One rainy day keep coming after
another. When seeking shelter in the libraries, you might find some
art.
These are made by kids, but Kaarna appreciates them also.
When a warm and sunny day finally happens, all the damp clothes and bed linen can be air dryed and Herbert ventilated. What a bliss!
The scent of suopursu is so strong and lovely that Ken pics up some to put them inside the van. Maybe the smell of all the wet days would disappear.
- I had actually forgotten what summer really feels like, Ken sighs happily and deliberately ignores the law that forbids picking plants with wooden stems. A few branches maybe doesn’t matter.
Kaarna can see so many little frog babies swimming in this lake that it’s impossible for a person to go swimming. Ken laughs:
- They don’t even have legs yet. Don’t let an irrational fobia ruin this day for you!
Kaarna heroicly overcomes her fear but afterwards she makes Ken check her hair in case an evil baby frog has decided to invade her head.
They really have reached a paradise on Earth now and they are able to stay for more than two nights. There’s a good spot for the van at end of a forest road near the pond. Kaarna soon becomes a master in swimming despite of the tadpoles.
There are several trails for hiking and even a dry toilet really near. And what about the silence! Even the birds are quiet, only a random screak of a loon can be heard every now and then.
A few times someone else passes by Ken and Kaarna’s camp. This local girl comes by bike, leaves it next to Herbert and plans to hike around the lake.
- Did you come from far away? Welcome to Pieksämäki! Will you stay here? I dream of vanlife too! How long will you be on the road? I love the nature too, we have such great paths here. This is my favorite route, I come here many times every week after work. Ok, I’d better go now… Have a nice day, enjoy your stay!
It’s funny that when strangers happen to meet in the nature, they always say hello and often even stay for a while to chat.
The hiking trails are usually well signed along the way, but if you still manage to get lost, the modern technology will save you. Or not…
- My Google Maps is a mess. It keeps throwing me into wrong locations, Kaarna complains.
- I have noticed the same. You have to wait longer and it might find the correct place. I wonder if it’s because of the Russian GPS interference. For some reason it’s stronger here than at home.
But the rain won´t be away for long. It’s once again a gray morning after a very wet night. But Ken and Kaarna send the most yellow and bright birthday wishes to Miimu @miimusdollworld and let some stranger join the photo since she is properly dressed for the occassion!
A cold, wet and windy day like this is wisely dedicated to the unpleasant but mandatory city visit. Grocery shopping, laundry and warm indoor spaces are on today’s menu.
A culture center offers free visit to the art gallery and during this summer there’s an exhibition of naive art.
Everything on the walls makes Ken smile and Kaarna feel like she’s an untalented loser.
(The paintings on these photos are made by Elina Kautto, Terho Peltoniemi and Sirkku Salo. Location Kulttuurikeskus Poleeni)
When they have finally run all the errands they reward themselves in a lovely and peaceful cafeteria.
In search of a silent and allowed place to camp Ken and Kaarna arrive at a viewing tower in the middle of nothing.
Unfortunately the ladder to the first floor are missing.
Kaarna mumbles:
- Just our luck. But maybe we could climb
along the pole like monkeys? Hahaha!
- I want to try! Give me a push! Ken says.
- What the hell, Ken? I’m supposed to be the irresponsible one in this family!
Ken tries to climb and Kaarna tries to push.
- Stop kicking my face! You heavy dinosaur! I can’t….
And right then Kaarna’s strength is not enough anymore…
Ken falls down and hits the hard and rocky ground!
- Nooooooo!!!! Ken!!!! Say something!!!! Talk to me!!!! Don’t die on me now!!!!!!
But Ken remains silent and still.
Kaarna finds Ken’s pulse. He’s not dead, but something is certainly wrong. ”The ones who are the most seriously injured, always are the most quiet ones,” a certain paramedic once told Kaarna. And right now the only one crying is Kaarna.
But then Ken pushes himself up and whispers:
- Kaarna. I can’t feel my leg.
- Thank fucking God you’re alive!!!!!! You can’t feel your leg because it’s not attached to your body anymore! I’ll call an ambulance.
- No ambulance. I’m not in pain. We
just take the leg and Ritva will put it back when we’re home. I
don’t trust the Central Finnish doctors. Let’s make a crutch!
- I must drive us home right now!
- No. This might be our last summer on the road. We’ll continue. Now, go find a branch for the crutch!
Kaarna kills a young tree (sorry, but this is an emergency) and makes the crutch.
Ken adds some woollen yarn to make it more comfortable.
- I’m able to walk just fine with this. Our summer trip can continue!
Now that Ken is disabled, Kaarna hikes alone and to be honest it’s the way she prefers. It’s just her and the sounds of the nature.
And she has started to like the endless swamps, where she sometimes sees swans, cranes and willow grouses.
Living on only one leg is somewhat challenging, Ken thinks. (Kaarna thinks it must be pure hell.) Balancing on the SUP board is nearly impossible and swimming is definitely impossible.
But at least Ken can lie in the shallow water.
Finally they spot an art place weird enough for Kaarna.
Rajatalo is like demolition house art except that
the house is not going to be demolished!
It’s always open for visitors and there are some pretty interesting pieces.
Ken can’t climb up the stairs, and Kaarna’s help is not really helping.
Luckily there are things to see on the yard and barn also.
Ken has had enough of the missing leg and decides to see a doctor. This particular doctor must be a hundred years old.
- Good, he’s got experience, Ken thinks.
- Jesus, he’s probably senile, Kaarna thinks.
- People for a change, the doctor thinks.
The doctor examines Ken’s hip and leg and says:
- Lets’s see what we got here… Not a problem. I’ve had several similar cases.
- Actually just last week I took care of a horse who was in the same unfortunate condition. Or was it a reindeer before Christmas…? Never mind.
- Just sign here and
here. Little Miss can pick you up tomorrow.
The next morning Ken walks out of the clinic on his very own two feet!
- Look, he used the oldfashioned method. I had the same kind of artificial joint in my original body. The movement is a bit limited, but I can walk, run and sit