Vappu

Ice melting... - I composed three more poems written by Ryokan. (Juha H.)

Suo

Marsh.- Music goes on as normal: I composed two more poems written by Ryokan. (Juha H.)

Puita

Trees. - All evening fixing photos and listening to music. Yesterday Sini and I finalized our latest musical project Kuuntelin hiljaa (=I listened silently). (Juha H.)

Hyrsky

And suddenly a strange creature appeared behind my window... - All evening I spent mastering my music. One more project is quite ready and done. (Juha H.)

Sammakko

A frog trying to hide underneath a leaf. And everything happened on an ice-covered little lake. (Juha H.)

Sininen taivas

Blue sky with feathers. (Juha H.)

Vanha maalaus

An old painting from the early 1980-ies that I painted with a friend. It's a portrait of our mutual friend. - And in the other news: I composed three more Ryokan's poems. (Juha H.)

Kala

Smoked fish. (Juha H.)

Perkussioita

Evening of percussion - at least for me because I recorded them for a couple of hours. Hand drums. And my fingers didn't even get sore. Now only one or two woodwind instruments and Sini's singing aren't there. Then my composition Vuodenajat (=Seasons) is ready to be mixed.

My Ryokan-project goes on. Today I composed two of his poems to become one song.

Juha H.

Muuta

Today I had way too many other obligations instead of music. But still I had some hours for playing different instruments - flute, acoustic guitar and domra. And composed one poem written by Ryokan.

Wagtails are back. Birds are returning for the coming summer. This is so nice.

Juha H.

Maistuvaa

Something tasty. - And in the evening I recorded bass guitar. (Juha H.)

Rannalla

On the beach - Terijoki, Russia. (Juha H.)

Puu

Tree, St Petersburg. (Juha H.)

Musaa ja Pietari

After so many days of other obligations I finally had time enough to spare and returned to my music. Earlier, a week ago, J-V sent me a guitar solo with Messenger . Today I had the time and mixed it to go along with more or less African sounding music. Nice solo! - Later I recorded a flute solo for my song Elama ei ollut taydellista (= Life was not so perfect). And after that I thought - why not to sing it, too. So I sang it and recorded my voice into Pro Tools. Well, well, I'm definately not any singer and it's been quite many years since I recorded me singing... Anyways the whole sounds somewhat ok.

While mixing today I found some wonderous things - plugins in the Pro Tools. Version 8 has given me so many unbelievable surprises. They make me so very happy.

Sini watches a DVD we bought from St Petersburg.

Juha H.

Rautatieasema

Moskowskye vokzal - Moscow Railwaystation, St Petersburg. (Juha H.)

Huone, Tsarskoje Selo

A dining room in the Catherine Palace, Tsarskoye Selo. - Now all the photos taken during our trip to St Petersburg are fixed and ready. Some of them can be found here. (Juha H.)

Yksi Pietarin ihme

Tsarskoye Selo, partial view. (Juha H.)

Takaisin Pietarista

Back from St Petersburg , Russia. Above photo from Tsarskoye Selo - Summer Palace of the Tsars. (Juha H.)

Pietariin

Very early tomorrow morning Sini, me and our three children begin our trip to St Petersburg, Russia. Last time I was there was 1986 and then the city was called Leningrad. Now the former regime has fallen and alots has happened in Russia and around the world. During the Soviet era the center of Leningrad was beautiful - the old buildings were really remarkable... Today the city should be very much more fashinating. And Communism is gone. - We'll be back on Monday.

Alvin visited. Some nice stories from around the world he did tell.

Juha H.

Rumpuja

All evening I recorded drums and percussion. Well, it's quite a bit hard for me because I'm not a drummer. Hand percussions are somewhat ok but with real drums, huh...!

J-V sent a guitar solo over the Internet. Tomorrow I'm going to mix it to be apart of an instrumental composition of mine.

Juha H.

Kirkasta niin kirkasta

Bright so bright. - Recorded bass guitar to go with some sus2 chords. That was fun. (Juha H.)

Neal Asher

I began reading Neal Asher's novel Line War. Once again a strange story from the far future. I've read only some hundred pages and already I've met many weird ideas of possible human biological developement/manipulation, humans combined with AI and even stranger creatures. Of course there are aliens, alien AI... And as the name of the story says - there is a war coming. Strange times ahead for me!

Juha H.

Odottavat koivut

Birches waiting. (Juha H.)

Valo niin kirkas

Light so bright. - All evening I recorded percussion instruments and then some electric woodwinds. (Juha H.)

John Mayall

Right now one of my great hero from my youth - John Mayall performs on my living room's DVD/PA-system. Blues is a wonderous thing. I've always liked it - black or white, no matter the colour. This particular gig is from some years back when Mayall turned 70!! - I remember when I was very young and Mayall released his LP Blues From the Laurel Canyon and I really liked it. Especially I liked the slow blues of the same name as the LP. And only some ten years ago I learned that he wrote the song while visiting Frank Zappa's place. And this was so nice to know, well at least for me.

On wednesday this week J-V brought three guitar solos for as many of my songs. He had recorded them in his homestudio. Today I had the time and mixed them all. And I really like them solos and songs.

Juha H.

Toropaisen juhlaa

Sini congratulating Toropainen for his birthday. - The tiny Finnish flag in the front was supposed to be a souvenir for the Summer Olympic Games of the year 1940. But unfortunately the World War II broke out a year before. And Finland got its Olympic Games in 1952... (Juha H.)

Oksa odottaa

Lonely twig waiting. - All evening I recorded woodwinds, several tracks. (Juha H.)