NordenBladet — Today, on Monday 17 May, Prime Minister Sanna Marin will visit the cities of Pori and Rauma. During her visit, the Prime Minister will meet with representatives from the cities and the regional council to discuss topical issues in the region. The visit will be organised with special consideration for health safety.
Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi
NordenBladet – The night was so warm tonight that I slept with the window wide open. In the morning I woke at eight and made some pancakes which we enjoyed with the raw jam made from blueberries that were picked from the wood last year. Today has largely been spent preparing food and enjoying the meals. How luxurious is that!
I believe it is a great luxury to be able to find time (you can find the time!) to spend with your family. I have had home assistants (who also completed duties of a gardener, chef, and nanny) for several years, but today I wish to do everything by myself. I enjoy it and I find it to be a greater luxury than keeping the assistants. Maybe at some point when there is a tighter schedule with the businesses in the future, I will again need to buy the help of assistants, however, as long as there is no direct need for that I will try to do everything by myself and plan my businesses so that life would not turn into a vicious circle of creating new businesses and conquering new mountain tops. Why? Because I have this opportunity, the opportunity to plan my own time! The luxury to enjoy the home that I have, be 100% together with my children, have the freedom to choose the food and prepare the meals with love, and to serve it to my family delightfully.
This morning I made pancakes, Estella Elisheva made herself a smoothie and then rode to Saku to her football training by bike. After that I cleaned up, did the laundry, and started cleaning the children’s summer room. I don’t know how but stuff just keeps accumulating… wherever there is open space, stuff keeps emerging :D. I think if I had a house 1000 or 2000 square meters, then at some point I would still run out of free space. Tomorrow in case the weather should fail us, then the children will play in the summer room, not outside. We have planned a small joint birthday party for Estella Elisheva (she will be 15!!! tomorrow) and for Ivanka Shoshana (she will be 13!!! on May 23). OMG! They are so big already!
For dinner I made quinoa, minced meat sauce and wild garlic salad (yessss, the same mega tasty salad, the recipe of which you can find HERE). I served the meal outside and we enjoyed the delicious food along with the wonderful weather! Thereafter I went to the grocery store and made for tomorrow for the children’s birthday party two strawberry-banana-whipped cream cakes! Now I will continue preparing the rest of the dishes for tomorrow, and in the evening there will already be the first guests from the further corners – my elder sister Marie with her son Lauri 🙂
Hugs! Until the nexts blog posts!
Do read also my previous blog posts (all posts are available in four languages – Estonian, Finnish, Swedish and English!)
Photography: NordenBladet (Helena-Reet Ennet)
NordenBladet — On 14 May 2021, Teollisuuden Voima Oyj submitted an environmental impact assessment report concerning its project on the final disposal of very low-level nuclear waste in the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant area to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment acts as the coordinating authority in the project.
NordenBladet – Life in the countryside is wonderful! I am so fond of nature! In the morning I wake up to bird song and feel how the fresh country air that I breathe in, along with the pleasant scent mix from the plants in the garden, gives me energy. For me the replacement of sweating in an indoor gym is here working outside in the garden as well as gathering herbs. For example, today I had the bow and squat training program on the meadow, from where, under the careful scrutiny of ‘Pandu the Cat’ we gathered six boxes of primrose blossoms! Primrose is a Nordic herb full of power, and it helps alleviate very many ailments! Just now is the best time to gather them.
Primrose has been so popular among our forefathers and in folk medicine that it has piled over two hundred names! The best known names are chicken toe, rooster pants, golden key, worn pants, cuckoo flower, maiden flower, milk teardrop, swallow flower, landlord pants, sky eye, sky key, butter cake, etc. In various legends, primrose has been described as the golden keychain that will open the gates to heaven, it has been considered a magic plant that brings luck to the one who finds it. Blossoms, leaves, rhizome and roots alike are gathered and used. No other wildly growing Nordic plant contains as much vitamin C as primrose leaves. Besides, primrose is among the few plants that preserves its vitamin C through drying, salting and marination.
Primrose is delicious while fresh in a salad as well as when dried, inside herbal tea. It is very good on the occasion of several health conditions:
-antifungal and antibacterial effect
-calming, alleviates sleeplessness and anxiety, reduces chronic fatigue syndrome
-heals coughing, acts as an expectorant, alleviates bronchitis and asthma
-reduces dizziness, headaches and migraine
-helps against kidney stones and bladder stones
-stimulates secretion from digestive glands, soothes constipation
-lowers blood cholesterol via binding bile acids and cholesterol
-has a positive impact on the cardiac function by strengthening the heart muscle
-alleviates joint pain, gout, and reduces tremor in limbs
-anti-cancer, inhibits growth of tumor cells, for example in the colon (roots)
-perspiration enhancing and cleansing effect
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Afterwards I starting making wild garlic salad and we enjoyed a long nice healthy, invigorating breakfast.
