This contains photographs of my home country, places dear to me. That I proudly share.
In my monochrome photographs, I strive to capture the essence of icy water tumbling over rocks during winter. There’s a certain vibrancy in the flow of the partially frozen water that contrasts beautifully with the serene stillness of the surrounding landscape. This juxtaposition between the rushing water and the frigid scene creates a captivating portrayal of nature’s elegance in the chilly air, allowing me to highlight the delicate features of both the water and its environment.
This morning I started to look for photos of doors, Now it’s 5 PM, and I found myself completely immersed in editing photos from years back, particularly from my visits to the Espoo Cathedral, which is currently closed for renovations but is expected to be back in use by 2027. The intricate architecture and historical significance of this beautiful structure captivate me, making the editing process both a nostalgic experience. I will post those sorted photos soon.
These are not from there. These are from the interior of Hvitträsk, just a small detail from a children’s room that truly captures the essence of early 20th-century design. I love the design of this child’s bed made of wood, crafted in 1905 by the renowned designer Eliel Saarinen. The bed showcases a thoughtful blend of functionality and artistry, ensuring comfort for the child while also serving as a beautiful piece of furniture.
Posted for Dan’s Thursday Doors
The numerous mills in the rapids of the lakes on the northern side of the Salpausselkä in Nastola have been significant since the 16th century, and the current building stock forms cohesive and temporally as well as functionally layered entities in picturesque locations. The mills in the rapids represent early industrial buildings, to which the residences of the millers have also been connected.
The Kumian mills are located by the shore of Lake Salajärvi at a place where a river divides the narrow isthmus between Lake Salajärvi and Isokukkanen. The older wooden mill building dates back to the 1890s, while the tall flour mill building is from the 1930s.
The Kumian flour mill was designed in 1933 at the East Häme agricultural society. Later, similar tall flour mills were built, either as electric or steam mills. The mill became the most popular in Nastola and the nearby municipalities, significantly contributing to the spread of wheat cultivation in the area. A groats mill and a shaving planing machine operated in connection with the mill. Milling activities ceased in 1964.
Keeping it simple with these images of windows.
Monday Window: 12 January 2026
Intricate frost on window,
Nature’s brush, so finely cast,
Crystal lace, a fleeting art,
Captures winter’s beating heart.
Silent Sunday moves softly past.
The topic for this week’s One Word Sunday is Forward
Posted as part of The Weekend in Black and White {9/1/2026}
Winters teeth are digging in, as the chill of the season settles relentlessly over the landscape, transforming vibrant colors into muted gray tones and whites and blanketing the world in a suffocating hush. The once warm air is now sharp and biting, reminding all living creatures of the harsh realities that winter brings. As frost etches intricate patterns on windows, the biting cold seeps into every corner, prompting people to bundle up in layers and seek solace indoors, where the glow of a fire offers comfort against the relentless advance of winter’s grip.
Participating in Six Word Saturday
A river whispers, half asleep,
Framed by snow, secrets it keeps.
Clouds hang low, a muted gray,
In winter’s grasp, the world at bay.
Nature holds a still embrace.
The building depicted in the picture is Lundquist’s commercial building, located in Helsinki. It is one of the most beautiful and representative buildings in Finland and a landmark in Helsinki’s city center. It has been renovated in recent years.
The building was completed in 1900 and designed by architect Selim A. Lindqvist. At the time of completion, it was Finland’s first pure commercial building, which contained no residential apartments. The façade is adorned with statues inspired by mythological goddesses, such as Artemis and Athena, reflecting the building’s original purpose as a shopping center.
Posted for Dan’s Thursday Doors
The January sun hung low in the sky, resembling a soft coin against a lavender backdrop, casting shadows that stretched like gentle, blue fingers over the fresh blanket of snow, guiding your way with beautiful patterns of light and dark. Walking through a snow-blanketed forest is more than just a stroll; it’s a heartfelt escape where the crisp air fills your lungs with revitalizing energy, and the soothing silence of new snow envelops everything in calm.
As you make your way along twisting trails, nature’s tranquility wraps around you, inviting you to set aside the burdens of time and truly appreciate the stunning beauty surrounding you. The slender white trunks of the birch trees twinkle in the sunlight, their delicate bark curling in pieces that catch the warmth of the afternoon. Each graceful, drooping branch is wrapped in a thick layer of pristine white, bending the young saplings into elegant, icy arches above the path. The woods feel suspended in a shimmering stillness; even the air seems transformed into something crystalline and pure. With each footstep, the snow crunches beneath you, the only sound in this peaceful solitude.
As the trail dips into a gentle hollow, the light dances off the ice crystals suspended in the air, turning the birch grove into a magical cathedral filled with “diamond dust.” In that moment, the world feels perfectly still—a silver-etched landscape blanketed by a calming white canopy, reminding you of the quiet beauty of existence.
During my trip to Helsinki, I finally got to check out the Stockmann fairytale window before they shut it down at Epiphany, and I made it just in time! I’d walked by it earlier this year, but it was so packed with people of all ages staring at it that I didn’t even bother getting close.
