For the past 15 years I’ve managed to always wait for my next visit to Finland so I can indulge with what in my opinion is a national institution: Karelian pies - “Karjalanpiirakat”. Since the nearest shop selling them is some 4500 kilometres away at the moment, the day indeed came when I finally bit the bullet and decided to make them myself. I’m not big into cooking - after putting materials together with tools most days, thus “cooking” ideas into physical form, making food feels like work I guess, I rarely do it for fun. Well, didn’t quite now either, as the reason for this 4-hour project was plain and simple: I had to have them. Could not go another day without eating a Karelian pie. So there was no choice really. And so, after 4 hours I had 40 Karelian pies, each looking different from the next but like my childhood saying goes: “They’ll look worse once they reach your stomach!” Now, a few hours later, half of them are gone already and there certainly won’t be any left by end of tomorrow, if I have anything to do with it. But I’m exhausted. Now I think I’ll just wait for the next visit to Finland. (Jun08)

For the adventurous among you, here’s the Karelian pie recipe in English.

I’m being a bit British now and will carry on talking about the weather. But according to the newspaper, it’s “unusually cold for the season”. Apparently there’s been some storm in India due to which we had this sudden drop in temperature, from the high 40s to the low 30s. This “chill” in the air brought all the terraces alive, so we also decided to enjoy a long lazy evening in our favourite pizza place. One of the most enjoyable things is to see all the changing colours of the scenery from daylight through dusk to sunset. There’s a point during dusk when everything turns soft pastel shades, but I never catch it on camera. (Jun08)

And with some 80 percent humidity, I’m very close to eating the words I uttered a mere two months ago when freezing in northern Europe… something about not ever again saying it’s too hot. If only there was a way to capture this heat in a photograph. Sometimes it’s difficult to breath outside. So this weekend we escaped into the coolness of one of the fancy car showrooms to see some vehicles we won’t be buying any time this century…

A day long power cut forcing us out of our now non-airconditioned home, we escaped to Ibn Battuta for the afternoon. A rare treat was in store for me when the little one fell asleep and I had an hour all to myself to indulge in my favourite berry mocktail and some good old-fashioned pen to paper sketching. That’s the beginnings of a full series of paintings - nine in total! Got to be quick taking advantage of such quiet moments. Now to just find time to commit the sketches onto parchment… (May08)

One of the things I like about this place is that you can step into quite a royal world by just going for some plain old fish and chips! The beach bar grounds are always lit up very atmospherically, it’s tranquil and calm. And the fish and chips would give their UK counterpart a run for their money.

Not far away from here, on Mussandam peninsula in Oman, there’s beautiful mountain-lined coast and calm seaways where wild dolphins can be observed jumping and playing. I had never seen wild dolphins before this place in March last year, and could now return there on every possible occasion. Such a lovely day out, miles from the daily grind. (May08)

There is just too much to do. Some months get so filled up with projects and responsibilities that 24 hours is never enough. Rushing is never good so where to pinch extra hours? There should be 40 in a day. Or no need to sleep. I won’t be taking on any further projects now as there is some daily life to be sorted out too, amidst of it all. (May08)

When it gets too hot to play outside in the middle of the day and the five hundred earlier questions of “What can we play now?” have been answered, what next… Why not a shell mandala?
And because today is one of my favourite days of the year, obviously not celebrated here in Dubai, I take this opportunity to wish all Finns out there a very happy ‘Vappu’! (May08)

Sand here gets everywhere, not just during sand storms but every day. I almost thought at first that I wouldn’t be able to work in this space as in just a few hours, a layer of fine sand dust settled on every surface. Totally not allowed when making fine craft work with paper, leather and glues! But sometimes solutions are extremely simple. Luckily. Taping over the window, carefully and everywhere, and when I returned after the three week holiday, the atelier was still squeaky clean, not a spec of sand dust had found its way in. Superb. Of course, can’t open the window ever, but that’s a small price to pay. Anyway, it’s getting so incredibly hot already I don’t think anyone would want to open a window anymore even if given the chance. (Apr08)

In just one week we have seen the winter turn into spring. In just two months it will be Midsummer with its nightless nights - already now daylight was sneakily taking over the night sky. Very tranquil. Creative batteries are recharged and it’s time to say goodbye and settle to wait for the next hello. (Apr08)