The ugliest corner and its flowers

Those of you who have followed my blog for some years already may remember the many unusual flower arrangements in this corner of Järvenpää, sometimes called the ugliest in town? The first year the flowers were planted in rubber boots, then in handbags and shopping bags, then they used bicycles, last year it was chairs and now old Finnish rag rugs:

This time there are normal planting boxes hiding inside the rugs.

Again, the big flower shop Järvenpään Kukkatalo has donated one flower plant for each special bouquet bought at their shop during the year, and volunteers planted the flowers and take turns in watering them during the summer.

In August, before the flowers start wilting, they are donated to anyone who wants one or some, and the rugs are cleared away.

Some boxes were without rugs

and some rugs were cut in small pieces and were just hanging there, without flowers. I think these were the good parts saved around holes in old rugs. These rugs are typical for Finland and at least Sweden too: used garments were reused not in quilts but cut or torn to strips and woven into rag rugs.

Green things

Our rhododendrons are blooming, even the little one in the back row. We bought it just a few weeks ago to replace the Physocarpus that was growing too big for the space.

The Alchemilla, Lady's mantle, always keeps the raindrops on its leaves longer than any other plant.

Two new pairs of socks finished, a father and son set.

Then I needed to do some unusual sewing again. This chest of drawers originally belonged to my mother's grandmother, and my mother wanted it to go to her own granddaughter, my daughter Kaija. As this is a very large piece of furniture, she has nowhere to put it at the moment, so I'm keeping it in storage for her. To keep it safe, it needs some protection,

and so I sewed a green hood for it with batting on top and some corrugated cardboard in the front as a shield against hits.

This biggish willow has grown around a street lamp at the corner where our driveway begins, and the men who changed street lamps a couple of years ago could not get to this lamp at all. We told them it was not our tree but the town's, and we would be pleased to see the tree gone.

Finally, after only two or three years, they came with professionals and machines.

The tree trunk is being moved away under the electric lines.

Only a stump is left, they cleared all the branches away. Hurrah, so much less raking of leaves in the autumn for Mr K. from now on, and maybe less moss in the lawn when the sun can reach the grass better.

Silver and green in the flower box.

Our KIP Day

On Saturday knitters world wide gathered in public places to knit. By the time it all began in 2005 it may have been a little like coming out of the closet, admitting that yes, I'm a knitter and I'm proud of it. Or it was just like now: sitting together with old and new friends, sharing experiences and having a good time. This year there were 1122 events in 54 countries!

Our Knit in Public event took place in a new park in Järvenpää. Almost 20 people attended, which is several persons more than we had the last time some years ago. The day was full of choices for our potential visitors, as it was the first weekend after the schools closed for the Summer, but luckily there were so many who chose us. I taught some people the magic looping, where both socks are knitted side by side on the same circular needle.

The guided tour in the park with interesting stories about the history of that area and the house renovation adventure were a cultural addition to our afternoon. Kirsi's blog is here, it is in Finnish but you can just scroll down and look at the pictures, they will give you some idea of how huge the project is.

Today it is raining again, so we were very lucky to have a sunny but not too hot a day on Saturday. It was a positive experience, and I think I could be tempted to try again next year.

Knitting, next week in public too

New pair of green socks on the needles, just a darker green and a men's size this time.

I have been busy planning something for next Saturday, the World Wide Knit in Public Day. Some years ago we had an event at the Villa Cooper, but very few knitters attended. This year we are giving it a try again, in a more public place. Near our Villa Cooper a new park has been built in the middle of a new housing area. It is named after an earlier owner, Bjarne Westermarck, who was a trendsetter and visionary in agriculture a hundred years ago. He had the Villa Cooper building moved to the present location and it was used as a canteen for his farm workers. The secretary of the newly founded Bjarne Westermarck heritage society is coming to our event to tell us about the local history and the renovation work of Westermarck's old office building, now her home. We will meet in the park, and there will be a short guided tour for those interested in the old buildings still left.

Next weekend I will be able to tell you if we had any luck this year. The weather has been chilly almost all the time, at freezing point during the nights, so our best hope is that the day will be sunny and less windy. We are going to have hot coffee and tea! I will be showing how to knit two socks at a time, and if anyone has problems with their knitting, all our members present will be willing to help.