Saturday 10.10.2015

New day, new group. After nippy morning in Maarianhamina next group came to Märket. Luckily there was much warmer. The grand old Märket was smiling when she (I thing she’s a lady) saw the comers, because they were all her old friends. She has seen all of them before. These funny little humans who came to take care of her stone foot and rough skin and maybe scrub her back. She knows that they are little weird but harmless. They have strange humming noises when they look the sun going down, and sometimes they just stand a long time lonely and quietly in the wind. It’s okay, lighthouse thought, she did the same thing first hundred years, and even nowadays she is humming sometimes, but only when there is nobody around.

Work? Not so much, but lot of planning. So everything is half done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday 11.10.2015

It was a glorious pink Sunday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After tasty breakfast we evacuated same food and our kitchen maid Titta from kitchen, because we started to clean rusty steal bars in the ceiling. Oooh! Feel so good! Little bit right, please… lighthouse moaned. I’m quite sure I heard it purring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite Märket was purring, and many times it’s acting like a cat (it wakes up at nights, eyes shines in the dark, and even when it looks like sleeping, it has one ear awake), it is very important place to birds to have a little break during their long journey to east. Some of them are very drained and hungry when they arrive here. In this week we have seen many goldcrest, which are tiniest birds in the Europe, ad some winter wrens, which are vary tiny too. Somehow it’s so great, because same time there is flying around a sea eagle, which is biggest bird in here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday 12.10.2015

Very nice working day. We started to fix the railings of the sauna-terrace, because the railings were too low and not safe enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had some quests today. Two people from Finnish Transport Agency came to change the batteries of the Märket’s light electrical system.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so nice and rather warm day, so we had lunch outside. Titta made super-tasty borscht to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s bird: Crested tit.

Tuesday 13.10.2015

Last night there was some northern lights glowing in the sky, and stars have been magnificent every evening. Day wasn’t very sunny, but good day to work. We carried chopped wood inside so that we could build rest of the railing, Selja produced an inventory of visitors in this season and Titta kept us in a good mood with her excellent cooking’s. Nothing exceptional. Normal day. We have everything well here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday 14.10.2015

Maybe one day your life is like an old lighthouse: You have been strong. You may have had important job. You have shown the way to others. People have admired you. You may still have lot of friends and things to do, but somewhere deep in your hearth you know that there is no meaning in your life anymore. Your work is done. Others don’t need you anymore. You need others.

We all get old. Life is short. Life is just a tiny wave in a shimmering ocean. Life is like a touch of goldcrest in a darken evening; It is light. It is bright. Life is just a flash in the night.

Sunny day. Wind was cold, but in a breathless place it was surprising warm. It was so nice weather that Titta served lunch outside. Soup, coffee, chocolate… that was almost heaven on the earth, or should I say islet in the sea. Women painted the kitchen ceiling and men painted the railing. Some inventorying, cleaning and normal service cases, food order etc. Kimmo was checking out walls and constructions and planned what volunteers may have to do in next season. Perhaps he also found something that we can do. Exciting, isn’t it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 15.10.2015

Märket’s little rugged islet is beautiful and fascinating, because rock has so many faces. Round and smooth cheeks, sharp cracks and hundreds break lines crossing each other’s. You can see crumbly places, which break down peace-by-peace and hard areas which come just smoother a round. There are puddles and pools filled with water and some little fish are trapped in. Life; heat and coldness, ice, rain, wind and waves has left their marks.

Living in a group in the little islet is intense. Everyone have scars and fears and fragilities. Everyone have sunny sides and windy sides. We have painful memories and secret wishes. It’s difficult to hide them, but why should you do that? What you just red about the rock?

It was sunny but quite windy day. We cleaned and painted poles for the lifeline. That’s endless job, because salty water rust them quickly. Kimmo fixed some walls and eaves. Titta made food and took care of the dishes. Ordinary everyday life. Cosy and comfortable.

Today’s bird observations: Blackbird, cormorant, European robin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday 16.10.2015

Our last working day. Selja painted poles and we all prepared to change the group. Cleaning, packing, ordering tools and necessities etc.

It has been a pleasant week to scratch and take care of grand mama. Gorgeous sunny weather, yummy-yummy food, blue sea and magic sound of waves, pink sunrises, dark nights and awesome people with great skills and personalities.

Good bye Märket, we all love you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And hey, all the readers: Thank you living with us on this lonely, bare islet. Don’t ever let your light flame out!