The first week under the northern sky has mostly been spent with rain and mosquitoes. Time is passing slowly while watching movies and spending time outside between rain showers.

I saw a man in the village jogging while swatting mosquitoes away with a birch branch. I immediately tried the method: it works, but it’s not foolproof—mosquitoes still win.

When the rain often stops in the evening, I head outside to explore the nearby forest. I heard that villagers were once given the choice between streetlights or a lit ski trail for the village. A few hundred meters from my home begins a wonderful network of lit ski trails and paths. I’d say the villagers are quite clever!

On the very first evening, I dug out sweaters, mittens, and wool socks from the moving boxes. The thermometer often rises to around ten degrees during the day, reaching up to fifteen on some days. Despite this, summer is at its most beautiful, with plants in bloom and berries ready to ripen. The radio reported that the abundant rain promises a record berry harvest. I can hardly wait!

In the evening, when the rain stops, I often sit by the Tornionjoki river for a moment. To be honest, I can’t stay for long due to the overwhelming number of mosquitoes. I've had to develop a new, swift approach to photography since mosquitoes attack as soon as any part of my body comes to a stop.

The river changes its shape every evening. It might be cloaked in dark rain clouds, its surface broken by heavy rainfall, or completely calm at midnight. My camera is already full of photos captured at different moments by the river. I wonder how many more will accumulate while living by this river.

I’m spending my vacation mainly indoors, watching movies and knitting. I've been waiting for an evening when the sky clears so I can head to the fell to admire the midnight sun before it ends again for this year in the middle of the month. Today, sunny weather is forecasted, so I think I’ll prepare for a trip to the fell. I’ll return later to share how it goes!

♥: Sanna