Annikki continues her hectic schedule

With Annikki's mother in the Old People's Home for her "interval care", Annikki got time to get the garden organised. After the last visit to the stone beach at martiniemi, on Friday evening it was a visit to our local beach to collect fine sand. As it had rained the previous day, only the top layer of sand was dry and fine. So she sat in the sand and collected several bags full with the palms of her hands!



Saturday was her day of rest, but Sunday meant a visit to her brother, Eica, who lives in the forest. From his forest home Annikki collected four fir trees to plant in the Kampitie garden. I sat put inside the car, away from those deadly 3 cm sized mosquitoes.





Can you spot my dear wife in the car she had loaded with the fir trees?



After the fir trees were safely loaded into the car, we were guided by Eica to a small lake where he said there were lotus plants almost in bloom.



Annikki was in ecstasy, as the whole Kampitie garden is designed around the lotus motif.

Off we went and after trying several techniques to fish out some lotus flowers.



Not only did she find lotuses but some other water plants.



Getting the other plants, which were near the shore, were not a problem. But getting the lotuses were a hazard - as although they appeared to be close to the shore, the flowerts had very long stems and were enmeshed under the water into a dangerous weeds support.



All efforts for fishing out the lotuseses were futile.

Annikki finally had to get her feet and hair wet to get one, roots and all with the help of a spade!



We dropped Eica back on his forest property and returned home. Annikki was quite satisfied with her expedition.



Annikki put the lotuses in the pond. Lo and behold, the next afternoon, the lotuses flowers opened and bloomed in the sunshine!



Forget those four large ones you see - they are the plastic ones Annikki has been using.

Now she has the real thing, lotus leaves, flowers, stem, roots, and all.