CATS

This comic strip “Kamut”  in Helsingin Sanomat a few weeks ago made me think once again how extraordinary animals cats are and how much they differ from dogs.  Most dogs are eager to make friends even with strangers and to please you in whatever way they know how. Cats are much more precautious when choosing a person they can rely on. They quite simply ignore you, if they feel like it.

Siiri

   

Ruusu

Siiri and Ruusu are stray cats from a cat protection centre. After a few days in the shelter Siiri gave birth to five kittens, which she nursed till they were old enough to be sent to new homes. Siiri still has  a kind of maternal instinct left, which she sometimes shows towards Ruusu, a bit younger.

Ruusu was a couple of weeks old when she was found half dead in a dumping ground.  It was doubtful, whether she would make it. Against all odds she has grown to be a strong and beautiful creature. She is very shy, though. Perhaps in a corner of her heart she still fears of being ditched.

Today Siiri and Ruusu are the adored pets of a friend of mine, and I sometimes wonder, if they understand how lucky they were having found a butler and staff most cats can only dream of.

Minni

Nemo

Minni nad Nemo are Maine Coons and they know nothing about “a bleak childhood”. They are my niece’s pets and so different from each other that you wouldn’t guess they were born on the same day. Minni is hungry for strokes and praises, so much so that she rapidly covers the tabloid newspaper, if you spread it on the table and start reading. Nemo again isn’t at all like his namesake Captain Nemo. The big cat is so shy that he hides under the bed or in the sauna as soon as he sees or hears a stranger. No calls or treats make him show up until the visitors have left. And even then he waits for half an hour or so to be on the safe side.

The comic strip Mutts (Kamut) I mentioned above is created by Patrick McDonnell and was first published in 1994. The  artist has always had cats and dogs as pets and thus he knows their behavior only too well. Earl (Jalo) is a Jack Russell terrier, ready to please. Mooch (Kati) again shows all the typical characteristics of an ordinary cat and she just can’t miss an opportunity to tease her companion a bit.

Some friends of mine have both a dog and a cat as pets, and it’s usually the cat who is the boss of those two. Dogs are quite simply too kind to fight for power!

Turkey 15.- 20.3.2014

Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Blue Mosque is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world. The mosque is known as  Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I. It is a mosque with six minarets. Each minarets has two or three balconies.

Pray happens five times a day with the first call to prayer at sunrise and the last one at nightfall.

Before you step in to Mosque you have to take off your shoes and put them in plastic bag. Women have to wear a head covering when entering to Blue Mosque.

Presentation

This is our presentation.

PAINTINGS

When decorating a new flat the most problematic detail has turned out to be how to hang up the paintings. The following four haven’t found a proper place yet. Perhaps landscapes would have been easier.

”The Priest” by Olavi Vaarula  (1927-1989)

Vaarula is often called a naivist and his paintings can be recognized anywhere. His work crosses the borderline between dreams and reality. He painted flying figures – both people and animals – using a mixture of oil and watercolour. This painting in oil is not typical of his artistic repertoire, but the priest with a serous expression on his face may touch your conscience.

”Pierrot” by Taisto Ahtola (1917-2000 )

This painting could actually be called ” The Clown”, because Pierrot was originally a comic character with a whitened face and wearing loose white clothes. Ahtola  painted  a number of clowns in different styles and colours, more and more obscure in his later years

“ The Fisherman” by Nikolai Lehto (1905-1994)

Lehto turned more and more to the naivistic style after trying all else earlier in his career. As a naivist he was actually  one of the first in Finland. This painting shows us a proud fisherman with his catch and we are happy for him. Perhaps Lehto was an optimist by nature, because most of his paintings express certain positiveness and joy of life.

“ A Portrait of a Young Couple” by Lasse Marttinen (1926-2007)

This playful painting reminds me of the framed photos, which could be seen on the walls of well-to-do farmhouses  at the beginning of the previous century. Marttinen painted hundreds of portraits of his contemporaries as well. He founded Espoo Art School and was an excellent and inspiring teacher. In his work we see a skilled colourist full of surprises.

Stockholm 9. - 11.12.2013

I visited Stockholm on December 2013 with my husband. We travelled there by Silja Serenade. In Värta Harbour security gard checked people carefully because there was distribution of Nobel prizes at the same time. 

We made some shoppings which we thought were good as Christmas presents. We visited famous Östermalm market hall and admired different kind of fresh fishes and crabs.

In the nearby nice bistro we ate healthy lunch, fresh salads.  After that we travelled to Liljeholmen because we read about one interesting exhibition there, but unfortunately it was closed already.

Stockholm is a good place to make some special shoppings. The food there is always tasty and more trendy than in Finland.

NK:s shop window before Christmas

                                       Östermalm´s special sausages with Christmas covering