Autumn is here

+4,2 degrees this morning – autumn is definitely here. But it has stayed fairly sunny, and surprisingly the sun is still warm daytime.

   
 
This fall has seen an unprecedented influx of refugees all over Europe. The Syrians, the Iraqis, the Afghans etc are all fleeing “en masse”, and the EU response has been nothing but bleak. I cannot say I’m proud of being European these days. Not that I’m particularly proud about being Finnish either, given the recent attacks on refugee centers in various parts of Finland. The guy who thought it clever to dress up as a Ku Klux clan member while throwing a fire bomb at the stairs of one of the shelters has been walzing through international media. The only consolation is that those who do stupid things like this are clearly a minority, condemned by everyone (and the Ku Klux clan guy was caught by the police immediately) and the great majority are stepping on each others toes in their eagerness to help. Like more or less everywhere else in Europe, ordinary people are there to help and support. Which feels very good.

   
 Africa has been having a feast lately with all the berries. Blueberries and lingonberries are her favorites, anything else is also fine, but she very wisely avoids bushes with thorns. I have to step in to help.

On Wednesday 30.9 we leave Finland again for a month and head back south, this time all the way to the southern part of Luberon. We have rented a house for all of October in the countryside close to Cucuron, about 40 kms north of Aix-en-Provence. Very exciting! Back in November.