6 hours. 30 000 steps. 31 pictures

How much can you see in one day when you have six hours to walk around? Today I left home at 11 a.m. and I was back at 5 p.m. I walked 30 000 steps and explored this small town I live in. I wanted to find out how many different views, environments and small details I would be able to see. I tend to walk a lot so this amount of exercise was not extreme. Usually I go same routes but today I circled through longer ways to see more. I was happy to notice how many atmospheres are packed in a small area, I got to feel urban environments, neat parks, forest, swamp, riverside views from near the water and see the same river far on the horizon. I was wearing plain jeans and sneakers, no special sports gear. One of my points is to show how many interesting things there are to experience without special equipment or extra planning. You don't always have to travel far. Quite often the nearby parks and forests are neglected when we travel to see the same things on the other side of the globe. What is around us becomes invisible and when we see it abroad it gets value. I am not saying that we should not travel, it is fun to visit in a new place and get inspired about how things are done in there. But at least I have noticed that I love to visit cafes and parks and romanticize everyday life in places where I visit. Then when I come back home I forget that there is a possibility to go to local cafes and parks and appreciate all great things that are near. One doesn't need to use a car to go from place A to place B what comes to short distances. It is more fun to use own muscles and be able to change destination or take another route. There is more room for spontaneity and exploring like my walk around Rovaniemi shows. 

Snow has melted in a relatively short time. I am not sure if this dog has been made before snow or this spring. I pass this building quite often so that I am quite sure I would have noticed this dog last year if it was there.

A cemetery near the town center.  Cemeteries are always peaceful and beautiful places that take away the fear of death and show the natural course of human life.

Flowers at the church park. Few plants were already making flowers. It is interesting to see how the shades change during the summer. Now there were mainly blue, yellow and green. Plus this one that goes to violet and red.

The town center is on the opposite side. The river water has been high for the whole week and stream is rapid. Especially under the bridge one can hear the power of water.

Heading to the Ounasvaara hill. Green is everywhere.

Blueberries are making leaves.

Swamp is still quite colorless but on the surface of the ground you can see promises of the new season.

Mother Earth.

I guess that the routes are being renovated this summer.

Houses follow the river line. View from Ounasvaara hill.

Dog park in the green palm. 

Lunch break at the park in the town center. 

Arktikum park has many kinds of trees and bushes to look closer and explore the growth.

Bench with a view looking to the horizon and waiting for someone to sit. Long winter under the snow is over. After few weeks it is on the dry ground and will offer a great place to have a picnic.

Relaxing weekend to you all! I challenge you to do the same and take a few pictures from your home town or village to show how much it is possible to see by foot. No need to walk six hours, I am sure you will see plenty in two hours. It might be difficult to stop though once you are on the road.

Sannu

Floating Day

Can you believe it is this time of the year? One can wear a dress and enjoy warm sunlight. Even the wind brings warm air and makes the ice float away and melt. It is always so surprising to notice that summer is here. Last week it was still snowing but now I combined thin layers of cloth and it was enough. I wondered, out of old habit, if I should take a coat with me but it was not necessary. Summer gives so much freedom. Heavy winter gear takes time to dress and there is not so many choices what to wear because no matter how pretty outfit you have you are still forced to put that same winter coat and skiing trousers on. Now there is more to choose of and dress nicely. 

I love to book a day for floating as I call it. It means I spend the day outdoors wandering mindlessly and exploring the surroundings. Warm summer days are perfect for that. Walking from place to place and taking roads where I have never visited. I might walk quite long distances on floating days. One can float in nature or urban surroundings as I did today. I went to back alleys and empty streets near the end of the town area. Those places are not the most beautiful in the common sense but offer interesting colors, patterns, structures and also beauty in their own way. 

Have you seen Jan Troell's film Everlasting Moments? I should watch it again. It shows wonderfully how photographers eye sees beauty and interesting details everywhere in everyday life. Photographer or not one can learn to see world in a different way but it takes time and concentration. Rushing between places usually makes world to hide all there secret treasures. But slow floating days every now and then bring the magic back. One day we notice how much inspiration has been put on our way when we walk our everyday routes to school, hobbies or work. Things that can inspire us to create and enjoy our environment more. 

Inspiring summer days to you all!

Sannu

Winter Routes

River is a route. Highway since ancient times. Nowadays built roads have made the map a bit different. Before villages and houses used to situate by the river side. I would say quite a few people have a boat they can use in these modern times. During the summer time I take walks following the river line and my walks are bound to human built bridges. Winter gives me back the ancient route and makes it possible to walk to places that are too far in the summer time. 

There are many kinds of routes on the ice. Paths to walk, skiing tracks, snowmobile routes and car roads. Sometimes these little paths appear to curious places which tells a lot about the human nature. Shortcuts can be made through a pile of snow. One is ready to clear a path no matter how tricky it is and how much snow goes into the legs. This is me, this is my territory. I need to leave a mark. I have a freedom to go through, walk straight. And that freedom is used. Trickiest routes have butt prints. I guess it was worth it to stumble. Or maybe it is in human nature to seek adventure. On a way home, with large shopping bags in your hands you don't choose the pedestrian walk. Instead of that a slippery shortcut through a thick bush seems more appealing. 

When you look at these pictures you might think that there are no people anywhere. There is a contrast between what the pictures tell and how I would describe the same moment. On a sunny and warm winter day the river ice is full of people. Some ski alone enjoying the feeling of freedom and vast scenery that makes you think you can ski as long as your feet and skis take you. Some are with a friend sharing latest events of life. There are families having a picnic. Dog walkers. Enthusiastic sports people. What makes the pictures so empty is the space. Nature is something so big that only the prints on ice tell about the traffic. Human being alone looks small. The prints, stripes, dots, abstracts, that we make every day make us visible.

Adventurous paths to your week my Friend!

Sannu

Slow Season

Weather today didn't invite outdoors to take photographs. It has been grey, cloudy, snowy and windy for several days now. But this is how January looks like and I think every season is beautiful in it's own way. Because of minimum amount of light there was no shadows and very little colors. What is special in midwinter is quietness. Snow insulates sound and all I could hear was strong wind and trees knocking. 

I walked few kilometers path and noticed the subtle hues in the sky. Little bit of pale pink and blue indicating that light is there somewhere behind the clouds. I found a place where I could see far away. One of the most calming things in life is to see far. Climb to a hill and follow river and earth with your eyes. I don't like high places but feet firmly on the ground it is liberating to see the vast land around you and breathe deeply fresh air. 

It might be actually good that there are no vivid colors, strong sounds or scents. You get to relax your senses and upload for spring. Once a year you can think the thoughts gathered to your mind and start all over. It is like a home after Christmas, empty, all bling taken down and waiting what comes next. We all need these slow seasons so that we don't run out of energy.