Dagmar's Spring, Finland

Hi,

I'm back on my Blog again!

'Going to be posting the occasional video from a recent project I started called 'My Big Fat Finnish Portfolio'. I've already set up and started this project over on Facebook and Instagram, plus I now have a YouTube channel and Pinterest board dedicated to it also.
'Would be great if you could join, add or follow any of these platforms.

For now here's a little clip I made not far from where I live in Finland. It's a nice little place called Dagmar's Spring, a natural spring with beautiful surroundings and easy-going nature trails.


All the best for now,


your friend, 

Alan.

My Finland 100 : 61- 70

Finland became an independent state on 6 December 1917. Already there have been numerous events staged throughout the country to celebrate this centenary year. The theme of the centenary year is ‘Together’. 

As I have been a resident of Finland for the past ten years I wanted to do a little something. For this I decided to post 100 images to my Instagram account on social media with the hashtag #finland100_igchallenge .

Anyone familiar with the Instagram application will be aware of the vast amount of wonderful photography posted every day online. There are so many amazing images to be found featuring Finland's stunning nature and landscapes. I imagine my photography may be lack lustre in comparison and as a result may not be noticed. So I decided to simply look closer in and around my new home for another approach. I have posted a variety of images found around my own house and neighbourhood. I didn't know much about Finland before I moved here, so I view this as an opportunity to show others a few things I discovered about or associated with Finland and it's culture. I have included everyday items, nostalgic items, locations, food and also some Finnish-themed artworks which I painted myself while living here. In other words, a bit of everything!!

The images are in no particular order of importance or preference, so I'll continue with 61-70...

61/100
Big rocks like the one shown here are a common sight in Finland. They were left over from the ice age. In fact the rock shown here is one of the smaller ones.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Nov 29, 2017 at 10:24am PST

62/100
...'Thoughts of summer' (acrylic on canvas). a finnish summer house in Prästkulla Finland which i painted in a dreamscape of summer colours.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Nov 30, 2017 at 1:57am PST

63/100
.. If you ever visit Helsinki check out the city's superb Jugendstil architecture. My favourite area is Katajanokka where I took these photos. (click on left of photo for more images)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Nov 30, 2017 at 2:10pm PST

64/100
...the small town of Ekenäs in Finland has a pole where they lock the necks of any Irishmen who don't pay for their beer, as demonstrated here by myself and my cousin on a recent visit.🍺😄 It's called the 'Shame Pole'. ..It was once used to punish criminals in the old days.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 1, 2017 at 2:48am PST

65/100
...flashback friday, hanging out with football fans from local Karis club BK-46 during the summer. The best of Finland! ⚽😎👍 

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 1, 2017 at 12:50pm PST

66/100
.... 4 words: Finland, Metal, Cello, Apocalyptica!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 2, 2017 at 12:46am PST

67/100
.. a glowing Helsinki Cathedral overlooks the Christmas market in Senate Square this weekend.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 3, 2017 at 1:40pm PST

68/100
... wall tapestry from Finland,... red christmas lights from Dunnes stores (switching on shortly)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 4, 2017 at 6:03am PST

69/100
..'just had a night visit from this little guy asking me to put up my Christmas tree and some lights asap.🎄 He's called a Tonttu/Tomte here in Finland and he's a wannabe mythological creature from Nordic folklore who appears every Christmas. I tried to keep him quietly in the kitchen as I have another small mythological creature from Irish folklore hidden in the livingroom. He's fast asleep now and won't wake up until mid-March. So, i'd better get moving and keep this Tontuu happy or he might wake up old grumpyhead! 😯

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 4, 2017 at 2:53pm PST

70/100
...'travelling by boat from Dublin to Liverpool I once found myself surrounded by young Irish football fans with bleached hair and this guy's name on their jerseys. Probably the first Finnish name many Irish people will mention when asked to name a famous Finn. Absolute legend for Liverpool and Finland! ⚽😎👍 (click right side of photo for more images) #samihyypia

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Dec 5, 2017 at 1:42am PST

Click below for more:

1- 10

11- 20

21- 30

31- 40

41- 50

51- 60

61- 70

71- 80

81- 90

91- 100

Share this blog!