Wild garlic, being full of minerals as well as C- and B-group vitamins, is an excellent organism cleansing, health enhancing and health improving plant. I came up with a new wild garlic salad recipe and I must admit the salad turned out sooo good, so you better take notes and try it out!
Mix the following ingredients in the salad:
Wild garlic leaves
Fresh cucumber
Fresh tomato
Organic mung bean sprouts
Peeled pumpkin seeds
Fresh thyme
Sour cream
To garnish and season the salad:
Pour over with grated cheese (Atleet or Atleet Cheddar)
Croutons
Primrose
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What else? More garden works! Lately I pretty much resemble a full time gardener – fingers in the ground ca 6-7 hours every day. Great! Doing this and that in the garden and you won’t even notice gathering 10 000+ steps during a day (mowing the lawn, cutting the branches, raking the leaves, planting, sowing, watering, other maintenance works). For example yesterday we re-painted the children’s climbing and swinging centre as well as the garden table and garden chairs. We used HolzBio brown shade deep imbue agent. This efficient deep imbue wood care agent helps against decay, mold, wood damage and wood pests. Above all, it gives the old surface a new and fresh look! The faded surface will look just as good as new. We used the same agent to imbue the flowerbed boxes. We reached full circle with mowing the garden lawn! I so much adore when after a long industrious day I peacefully walk in my garden, admiring what has been accomplished during the day. The eye takes a rest and I feel how I am overwhelmed with happiness and contentment. Creating beauty with my own hands makes me happy!
For supper I prepared grilled meat and oven dish and nothing could beat a cool can of A Le Coq beer overseeing the tidy garden and the setting sun!
Hugs! And now back to gardening! 🙂
Do read also my previous blog posts (all posts are available in four languages – Estonian, Finnish, Swedish and English!)
Photography: NordenBladet (Helena-Reet Ennet)
NordenBladet — Finland is following with grave concern the escalation of the crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Territory. All violence against civilians is to be strictly condemned.
The escalation of the situation again underscores the urgent need of a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Finland’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unchanged. Finland supports a two-state solution achieved through negotiations carried out by the parties in an equal manner. The use of force and violence must be replaced by negotiations.The State of Israel has the right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks. At the same time, International Humanitarian Law must be respected and civilians must be protected.
The untenable situation in Gaza calls for an urgent solution. A sustainable solution is also crucial to the difficult situation in East Jerusalem and the whole West Bank. Israel’s settlement activity is illegal under international law and undermines prospects for a two-state solution.Leaders are required to show responsibility. At worst, the current acts of violence may create instability in the entire Middle East. Finland welcomes the mediation efforts of regional actors in this difficult situation.
Statement by the High Representative of the EEAS website: Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative on the escalation of confrontations
NordenBladet — Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari will visit Kazakhstan on 12–14 May.
The aim of the visit is to strengthen the commercial and economic relations between Finland and Kazakhstan. Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagalijev, who is the co-chair of the Finnish-Kazakh Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, will host the visit. From Finland’s side, the Commission is co-chaired by Minister Skinnari. This is the first meeting between the chairs. During the trip, Minister Skinnari will have also other high-level meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss not only the strengthening of the commercial and economic cooperation but also other topical matters The Minister will be accompanied by a business delegation. Kazakhstan is the biggest economy in Central Asia. Dependent on oil and raw materials, the country is trying to diversify its economy. Kazakhstan’s Recovery Plan for Economy, published last year, prioritises green growth, digitalisation and infrastructure. These sectors will open up good marketing opportunities for Finnish companies. Thanks to its central location, Kazakhstan also plays a key role in the development of logistics links from Europe to China.
“Kazakhstan is already the most important export market for Finland in Central Asia. It is centrally located when it comes to rail traffic to East Asia. Now is the time to agree on important matters for the whole decade. Integrating Finnish companies into a rapid growth track requires us all,” Skinnari says.
NordenBladet — On Monday 17 May, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will host a virtual dialogue on measures to avoid the adverse human rights effects of climate change.
The Foreign Minister of Finland, Pekka Haavisto, will discuss the topic with UN Youth Delegates of Finland and young advocates from Eastern Africa.The structure of the event builds on the Finnish innovative concept, called Timeout. Timeout dialogue offers tools for facilitated discussion for people from different backgrounds. The aim is to foster a feeling of inclusion between the participants and to reach a better understanding of different views. The discussion will be moderated by Laura Arikka, Chief Executive Officer at Timeout Foundation.Human rights impacts of climate change prioritised in Finland’s campaign to be elected to UN Human Rights Council
NordenBladet — The Government appointed Mikko Kivikoski to serve as Deputy Director General of the Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs for a fixed term from 17 May 2021 to 31 August 2025.
