Sunny Botanic Garden Park

Yesterday we were enjoying wonderful sunny spring weather. I spent my lunch break walking around in the Botanic Garden Park. Our own yard is very small and sadly neglected. Luckily there are several beautiful parks I can enjoy!

Flowers and pets

We girls were out walking on Saturday. It was quite cold and windy. We even got some snow on Friday. There's still water everywhere. You can usually walk where they're canoeing in this picture!

On Sunday we went to the Pet Expo. There were lots of cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, mice and other small animals. We stood admiring the dogs and their trainers on the agility track for a while. The dogs really seemed to enjoy it! We don't have any pets right now, but we had dogs when I was little and I've had a guinea pig, budgies, fish and chinchillas. Sometimes I really miss having a pet.

There was also a Model Expo. I love looking at the train models with all their small details. Like these cows, they're really small and they're all hand painted and they look so real. Imagine how many hours it has taken to build this model! My husband bought some supplies for his project too.

She's home!

This is one of my favourite necklaces: resin donut, silk ribbon, freshwater pearls, silver bead caps and beads. There's no clasp on this one, you simply tie the ribbon in the back.

Sodalite nuggets, moonstone rondelles, silver flower, spacers and toggle.

A very simple necklace: sponge coral and silver spacers and toggle.

Carnelian nuggets, agate pendant, peridot rondelles, silver flower, spacers and toggle.

Our travellers got home early this morning! Their flight departed after 11 yesterday evening. They were lucky, they were only 12 hours late. They hadn't been able to sleep on the plane and they were very tired but very happy to be home. Quick hugs and they were off to bed. I'm so happy they're home!

I've only read two books in the past weeks:

• Patricia Briggs: Silver Borne


• Tate Hallaway: Dead If I Do

Have a great weekend!

Water everywhere

There's still water everywhere. The birds seem to enjoy it. These pictures were taken last weekend.

Ronja and her grand parents were supposed to fly home from Spain today but their flight was cancelled. The good news is that the air traffic should be back to normal by weekend if everything goes well. The bad news is that we still don't know when they'll be able to fly home.

Spring flowers and air traffic

It's amazing how much everything has changed since last weekend! Most of the snow is gone, but there is still snow in the forests and on the northern slopes. Mirja and I were out walking today enjoying all the flowers.

Ronja went to Spain with my husband's parents early Thursday morning. They went to Nerja, near Malaga on Costa del Sol. Later on Thursday all air traffic was shut down in Finland and in most of Europe too. The reason is the cloud of volcanic ash coming with the wind from Iceland. The eruption of Eyjafjallajoekull can go on for weeks or months. People all over Europe are trying to get home by train or boat. The situation is chaotic. I won't panic yet, but I can't help worrying.

First flowers

These pictures were taken on Sunday (11.4.2010).