Laatuaikaa isomman neidin kanssa / Quality time with Big Miss

Minun tulee vietettya valitettavan vahan aikaa ihan kahden kesken isomman neidin kanssa. Pikkuneiti kun on kotona ainakin puolilta paivin ellei sitten koko paivaa. Itse olen ollut viime aikoina sen verran puhki etta viikonloppuna mennaan todellakin sielta mista aita on matalin ja tytot ovat leikkineet keskenaan tai ollaan oltu ulkona. Mutta varsinaista kahden keskeista aikaa isomman neidin kanssa ei ole tullut vietettya vahaan aikaan.

Unfortunately I spend less time alone with Big Miss than the little one. Little Miss is at home if not all day then at least half a day. And lately I've been so tired that during weekends we've been doing absolute minimum and the girls have been playing together or we've been outside. But actual time alone with Big Miss has been lately nonexistent. 

Niinpa tanaan sitten lahdettiin sunnuntaina aamusta etsimaan hyvia kuvauspaikkoja. Minulla oli lista paikkoja, joista olin itse nahnyt kuvia tai kuullut paikasta mutten varsinaisesti ollut paikan paalla. Siis lahdimme katsastamaan muutamaa naista listan paikoista. Kuvaajan apulainen oli kovin otettu ja kertoi mielipiteitaan kun kyselin niita. Suostui myos malliksi kun sanoin etta haluan ottaa muutamia testikuvia. 

So today, I took her with me shoot location hunting on Sunday morning. I had a list of possible places which I had either seen pictures of or had heard of but had not been there personally. We went to few of these places. The photographer's assistant was very happy and did provide opinions and feedback to my questions. She also was a great model as I said I wanted few test shots from here and there. 

Ensimmaiseksi katsastettiin Willard's Wood:ssa, Lexingtonissa. Suojelukohde, jossa on kuitenkin kavelyreitteja. Nyt kun lehdet ovat maassa on aika harmaan ja tylsan nakoista mutta siinakin on oma kauneutensa.

First we checked out Willard's Wood in Lexington. It's a conservation area but with walking paths. Now that leaves are on the ground it's quite grey and bleak but it does have its own beauty.

Pikainen historian tunti Paul Revere:n kiinniottopaikalla. Liittyy vapaustaistelun alkuun talla meidan alueella. Neiti on opiskellut tata kyseista asiaa koulussa nyt niin oli kiva tulla ihan historiallisesti tarkealle paikalle, jonka han pystyi myos yhdistamaan oppimaansa.

We also quickly stopped by Paul Revere capture site. This is connected to the start of the Revolutionary war in our area. Big Miss has been studying this particular topic in school so it was nice to come a historic spot that she can actually relate to through her studies.

Seuraavaksi tutkailimmekin Whittemore House:n ymparistoa ja Minutemen National Park:in aluetta. Puiston vieraspiste on talven ajan kiinni eli turisteja ei niin paljoa alueella liiku. 

Next we explored Whittemore House and Minutemen National Park surroundings. The park and it's visitor center is closed during winter so there are not so many tourists. Great place to take pictures. 

Saa ei ollut kovin otollinen silla valilla tihutti vetta. Onneksi ei sentaan kunnon sadetta.

The weather was not very nice as it was occasionally it was spitting. Luckily not proper rain. 

Molemmat paikat hyvia kuvauspaikkoja. Kohta paastaan taas tositoimiin. :) Sain nimittain kuvauskeikan. Joku oli nahnyt ystavani perheesta ottamat kuvat ja oli tykastanyt niin etta halusi minun ottavan kuvat myos hanen perheestaan. Aika uskomattoman hienoa! Ainakin minusta itsestani. Vahan sellainen KAAK! JIPPIII! HAPPY DANCE meininki kaikki yhta aikaa! :D Joku ventovieras, joka oli nahnyt kuvani haluaa minut kuvaamaan perheensa!!!!!!!

Toivottelen kaikille hyvaa kiitospaivaa!

Both places are good for photoshoots. And soon I'll be shooting again. :) I got a job for a family photo shoot. Someone had seen the pictures I took of my friend's family and she had loved them and wanted me to take their family pictures as well. Amazingly wonderful! At least I think so. I have this YIKES! EEEEEEK! HAPPY DANCE feeling all at the same time! :D Someone I don't know had seen pictures I'd taken and wants me to take pictures of her family!!!!!!!

Wishing you all Happy Thanksgiving!

