3 years of finland.

I cannot believe it is that time of the year again to celebrate: three years ago on the 5th of August I moved to Helsinki and therefore starting from today I have been living in Finland officially for three years. congratulations to me! it has become a sort of tradition of mine to share a selection of photographs to celebrate this special anniversary: this time I have decided to share one per season to represent a whole year - it was hard to choose only four among the many I took.

happy 3rd anniversary of Finland!

Syyskuu 2012 - Kilpisjärvi
Talvi 2012/2013 - Kaisaniemen Kasvitieteellinen Puutarha
Kevät 2013 - Kivinokka
Kesä 2013 - Seurasaari

as much as I am grateful for my third year in Finland - I am now wondering what the fourth year will bring: the third year brought us a new home, a few new friends and some traveling and I am hoping for the fourth to bring us more friends, more traveling and many more photographs! ♥

two special birthdays.

the end of February and the start of March not only mean that the days are getting longer and the spring is getting closer - but they especially mean it is time to wish happy birthday to two very important people in my life: to Jacopo on the 29th of February and to my dad today.

happy birthday to both of them!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

these could possibly be my favourite photographs of my dad and Jacopo: the 1st one shows my dad as a boy at school, the 2nd one my dad in his late teens - he always looked so smart, the 3rd one Jacopo as a boy in Oulu - posing next to a very impressive sculpture and the 4th one Jacopo with his first racing bike Bianchi two summers ago in Kruununhaka. the 4th photo is the only one I can take credit for - but I love the first three especially and I wonder who took them: to me old photographs are always the most inspiring and the most precious of all!

P.S. for Jacopo's birthday we held a wonderful house party last friday and tonight I will call my dad on Skype while he opens my birthday letter.

a wonderful christmas present.

I know that Christmas is long gone but I still need to write about something I haven't had the occasion to mention yet - in fact I have received a fantastic gift from Jacopo that has made me truly happy: a real set of professional studio lights.

1st tryouts with my studio light kit:

Mamiya RB67 - fp-100C
♥ in chronological order Jacopo, myself and myself holding Tove.

my Mamiya was absolutely brilliant once synched with the two flashes - and I can sync them with many other cameras of mine: shooting indoors won't ever be a problem again!

a few days before Christmas when Jacopo came home with a huge wrapped up package I had no idea it contained two studio flashes - each with its own tripod and soft box: I was positively stunned. most of all I am extremely happy that he believes so much in what I do to provide me with such an important piece to keep up with my dream. now I have to promise I won't give up doing what I love the most - let this be my new year's resolution.

♥ thank you so much Jacopo!

our 2013 calendar.

happy new year!

I have seen some beautiful and unique 2013 calendars for the past month - both online on blogs and around Christmas markets. I have then finally decided to prepare with Jacopo our own 2013 calendar - using some of our favourite photographs of Finland that we have taken during the past couple of years: an image per month.

our 2013 calendar

♥ please click here to download the calendar in high resolution for free.

if you don't have a 2013 calendar yet - you may like to download this to print and hang on your wall: each month is an A4 paper so that you can easily print it from home if you like. a special gift from us to wish you a very happy 2013!

end of 2012.

since the start of Passer Domesticus in 2009 it has become a tradition of mine to post my top ten artist of the year on new year's eve - so here I go again with the musicians and bands I have listened to the most over these past twelve months.

Paula i Karol

♥ song: mother's stew.

PASCAL PINON

♥ song: undir heiðum himni.

Belle & Sebastian

♥ song: come on sister.

Scandinavian Music Group

♥ song: mustarastas lauloi ooh la laa.

First Aid Kit

♥ song: emmylou.

God Help the Girl

♥ song: act of the apostle.

Cats on Fire

♥ song: my sense of pride.

Emilíana Torrini

♥ song: nothing brings me down.

Lykke Li

♥ song: I follow rivers.

Patrick Wolf

♥ song: wind in the wires.

I am really glad about this past year but I hope the next one is going to be even better. happy 2013 everyone!

merry christmas.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas time! I have been spending a few days with my family in Italy: it is lovely to see them when I get the chance! over the past few weeks I have been receiving a huge amount of beautiful Christmas cards and gifts from friends and family: I am going to share some of them here - since it is Christmas day.

I wish you a very merry Christmas!

♥♥♥ thank you all for your love!