Kivikoski is currently working on a special assignment in the Department for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In 2017–2020, he was Finnish Ambassador in Nur-Sultan and, in 2014–2017, Deputy Head of Mission in St Petersburg. In 2009–2012, he worked in the Unit for Russia, where his responsibilities included, for example, the bilateral relations between Finland and Russia, and Russia’s foreign and security policy. In the Diplomatic Service, he has held positions in the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN, Finland’s Permanent Mission to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, and Finland’s Embassies in Riga and Moscow.
Kivikoski joined the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in 2001. He holds the degree of Licentiate of Social Sciences.
NordenBladet — The Government has amended the decree restricting the activities of restaurants and other food and beverage service businesses due to the COVID-19 epidemic. The restrictions will be eased almost throughout the country, depending on the epidemiological situation in each area. The amendment to the decree will enter into force on 13 May at 00.00.
Based on the decision adopted by the Government last week, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health decided on 10 May to discontinue the nationwide tiers of COVID-19 prevention measures. Going forward, COVID-19 prevention in Finland will focus on regional restrictions and recommendations. The action plan for implementing the Government’s hybrid strategy divides the epidemic into three phases: baseline, acceleration phase and community transmission phase. The regional restrictions on food and beverage service businesses will be updated weekly to correspond to the prevailing epidemiological situation. The Government will carry out the next review of the restrictions, particularly of those for the community transmission phase, by 27 May.
Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in areas that are at a stable level in the regions of Åland, South Ostrobothnia, Kainuu, North Ostrobothnia, North Savo, North Karelia, Central Finland, South Savo, Ostrobothnia and Satakunta and the Hospital District of Lapland from 13 May
Restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 00.00 and be open to customers between 5.00 and 1.00.Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. In other restaurants, 75 per cent of customer seats may be in use in indoor premises. The restrictions on the number of customer seats do not apply in Åland.
In these regions, restaurants must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited in indoor premises.On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in areas that are in the acceleration phase in the regions of Kanta-Häme, Central Ostrobothnia, Kymenlaakso and Pirkanmaa and the Hospital District of Länsi-Pohja from 13 May
Restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 22.00 and be open between 5.00 and 23.00. Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises. Other restaurants may seat 75 per cent of their normal number of customers inside their establishments.In these regions, restaurants must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited in indoor premises.
On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.Restrictions on food and beverage service businesses in areas that are in the community transmission phase in the regions of Päijät-Häme, South Karelia, Southwest Finland and Uusimaa from 13 May
Restaurants that primarily serve alcoholic beverages may be open between 7.00 and 18.00. Other restaurants may be open between 5.00 and 19.00. They may have in use half the normal number of customer seats in indoor premises.
Other restaurants may serve alcoholic beverages between 7.00 and 19.00 and be open between 5.00 and 20.00. They may have in use 75 per cent of their normal number of customers seats in indoor premises.
The restaurants located in these areas must also instruct customers to stay seated in indoor premises. This means that dancing and karaoke, for example, are prohibited.On outdoor terraces, each customer must have a seat, and everyone must take care of safe distances. The above-mentioned customer seating restrictions and ‘dance ban’ do not apply to outdoor terraces.
Exceptions to restrictions remain unchanged
The restrictions laid down in the decree do not apply to the activities of staff restaurants or to takeaway sales of food to customers.
The restrictions on opening hours do not apply to food and beverage service businesses on vessels and aircraft that operate between Finland and other countries or abroad or to food and beverage service businesses that operate at distribution stations for liquid fuels.
NordenBladet — The government report on the General Government Fiscal Plan was submitted to Parliament at the government plenary session on 12 May 2021. The appropriation for the administrative branch of the Ministry of the Interior will remain under EUR 1.5 billion per year during the 2022–2025 spending limits period.
The spending limits decision takes into account the increases to police and the Border Guard for the higher rents related to Senate Properties’ premises projects, in accordance with the government decision last year. In addition, increases were granted to the police, the Border Guard and the Finnish Immigration Service for the national implementation of the provisions on the interoperability of information systems, and to the police, the Border Guard and rescue services for the national implementation of the Galileo satellite navigation system’s public regulated service.
An appropriation of EUR 17.6 million is proposed for equipping the new premises of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service. The increase is related to the lease agreement signed last year by the Finnish Security Intelligence Service, which will move to the new premises once they have been completed.