Walden Pond

Kirjallisuuden ystaville nimi Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) on varmasti tuttu edes jollain tasolla. 

Literary friends probably recognize the name Henry David Thoreau (1871-1862) at least on some level.

Mina kuulin nimen ensimmaisia kertoja vuonna -96 kun opiskelin Pohjois-Amerikan tutkimusta Helsingin avoimessa yliopistossa ja opintoihin kuului myos kirjallisuuskursseja. Opiskeluun ei silloin kuulunut kuin joidenkin otteiden lukemista Thoreaun tuotannosta mutta mina tykastyin kovasti ja luin hanen teoksistaan Walden, or, life in the woods (Walden, elamaa metsassa) seka The Maine Woods (Kolme matkaa eramaahan). Molemmat naista kirjoista on siis suomennettu. 

Thoreau syntyi ja eli meidan naapurikaupungissa Concordissa. Han myos kuoli siella. Concordissa on pieni jarvi nimeltaan Walden Pond, jonka rannoilla Thoreau asui pari vuotta pikkuruisessa yhden huoneen (mokissa oli yksinkertainen sanky, poyta, tuoli ja takka) mokissa kirjoittaen. 

I first heard the name in -96 when I studied North American Studies in the Helsinki Open University. The studies included literary courses. We only read some extracts from Thoreau's work but I liked it and I've read Walden, or life in the woods as well as The Maine Woods.

Thoreau was born and lived in our neighboring town Concord. He also died there. There's a small lake called Walden Pond. There Walden lived for two years in isolation in a tiny one room cabin (there was a simple bed, table and chair, and fireplace in the cabin) writing.

Walden Pond on yksi osavaltion yllapitamista alueista ja parkkipaikalle on maksu. Jarven ympari kiertaa polku (noin 2km pitka), joka on kovin suosittu lenkkipolkuna, mutta ihan rantaviivaakin pitkin pystyy jarven kiertamaan.

Walden Pond is one of the State Reservations. There's a fee to get to the parking lot. There's a trail around the Pond (about 2km) which is very popular for walking. You can go around the pond also right at the edge of the water. 

Kun ystavani oli taalla lokakuussa, kavimme yhtena aurinkoisena paivana ulkoilemassa. Ihmisia oli liikenteessa aika paljonkin. Liikkeella oli turisteja kameroineen. Muutama aiti lapsineen oli tullut evasretkelle rannalle. Useampia miehia ja naisia kaveli yksinaan tai pienissa ryhmissa ihan tosissaan kuntoilumielessa. Yksi mies kaveli lenkkiaan rauhallisemmin, kahvmukin kanssa. Yksi nainen oli loytanyt tuulelta suojan ja luki kirjaansa nauttien auringosta. Pieni koululaisryhmakin lukiolaisiakin oli paikalle tullut opettajan kanssa.

When my friend was here in October, we went for a walk around the pond on one sunny day. There were lots of people about. We saw tourists with their cameras. Few mothers had come for a little picnic with their children. Several men and women were walking seriously either alone or in small groups. One man was walking a bit more calmly, with his coffee mug in his hand. One woman had found a hiding place from the wind and was reading and enjoying the sun. Small group of high school students were about as well with their teacher. 

Luonto oli kauneimmillaan syksyn vareissa. Keltaista, oranssia, punaista ja auringon kultaamina varit hehkuivat upeasti. 

Nature was as its best, in autumn colours. Yellow, orange, red and the sun made them shine beautifully.

Pikkuneiti keksi heitella valilla kivia veteen. Han naki kun yksi mies heitti littanan kiven veteen ja kuinka kivi hyppi veden pinnalla useamman kerran ennen kuin upposi. Sita han sitten yritti mutta eihan se ihan niin helppoa ole. Mutta kivien heittely oli kaikesta huolimatta kivaa vaikkei onnistunutkaan alkuperainen idea. 

Little Miss started throwing stones in the lake. She saw a man throw a thin stone to the water and how it bounced on the surface several times before it sank. This is what Little Miss tried to do but it wasn't so easy. But throwing stones was fun any way even though the original idea didn't work out. 

Auringosta nautittiin myos me. :D

We also enjoyed the sun. :D

Vaikka tasta ulkoilusta ei ole kuin puolisentoista kuukautta niin se tuntuu jo kovin kaukaiselta. Ystavaa on ikava! Toivoisinpa etta pian keksittaisiin tuo Star Trekista tuttu transportteri. Paasisi kaymaan vaikka ihan vaan iltakahvilla!

