Chapter Break Filler

[Keep Looking]

Grey, that's such a beautiful poem - I love the symbolism with the droplets. And Jitter, yet another excellent vignette - Kitty is clearly the most best source of warmth.

[Jitter]

Thanks! And that's exactly what I was thinking!
(what else could it be?   )

I suggest we let this train of thought stop right now. Sauna is nice.

[thegreyarea]

Thank you so much, Mari, Alkia and Keep Looking! This way you're risking yourselves, because I feel encouraged to do more...
Jitter, that's a lovely piece. I feel that Rey is exactly that kind of person that puts an extra blanket over you, expecting nothing in return.
And yes, I agree with you, Sauna is nice

[Jitter]

I've been trying to find photos representative of the very basic sauna cabin on the beach such as I described but it seems to be impossible! It's too basic to need to show in pictures I guess However as I suspect not all of the readers have first hand experience of what a sauna is like, I'll post some pages with photos here. I'll link them since I don't own any of the pics. Some are accommodation or other services, none of which I  have tried so please only look at the pictures of saunas

No bathers in the pics so safe for everyone!

http://www.luotosenkamppa.fi/ The top row on pictures has some of the feel I think there would be, of course boat and buckets are made of wood. The red color will come later.

https://www.styleroom.fi/album/43871-pihasauna This is an interior design blog, mostly saunas aren't quite this pretty It gives some idea about the space however, but the Hotakainen sauna is darker in color.

https://www.styleroom.fi/album/49491-pihasauna another interior design, mainly refer to the picture with the bucket

https://www.meillakotona.fi/artikkelit/tama-on-suomen-kaunein-mokkisauna

https://www.ronola.fi/sauna-is-about-mindfulness/

https://www.luontoon.fi/suomunvillevuokratupa pictures 1 and 4, the interior shown in 2-3 is too large

https://erakamppa.fi/kuvagalleria/ manufacturer of pre-cut saunas and other outbuildings, includes a picture of how the timbers are laid

[Mebediel]

Not one but two responses to the prompt from Jitter today? We're being spoiled The longer fic is lovely, and I really appreciated being able to see the Finnish and have a translation. (And thanks for the pictures...the two saunas I've been to looked somewhat different from the ones you've posted.) And the vignette is sweet as always!

Thanks for sharing your introspective prose-poetry with us, Keep Looking! It's beautiful, and your writing is very evocative.

thegreyarea, your poetry is really good! Comparing it to Vogon poetry is unfair lol you would beat them without contest

[Jitter]

I think writing the vignettes is exactly what I need right now. They are happy, low effort, but nevertheless something I have managed to produce, and they appear to be giving joy to you guys. Writing them makes my life better at this very moment when I’m far too high-strung. So thank you again, everyone who are making this happen, and especially Keep looking! to all!

[Keep Looking]

I think writing the vignettes is exactly what I need right now. They are happy, low effort, but nevertheless something I have managed to produce, and they appear to be giving joy to you guys. Writing them makes my life better at this very moment when I’m far too high-strung. So thank you again, everyone who are making this happen, and especially Keep looking! to all!

That's precisely why I made this event, actually. When I came up with the idea a few weeks ago, I was in a pretty bad place mentally (mostly because of virus-related stress), and writing poetry for the new pages of SSSS was what was keeping me afloat. But since it looked like chapter break was coming up soon, I wasn't sure what I'd do when it happened, as at that point even the weekends were tough. I figured I might as well do something about it, because other people were probably feeling the same way, and because being creative can be really helpful when times are tough, and so can having something to look forwards to each day.

I'm feeling in a much better place now, but I'm really glad that this event is helping you guys get through these times!

[Keep Looking]

Chapter Break Filler

.._.._..

Prompt 4: Nostalgia

.._.._..

For today's contribution, the wonderful Mariiii has provided us with a beautiful and bittersweet artwork for the prompt of 'nostalgia'.

Spoiler: show

Thanks very much to Mari for today's piece, and if any of you are inspired by this prompt, feel free to post your own creative works on here - we'd love to see them!

[Grade E cat]

Sweet! Kid Hotakainens is another thing I tend to not get tired of.

[wavewright62]

Dodgy haiku, anyone?
Nostalgia

Here, snow drifts inside
Crude shelter, good enough, though...
I dream of ice cream.

-----
Did I ever tell
about the time a PlayGuy
I threw killed a troll?

----
The crosswords were mine,
yours the rest of the paper.
Now - insulation.

[steadfastjewel]

I got busy yesterday and missed all the sauna fun!

