Today we made a little car ride with my husband in the rural areas of Lappeenranta after we took the girls to the stables. They are bitten by horse bug - espsially Jonna! We ended up to the place called Konnunsuo. It's a beautiful countryside.
Konnunsuo is famous of its prison (in the picture above). It was established in 1918. The old buildings are beautiful but in a need for modernisation. They were built during the years 1922-1935. Konnunsuo prison is a big producer of organic food. It grows mainly cattle. The fields are very popular place for migratory birds to stop by so there are two watch towers for birds.
We enjoyed the view very much but couldn't help thinking of the ruined lives of those inside the prison. What went wrong in each of their lives? We get so different start to our lives contingent upon what kind of a family we born into. I hope that working as a mediator I can help some of our clients not to end up on a road with more and more of crimes but in stead help them realize that their actions have consequences in other people's lives. That way they hopefully learn a better way of living. Prison doesn't help them!
Notice: I'm wearing my Inca Kola t-shirt from Peru. I like Inca Kola and that shirt a lot but it's strating to get old and worn-out. :(
In Konnunsuo there is a big peat bog too (suo means swamp). Peat is mainly used for power production. 30 % of Finland is peat bog but mot of it has been ditched for growing forests, for agriculture or in order to pick the peat for power production. As you may remember I enjoyed peat sauna with my friends couple of years ago. There are very few peat bogs left in the natural state and that's a pitty.
Some how I like these peat bogs. In Ilomantsi where I grew up are lot of swamp and they take lot of peat out of them. So the scenery and the smell is so familiar. I guess we need to take the power from somewhere but I'm afraid we are using too mcuh power in order the Earth to survive. I wish we could endure more of our wilderness in natural state and not to harness it to our selfish use.
4 comments:
we toured a peat bog area when we were in finland ... they are certainly important ... but like you say, it would be nice if we could use, re-use and give back - rather then just take take take ...
nature of man, eh?
Dear Maiju,
thank you for visiting my blog, I have been reading your for some time afterwards, but have not really had the time write back.
I've showed my husband the wonderful pictures from South Karélen. Such beautiful scenery from the land of the thousand seas.
I've never visited Finland, but my parents were there quite often, that is, they drove to the north of Norway and then downwards trough Finland and Sweeden.
Beisdes my father was a book lover and he was really into the Finish poets as well as some of the novelists, among others Vaino Linna.
Well, if we go, the south of Karélen is definite a place I would like to see.
You probably know that St. Olav was the Norwegian king who christened Norway in year 1030? Beforrre he came so far, he went several "tours" in "Easternway". (Being several parts of Russia.-"Westernway" was the wikings going to the British Isles.-
The 29. of Juli the day St. Olav died is still celebrated as Olsok in protestant Norway.
Like you I'm educated for working with the matall retarded, and have done so for 25 years.
Now I'm retired, but still have contact with some of my kids.
I loved my work, but one has to havee been there to understand just how challenging and demanding it was. My very best friends are former collegues.
I feel we have shared for good and for worse, more than many a married couple.
Next month, when my daughter is leaving home, I just might pick up threads from my past. I really don't know.
I'll have to see how the good Lord let things or ways open.
Wishing you a warm, sunny summer in exotic south of Finland/East of Russia fom rainy western Norway.
Saija,
you are correct. We far too often just think how to get stuff as cheap as possible without thinking what it means. My heart broke in peru when i realized that buying cheap products is normally away from the salaries of people who would need it. We also want cheap gasoline etc. and we don't care what it does for our environment. Well, i can do my best...
Felisol,
thanks for writing to me. If you ever come to finland South Carelia is definately worth visting. The Lake Saimaa is beautiful! I would love to visit Norway too. It's close enough so maybe someday I'll be able to come there!
It's funny how some one not a Finn will find Finnish novelists interesting while I as a Finn have hard time with the Finnish literature. Especially the old classics are many times so melodramatic that I just don't like them. Of course some of them are good. I love Maiju Lassila (good name, he has - yes he is a man using female name, not his real name)!
I worked as a special educator only this past year. next year I will return to teach the music classes. I love that work! But the experience with special children will be with me rest of my life. Challenging and rewarding!
I'll follow your blog!
Post a Comment