In the city center.
In Finland, this time of the year is called "ruska". Ruska is an interesting word in the sense that it does not have an equivalent in the English language or any other language I'm aware of. Anyway, "ruska" means roughly the same thing as autumn foliage or fall foliage/fall colors.
According to the encyclopedia, autumn foliage is a phenomenon that affects the normally green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on various shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown during a few weeks in the autumn season. This beautiful phenomenon is well-known in many countries, including Canada, the United States, Finland, Scandinavia, Northern and Western Europe, north of the Alps, Russia, and Eastern Asia including much of northern and eastern China, Japan, etc.
Yesterday, I took some pictures to show you Finnish ruska. I hung around in my hometown in Western Finland, especially in the parks and other green areas. So here you can see some photos from my town. It was a sunny day. The temperature was about 12 °C.
My latest news (just to inform my friends): Last Wednesday, I visited Vaasa again. At first, we had catechumenate session (church history and Bible teaching). After that, I attended the evening service (Russian: вечерня) in the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Next Monday, I will start a new job at the local museum.
That's it in brief. Happy autumn to all! （＾—＾）
Teisuka
According to the encyclopedia, autumn foliage is a phenomenon that affects the normally green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on various shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown during a few weeks in the autumn season. This beautiful phenomenon is well-known in many countries, including Canada, the United States, Finland, Scandinavia, Northern and Western Europe, north of the Alps, Russia, and Eastern Asia including much of northern and eastern China, Japan, etc.
Yesterday, I took some pictures to show you Finnish ruska. I hung around in my hometown in Western Finland, especially in the parks and other green areas. So here you can see some photos from my town. It was a sunny day. The temperature was about 12 °C.
My latest news (just to inform my friends): Last Wednesday, I visited Vaasa again. At first, we had catechumenate session (church history and Bible teaching). After that, I attended the evening service (Russian: вечерня) in the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Next Monday, I will start a new job at the local museum.
That's it in brief. Happy autumn to all! （＾—＾）
Teisuka
(Click the pictures to see them bigger.)
The view from my balcony.
Red leaves.
My favorite swimming place (the river).
"Ruska."
Promenade.
Trees in autumn foliage.
The old water tower behind the trees.
The view from the promenade.
The school and the river.
The church named Lakeuden Risti. The bell tower is 65 meters high.
Hi Teisuka,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing these beautiful autumn scenery from your town. These picture are really nice. And it seems that your town is so quiet, clean and picturesque, a nice place to live in. I think you're lucky to live there, and I kind of envy you, my friend! Haha..
Also, I'm happy for you regarding your involvement in the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. I think that's a great learning experience for your spiritual development. Hope you will continue finding peace and joy in your faith.
And congratulations to you on your new job! Hope you'll enjoy it. Working at a museum sounds fun to me. -:)
For the past two weeks, I've not been doing very well. My knee pain that started several months ago is still there after I received several sessions of physical therapy. After I underwent some X-ray and MRI tests, my doctor concluded that I have osteoarthritis, which has a high incidence among people over 50. But I'm only 46, and this has made me very upset. And the doctor suggests that from now on I should not jog or play soccer and basketball, which I love very much. He said that I should swim more instead, but that's not the sport I really enjoy. And my digestion problem has also been bothering me. On top of that, I've started to have insomnia occasionally. I only slept for three or four hours yesterday night.
My doctor said that my sedentary life style had contributed to my health problems. So I think I will try to stay away from computer as much as I can. That means I'll be less active on YouTube in the future. That's really hard for me. But I suppose I have no choice. -:(
Thank you again for sharing part of your life with us. Let's keep each other in our prayers. -:) Have a nice weekend, my friend!
Cheers,
Bao
Hi Bao,
DeleteThank you very much for your great comment and compliment. Always glad to see you here, my friend. Also many thanks for your congratulations. Working at a museum sounds fun to me, too. :) And yes, this is "quiet, clean and picturesque" town. Population is 60,000. Not too small, not too big town. Quite nice place to live, even though I like Vaasa much more. But I visit there two times in month, since "my church" is there. By the way, my good Finnish friend loves New York City more than any other city in the world. My friend has visited there many, many times. So it goes. We often like other cities more than the place where we live our daily life... Haha. ;)
I am so sorry to hear about your health problems. Poor Bao... Sounds like too many troubles for one person. :( I hope you could recover "as much as possible", or you can learn to live with that osteoarthritis... I guess you know The Serenity Prayer: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." This is so good and wise prayer, isn't it?
My dear friend, I hope you will find other nice activities and hobbies which are better to your health and life style. And hey, swimming is very nice sport! You can learn to like it. :) Regarding insomnia (what a horrible scourge!), I have also noticed that spending too much time on the computer is one reason for that. It make us restless and too hectic...
Bao, you can be sure I will keep you and your wife in my prayers continually. Just last night, I prayed for you two especially... Get well soon, my friend! I wish you all the best and God's blessings. Thank you also for your prayers. Have a wonderful weekend. See you around, buddy! :)
Teisuka
Hi Teisuka,
DeleteThank you for your reply and prayers, my friend. What you said makes me much happier. I love the prayer you shared with me: "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." This is really good! I will say this prayer everyday and whenever I feel down.
