Something little to do

Oh my, there will be no trouble to find things to do in the next couple of weeks. A lumberman came to Vårkulla and fell three big birches. He sent us a couple of depressing pictures. Here is one of the trees...anybody out there willing to come and help? We are on vacation from this day on so you are welcome to come and visit - just don't expect to be able to while away in the sun sipping drinks.

Good ol' maple

I just love our big old maple. I am afraid we have to fell it some day but hopefully we'll live happily together for many years. Felling trees is a lot on my mind right now as we found a local man who does felling professionally and we have started to look at the trees and count their days..

Last days

The big birch is so gone! On next Friday the birch is going to fall - and two other big old birches as well. It costs a lot to fell these as one has to climb the trees to fell them but on the other hand we'll have enough logs for years to warm the sauna at the cottage: win some, loose some.

Not so social climbers

Aristolochia macrophylla (piippuköynnös in Finnish) and Virginia creeper (villiviini) are at war. They are both very strong  and fill the rockery as widely as they can. The creeper is an original at our cottage - when we dug it out from the front of the houses I saved a little piece which is now several meters long and wide. I'd love to move both to Vårkulla but I don't yet have a  place for them. The creeper will be easy to move...I just need to cut a piece and plant it somewhere suitable. I am not sure how to move the other one, I think it doesn't start as easily from a cutting as the creeper. Well, the plants cost about 5 euros each so maybe I'll just buy a new one.

This says it all

Everything prohibited (kaikki kielletty in Finnish) - you need only one sign to say it all! I saw a poster with this text and decided to order an enamel sign stating the same. Even if the message is not very positive, it makes me smile. And I love the emalikilpi.fi's old fashioned design.

Cherry blossom time

We have three cherry trees and this year they are flowering as never before. I dug out all the weeds and put gravel around them last autumn and I guess this is my thanks. You are welcome, my lovelies.

In laws at their very best

My brother-in-law mowed the lawn at the cottage this weekend and in addition to that he brought with him three lovely glass jars from my mother-in-law (originally they are my husband's grandmother's). I must have chosen my husband right as the in-laws are nice and useful :)