Thanks for reading my blog and please feel free to share it with any of your friends.

- Alan

 

My Finland 100 : 11-20

Finland became an independent state on 6 December 1917. Already there have been numerous events staged throughout the country to celebrate this centenary year. The theme of the centenary year is ‘Together’. 

As I have been a resident of Finland for the past ten years I wanted to do a little something. For this I decided to post 100 images to my Instagram account on social media with the hashtag #finland100_igchallenge .

Anyone familiar with the Instagram application will be aware of the vast amount of wonderful photography posted every day online. There are so many amazing images to be found featuring Finland's stunning nature and landscapes. I imagine my photography may be lack lustre in comparison and as a result may not be noticed. So I decided to simply look closer in and around my new home for another approach. I have posted a variety of images found around my own house and neighbourhood. I didn't know much about Finland before I moved here, so I view this as an opportunity to show others a few things I discovered about or associated with Finland and it's culture. I have included everyday items, nostalgic items, locations, food and also some Finnish-themed artworks which I painted myself while living here. In other words, a bit of everything!!

The images are in no particular order of importance or preference, so I'll continue with 11-20...

11/100
Moomin troll is off on a trip today!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 5, 2017 at 10:26pm PDT

12/100
So up goes the big midsummer pole in Bromarf and midsummer (Juhannus/Midsommar) celebrations can begin. 

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:42am PDT

13/100
Midnight photoshot, well 12.15am to be precise. 'Could be a bit warmer though, had to wear long trousers tonight!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:23pm PDT

14/100
Tap of the morning!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 27, 2017 at 12:16am PDT

15/100
...old Nokia - original footwear! 👟👟 (click right side of photo for more images)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jun 29, 2017 at 3:50am PDT

16/100
Old window in Finland.

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Jul 22, 2017 at 2:34am PDT

17/100
'Turku Cathedral'

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Aug 3, 2017 at 6:48am PDT

18/100

'Taking a break' (acrylic-on-canvas)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Aug 16, 2017 at 1:27am PDT

19/100
Yum! 😘🍯 ...'not the runny kind of honey you find back in Ireland, this finnish honey is solid and tastes great in a hot coffee!!

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Aug 24, 2017 at 2:38am PDT

20/100
'Raseborg Castle' (Raaseporinlinna, Raseborgs Slott)

A post shared by Alan Hogan (@alanhogano) on Aug 27, 2017 at 3:13am PDT

Click below for more:

1- 10

11- 20

21- 30

31- 40

41- 50

51- 60

61- 70

71- 80

81- 90

91- 100






More of my Finland 100 coming soon, but for now I want to share this video I found online which asks the question "What do Finns think about the Finland 100 Years of Independence?" 

Share this blog!

Thanks for reading my blog and please feel free to share it with any of your friends.

- Alan

 

Autumn Fair in Finland

Today I took a visit to the Autumn Fair in the nearby town of Ekenäs/Tammisaari here in southern Finland. The weather was unusually bright and warm for this time of year here. Like myself most visitors to the fair were dressed for cooler temperatures. But after only ten minutes of arriving I had to remove my jacket and 'wished I had kept my shorts on before leaving home!

I decided to let this blogpost become a photoblog as it's been a while since my last post and my writing skills are a little rusty. This is mainly due to the fact that I accidently deleted a lot of the photos from my previous blogposts on this page via my smartphone.

Anyway, here are my photos of the day.  

Jams and Juices

Hats!

Suit your #Selfie - High Fashion!

The Usual Suspects

Fancy Hats!

Italiano

East of Edam!

Suomi selection

Hello Helium!

Local Wildlife

Balloons!

Candy liquorice

Honey

Angry Birds Top Shelf

Spacious rides!

Big Wheel!

Blood Donors Welcome!

More Candy!

Carousels!

Mr.Balloon Man!!

Maybe I'll go back tomorrow, I hear there's a beer-tent!!!

Share this blog!

Thanks for reading my blog and please feel free to share it with any of your friends.

You can receive my blogposts direct to your email or facebook profile by pressing the follow button at NetworkedBlogs  and you are welcome to visit my art page on Facebook by clicking the 'Like' button under my signature below.

- Alan