curious about a goatherding neophyte?

Hello hello-

In an unexpected development, I've accepted an apprenticeship at a sustainable goat dairy in New Mexico.  I'll be instructed in the craft of cheese making and goatherding from March 15-May 28th.    I've created a new blog, "from the goatherd's throat," for this experience.

http://fromthegoatherdsthroat.blogspot.com/


What an adventure!



-Anne

Hiatus

I suspect I'll do an over-arching analysis update when I return to the States in mid-March, but until then I am way too involved in graduate school admissions and wrapping up my job here in Helsinki to update. There is simply too much to write for me to even start.

This blog is officially on hiatus.  It's been really real!



-Anne

Helsinki Returns

I have just returned to Helsinki after spending 2 weeks at home with my family for the holidays.  This vacation was lovely in itself, but it has also re-opened my eyes to how wonderful Helsinki is.  The winter snow pack has set-in, and I am considering learning to cross country ski.

Jet-lag, ameliorated by a vicious virus (there is a 7 hr difference), meant that I woke at 6 am.  Without The Sickness, I probably would've woken at 3.  I baked bread and watched as the sky lightened and the snow flakes swirled around outside my window.  I can't tell if new snow is falling, or if it is just recirculating.  None of the apartments across the street from me had lights on until after dawn (around 9:30), so I think people adjust their schedules and sleep later in the winter.  Either that, or everyone has moved out and I am the last woman remaining in Helsinki.

This seems to be the case in my suite, where everyone is gone over the holidays.  As people leave, they dump their unused supplies on our communal table.  I snagged far more nuts and beans than I can consume in my two remaining months here.

I used some of these scavenged supplies in the aforementioned bread I baked to cozy-up my empty apartment.  I *basically* followed KAF's recipe for multi-grain sunflower bread, but I subbed 1/2 c of barley flour for reg flour.  I especially liked it smeared with honey.  The toasting seeds make this bread exceptionally fragrant, and my kitchen smells lovely.

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/multi-grain-sunflower-bread-recipe

Cold St. Lucia's

I woke up to 10F.  I snapped the above picture when I cut through the park on my way to work this morning.  The light was really pretty, and I failed to capture it adequately.  The sky was a pale turquoise, and the clouds were peach set off by the blue light bouncing back from the snow.

As I write, it is 3F outside.  My snow boots are rated to 7F, which seemed slightly excessive when I bought them.  10F was OK (with boots, parka, and lots of wool), but I wouldn't have tried it if I hadn't had errands necessitating my walking a while anyways.  I don't think I'm going to attempt whatever gawd-awful temperature I wake up to tomorrow.  I like my toesies attached to my footsies.  This weather is such a shock because, until now, temperatures have been better than one would expect from this latitude.  Last night an arctic air-mass dropped in and tanked the temperature by 20 degrees F in a few hours.


St. Lucia's day after the jump!

The inevitable "darkness" post.

Today the sunset at 3:15 pm, and tomorrow the sunrises at 9:11 am.  It isn't even the winter solstice yet, but that equals about 6 hours of somewhat dim daylight.  If I wake to light, then I've overslept.  Conversely, it's always dark when I'm  getting off work unless I take a half-day.  I'm not really bothered yet, but I expect the post-Christmas season to be grim.  I intend to take a couple mediterranean weekends (Istanbul HUZZAH!).

This diminished solar input means that the temperature of the air relies almost exclusively on fronts, and that the weather forecast is always: "temperatures in the mid-_____, remaining steady throughout the day..."  The Baltic seems to keep the weather relatively mild.  After having a white-toed close call, I bought wool inserts for my boots and have been comfortable enough to walk home from work most days.

An effect of the darkness is that personal reflectors are ubiquitous.  Sidewalks are not common on back-roads in my neighborhood, and it is either "strongly suggested" or mandated that everyone wear a small reflective item on their right side, approximately waist height.  I've gone native and bought a moomin reflector to hang from my down parka.

Moomin are cuddly finnish trolls.  They have a children's comic devoted to their exploits, and they are to the Finns what Asterix is to the French and Hello Kitty! is to the Japanese.  Moomin are EVERYWHERE.  There are moomin books, mugs, stationary, cutlery, toys, etc.  They are sold at Tarjoustalo (literally: "Bargain House"), at the post office, and at the Arabia outlets.

The moomin love the bogs of lapland, and they love fishing.  They live in spindly cottages that look like land-locked lighthouses.  There are poppa, momma, girl and boy moomin.  I bought the top-hatted daddy moomin reflector key-chain because I thought it was cutest.  To my eyes, they are nordic anthropomorphized hippos.  I actually think the subsidiary characters look more interesting.  My favorite are the hattivatti, thunderstorm ghost eels that get excited by lightening but are otherwise harmless.

Thanksgiving and holiday intro photo dump

I've finally gathered some of the pics taken on Thanksgiving and the subsequent weekend.  Enjoy!

*Very* carefully setting the hot galette on the table.

(more pics after the jump!)

Holiday Kick-off

I had such a packed start to the holiday season this weekend, I hardly know where to begin.  It's almost enough to make me say "eh, too much" and write nothing.  First, I think it is important to note that in Finnish the word for December, "Joulukuu", translates as "Christmas-moon".  This gives a hint of how seriously they take their holiday celebration. 

On Friday the Kumpula Campus hosted a Christmas party with the theme "Cirque du Destins Lumineux."  The entire Physicum (physics building) was decorated like a travelling circus.  I went with one of my colleagues, expecting it to be an uncomfortable "nurse your wine and make small-talk" gathering.  I knew I was mistaken when I saw that my (free!) ticket included FOUR drink vouchers and I heard the band performing sound-checks as I wrapped-up my work for the day.

(more after the jump)