A Pleasant Surprise

To many like me, seeing a dentist is not a nice thought or experience.

In January I was pleasantly surprised seeing my dental hygienist in a new place.

The waiting room was light & airy & beautiful and on the wall there were

these sunny paintings which reminded of summer or vacation!

It seems I have cut away all dental stuff being not so photogenic :)

Today we celebrate our national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877).

These traditional Runeberg pastries are sweet & fattening but so good!

Runeberg's heroic poem The Tales of Ensign Stål is considered the greatest Finnish epic poem 
outside the Kalevala tradition and contains tales of the Finnish War of 1808–09 with Russia. 

In the war, Sweden lost Finland, which became a Grand Duchy in the Russian Empire. 

The first poem Our Land became the Finnish National Anthem, composed by Fredric Pacius.

I wish to present you a new linkup:
Elke’s DiMiMi = Die Mittwochsmischung = Wednesday Mix

#all seasons #der natur donnerstag #digitalart dienstag #dimimi #fokus auf schwarz / weiss 

#foto-tunes #gartenglück #image-in-ing #makrotex  #mosaic monday #my corner of the world

#saturday’s critters # t in die neue woche #the weekend roundup #tuesday’s treasures
#uudet värikollaasit #wandering camera #willy-nilly #watw

❤︎❤︎❤︎

Friday Bliss #21 - Delicious & Classic

Now it is time for this delicious classic:

Runebergin torttu - Runebergstårta -

a pastry flavored with almonds and arrack or rum.

The name comes from Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) who, according to legend, 

regularly enjoyed this pastry with punsch for breakfast. 

I wrote in 2017 more under the title Poet and his pastry.

I’m so sorry - my white parrot tulips stayed in bud longer than expected.

Hopefully they open beautifully some day!

 Then it has finally been time for this literary classic:

Mihail Bulgakov - Master i Margareta!

The book has been awaiting in my bookshelves for over 15 years...

I really enjoyed this fantasy and satire.

Wishing you a good start to February!

- riitta

 #FRIDAY BLISS 

The link is open

FROM FRIDAY 10 AM TILL THE NEXT TUESDAY 4 PM
Helsinki time

An InLinkz Link-up

A poet and his pastry

I don't eat a lot of pastries, but this February Yummy is something that I don't wanna skip! On Sunday the 5th of February we celebrate in Finland our national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877) - and shall enjoy the delicious pastries named after him: Runebergin torttu in Finnish, Runebergstårta in Swedish, Runeberg pastry / cake / cup cake in English.

Runeberg pastries can be bought at every shop if you don't want to bake them yourself. The pastry is flavored with almonds and arrack or rum and it weighs about 100 grams. Raspberry jam inside a sugar ring is commonly placed on top of the tart. See what This is Finland tells about them!

I don't think that Runeberg himself baked these pastries. It must have been his wife Fredrika Runeberg (1807 -1879). She was the first Finnish author to critically analyze the status of women, at home and in the society. She wrote two historical novels, Ms Catharina Boije and her daughters (1858) and Sigrid Liljeholm (1862). She also contributed to various newspapers and magazines, and translated foreign literature and articles, mostly from French, German and English, into Swedish.

Anyway on this flag day I enjoy tasting my YUMMY Runeberg pastries.
Have a bite you too!

Our Beautiful World - YUMMY
Mosaic Monday
Makrotex Challenge - FEBRUARY

My all year favourite yummies: strawberries & whipped cream and chocolate, chocolate!

Enjoy your yummies!

Celebrating Runeberg

Today the 5th of February we celebrate our national poet

Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877).

He wrote the original lyrics of our National Anthem 

Maamme / Our Land - in Swedish Vårt Land, 

then translated in Finnish and composed by Fredrik Pacius.

On the internet there are many translations, here is one:

Oh Our Land Finland Fatherland
Echo Loudly Golden Word
No Valley No Hill
No Water Shore More Dear
Than This Northern Homeland
This Precious Land Of Our Fathers
No Valley No Hill
No Water Shore More Dear
Than This Northern Homeland
This Precious Land Of Our Fathers
One Day From Your Bud
You Will Bloom
From Our Love Shall Rise
Your Hope Glorious Joy
And Once Your Song Fatherland
Higher Still Will Ring
From Our Love Shall Rise
Your Hope Glorious Joy
And Once Your Song Fatherland
Higher Still Will Ring

This drawing is made by the famous Finnish artist Albert Edelfelt.
It is the cover of The Tales of Ensign Stål
written by Runegerg and tells about the Finnish War in 1808-1809
after which Finland was separated from Sweden and became
part of the Russian Empire as the Gran Duchy of Finland.

Every year we modern Finnish people enjoy
The Runeberg Pastries - Runebergin torttu.
They look like this and taste very good with that raspberry jam.
I like this kind of traditions!

This week I read the very interesting and tragic biography of Marilyn Monroe
by Donald Spoto.  My post can be found here.

I participated in the Makrotex Challenge with my clock photos...

... and in addition to snow my January 2016
was filled with also vibrant colors...

Linking with 

Five on Friday

Wishing you all a very good weekend!