While entering the park today I noticed, for some reason, the monument next to the tree, which I usually ignore. A view from higher on the slope reveals the granite slabs standing quite near to it. They commemorate Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (1832-1901) who was an explorer and scientist, the first one to sail the whole Northeast passage, that is, along the north coast of Asia. He was born in Finland but had to move to Sweden because of his views on Russian politics. The monument is designed by Heikki Häiväoja, and you find more information about it here.
 

 

 
Two days ago, on Thursday morning, the snow was still falling when I left home, but it stopped by the time I was at the shore. The sun came out and then disappeared again, changing the whole landscape dramatically, back and forth…
 

 

 

 
On Friday morning it was still chilly, minus 6 degrees celsius, but sunny and clear. I realised a structural problem with my images: the morning sun shines beautifully from the east, as a side light, revealing the forms of the tree trunks when I am sitting on the hill, but it shines me directly in the eyes, and thus blinds the camera, too, when I sit on the alder stub down in the park. And that does not look very nice, as you can see…
 

 

 

 
On Saturday, today, I went out a little later, around noon, and the sun was not so bright today, shining momentarily from behind the clouds. There was not much wind, but it was could enough for me to keep my cap on. While sitting and looking at the small Uuninsuu strait I can observe the changes in the ice cover from day to day. Although the sea is mostly open further out, there is much ice on the northeastern side of Harakka Island. But I would not walk across the ice now, although I guess it would still be possible. And if this chilly weather continues it will probably take time before the ice disappears. Soon it is time for thaw. We call it “kelirikko” in Finnish, broken weather or broken road conditions.