Juhannusaaton tunnelmia. In Finland we celebrate the "Juhannus" - the longest day of the year that marks the middle of the summer. A big bonfire ('juhannuskokko) by a lake is one of the most traditional ways to celebrate but generally the thing is to eat outside (the summer season in Finland is so short that all summer festivals and parties usually include eating outside, picnic style or BBQ or simply setting your meal on the garden table).
We did not go to any lakeside but my brother Ilari made 'Rosvopaisti' - ("Robber's roast) - this is lamb cooked in an earth oven and we had sauna. As much as the last Christmas' candlelight service under the bright starry sky on the lawns outside Hebron school, Emma dressed as an angel singing "Away in the manger" was exactly the most perfect Christmas feeling, this way of celebrating Juhannus felt almost as perfect as could be. What was clearly missing was Nigel who couldn't come to Finland and Mona, my brother's wife who had to be in hospital (they are expecting their first baby any day now).
Emma & Saara picked wild strawberries and Emma also collected 10 different flowers and climber over 8 fences and slept with those flowers under her pillow - this is an old Juhannus myth - idea is that after doing this you could see your future husband in your dreams. Well, it seems it did not work yet for Emma :-)
 |
| Wild strawberries put in to a straw - btw, is that where the word strawberry comes from; berries in a straw? |
 |
| Juhannustanssit |
 |
| Enjoying wild strawberries |
 |
| Potatoes, strawberry-tomato salad, orange-tomato-apricot-couscus |
 |
| More dancing in the evening sun (it is past 8pm) |
 |
| Robber's roast is ready - after 5 hours of cooking, at 9pm |
 |
| Not on the lakeside but by the wheat fields - food is good, company is good |
 |
| Dessert |
No comments:
Post a Comment