Sauna
The Sauna is the first cultural institution on our yard. In the old days a smoke-sauna was thought to be better than a sauna with a chimney. Now we can choose for ourselves. When we are to lazy to build our own sauna we can use the on with the chimney. The sauna is a structure built out of a 100-year-old barn. It fits 6 people at a time. When you are visiting in June-July you can bring the hanks from the woods yourself. During other months you will have them ready for you. It is a Finnish type of sauna. We heat it with aspen or alder wood brought from our own forest. That is the only and the best way to purify your body and soul here.
Mahjong
Five years ago, when Houkka Bros taught me this game, I was amazed. It is a wonderful strategy game from Japan and China. It is played with four players. Since it is a game using quarters, it takes about 3-6 hours to play it. Off course, I can't say that I actually know how it's played. The first time you understand the possibilities, which don't stop you from enjoying the game. But as usually in life, the deeper you dig the more exciting it gets. About the whole philosophy and logic of the game can be asked from Juha Valkeapää.
Bicycle
You can bike about 2 kilometers to the village shop or to the neighbor to bring milk. Brave ones can bike also to the north to the seaside or to the lake of the Uljaste. Both distances will be 12 kilometers one way. There is one bike for man and one bike for a woman. Yes, here we can call them like that.
Self-made smoke-sauna
A self-made smoke-sauna was our best lounge for the first 3 years. For estonians, the sauna has always been the first building to be built. You, also, have the possibility to built your own sauna. Ancient traditions say that one must start building a sauna on a clear day. A sauna started on a foggy days will become full of fume.
Building it is easy. 12 branches must be brought from the woods, hit to the ground and tied up with strings. Then dig a whole in the ground and built an oven. Steam stones will be found from the old stone walls. The best stones are those which haven't got a lot of sun before. The plastic will be put on top after heating the oven and carrying out the fire. Hot stones give good steam. In the whole, it will take a day to make and use the sauna.
Building it is easy. 12 branches must be brought from the woods, hit to the ground and tied up with strings. Then dig a whole in the ground and built an oven. Steam stones will be found from the old stone walls. The best stones are those which haven't got a lot of sun before. The plastic will be put on top after heating the oven and carrying out the fire. Hot stones give good steam. In the whole, it will take a day to make and use the sauna.
Recording the natures sounds
- They say that the cold is popping. It doesn't really. The logs of the house, the trees in the forest do, when the weather temperature changes fast. From minus five to plus fifteen, or from minus fifteen to minus twenty five.
- There is an old Estonian saying: "When the storks are gone, the weather will be bad, when the swans go, the snow will come." The songs of birds can be heard in every season. The only months where the birds are quiet are maybe December and January. But even that we can not be sure of.
- There is an old Estonian saying: "When the storks are gone, the weather will be bad, when the swans go, the snow will come." The songs of birds can be heard in every season. The only months where the birds are quiet are maybe December and January. But even that we can not be sure of.
Collecting parasoles
We go pick mushrooms together. In the south from Pardimäe Lokal there are Lõunapool Pardimäe Lokaali on funnel chanterelles, in the north parasols, in the west pine milk-caps. Everywhere there are some boletuses and russulas. Picking mushrooms is quite a risk. Never know how many you will find, or will you come back home empty handed.When the catch is good, we make ourselves a nice mushroom dish for dinner. When we get about two baskets we pickle them and you get some jars home with you.
Adventures in the Kiviõli ashmountain
Kiviõli tuhamägi is 13 km away from the Pardimäe Lokaal. We haven't been there, but you should go. Come back home for the evening and we'll talk about it.
