Coco’s Sweater: Mock Turtleneck Sweater for Cats
We lost Coco in late November. She was seventeen — a sassy Siamese calico mix we’d adopted off the streets of LA when she was just a kitten. She crossed an ocean with us and spent most of her life here in Finland. She outlived the apartment in California, the second apartment when we first…
Hunted, Foraged, Traded, Inherited
I was doing a freezer audit the other week. (There’s a longer story there involving some truly ancient beef liver and a reckoning with inherited food packrat tendencies, but that’s a confession for another day.) The point is: I found treasures. Vacuum-sealed venison osso buco from November 2024, bought through our local food circle from…
The Great Hawaiian Bread Disaster (A Comedy of Errors in Four Loaves)
The author’s attempts to make Hawaiian bread illustrate the importance of proper liquid measurement. After three failed attempts, they discovered a crucial error in liquid quantity, leading to a successful, fluffy loaf using Finnish ingredients.
Window Stars and the Philosophy of Necessary Light
In early November, the author reflects on how Nordic darkness affects their relationship with light, transforming it into an intentional design element. Embracing local traditions, they begin decorating with window stars, which serve as gentle navigational aids in the dark. This adaptation symbolizes finding beauty amidst prolonged darkness.
Little Blue and White House 