Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Midsummer

Digita Collage by Itkupilli


Midsummer is the most popular festival in Scandinavia together with Christmas. It is a celebration of the Summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Midsummer is celebrated as a public holiday during the third weekend of June, when everybody escapes to the country to spend a relaxing time in nature.

Midsummer's Day was later Christianized as the day of Saint John the Baptist, an important Christian saint. Yet, many of the ancient pre-Christian customs that marked the Summer solstice have survived to this day and are still being celebrated in Scandinavia as they were many hundreds of years ago.

Like in every major Scandinavian celebration, meeting friends and family is as important as having plenty to eat on the table. Midsummer traditional delicacies are fresh potatoes with pickled herring or smoked fish from the nearby lake, the first strawberries of the season for desert, and some schnapps and beer to wash down the herring. Though many people prefer less
refined traditions…then the main thing is to get very drunk.

Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon: Summer Wine


76 comments:

singinghawk said...

oooh! I like the collage! I think it is my sister and I -- mermaids in the lake! Beautiful...

And I like the idea of a Midsummer celebration. Some people here celebrate summer soltice and spring soltice.

The food sounds really yummy! And of course, getting really drunk...that I like...surround my friends and lake...good!

Anonymous said...

Happy Summer Solstice Kirsi!

And Happy Winter Solstice to all of those in the southern hemisphere.

We're having a beautiful summer thunderstorm here in New Mexico to welcome this event.. It has been so deliciously hot and the rain feels refreshing, and the thunderclouds are beautiful, the thunder sounds ancient.

What a deliciously sexy video, and Ville himself is delicious. Yummy...

I love your collage. That little hint of light on the edge of the water is intriguing as well as the subdued colors of this summer landscape. The cool shadows feel inviting on a hot day.

*Itkupilli* said...

I just woke up...nice to see you both here already...I've been lazy of working anything new...but I tought I must have something for Midsummer celebration...thank you for kind words...

Oh I'm so happy to have some holidays...can sleep longer...or very much longer...nights are so light that many people stay up whole night..not only me...:)

okjimm said...

Have the birds kept you awake! I am so tired I can hardly tyupe straight. Chinese birds, robins, gees and howdy!

*Itkupilli* said...

Jimmmm you should go to sleep...

Anonymous said...

Jimmmm you should go to sleep...

LOL

okjimm said...

Ha...it is a sister fest....and the nights are long where the Norse gods and fairies hang out....if we all go swimming?..did someone bring the beer?
//Midsummer celebration//

sounds good to me....but last night some birds shit all over the laundry...the vacumm does work....and there is popcorn everywhere.....

Anonymous said...

Jimm,

I brought some beer, but you're too much of a connoisseur to drink my cheap Ice House. I'd prefer some dark ale, but I'm too cheap to spend the money for it.

Yes, everyday is sister fest. It makes my day to read the silly antics on the blogs everyday. We sure miss you since you had your blogging privileges taken away by that prude in your office! :(

*Itkupilli* said...

Sisters sorry, I must ask Jimmm to go and buy a new vacuum...or maybe I better go too...

but do have nice party...it's bit messy though...

If we find a cute vacuum we come back to clean...:)

singinghawk said...

yes, they are leaving once again...before it even gets started.

well I'm thinking that JImm is as highpowered as we need. turbo charge...vroom, vroom...engine is revving. How long have you been divorced jimm? I do wonder...I know it is a personal question, but it could be the answer to whether or not we need another vacuum cleaner. I mean, maybe your wife left the vacuum cleaner a long time ago and now the vacuum cleaner is really hungry for some popcorn...oops, I mean some muffins.

Anonymous said...

ooh my~Once again i missed alot while working :(
I'm off tomorrow woohoo!!!

Kiris!~ LOVE The new image!!!!!!!
It's very peculiar that almost ALL the Christian holidays are based on pagan rituals & customs in order to convert the pagaons over to Christianity...which led me to all sorts of research and questions. But thats another story...

Jimm....I see you're setting up a blog!! IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!!!!!!!!

G'Nite twiches...

Anonymous said...

Very cool song/video too!! The song seems familiar to me for some reason???

Jimm~Are we finally going to get to see what you look like now?

SusuPetal said...

Beautiful maidens in your collage - truly a midsummer night's dream!

Let the feast begin!

xxxxx said...

Happy Summer Solstice! I love Ville Vallo's voice and look in this song/video. Enjoy the festivities!

