123 :: December Scenery

Jaana: December has been quite mild and cloudy and overall a dark month, but yesterday's Winter Solstice means that daylight starts increasing again. Today the length of day is 3h 34m, sunrise at 10:29 AM, sunset at 2:03 PM.

Kia: December has been very wet and yet unseasonably warm. Today the length of day is 6h 59m, sunrise at 8:46 AM, sunset at 3:45 PM.

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in November, October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.

Hyvää Joulua! Buon Natale! Merry Christmas!

Thank you all for your visits, comments and shared photos throughout the year. It's been fun, as always, to show you the similarities and differences between Finland and Scotland with our photos. Time for a break for the holidays now, but we'll see you again in 2014.

With our best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year,
Jaana & Kia

122 : November Scenery

Jaana: For the most part November was grey and wet, but towards the end of the month we got a proper snow cover. Now just wait and see if it's here to stay. Today the length of day is 4h 59m, sunrise at 9:36 AM, sunset at 2:35 PM.

Kia: Many colorful autumn leaves are still clinging on, but I can hear Jack Frost knocking at the backdoor. Today the length of day is 7h 37m, sunrise at 8:16 AM, sunset at 3:53 PM.

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in October, September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.

We're curious to see how November looked like in your neck of the woods, so do share with us by leaving a link to your photo in our comments box!

121 :: October Scenery

Jaana: First frost and snow of the season arrived in October, and also went away again. Today the length of day is 8h 01m, sunrise at 7:49 AM, sunset at 3:50 PM.

Kia: This month, the fall foliage helped me bear with the chilly and blustery weather. Today the length of day is 9h 21m, sunrise at 7:20 AM, sunset at 4:41 PM.

How did October look like in your corner of the world? Do share by leaving a link to your photo!

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.

We have been posting so actively for the past few months, up to three themes a week, that now we need a little break to recharge and gather new inspiration. We'll be back with more frequent posts as soon as possible, but for now we'll only post these monthly scenery shots. Enjoy and have a happy (snappy) day!

120 :: Feathered Friends

Jaana: Hooded Crows are one of the most familiar feathered friends found in Finland.

Kia: The Chaffinch is common and widespread throughout Scotland, except in the largely treeless areas of some of the remoter islands, such as the Outer Hebrides and Shetland, where it is scarce or absent.

119 :: Rusty Leaves

Jaana: Rusty freckles on rowan leaves.

Kia: Close-up of a Copper Beech leaf.

118 :: Walking Among Trees

Jaana: Walking among birch trees...

Kia: It's leaf-peeping season! I've been enjoying walking in this woodland of deciduous trees.

117 :: Yellow Leaves

Jaana: Yellow leaves on a Norwegian Maple by the City Hall.

Kia: The yellow leaves of a Japanese Acer on a sunny afternoon.

116 :: Migrating Birds

Jaana: Although Waxwings are migrating birds, most of them overwinter in Finland if the year is particularly good for berries.

Kia: In winter many of the European Goldfinches present in Scotland migrate as far south as Spain.

115 :: Red Leaves

Jaana: Fiery red leaves of an ornamental chokeberry shrub.

Kia: Ivy leaves in their vibrantly red-colored autumn costume.

114 :: Red Berries

Jaana: Sunkissed red berries of a Crab Apple tree.

Kia: In Gaelic folklore, the native Hawthorn, also known as the Faerie Tree, marks the entrance to the otherworld. The berries are commonly made into jellies, jams and syrups, and used to make wine or to add flavour to brandy.

113 :: Fireweed

Jaana: Fireweeds are not so fiery anymore.

Kia: Now that it's autumn, the leaves of the fireweeds have turned reddish and orange.

You can view them in their summer costume in our Weeds post.

112 :: September Scenery

Jaana: The start of September was sunny and warm, but the month ended with cloudy and rainy days and plummeted temps. Today the length of day is 11h 28m, sunrise at 7:23 AM, sunset at 6:51 PM.

Kia: The weather this month has been rubbish, but this last weekend has been surprisingly sunny and warm. Today the length of day is 11h 44m, sunrise at 7:15 AM, sunset at 6:59 PM.

