Spring time

Slowly but surely spring is coming to Lapland too... One moment it's raining then sun is shining and then snowing. Weather is changing really fast, but still we have like 30-40 cm of snow.

We are waiting taht any moment this years first calfs are born, so it's really time for us. But the main season for calfs is between 10th and 25th of may. 27th of may they are going to have earmarks, so it's good day to visit us if you are intrested.

Another big thing for us is that we are going to build a summercabin. It allso gives a chance of staying overnight for our  friends and visitors... It's going to be like a tradiotal cabin like what we are using everywhere when herding reindeer. Big space (48m2 :D)with 6 small double sleeping places but just bit more privacy, compared to traditional, so it's not a 5 star hotel, just a place to eat and sleep. Oh, yes and of course there is going to be sauna...

Middle winter

It has been a REALLY busy winter for us...
Lots of work, lots of snow and lots of difficulties... Latest and biggest was when our tractors engine broke down. We are still doing some reapairing on it, but luckily we have such great friends that helped us with the snow. For a one week we had like 30cm of new snow on the road and we had to take our children with our truck to the bigger road, for the shooltaxi... We allso had few visitors at our place, great people... When we take them back to the city I allways have this empty feeling, but allways I allso feel that I had some new friends. I hope that we can stay in contact with our new friends.

Oh and yes I'm getting some progress on this videoblogging project allso...

Driving with reindeer again

I had a long break from training reindeers, and now after over 10 years, we have a reindeer that pulls sleigh. Children have been enjoying reindeer trips for few times now. This reindeer is actually only 3years old, but he is so calm...it's like he have been doing it for all of his life. Only sad thing is that I can't drive with the sleigh, because he is always following me, if I sit in the sleigh he just stands next to me(It's like he is saying that:"come on, I'm not going to be only one walking".)

Actually there is 7 driving reindeers...
1 wich is working quite well
and 6 rookies

And quess what else have been going on?

Well it has been SNOWING and BLOWING and that's how our road looks like...

Picture actually lies sometimes.
There is like up to 150cm of snow, in the road banks

And  what else?...
Well I have been thinking of  videoblogging...
Perfect solution for bad(lazy) writer or total disaster?
What do you think?

First days of the new year

This year started with PLENTY of snow... And one good snowstorm. Snow working gear has been in use allmost every day and our home is starting to look like winter wonderland or then again maybe more like igloo...

We allso had two visitors here, Mirali and Philip. Had really great time here with them. We had little troubles during the day: first lost the driving belt of our snowmobile. So it took some time to replace it and in the late evening when heading to their hotel there was truck stuck in the middle of the road, so we had to take detour wich took extra hour... Finally I was home in 1:00 am... Sure it was a long day. But after all when the day was over I had really empty feeling... Because I thing just one day with so nice people is just too short. You just hope that there would be alleays just one more hour before thay go...

When we started to have visitors, I had this image that they just visit us and thats about it... but now after just few visitors we feel that they all are our friends and we miss them all... Hope we stay in contact and see again someday.

Last days of the year

30.12

Today was last bigger reindeer separation for this winter. At least in our region. All the reindeers and herders are now safely at home.

And then to tonights program wich contains some snowmobile maintenance. That means that have to chainge fuel filter and repair some cover fastenings.

Well thats easier said than done. In this model you first have to take of the seat and fueltank, because pump and filters are in the tank...

31.12

Today we had visitors from Mexico and Hong Kong... We had a really nice day. feeding reindeer by foot and with snowmobile.

When all the reideers got their food, we made fire to our reindeerfence. There we cooked some reindeersausages and reindeermeat and had some hot chcolate with them.

Great day ended with a great way: New years party with new friends in nearby village

And the best thing today was having a good time with so nice people. Hope we will see again someday!

Great thanks to Philip, who took the great picture and helped us to get it here!

Darkest day of the year

Days just rush by when working with reindeers... And suddenly you notice that it is 21.12 the darkest day of the year. There is not much daylight especially because there is a dence fog. Caused by sudden change of the temperature(15*c in just one day). 

Short daylight and a dence fog. Picture at 2pm

Visibility is allmost zero but it doesn't matter because we can now stay in home and focus on handicrafts.

Reindeer sleigh needs to be finished and some reindeerfur shoes and fox fur hats.

And few driving reindeers wait allso for some training.

Reindeers waiting for training

So "to do list" is very long... 

Gathering reindeers

Blizzard follows each other and snow gets deeper... Reindeers start to move to their winter lands. For herder that means it's time to start gathering reindeers to fences for last separations before middle winter arrives.

Reindeer herders day starts early in the morning, way before daylight arrives. Have to feed reindeers, wich are allready in fence and start collecting those wich are still outside.

When there is enough reindeers in fence for separation. It's time to check if there is some calfs still without earmarks. If there is (this time there was plenty), those have to be marked.
After that starts the real separation work. Reindeers are driven to smaller fence where reindeer owners decide wich are going to continue their life and wich are going to butchery.

Work lasts as long as there is daylight. Then quick coffee break and headlamps on... And back to the work wich continued to late evening...

And finally... At home. Some reindeersoup and home made bread... But it's not time to rest yet. House needs some warming. Luckily there is some firewood in the house.
And now clock is allready 10pm. Time to get finally in bed... And wake up is tomorrow as everyday 6am... But even if the day was hard, just have to take a while to admire this view...

Tomorrow it's time to slaughter some reindeers... And that means fresh traditional delicaties like blackpudding and blacksausages