Sunflower, bees and butterflies

One, yes one, of the sunflowers I planted has grown to be a beautiful tall one. At least now I know where to plant them next year. This one is growing right next to our overgrown garden, which is really loved by bees and butterflies. They talk about mass deaths of bees, but there's plenty in our yard! As for the butterflies, I saw the first ones this year in August.

Those fabulous tulips

Those red tulips have been floweriing absolutely beautifully on our backyard for some time now. In the sun they open up big like wine goblets. Unfortunately, everything comes to an end at some point, even tulips. Many of them have started to wilt and the rest of them look like they soon will, too. They're still quite fabulous though!

Many of the seeds we planted way back when are groing nicely already, like radishes and sunflowers. Some not at all yet, like basil, eg.

Apple blossoms still have not opened. I'm a bit impatient, I know ;) Oh, and we'll get some strawberries too :)

Birches and our garden

Birches are turning green. The ultimate sign of spring for me! Some are already very green, other types of birches are only getting there, some aren't even remotely green yet. The birches in our neighbor's yard are of the first type, those two latter ones can be found in our yard. 

In our yard, the flowers continue to bloom, tulips are the size of tea cups, and the apple trees are pushing out green and the surprise-berry-bushes have leaves. I found a ladybug snuggled in the nook of a twig on the other tree. A couple of pheasants came for a visit.

Our little starts of a garden have started to sprout, at least some of the stuff we planted. Broccoli, sunflowers, radishes, a cucumber or two, marigolds, chives at least. The nights have still been too cold for basil, parsley, dill, peppers et al.

We live inside the city limits of Helsinki, but we really don't live IN the CITY. I'm loving it!

Windy autumn day

Autumn has been uncharacteristically warm and dry this year. Everything is still green, a whole lot of flowers are still blooming, and the trees have only started to change color and drop their leaves during the past week or so. Some mushrooms are popping up here and there and the acorns are turning brown.

Today was a somewhat windy day, as we were walking along the banks of the river Vantaa, and in the surroundings of the Tuomarinkylä manor, the gushes of wind sending leaves fluttering to the ground.