Autumn in Lapland 26th September 2008

Heavy rain most of the night and this morning, then sunny for the rest of the day.

I went walking around the marsh today to look for birds.

The marsh was very quiet apart from one Whooper Swan.

The marsh is covered with Cotton Grass. This picture was taken by Jon Pickett last year

I stopped for a brew mid morning

Making a fire is so simple here. I collect an armful of the lower dead branches of Spruce and Pine and put some Birch bark into them

and then spark into the Birch bark with the firesteel and with the help of the resin in the dead wood you quickly have a good fire.

I used some larger pieces just to rest the pot on.

Other birds on my walk included 2 Goldeneye and the Grey-headed Woodpecker again. I returned to the cabin and after lunch finished some of the items I had made from antler. Here are some examples of things I made.


From left to right; sewing needle, necklace bead, toggle and finally an awl.

Anki returned to stay at her cabin this afternoon and while we were chatting we met a guy from the Swedish Forest Company who told us that they have decided to preserve a large area of trees behind our cabins. Quite a lot of these trees are large and old, and unlike those in the managed forest, are of suitable diameter for woodpeckers and owls to nest in. This si really good news!!