Photo-Finish Friday --Spring Day in Estonia

It's Kevadpuha*, that is Spring Day, in Estonia. In honour of it the above is a photo taken in a church yard there two years ago.
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* The "u" in Kevadpuha requires umlauts.

Photo-Finish Friday - A Swan A-Swimming

A swan off the coast of Saaremaa Island, Estonia.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Welcome

Norway maple in a churchyard in Estonia.
This may be a repeat, but I felt the need to post it.
 

Photo-Finish Friday-- Island Crater

Meteorite crater on Saaremaa Island, Estonia.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Birthday Bookends

This is me, on the left, at age two, with my sister, Dawn.
Please note I am smiling.








This is me a few months ago in Estonia with my husband Mike, age 54. Still smiling.

Today is my 55th birthday.
I haven't changed much since this photo from last spring. Some may argue I haven't changed much since the top photo either.

I say the photos serve as reasonable bookends for my life to date.

Estonian Independence Restored

Estonia got its independence back on this date in 1991 after living under Soviet rule.

Estonian Flag atop a structure in Tallinn from the 12th (I think) Century. 

I had the pleasure of visiting the country in May. It is friendly, clean, and proud. I'd go back there in a heartbeat.
In fact, I'd like to as my family lived on Hiiumaa Island while the country was under Swedish rule. I couldn't get there this trip, but there's always the future.
Among the joys of Soviet rule was children learned that everything good and right in the world came from Russia.
Our guide for a tour of Tallinn old city told us when he was in school his mother asked him one day what he'd learned.
He said he'd learned that the radio was invented by Patapoff.
She told him that was fine, son, and when it comes to the test you write that answer, but "it's important that you know it was Marconi."

Tallinn

Today, 22 years after the country got shed of its oppressors, the people can laugh about the nonsense of those times and share their stories.
I hope everyone gets a chance to hear them and learn from them.
Happy Restoration of Independence, Estonia.

Photo-Finish Friday - Welcome to My ChurchYard

This magnificent tree is in a chuchyard in Estonia.
We both hated to leave it.
Above, my husband stands under its gnarled welcoming  limbs.

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We believe it is a maple, and likely a Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

Photo-Finish Friday - Optimists

Two men fish off the pier on Muhu Island, Estonia.

Photo-Finish Friday--Two From Tallinn

Here's a picture of Tallinn, Estonia, from a lookout.
I took several pics of it so have added another below.

May I suggest you click over to Flickr and try these in full screen?