time and were surprised to find it new and improved. And, we found more: Birds! Big ones and small ones. Walking, admiring nature, listening to the nearby swing band - what a nice Sunday afternoon! (Damn, we are really growing up.)

HOW

can gardening be so satisfying? No, not just the harvesting, but especially the part where you dig in the dirt and crawl around on all fours. Sandbox revival or adult pastime? Either way, We have definitely become one of those couples who list "gardening" as their hobbies - urgh! (P.S.: Yes, we're back in the US.)

MÖKKI

No Finland vacation without mökki (=cabin by the lake). The simplicity of mökki life lets us forget all our worries and stress. Life is reduced to its basics: Nature, sauna and food.




Vasta: Makes the sauna experience perfect.

Currently Hanna's favorite food: letut.

Enjoying the night sun during yötön yö (nightless night) and the view (both the photographer and the photographed).

LIEKSA

Even on a rainy/cloudy day, Lieksa is wonderful and wonderfully relaxing: Garden games, sauna and beautiful scenery. Ahh!

HOW TO MAKE KARJALAN PIIRAKKA

Our love for this traditional Karelian deliciousness and Marko's wish to introduce our son to it have caused us to finally learn how to make them. And we learned from the best: Marko's mum. And this is how it's done:

The dough is simple: water, rye flour and salt.

Slice off round pieces and flatten them. That's trickier than it looks.


Fill them with rice porridge ...

and fold the sides in.

And with a lot of practice, one day your piirakka will maybe look like the master's.

J-SUU

High up on the priority list of our Finland trip this year (and every year, actually) was a weekend in Joensuu. Good place. Good people. (Mostly) Good music.


Osuuskaupparock proves: We are not too old for rock festivals. We just bring the next generation along.





Veeti Kallio. According to Marko the most manly Finnish man. Well, not if you listen to the songs though ...

Fintelligens

Pariisin Kevät rocked.

Thank you, dear friends, for a warm welcome and a relaxing and fun weekend!

BEACH AND BELLY

Pretty (big), huh? ;-)

70 AND GOLDEN

It was Papa Ennser's big weekend. After his presentation of historical documents from the archives of Langenlois, he was, to his suprise, honored by the mayor and awarded with the golden coat of arms of Langenlois. A well-deserved award.

Music and texts from past times.




Then the big family celebration of Papa's 70th birthday followed. Much of it was videotaped, but only a few pictures exist. Here is a room full of relatives.


Uncle Ferdi's speech

and the big surprise the family had been working on throughout the last months: a Festschrift, featuring articles on Papa's childhood, youth, adult life, publications, travels, cars, achievements, quotes, etc etc. Many old acquaintances and connections were activated to contribute to this book. And it looks like it was well-received.