*Itkupilli* said...

Hey Sisters…

Sorry to let you down once more…

I promise you can play with Jimmm later…I must admit that I’ve been a bit selfish lately…;)

Kelly, you are prompt...I know you all wish to see how Jimm looks, who wouldn’t…..but let’s say that some parts are private…but you can trust me... he looks...just too good to be true...;))


Good night, sleep tight...

*****



Susu…

Hauskaa Juhannusta…lintsasin töistä jo tämänkin päivän, että saa oikein kunnolla levätä…on vähän univelkaa....

Yes and you seem to be only one here, who knows how midsummer night looks like...so let’s enjoy the nightless nights…:))


****

She who flies
Happy Solstice to you too….

I thinks Ville Valo is one of the best adverts of Finland….:)

xxxxx said...

I agree Kirsi.. but he comes second after you ;-)

singinghawk said...

good MORNING! good EVeninG!


la la lalalalal! It's another morning on this side of the earth!

And, yes, we are very dirty over here in America...it is all the garbage they feed us! I got a REAL dirty brain. I need some real GOOD housecleaning up there, Kirsi! I would like to hire your services tonight! Extra, EXTRA turbo power!

And, JImm has a blog, but no blog! Yes, I agree with Kelly, it is time that he unveiled himself to the rest of the sisters. It is okay, we will behave ourselves...hee hee.

love to you this evening, Kirsi.

Anonymous said...

I don't want to see his "private parts"....just his face. lol

*Itkupilli* said...

Dear Sisters....

Hey I put Ville Valo here just to satisfy your insatiable thirsty…he is almost as good looking as Jimm is….

Oh and I’m going to clean slightly tonight…wait… I bring my flame thrower…;))

Anonymous said...

Don't clean too much! There's a party at my blog tonight..I'll supply the beer and Anajo is bringing the margaritas....

*Itkupilli* said...

Ok...I’ll bring the bonfire and sausages....oh well....and some vodka....

Anonymous said...

Sausages and vodka, beer and margaritas....yummy!! SuSuPetal already dropped off some fairy dust for us~it is very sparkly over at my blog...and preeeety!!

Anonymous said...

Tässä on myös kiva fiilis -niin kesä ja juhannus!

Nuo alemman postauksen tilauskuvat ovat myös upeita!

JUHANNUSTA!

*Itkupilli* said...

Kelly....fairy dust...and a little bit patience.....and all dreams come true...

***

Kiitos Millam ja ihanaa aurikoista Juhannusta myös sinulle....

Anonymous said...

Oh, I see why Kirsi has been posting all of these Ville videos. She's wanting to keep busy the little birdies. :)

This party at Kelly's has enough spirits I'd say.. :-O

Mick said...

Yes, another beautiful collage here. So, that's as dark as it gets so far north?

*Itkupilli* said...

Thanks Mick...and excactly that is how dark as it gets here in South....a couple of hours….and then light again…I haven't thought about this in many years...we are so used to it...but now I better understand that this is not everythere...I was once in Lapland at midsummer...it was really fascinating when sun was up the entirely night...

Anonymous said...

Hyvää juhannusta! =)

*Itkupilli* said...

Kiitos Pipale...aurinkoista Juhannusta myös sinulle. :)

Anonymous said...

Dear Kirsi and Jimm,

Us little birdies will leave you alone tonight so that you two may enjoy an intimate evening together.

Love to my two friends. :)

singinghawk said...

awwww. do I have to mom?!

oh, okay. I will leave them alone tonight.

hahahaha!

I will behave myself...PROMISE!

singinghawk said...

BOO!

(I'll still be peeking though)

Anonymous said...

I will behave myself...PROMISE!

And just how naive do you think that I am Miss Banana?!

okjimm said...

Aha....the sisters have been chatty!!

in etheral trees
with faint gossamer leaves
the witchy birds are singing

of socks and undies left unwashed
vacuums and attachments
candy & muffin crumbs,popcorn tossed
& after sex breath mints

But Pete has called
Steve, Sandy,Tim,Joe & Chris
Judy,Bob,Alice and Paul
C'mon, let's go..this you cannot miss

tonight there's music on the river
beer & ale,wine & excellent herbal smoke
Ya gotta go, it ain's no joke
A great time we deliver

the witchy birds are singing
etheral
breezy
My phone it keeps on ringing


Yes, folks...whether in Finland...France it is just too much fun to be inside....