Jitter, I like the long-form story and the vignette! You did a nice job establishing the setting. I've never been in a sauna, closest I've come is the weird woodcuts my Finnish grandmother had on the walls of her house (as a little kid, my brothers and I found them funny, being that they were naked people on benches. the sophistication of youth)
The story is also a tasteful level of shippy, well-balanced.  And I love to see Reynir being a good friend.

Keep Looking, I love your introspective poetry. It's timely. Thanks for hosting the party.

Greyarea, I enjoy the poem AND the Vogon reference. (Poetry is less painful the more you do it! Feel free to share more, haha)

As for today, Mari! I love to see baby Hotakainens, even if it gives me a moment of angst. My favorite detail of the piece is Tuuri's braids. pastOnni's surprisingly detailed boots are a close contender!

And Wave, if it doesn't feel dodgy, is it really haiku?  I like them, particularly the third bit.

[Jitter]

Mariii, thank you for the wonderful art! I love both the idea and the result. The composition is very nice. And Little!Lalli with a cookie

Wave, great haikus! The lost comforts of a gone by world.

Today's vignette takes us far off canon.

Nostalgia
Suddenly the warm wind carried a soft bleat to Reynir’s ears. But surely this was too far from any farms? He was never one to ignore a lamb in need, so he stepped off the rocky path to investigate. Soon enough he spotted a month-old curled between the almost barren rocks. It was clearly starving, the volcanic soil of the area could hardly provide much to eat for a young lamb. It would have perished already, but for the warmth from the nearby geysirs. “Oh, where’s your mommy? Come here!” Reynir gently wrapped the lamb inside his peysa. 

The heat and flutter of a young thing against his chest brought back to many memories. All the children of the villages he had blessed. His own children and grandchildren, whom he had held and sang to through so many nights. And even further back, the lambs he had carried when he was but a shepherd boy at his parents’ farm. Such an innocent existence! That was right in the beginning of his journey, before the Seiður and the adventures, before Pastor Anne.

Even before he ever met Onni. How strange it was to think there was such a time when they didn’t know each other. How much knowledge of the new magic could have been lost, if he had stayed at the farm with the lambs? But how much easier would his own life had been? Sighing, Reynir ensured the lamb was secure and warm “Now now, little one. I’m sure we can find your home!”

The perpetual mists of the valley closed after the old man and the young animal. Spirits of the land were alone once more.

Photo collage from Icelandic geysirs under the cut

Spoiler: show

These are from Haukadalur where the great geysir Strokkur is located (as well as Geysir, the geysir that gave name to the whole phenomenon, but Geysir is asleep) and from Gamla Laugin. I thought beforehand that geysirs are kinda lame, hot water from the ground woohoo. But they are GREAT! I loved them even with us tourists all around. In a setting such as Y140+ they'd very likely to be places of power. No picture of Strokkur erupting because the people around it kind of take some of the magic away in the photos.

[Mariiii]

Grade E cat Jitter steadfastjewel thank you, I'm glad you like it !

Wavewright62 I really like your haiku !

Jitter this makes me want to go to Iceland right now !

And Keep Looking thank you again for the organisation of this wonderful chapter break 

[Mebediel]

Very sweet picture, Mari! I always love seeing the Hotakainens as happy children (just gonna pretend the nostalgia aspect of it isn't somewhat sad haha).

Wave, I really like your set of haikus. Now I'm also dreaming of ice cream.

And Reynir as an old man! That's something to think about Thanks, Jitter!

[thegreyarea]

Mari, that's an amazing drawing! It took me a moment to connect both Onnis, I must confess, but then I saw the light! (and speaking of it, your drawing is overflowing with beautiful light!)
Wave, those haikus are lovely, and that reference to ice cream is perfect
Jitter, the story is fantastic! (I'd love to have more in that timeline...) And so are the photos.

I feel that Reynir is the kind of person that would drift into a nostalgic moment, and so I decided to try a bit of poetry again. Blame steadfastjewel, that liked my first try (thanks!) and told it would be less painful...

Nostalgia

His spirit drifts, away from the darkness
Searching for the blessing Sun
Across the Ocean, far from cursed noises
Looking for the peaceful sounds

He finds soft green hills, the sweet welcoming smells
Hears again beloved voices
Around the hearth, eating talking and laughing
Brothers, Father, Mother, Home

His youth, left behind to dive in a journey
Of love, courage and madness
Beyond return he must plunge into silence
Where unforgiving things await

His will is steel, unbreakable, resolute
No baulking nor failing friends
Yet his heart ached
With longing
For his
Sheep