Tanja @tanjaostman@dingdash.com

(Click on the picture)

I took a screenshot of a video (Telegram: Zeee Media) when this innocent teacher was arrested in Ireland for refusing to teach transgender ideology.

I found some chanterelles close to our yard. My favourite mushrooms. I use to just fry them in a pan with butter.

I'm so overwhelmed and thankful for my first trip ever to the USA, for 2.5 weeks with my family. So much to process after all that we have seen and experienced in NYC, VA, WV, PA, NJ, and DC. We had the privilege and joy to stay with @Williams_girl and to meet with @Cherishingsparrows2020 at her mother's AirBnB. I especially enjoyed all nature experiences (Shenandoah national park, Susquehanna River, the countryside of Virginia, Jones Beach on Long Island...). We were there during the assassination attempt of Mr DT. We could feel the tension, and people (especially little older) we didn't know very well expressed their worries about the future of the country. But on the other hand we didn't see any unrest, but life seemed to be going on quite normal. It's like in Europe. So much is bubbling under the surface both here in Europe, and in the US. Feels like we've been holding our breath for a few years now (esp here in Finland that is bordering Russia). I'm learning to trust the Lord.

The blue colour is where people drive on the wrong side of the road (equals left). 😀 😉

All of these are not nations, but they have their own flag anyhow. For instance the Åland Islands between Finland and Sweden, have their own flag, is a self-governed district, is demilitarized, belongs to Finland but is more Swedish in language and culture (used to belong to Sweden but when Russia got Finland in 1809 Sweden had to give away Åland as well). These cross flags is a reminder of our Christian heritage! Do you know what nations and islands these are?

Passenger trains in the US VS. Europe

With more than 70 percent of its surface covered by forests, Finland is – by far – the most densely forested country in Europe.

We are on our way from Vasa (Vaasa), Finland, to Umeå, Sweden, a 4 hour trip by Wasaline ferry. It's the northernmost year round passenger ferry. As you can see the ice is thick (30-50 cm close to the coast), but icebreakers keep the fairway open. In the second picture the colors represent different kinds of ice. Dark grey is the most solid and thick. Blue stands for open water. So the open water is only a fraction of the total travel distance. https://www.wasaline.com/en/

The city of Porvoo (Finnish) / Borgå (Swe.), Finland. (Unknown photographer). It means "castle river" in Swedish (its original name). It was founded ca. 1380 when Finland was a part of Sweden.

Turku castle in Turku / Åbo (Swedish), Finland. (Photographer unknown). A start was made on building the castle in about 1280. The castle served as a bastion and administrative centre in Eastland, as Finland was known during its time as a province of Sweden. Only once did the castle figure in the defence of the realm, when Russian invaders from Novgorod destroyed Turku in 1318. The castle's heyday was in the mid-16th century during the reign of Duke John of Finland and Catherine Jagellon.

The castle was the center of the historical province of Finland Proper, and the administrative center of all of Finland. Its strong walls and dungeons also served as the state prison for centuries. The castle has been the place of many historical events; in 1573–1577, for example, the deposed Swedish queen Karin Månsdotter was kept prisoner here.

The castle is Finland's most visited museum. (Source: Wikipedia)

A picture from Helsinki, Finland. (Street name: Huvilakatu (in Finnish), Villagatan (in Swedish). Photographer unknown.