One of the coolest Christmas traditions in the city center is the Stockmann fairytale window, which always gets people smiling on Aleksanterinkatu during the holiday season. The display window creates a cozy Christmas vibe and brings joy to kids hanging out at the corner of Aleksanterinkatu and Keskuskatu. This year, the window takes everyone into an enchanted fairytale forest to celebrate Stockmann’s 160th birthday. The centerpiece features characters from Moomin. The Moomin world feels like one giant hug, at least in the cartoons.
Since 1949, the Stockmann fairy tale window in downtown Helsinki has been bringing holiday joy to Christmas lovers of all ages. Over the years, this window has let folks step into all kinds of magical Christmas stories and whimsical worlds.
Monday Window {5/1/2026}
Yesterday we went to do some shopping and have lunch in Helsinki. This messy One Word Sunday snow was the attraction to these tourists. The sidewalks are kept warm so mostly they are snow free, but this pile of snow as there to entertain these kids. The parents were not too happy about it.
This was also suitable for Cellpic Sunday is hosted by John at Travels with Johnbo as I took it with my Iphone
Time keeps on ticking away, the fleeting nature of moments, as each second slips through our fingers like grains of sand, urging us to cherish our experiences and make the most of every day. We often find ourselves caught in the rhythm of our routines, yet it is vital to pause, to appreciate our surroundings. Or is the better way to say it; watch time go by, taking the moments that matter into our hearts, creating memories that linger long after the clock has moved on? Or how about Time is fleeting.
I seemed to have more than six words to share, but the title is spot on for Six Word Saturday
A cozy café scene with customers relaxing on a plush couch, enjoying glögi and joulutorttu. In winter, it is customary to sip glögi, a warm mulled wine traditionally served in crystal glasses. Accompanying the drink is a plate of freshly baked joulutorttu, which are Finnish Christmas tarts filled with plum marmalade.
As I was not bold enough to take photos of their servings, I took the liberty to show the glögi I was enjoying with a friend and the tarts I made for my family during the holidays. But all the same you get the picture 😀 . I hope.
Posted for Brian’s Last on the Card December 2025
For Monday Window, our Veikka was such a cute and cuddly big white cat, with fur so soft and eyes the color of caramel brown. I have a special place in my heart for him. I have so many photos of our cats; these also include windows.
All through 2025, Jude of Travel Words fame has invited us to give our Sunday posts over to benches. I’ve seen many of the post, participate once or twice. But here is one for the last bench post of the year. Boy, did I take myself on a search, I found lots of images of chairs, but a bench. I have to notice them differently, now I look for a place to sit, but also notice them as photography topics.
This one I found after a couple of hours, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover it buried among many others. During that time, I did edit some photos that I came across, which I found to be quite worthwhile, though they had gone unnoticed before. There is a treasure trove of images in my collection that I should look more carefully at, as many I’ve just ignored in the past because I felt I had nothing relevant to post at the time. As I sift through my archives, I found few that deserves to be shared, and it inspires me to revisit these moments and potentially share them with others. Taking the time to explore these overlooked images might reveal hidden gems that could spark joy of discovery or nostalgia.
While my son was busy with last-minute Christmas shopping at the mall, I took the opportunity to do some people-watching. I was searching for shots that might fit an upcoming challenge and ended up capturing these. Although they didn’t meet the challenge criteria, I felt I should share them now. During the editing process, I aimed to highlight different aspects of the images—after all, John’s Cellpic Sunday provides a wonderful platform to showcase these everyday moments.
I sought to express the reasons behind my choice to take these photos – I really didn’t, but what the heck – I took them, and now I am sharing them with a sense of both no reason and trepidation. Each image captures a fleeting moment as all photos do, even if I can’t pinpoint exactly why. The moment may not be very important or significant as is the case with these.
If you have an opinion on whether I should have or should not have shared them, I am open to your thoughts and can take it whichever way you think about them, knowing that it is subjective. Your perspectives ,understanding of these images may even inspire me 😀
The hill behind our house looks as if it’s October instead of December but it is what it is. Just accept it, be content with it as there is nothing you can do about it. Complaining won’t make a difference.
Darkness is slowly turning into light, slowly is the thing. But come February it will be better . You can see how the day grows longer in March 21st the sunset is 18:36 and it was 15:13 on December 21st . Something to look forward to 😁
For John’s Cellpic Sunday without any explanation, the picture says it all 🎄🎄
Monday Window: 22 December 2025
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but inside the car it’s so delightful; let it rain, let it rain. (No, really, please stop.)
Art inspiring photography has a unique ability to captivate and draw us into a world of creativity and imagination. I saw this remarkable artwork and can genuinely say I spent more than a few moments lost in its beauty, taking multiple photos of the mesmerizing reflections it created.
The artist Keith Tyson has embedded fragments of meteorites collected from Antarctica into a polished steel sphere in his work titled “Field of Heaven.” The concept is to unite materials that have originated as far apart from each other as possible.
Each angle revealed something new, and I found myself striving to capture that one inspiring shot that would encapsulate the essence of the piece. One of the photographs I took appears to show a crow peeking out from the depths of the artwork, its silhouette forming a mysterious figure that invites curiosity. Another image conveys a sense of wonder, resembling a stone or a meteor hurtling forth from a brilliant star, as if it were a fragment of the universe capturing a fleeting moment in time.
Through these reflections, I felt a profound connection to the art, showcasing the hidden narratives and emotions that art often evokes in those who are open to its interpretation. What is your interpretation?
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 