How did September look like in your corner of the world? Do share by leaving a link to your photo!

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.

111 :: Sunflower

Jaana: A field of sunflowers greeting the passers-by.

Kia: A humble and solitary sunflower growing in the walled garden at Blair Castle.

110 :: Bridge

Jaana: A reflection of a bridge leading to Pikisaari islet.

Kia: The Fairy Bridge, near Dunvegan. According to a tradition, one of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod married a fairy; however, after twenty years she was forced to leave him and return to fairyland. She bade farewell to the chief at this stone bridge.

109 :: Rowan

Jaana: Unlike last year, there's hardly been berries on rowan trees this fall. Instead their foliage is spectacularly colorful.

Kia: The Yellow-berried Rowan (Sorbus Joseph Rock) has its branches adorned with bountiful jewel-like berries. They are very attractive to fruit-eating birds, and this is reflected in the old name "bird catcher".

108 :: Tea Room

Jaana: The Ounce, a tea room and shop in Helsinki.

Kia: A mouth-watering Afternoon Tea at the Willow Tea Rooms in Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow, known for its silver furniture and leaded glass work.

107 :: Pylon

Jaana: A close-up of an electricity pylon.

Kia: Pylons, with their geometrical structure, may be photogenic in their own way.

106 :: Art In The Park

Jaana: The Oulu Museum of Art recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with an art exhibition at the Hupisaaret park area. This piece, created by Essi Korva, is called 'Connection'.

Kia: Glasgow authorities have innovatively chosen street artist Sam Bates to paint in areas previously "plagued" by graffiti, like in Kelvingrove Park.

105 :: Apples

Jaana and Kia: What's your favourite apple pie recipe?

104 :: Crop

Jaana: Oats and barley are the most grown cereal crops over here, largely for feeding livestock.

Kia: Oat is one of Scotland's main cereal crops. Oatmeal and rolled oats are used to make traditional Scottish food like porridge, oatcakes and haggis. Most oats are grown to feed farm animals.

103 :: Thistledown

Jaana: Thistledown of the Creeping Thistle.

Kia: Thistles are still beautiful when they turn into soft feathery pillows.

102 :: Statue II

Jaana: The Lauttamies (raftsman) statue is located by the Kukkolankoski rapids in Tornio. It was unveiled in 1961 in memory of the men who once rafted timber on the Torniojoki river.

Kia: This bronze statue has been erected in Glasgow in 1992 in memory of the Scottish cartoonist and poet Bud Neill; it features the sheriff Lobey Dosser with Rank Bajin in handcuffs, astride Elfie, the only two-legged horse in The West. The statue itself has the unique distinction of being the world's only two-legged equestrian monument.

101 :: Bales

Jaana: It's rare that you see anything but fodder bales overhere these days.

Kia: It's harvesting time in the fields around Aberlour and a tractor is making the single bale wrapper work.

100 :: Heritage (Museum)

Jaana: The Sailor's Home Museum is located in the oldest wooden building in Oulu. In the past it served as  a Southern Customs Office, but now it's been furnished with items typical for a late 1800s sailor's home.

Kia: The Skye Museum of Island Life is a fascinating village of thatched cottages, showing how people would have lived on Skye at the close of the nineteenth century. Note the thatched roof held down with a net weighted with large stones as a protection against high winds and stormy weather.

This is our 100th post. Thank you for all your visits and feedback, much appreciated! Will you join us for the next one hundred?

99 :: August Scenery

Jaana:  August continued to treat us with sunny days and warm weather. It's been such a beautiful summer. Today the length of day is 15h 10m, sunrise at 5:43 AM, sunset at 8:53 PM.

Kia: August has been mainly cloudy, but everyone is still trying to enjoy the last few days on summer. Today the length of day is 14h 10m, sunrise at 6:14 AM, sunset at 8:24 PM.

How did August look like in your corner of the world? Do share by leaving a link to your photo!

A reminder of how our sceneries looked like in July, June, May, April, March, February and January.