The halo is formed by the suns rays passing through high altitude ice crystals and is usually a sign that it will rain within the next 24 hours.
Pictures taken by Bruce Martin
They breed in Eastern Europe, Russia and Scandinavia and move south and east to slightly milder climates for the winter.
The ball of moss, hair, lichens and spiders webs on the centre of the picture is a Long-tailed Tits nest. Here is a close-up of the nest.
The nest is completely enclosed, except for a small entrance hole on the side. The entrance hole is on the other side of the nest and was difficult to access without causing unnecessary disturbance to the birds. The nest is usually lined with feathers.
In spring when the leaves are young, if you grasp them confidently and roll between your fingers, you can remove the stings without getting stung and eat the leaves raw. They make a pleasant snack.
I like to gather lots of nettle leaves, place them in a small amount of water, add vegetable stock granules and pieces of spicy sausage and boil to make a simple soup.
People are always skeptical about the cooking process breaking down the stings, but it really does. I really enjoy nettle soup!
Nettles are a rich source of minerals (especially Iron) and vitamins (especially vitamin c). They have been used in the treatment of skin complaints and rheumatism and internally are good for the kidneys and circulation.
The most common plant is Dogs Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) and is already flowering, though the tiny greenish flowers may be easily overlooked.
Cleavers or Goose Grass (Galium aparine) is another which is growing now and in fact with our milder winters, is evident all year round.
The plant can be eaten when young, though I prefer to discard the stems and just cook the leaves. Both the stem and leaves are covered in fine hook-like hairs, which soften when briefly boiled. For children the fine hooks of the plant make great source of amusement as when thrown at clothing the plant tends to stick or hook on.
He started the business as a small family company in 1995. Lennart says "We work close with nature and are proud of our origin and our history. We wish to spread knowledge about Sami culture, but also how to enjoy being close to animals and nature. For reasons of sustainability and "Natures Best" we always find new trails, a way of not leaving marks behind us".
For a brew, I made a small fire and once I had a good bed of embers, I removed the top from the bottle and placed it on the embers, as explained previously here
The work took longer than expected so I did not get back for lunch, but fortunately I carry the following items in a 15 litre rucksack.
Two pieces of nylon material, two bottles of water, a wooden spoon, a tea-light candle, a 10cm billy can, parachute cord, a packet of soup, some kuskus, a small tub of coffee and one of vegetable stock.
With a small fire I can boil water and make coffee and cook soup and kuskus. It always amazes me how large a fire some people have just to boil water. With the aid of some pine cones (fantastic fuel) a small fire on a spade is large enough to boil a billy can of water and make the soup. The spade helps to prevent the risk of fire burning into the ground.
If you look closely at the picture you can actually see the cordage the cordage vibrating as she rolls it.
and here the children are also learning to use a pole lathe.
Everyone enjoyed the day, especially with the beautiful spring-like weather.
where you can stay in a cabin, take part in organised hunting trips, traditional cooking courses and much more. Nattavaara Lapland
and when you pass through the monument and cross the circle you are given a certificate.
There are also some beautiful little log cabins here, part funded by the state , so they are open for anyone to use.
There was only a small stove inside, but incredibly efficient and soon the cabin was warm and water was boiling for our coffee.
For further information about activities in the area, have a look here
I have spent several hours ice fishing in Lapland and never caught anything and this occasion was no different. reindeer skins to sit on for insulation make the experience much more bearable.
After fishing I demonstrated how to make fire without the use of a lighter or matches, using a firesteel and Birch bark. Then we enjoyed hot soup and drinks around the fire.
Clear a circular area in the snow about 8 feet across.
Using a shovel or snow shoe make a large pile (about 6 feet high) of snow on top of the clearing (the snow should be heaped, not packed.) Mixing snow of different temperatures will facilitate the hardening process.
Begin to hollow out the mound once it has hardened sufficiently. Dig straight in at first to create your initial opening, and then dig upward slightly in order to make an elevated sleeping area. This will allow cold air from inside to flow down and out of the shelter.
Use the snow you dig out to make a windbreak in front of the entrance, or heap it onto the exterior of the shelter to thicken its walls and increase the available interior space.
Smooth the interior surface of the walls and ceiling to prevent any melting snow from dripping on you.
Poke a ventilation hole through the top of the dome using a ski pole or long stick. Make sure this hole stays clear of ice and snow.
At this point I usually reduce the size of the entrance hole by packing snow around, but the snow was so powdery, it was impossible to do this. Use your pack or reindeer skin to block the entrance of the shelter once inside, but leave space for air to flow in and out. Keep your shovel inside while you sleep in case you need to dig your way out.
Having been shown how to harness the dog team I had to gather my dogs and harness them, starting with the lead dog and working my way back. Running a team on my own, I had four dogs and when two of us used a team, we had 6 dogs. Below is the sled.
You control the speed and movement of the dogs and sled using the break located between your legs where you stand.
The dogs are so friendly and extremely keen to work. If the sled tips over it is vital that you hold on otherwise the dogs will continue to run with the sled and leave you behind!.
My next post will be about constructing a snow shelter.