Also, you are right, I can learn to enjoy swimming. -:) There is a swimming pool not far from my home, about 20-minute walk. So I think I'll try to swim there regularly, plus 40-minute walk going there and go back. This will be an extremely excellent exercise for me, hopefully my physical condition will be better after I exercise for a period of time. -:)
Thanks again for your prayers and encouragement. May you have a nice new week, and enjoy your new job! -:)
Cheers,
Bao
Hi Bao
DeleteI'm glad to hear my message made you happier. Don't be too worried, my friend. Everything will be fine, and human being is very adaptable. That swimming and walking sounds like a nice exercise. :)
By the way, this afternoon after my first working day at the museum, I was swimming in the river. Now water temperature was only 8 °C (46 ºF), and air temperature was 14 °C (57 ºF). Anyway, this was sunny, calm and nice day. Have a great week and blessings to you, my friend! :-)
Teisuka
Hiya, Tembo-san -^^-
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for sharing the beautiful Ruska pictures with us! Like Bao-san said, you live in a very nice town! Clean and quiet, you're a lucky fellow, Tembo-san -^^-
We call our Autumn colours, ' 紅葉' Kouyou -^^- Ruska & Kouyou, could be another Bonnie & Clyde.. woweeee :)) Or a new brand of cookies! Yeah!
Take care, Tembo-san and have a good week!
- BonnieM lol
Hiya, Michiko-chan aka BonnieM (haha)! ^^
DeleteThank you very much for being here today. I really appreciate it. Also thanks for your compliment regarding my hometown. Well, this is nice place but people are not always so nice... ;) Hai, kouyou (紅葉) sounds cool, and yes, Ruska & Kouyou sounds even cooler together! Haha.
As I told in my article, today was my first day at the local museum. Seems nice job, and befitting for me. While working, I study history all the time. Much to learn... Today, after workday I was swimming in the river. Water temperature was only 8 °C (!!!), and air temperature 14 °C. So I guess that was the last time in the river this year... ^^
Again, thank you for visiting. Take care, and have a wonderful week, dear 'BonnieM'! :D
Tembo
Hiya Tembo-san -^^-
DeleteAhhh! SO sorry I forgot to mention about your job! I was thinking about it when I was typing and then I'd done gone and forgot right in the middle? Geez, I'm getting old, Tembo-san!
How are you getting on with work? It's been almost a week.. are you still having a good time while working? (I read your reply to Bao-san -^^-) Ganbatte kudasai, Clyde-san! -^^-
- BonnieM ( <- I find this latest one sooooo funny and was laughing and that is why I forgot to mention your job :)) )
Hiya, dear Michiko-chan aka BonnieM :D
DeleteOh, no need to apologize. Many thanks for your kind message and good wishes. Arigatou gozaimasu! ^^ Regarding your question, I really like my new job, even though I'm a little tired when the evening comes, and I have not so much spare time now. But you know how much I love history and old times. The work in the museum is very diverse, variable and inspiring.
The museum where I'm working is mostly like a wartime museum. In 1918 we had a horrible civil war in Finland, and 1939-1944 Finland fought against the Soviet Union. Poor Finnish people, and poor Russian people... It was a tragic time, but there were also some heroes and good people in both sides, not only losses but victories too, ordinary people who just tried to survive... and finally they survived, at least many of them.
While I'm working, I'm learning more all the time. The more I read history, the more humble I feel. I understand how little I know. So many stories, so many people, so many faces in this big world with a long and heavy history... But it is all interesting and important. The history is an inexhaustible source of stories, inspiration, and – whatever! It is like our common soul or memory.
Oh yes, your new nickname is the best for you! Hahaha. ;'-D 'Boney M.' was a cool disco group, and now I think you have to sing some of their song, eh?! :)
You too, ganbatte kudasai, BonnieM-chan. Have a great rest of the week. All the best to you and your loved ones in Japan! ^__^
Greetings from rainy but warm Finland,
Tembo
Hey Teisuka-san, thanks for showing me your autumn wonderland pictures. They are so beautiful. I can never take those pictures like that. Thanks for your beautiful share and I love them all... May your fall filled with wonderful red and yellow....
ReplyDeleteBy the way, it is me Shawn... LOL... forgot to put down my name...
ReplyDeleteHello, Shawn.
DeleteMany thanks for visiting my blog and for your nice comment. Glad to see you here. Yes, this time is very colourful in Finland (as well as in many other countries around the world), and it shows that nature is the best artist, or actually God who has created everything. I think He has a copyright to all. :) I wish you a wonderful autumn, my friend.
Teisuka
And so the autumn came once again. There are plenty of yellow leaves on the streets and the climate is getting colder, but this is wonderful season here in Finland. Red and yellow leaves, light rain, darkness and the orange light of streetlights makes everything look beautiful. I'm looking foward visit you sometime in autumn or early winter. And good luck with your new job.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
~Doyle
Now that I read my comment, I figured out that there are some typos, but like some japanese friends might say "Oul English is no always pelfect" [sic] :D
DeleteThanks for your good wishes, Doyle. Yep, let's try to meet each other this year as you said. We can settle the exact day via phone, ok? I work partly on weekends, too. Hopefully we will find the day that is suitable for both. It would be nice to see after a long time.
DeleteYou wrote, "but like some japanese friends might say "Oul English is no always pelfect" [sic] :D" O-oh, buddy... You can be in trouble, when Michiko-chan will see this. Just beware! Haha. ;) Happy autumn to you, Doyle.
Best wishes,
Teisuka