Haaveilijan kotona

New Year - New Energy?

2012-01-07T03:41:00.000-08:00

This new year of mine has started with high body temperatures and many movies. I've been sick for the last 2,5 weeks. Basically the whole holiday. Still, I'm feeling like not to get up from bed. I've been dreaming of being able to go to the shops, I've been dreaming of dressing up, cooking and baking, having a glass of bubbly, doings sports and more sports and being a normal person again. So my motto for the past weeks. (Hopefully not for the following weeks):

Poster by Ashley G & Drew. I'm happy to have a very patient boyfriend, who has been cooking and grocery shopping, film renting and watching more than anyone should. I haven't really been that patient all the time. But I've noticed thet the only thing I can do is...

Poster by Jeff Rogers. I thank all the lovely blogs that have helped me in the resting. I have many new acquaintances. All the best for this Saturday!

Picture Boom

2011-11-17T04:45:00.000-08:00

I'm a little addicted to the Tattoologist blog. I'm in a search of a spectacular tattoo design. This is not for me, but a nice idea anyway. My favorites are still hidden in my files. One day they will be exposed to sunlight, hopefully.

A Saturday walk

2011-11-14T10:18:00.000-08:00

Behind Finlandia Hall around the construction site, there are some nice pictures and some interesting thoughts painted in the walls. We had a walk there and I took some pictures of my favorites. I went by again today, and noticed new ones again. I love stencil graffitis and some of these pictures look a little alike. Who ever made these paintings happen, thank you! They sure cheer me up!

The first painting by Laura Orelma. Others I couldn't find. Go have a walk in Töölönlahti and see for yourself.

Oh Sade

2011-11-05T03:20:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, we saw Sade perform. She had a beautiful show and a beautiful personality. She reminded us about how it looks like in the winter. I wonder when it is time for the first snow.

November inspiration

2011-11-05T03:11:00.000-07:00

This is the the time of the year, when I'd just like to stay home, watch the candles burn and make some handicrafts. I get inspirations. But sadly I seldom have the time to start working on new creations. Maybe one day. This month, I hope.

Relax... and bake a bread.

2011-11-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

More baking... This exceptionally easy recipe comes in Finnish.

Viime viikonlopun leivontapäivän satoa esitellään vielä täälläkin. Siskon mieheltä saatu helppo vuokaleivän ohje on muuntunut jyväleiväksi. Tässä tulee ohje. Edelleen helppo.

Rennon leipurin siemenleipä

5,5 dl vehnäjauhoja

0,5 dl auringonkukan siemeniä

0,5 dl pellavansiemenrouhetta

1 dl kaurahiutaleita

1 pussi kuivahiivaa

1 rkl suolaa

(loraus, vajaa rkl, siirappia)

loraus öljyä

4 dl lämmintä vettä

Sekoita kuivat aineet kulhossa. Sekoita veteen suola ja siirappi. Kaada nesteet kuivien aineiden joukkoon ja sekoita tasaiseksi. Taikina jää löysäksi. Voitele leipävuoka öljyllä ja kaada taikina vuokaan. Laita leivinliina päälle ja anna kohota 15 min lämpimässä paikassa tai vielä kylmässä uunissa. Lämmitä uuni 200 asteeseen ja paista 45-60 min. Kun otat leivän uunista, laita siihen leivinliina 10 minuutiksi päälle, jos haluat kuoresta pehmeämmän.

Tämä ohje on syntynyt kokeilemalla ja siksi sitä saa vapaasti muunnella mieleisekseen. Leipä ei välttämättä kohoa kulmakunnan komeimmin, mutta vaikka se näyttäisikin perinteisen lässähtäneeltä, voi maku silti olla mainio. Älä siis luovuta. Seuraavalla kerralla voi lisätä jauhoja tai muuta mukavaa.

Baking of

2011-10-30T11:01:00.000-07:00

We had a privilege to bake bread to our friends' party. It was a beautiful Saturday morning for that! Here comes the first recipe...

Tomato focaccia
12 portions

15 dl wheat flour or durum wheat flour
2 teaspoons salt
14-20 g dry yeast
6 tablespoons olive oil
10-12 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes
5,5 dl warm water
2 tablespoons sea salt
4 tablespoons chili oil

Mix flour, salt and yeast in bowl. Make a well in the center and add sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil and water. Mix them together.

Knead the dough for ten minutes on the table. Leave in a warm place for an hour covered with olive oil. After the dough has about doubled in size, knead it for 2 minutes more.

Roll out the dough to the size of the baking tray and leave for 30 minutes covered with cloth. Make small pits with your fingers. Drizzle chili oil, rosemary leaves and sea salt on top.

Bake in the preheated oven (200 °C) for 20-25 minutes. After taking it out, leave a cloth on for at at least 15 minutes. It'll make the crust nice and soft.

Enjoy!

My comments...
*I made one bread using durum wheat flour and the other one using the basic wheat flour. The one with the basic flour makes the dough raise better.
*Olive oil was turned into chili oil by adding some dried chili to the oil for 12 hours.

To screen or not to screen?

2011-10-30T08:30:00.000-07:00

As a doctor and a public health -student, I've been listening to many conversations about the importance of screening cancers. There was an interesting article in The New York Times about this. Cancer is a tricky disease. Screening for cervical, prostate and breast cancer has been considered "a life-saving act", but... "In recent years, researchers have found that many, if not most, cancers are indolent. They grow very slowly or stop growing altogether. Some even regress and do not need to be treated — they are harmless.“We are going from an 1845 definition of cancer to a 21st-century definition of cancer,” Dr. Brawley said."

Dignity!

2011-10-29T03:55:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry to have missed the Global Dignity Day here in Finland. I would have wanted to hear what Pekka Himanen, Desmond Tutu and Martti Ahtisaari have to say. Luckily it's all online. This is a music video. Inspirational. I'm praying for dignity.

Light!

2011-09-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

Today I found something on facebook: a video of solar bottle light in the Philippines. I just came from there three weeks ago. We battled with the lack of electricity at times. And we read our books with the help of a flashlight. These families living in the urban poor areas are living without light all the time. How innovative is the solar bottle light!

Isang Litrong Liwanag

Coming home

2011-09-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Today my boyfriend comes home. The summer has been full of many travels and great adventures. Now it's time to be still. For four days.
Photo: Pietu K. Thank you.

This is love

2011-09-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Last September in the American Elle, there was some beautiful photography by Carter Smith. It's from the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" with Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem. For me, that is what love looks like.

Aamun lehdestä poimittua

2011-09-13T00:42:00.000-07:00

"Pitkällä aikavälillä olennaisinta on ihmisen omanarvontunnon parantaminen. Mikään ei vie ihmiseltä arvokkuutta pahemmin kuin se, että hän ei kykene antamaan ruokaa nälkäiselle lapselleen." -Kenian Punaisen Ristin pääsihteeri Abbas Gullet.
Kuva: The World Bank

Remembering Good Times

2011-09-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

The fall is actually here. It's been raining everywhere I went today. You kind of forget what it feels like to be wet and cold. Today I remembered again.
I had a great time in the Philippines in August. Many nice new friends. Beautiful places. And hospitality that makes you stand in awe. The picture is from our fishing trip in Agkawayan. Good times!
I'm sure it'll be a good fall. New studies. New cities. New trains. Join me in exploring it all.