Boreal Forest Winter Vibes

a sunny winter day in the nearby forest

We finally have a proper winter, and for several days we have got to enjoy the crisp -20°C weather! It’s wonderful — except when we look at the heating bills!

We are lucky to live close to the forest. We can get there by crossing the field. At the edge of the forest, there is a large, steep rock that we sled down. We took sleds and sliders with us and set off as a whole family.

First, we crossed the nearby park to reach the field. In this ditch, the children have often floated their little boats, wading through the muddy bottom. Now the ditch was completely frozen, and the kids enjoyed running across the ice and listening to the faint sound of water flowing beneath the thick ice.

At the edge of the field, there were many beautiful winter stalks covered in frost. I believe this is fireweed. After the feathery seeds leave in late summer, delicate curls remain, and the frost, together with the sun, gives them a natural sparkling finish.
I filmed a short video — hopefully it captures at least a bit of that sparkle. ⭒₊˚.

After crossing the field, we arrived at a rock slope where the forest begins. My son rode it on a snowboard. The youngest one went down on sleds.

The rock has been a popular sledding spot in our village in the past, and my own grandfather even did ski jumps there. Back then, they built a ski jump tower at the top of the rock, and about halfway down the slope there was a wooden jump. I wouldn’t join in such wild activities myself!

This time, my 5yo and I left the rest of the family to sled down the hill — my partner leading the charge — and slipped away, just the two of us, to explore the edge of the forest. She’s a true little nature lover. She adores plants, mushrooms, and all those tiny details in nature that I also love to examine up close. She’s always happy to head outdoors with me, no matter where we go or how long we stay.

I like this stage when there’s plenty of snow, but it doesn’t yet cover all the vegetation. We explored animal tracks. It was fun to notice the mouse and hare tracks crossing each other. 5yo, of course, thought they had walked there at the same time, probably greeting each other.

We saw the bracket fungi we had seen before in this familiar forest, now covered in snow. They were delightful sight, and looked good enough to eat. Like little cakes. Especially this one was funny in 5yo’s eyes, with its little holes on the underside.

We crossed the frozen ditch and came upon the swing. This swing is mysterious— perhaps forest spirits left it here. Sometimes it sways gently as we approach, as if an elf had just been playing on it, then vanished at the sound of our footsteps. We thought we glimpsed tiny tracks on the ground, and after swinging for a while, we quietly followed them into the forest.

The forest looked enchanting. The blueberry sprigs still stood upright and fresh in the snow, delicate against the frost. Sunlight filtered through the trees, making the snow sparkle, and everywhere seemed bathed in warmth.

Snow clung to the branches, outlining every twig and creating tiny crystalline patterns that caught the light like miniature jewels.

Time felt suspended here — each step on the soft snow echoed in the quiet, and the distant, faint laughter of the others seemed to belong to another world, far away. The forest felt both alive and timeless, a place where even the bitterest cold could not take away its magic.

We reached a large rock where a puddle forms on top. 5yo climbed up to check if the puddle had frozen — and sure enough, it had!

Between the rocks, soft moss grew on stone wall, and frost had spun tiny, delicate icy feathers across it. Or perhaps an icy little bird had flitted its wings there so furiously that it left traces of its sparkling plumage behind.

Then it was time to head back home. The sledders were already ready to leave, and I told 5yo that we needed to return to the others and go home. She said she didn’t want to. “I want to stay here in the forest with you forever, Mom.” My heart, though a little frosted in this bitter cold, melted. I promised we would come back again soon. I took this photo of our hands to keep this moment with me forever. ♥

🌿 GROW WILD IN FOREST SOIL 🌿

Let your coffee freeze, and follow me into the Finnish wilds. Subscribe for free!