I guess I wasn't catching up with my local friends too well..and the weather is great and tomorrow is payday...an easy combination!!

Anonymous said...

Have a fun night everyone...

Anonymous said...

Oh ya, and patience Kirsi, is something I have been trying for years to grasp hold of...I keep trying!!

singinghawk said...

good Morning, Itkuhippy...just passing through before I go to bed. Hope you slept well and had sweet dreams...

*Itkupilli* said...

Dear sister….very kind of you…but you don’t disturb at all…by all means just hang around…it’s so funny to read your chatting in the morning….it was dreamy night…

...actually today is Juhannus eve and tomorrow the holiday...

singinghawk said...

oh that is good...well I never know for sure if I am being too obnoxious, Kirsi. I have made some run like hell in the opposite direction due to my "evil" ways.

Good morning and good afternoon and good evening...

*Itkupilli* said...

Oh no Banana...you’ll so kind and funny...you either touch my soul or make me laugh...you are so dear...and there is nothing evil in you…

Tonight whole Finland in partying all night long…I go little bit out, just a few beers…in this little village I’m too “hot babe”….it’s not so fun to discus with drunken men…

Anonymous said...

Good evening hot babe from Finland! Hope that you enjoy your evening out.

*Itkupilli* said...

AnaJo…

I hope so…only I’ve had too many wild parties in my life…so let’s see…you should see how crazy and wild people could get here…:)

singinghawk said...

That sounds like SO much fun! geez...wish I were there! Have fun you "hot babe!" Watch out for those drunk Finnish men!

Anonymous said...

Kirsi,
I've had my share of wild parties too. Actually I still party, except for the party usually consists of just Joe and me. We can get pretty wild all by ourselves, though lol

We have a few friends who drop by unannounced at times and sometimes end up spending the night because they'd have too much to drink.

I guess that some of us just never really grow up. ;)

Although, I am much more tame now than I used to be. :)

Anonymous said...

Good afternoon Kirsi~ Have fun tonight "hottie" and knock 'em dead girl...

*Itkupilli* said...

I’ll do my best...I could count how many candidates want to comfort poor lonely woman…it is sometimes so impossible…but I survive…I should borrow Mary Ellens’s costume…or maybe that would only stir them up…shy Finnish people become so bigmouth when they get drunk…

singinghawk said...

it sounds just awful...drunk, finnish men wanting to comfort a lonely woman! hahaa! don't have too much fun...you might make an American man to fly out there sooner -- like tonight!! ahhhh...to be spontaneous like that...I wish I could come over to Finland tonight and have fun with you. My life is so boring...

HAve fun tonight, Kirsi...I'll miss you in bloggerville.

*Itkupilli* said...

//..you might make an American man to fly out there sooner -- like tonight!!//

Aawwww oh oh my that would be the greatest midsummer surprise...oh well...at least in my dreams...oh...oh...oh...

ButI'll be back if I still could type...

daniel cimadevilla said...

Hi

in the countries of the north there is celebration...
in patagonicas steppes winter silence...
there sun and clarity ...
here the cold night ...

glad music and roar of the wind...
summer and winter...
Venus and Mars...
Ying and Yang...
Kirsi and Daniel...

is the Law
is the Tao


Chin chin!
Salute!

Kiss an love

Chau

Anonymous said...

I think any occasion is good for a party...but I think Finland is a bit like Wisconsin....after a long winter and a wet cold spring....summer is the time to be out doors....as much as possilbe....don't stay out to late....and be good...

*Itkupilli* said...

Jimmmmmmm!!!! oh you!!!! dear!!!!

singinghawk said...

KIRSI! How much have you had to drink!!!

I am laughing my ass off! hahahaha! You are too funny! ANy Finnish men with you?!

*Itkupilli* said...

Hye Nabana

On Funnihs,,,,,just na Amecrimac….he si so lvoly and perssures

Anonymous said...

sey, I greea. Irksi si rihgt.

Anonymous said...

File kames rome sense sith yay anyyaw.

singinghawk said...

LMAO!

singinghawk said...

The one day that I'm behaving and everyone else is blabber FACED DRUNK! HAHAHAHA!

Anonymous said...

wabnanawand bevahing?! nan! I dont lebeive it!

Anonymous said...

//The one day that I'm behaving and everyone else is blabber FACED DRUNK! HAHAHAHA! // AnaB You crack me up!!

