My spring in Finland: Exercise, Easter, new Moomin mug and more

Finnish spring is gradual. Snow is slowly melting, the sun is moody and the air still crispy. There is much more light, days are noticeably longer. Birds are singing with extra enthusiasm, and more life is around. The last reminders of winter are the snow mounds in front of the houses, made up of snow that has been shoveled there all winter. These snow mounds are very persistent and need more time to disappear. Their appearance is not embellishing the premises anymore. During wintertime they are white and spectacular. They attract many kids from the surrounding who are playing on the top of them, digging snow, sliding. But these days snow moulds are dirty, pointing out that their time is gone.

Also the weather is often changing from minute to minute. During a spring walk one is sweating at one moment and when taking off scarf, gloves, cap, even a jacket, the wind starts to blow and one feels immediately cold and puts everything back on again. Even for my Finn this is a challenging time to dress. And that´s something because he is an expert on dressing according to weather. I think that it´s sort of his hobby. He inspects the weather forecast very carefully before we go anywhere, even though it´s only to a nearby shop. Then he changes his clothes completely, including his underwear, which he chooses from three different lengths. In my opinion, the preparation for going outdoors shouldn´t be longer than the actual time spend there. I´m in this a bit lazier. If it´s just a small walk, I rather have some discomfort than spending time with preparation. Anyway, enough about dressing.

How has been my spring?

Exercising

With coming spring, I feel more active. I naturally wake up earlier and I have more energy. One big thing I started to do is exercising. I was planning for weeks to exercise at home with some youtube videos, but it always ended up being something for tomorrow. One day I saw from behind my loose muscles in the mirror and I immediately decided to sign up to a gym. I´ve been taking a lot of fun exercise classes of different kinds. I was firstly doubting how I will manage when the classes are held in Finnish, but it´s really not an issue. I just must watch the teacher more and look around what people are doing. Sometimes I´m a bit behind, but whatever. It charges me and puts me into a good mood. Plus, my butt will look great (Although concerning butt shakiness females and males can have differing opinions.)!

Easter

This was the first Easter I spent in Finland and I learned something new about Finnish Easter traditions. Many of them are same as in Czech Republic, such as colouring eggs, visiting Easter concerts and growing grass. The most surprising and very nice tradition was for me on Palmusunnuntai, Palm Sunday. On this day, children dress up as Easter witches, they come from door to door, give to people willow twigs decorated with colourful feathers and other materials, and say a poem. They are rewarded with some sweets, usually chocolate eggs. And these twigs are very nice table decorations. 

Finnish Easter food includes Mämmi, something like a thick porridge or pudding made mainly from rye. It´s dark brown, lightly sweet and very personal. Once a year it tastes good, but I can´t imagine having it on daily basis. Finns often eat it with milk or cream, I like my invented combination with sour milk. Another Easter food is pulla with pasha. Something like plain coffeebread with sweet cream cheese and raisins.

During Easter, I was colouring eggs with onion skins, black tea and leaves. I enjoyed it very much. You can see the result in the video below. I think that following traditions and keeping rituals gives a sense of balance and grounding in life.

Books

Last week I finished The Egyptian by Finnish writer Mika Waltari. I can honestly recommend this book. The dialogs are genial, great characters, it´s funny and interesting historically. I must admit that the end made me sad, but I don´t want to go into details in case someone would like to read the book. The Egyptian is not a weekend book. It took me the whole winter to read it. It´s challenging reading, also a thick book. Still it´s worth it. It´s that kind of book I won´t forget about the next day. It left something in me, and I´m pretty sure I will remember it in detail for a long time. Petri found this book in Czech for me in an international antiquarian in Helsinki Arkadia International Bookshop.

Next book I have started to read is Throne of glass from Sarah J. Maas. It´s a fantasy for women. I have read from this author series of books A Court of Thorns and Roses. I think the series has six books and I read it one breath. Great story, very catchy and relaxing reading. Let´s see how this Throne of glass series will be. I´m reading it in English and I´m still in the beginning.

Food

In March we travelled to Prague through Riga. And on Riga airport we bought many snacks. I especially like very much fava beans of different flavours. Chilli peppers and cream, cheese, cinnamon and apple, cinnamon and ginger. They are also great nutritionally, with plenty of protein and reduced salt. Other goodies were apricots in dark chocolate and marzipan in strawberry chocolate. Another finding was on board Air Baltic airlines. Raw biscuits made from coconut and black currant. Very healthy and crunchy.

I was also creative in the kitchen. I baked for Petri´s birthday Mole cake which is one of my favourites. It´s a cacao cake filled with whole bananas and whipped cream. It looks like a mole hill, so I think it´s also suitable for spring. I´m very happy that everyone liked it and they were amazed with the mole hill trick.

I also tried new recipe from a cookbook. Baked pumpkin with millet, walnuts and pickled vegetables. Very tasty. I want to keep trying more recipes from cookbooks I have at home.

Purchase

We have a new Moomin cup to our collection! It was total must have. Moomin pappa bringing armful of wood. So sweet.

I also saw in a shop new Moomin biscuits half covered in chocolate. I know the plain Moomin biscuits which I always take to the Czech Republic for my friends' and brother's children among whom they are very popular. I would like to try also these new ones.

Plants and growing

Beside Easter grass, I was growing an onion. I read that it´s possible to sprout regular onion in water and use the green shoots in the kitchen just like spring onions. So I did it and it was a fun! I liked to observe the root making process and growing of the green part. We used the shoots in a salad. It can also be put on bread. It tasted milder than spring onion, and it took about three weeks for it to be harvested.

I have also new lovely Yucca plant. I was searching for a plant into one corner in the living room, and this is a perfect fit. It beautified the corner very much.

Watching tip

We´re watching with Petri a great series "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel". It's about a woman called Midge who is left by her husband. After the break up she tries to build up a career as a stand-up comedian. I like there a lot of characters, especially her manager Susie. It´s positive light funny watching, but at the same time there are some deeper thoughts. We´re now on season three and it's still got drive.