Even though it's been only a month and half from that outing it feels like it was much longer since that sunny day. I miss my friend! I do wish they would invent the transporter they use in Star Trek. I could pop by for a evening cup of tea!

Kamera, lapsia, vauhtia...... siina vasta yhdistelma / Camera, speed, children..... what a combination

Minulle tuli mahdollisuus ottaa kuvia toiselle ystavalle. Lapsista oli tarkoitus ottaa kuvat. Neiti 3v ja pikku herra 5v. Voitte kuvitella etta kuvauksissa oli vauhtia. Hyvinkin nopeasti heti alussa selvisi ettei naita kahta poseerata mitenkaan vaan kuvat napataa vauhdissa. Ihania mupeloita! Ja olivat kylla niin reippaita. Sain napattua myoskin taysin suunnittelemattoman kuvan koko perheesta. Ja mina olin ihan poikki taman session jalkeen. Lasten kuvaaminen on taytta tyota. :D (Minulla on lupa julkaista kuvat.)

I had a chance to take pictures for another friend. The job was to take pictures of the children. Miss 3y and Mr 5v. You can imagine that there was speed in the shoot. It became evident pretty uch immediately that these two couldn't really be posed in any way but have candid spontaneous pictures. Lovely children! And they were so good the whole time. I managed to snap an extempore picture of the whole family. I was knackered after this shoot. Taking pictures of children is hard work. :D ( I have permission to publish these pictures.)

Puikkojen kilinaa ja koneiden surinaa / Klinking of the knirring needles and surring of the sewing machines

Kylla taalla kasitoitakin tehdaan vaikken ole vahaan aikaan mitaan tanne blogiin laittanutkaan.  Olen virkannut, neulonut ja ommellut. Varsinaisia muita askarteluja ei ole tullut tehtya. Ehka nyt kun on joulukin tulossa.

I've not forgotten my crafting even though I haven't lately updated anything on the blog on that account. I have crocheted, knitted and sewn. Other crafting has taken a step back. Maybe now that Christmas is coming.

Virus shaali on ollut kovasti esilla virkkausfoorumeilla. Ja kovin koukuttava se onkin. Halusin tehda shaalin vahan paksummasta langasta niin etta se myos lammittaisi talvella. Kaksi olen tehnyt. Samasta langasta mutta toiseen kaytin vahan isompaa koukkua. Molemmat kivoja. Valkoinen, valjempi, isommalla koukulla tehty, laskeutuu vahan kauniimmin kuin punainen kaverinsa. Nama molemmat ovat menossa joululahjoiksi. Ja molemmat meidan neideista haluaa omansa. Onpahan ainakin jotain virkattavaa.

Virus Shawl has been highly visible on crochet forums. And I do have to admit that it's very addicting. Like a virus. I wanted to make the shawl out of thicker yarn so that it would give warmth in the winter. Two I have made so far. Both from the same yarn but for the other one I used bigger hook. Both are lovely! The white, lacier, made with bigger hook one drapes a bit nicer than its red companion. Both of there are Christmas gifts. And both of our Misses want one as well. At least I have something to crochet. 

Puikoilta on pudonnut kammekkaat ja parit perussukat, jotka lahjoitettiin eteenpain ilman etta kerkesin niita kuvata. Nyt puikoilla joululahjasukat naapurin sedalle. Rouvansa saa toisen shaaleista. Suunnitteilla olisi tehda Anelmat jossain vaiheessa. Ensin pitaa kuitenkin saada joululahjatehdas suljetuksi ennen kuin tartun omaan projektiin.

On the knitting front I've made fingerless mitts and few pairs of basic socks (which were gifted forward before taking pictures). Now I have socks for our elderly neighbour on the needles at the moment. Those too for Christmas. His wife will get one of the shawls. I'm planning to make Anelma socks at some point but I do have to get all Christmas presents done before I will make something for myself. 

Ompelurintamalla olen tehnyt tytoille vaatteita. Isompi neiti varsinkin tarvitsee vaatetta ja mami on yrittanyt sitten auttaa tassa hieman myos. Itselleni olen ommellut myos muutamia mekkoja/tunikoita. Yksi paita odottaa leikattuna otollista hetkea.

On the sewing front I've been making clothes for the girls. Big Miss especially has needed clothes and mummy has tried to help the situation. For myself I've made few dresses and tunics. One shirt  has been cut ready and is waiting for time to put it together.