Kirsi! You must post a picture of all the men you had worshipping you tonight, my dear goddess....I want to see what Finnish men look like!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

what an amazing collage that is; radiant. and i got quite a chuckle out of the dude in the suit. hilarious!

*Itkupilli* said...

Daniel...

You wrote so beautifully...

You in dark...Me in light

But when it turns light for you
I hope mine still remains

Kisses
Kirsi

****


Ascender R......

Thanks very nice to hear...and about dude too....

*Itkupilli* said...

Kelly you should come here....especially during the bigger events town in full of gothic, heavy and punk rocker…blond Vikings or dark shamans


...but there was in news that Finland is the most similar country to US…

Anonymous said...

//blond Vikings// ooohhh...Now you're talking!!! ;)


//...but there was in news that Finland is the most similar country to US…// Really? How?

23 June 2007 12:12:00 EEST

Anonymous said...

oh~by the way...no hangover today?? lol

*Itkupilli* said...

Kelly hi….

no no hangover….I’ve been whole day by the lake and I was also swimming….

This research about similarity was in many different sector…I don’t know which but I’m not surprised…

Anonymous said...

Hmm...thats intersting. Is the "Finnish" language similar to "Russian"? (Both European, but I'm not sure how different...probably alot)

*Itkupilli* said...

Totally different languages...though Russia is our neighbour...it is completely different world...Finland is rich and advanced...Russia is a big mess…..

okjimm said...

Good morning! I am off biking soon, but wanted to see who was hung over and who is not!

I was checking out Finland on lonely planet website --i thought this was an amusing description

//It's a vast expanse of forests and lakes and more forests, punctuated by towns full of people who are genuinely surprised to see tourists//

vast expanses of lakes and forests...sounds really good to me!

somewhat like northern wisconsin or minnesota....I am camping in a couple of weeks in Northern Wisconsin....some old college friends....we used to go all the time in the summer until...well families and children took up too much time. This will be the first time in about five years that the 'old' crew went together.

in three weeks I am going to visit with my sister and mother in western wisconsin...do some biking. the trails over there are fantastic...old railroad beds converted to trails
http://www.elroywi.com/trails.htm

it is where I grew up...much different from eastern wisconsin...

I must hit the road....I will try to be back later.

singinghawk said...

GOOOOD MORNING, afternoon and evening, itkuhippy!!

I see you are speaking english again! How are you feeling?!

I had fun last night watching the movie...this time it was just you and Anajo! -- but quite entertaining! I think you both should get drunk more often!

Anonymous said...

I was just wondering because, though my great-grandmother came from Hungary, my grandmother attended a Russian orthodox church. I went with her sometimes when I was real young and I remember them speaking in a "funny language"...I was just wondering if they were the along the same lines...

Have a great evening one and all, I will be gone the rest of the day...

Anonymous said...

G'day Kirsi!


I must hit the road.

Now isn't that an unusual idiomatic expression?

Anonymous said...

Halo Kirsi~Good Morning!!! And everyone else too!!

~The reason I deleted a comment over at my blog was because when Thankwee suggested I find a park to take pictures at...Though I couldn't agree with her more. I went into a rant about how there are no parks here, none with trees...only druggies and pedophiles...there are no romantic places around here...I live in a CONCRETE JUNGLE!!! And an ugly one at that....At least NYC has central park!!
So thats the reason...I felt afterwards. I didn;t want her to think I was lashing out at here....

*Itkupilli* said...

...I’ve been out by the lake...swimming and sun bathing...

Kelly it’s so strange...I can’t imagine a place without parks...here are parks everywhere, and it’s funny, ’coz everything else is forest...endlessly everywhere...oh well some lakes between them….

Anonymous said...

Kelly,

How kind of you to worry about what I might think. Not to worry, though, my dear! I understand.

Lady Prism said...

Being born on the 3rd day of the 3rd month in my meatspace existence Midsummer has always been my nom de plume..All my writings are signed midsummer...ever since in high school...

It has become some sort of a spiritual name...

To read about what it all means is deeply fascinating...and has given it a deeper depth of significance to me...

And I love the video!!

*Itkupilli* said...

Luxie,

That’s fascinating...you are fascinating....Midsummer surely has many meanings....in Finland it is very important event...there are still endless stories and myths...by the by I like your new avatar…if haven’t mentioned yet….:)