Snow has arrived

During the last 48 hours about 30cms of snow has fallen, and before and after work I have been busy clearing away the snow.  I do not have any nice pictures unfortunately because it is dark when I go to work and it is dark when I come home.  The sun no longer appears above the horizon so we only have a couple of hours of good light, and at the present time I am working inside at my work, building structures to hold new signs for the ski tracks and snowmobile trails.

My daughter is very happy because last week she went to see Father Christmas/Santa Claus and gave him her Christmas list.

He has promised to come and visit us again on Christmas Day, just like he did last year!

Back again

The internet is finally back again, but we can not be sure for how long.

The weather is just crazy here.  We still have no snow!  This is the view of our garden at the moment.

I have been out in the forest with Teres and Kelly, looking for a Christmas tree.  In the forest there a a thin covering of snow where the sun doesn’t reach.

Kelly found a small structure under a Spruce tree that is convinced was once a Troll’s home.  She covered it with new Spruce branches

and made a Spruce bed inside, just in case the Troll returns.

And of course as usual we made fire and had a cup of hot-chocolate.

We have had a large full moon, and I thought I would finish with a couple of pictures of that.

More soon…if we still have internet!!

Easy Hammock bushcraft/survival hammock first review

I have tested my Easy Hammock bushcraft hammock a couple of times now and I am very pleased with it.  The quality of the hammock and the workmanship is very good.

Here is the information about the hammock direct from the Easy Hammock website.

Description

A hybrid between the classic, and our insulated hammock with all the standard features like integrated bug net (mosquito, midge and fly proof) and suspension. Main feature of this version is the bottom insulation is replaced by a second, loose layer of fabric finished with a side zipper which creates about 2.5cm space between the layers. This can be filled with insulation of your choice to effectively create an insulated hammock. Netting can be stored at the foot end using shock cord loop installed in the foot end hood. There is also another tying point at the head end for hanging accessories like your jacket, pillow, or empty compression sack for storage.
NOTE:
-Unlike classic double layer hammocks this model works quite well with roll mats or self inflating mats as there is actually space for the mat to expand. Also the mat goes in diagonal corners of the underquilt layer holding it in place exactly under your body. Unfortunatelly I can’t guarante compatibility with every mat in existence, you might have to fold a corner to make it fit.
-For bushcraft applications a roll mat, self inflating mat, folded wool blanket or even an old sleeping bag can be used for insulation.
As a survival hammock dry gras, leaves or moss can be used, as well as cardboard or newspapers.

Included with every hammock:
– full suspension with 2 x 4m straps,
– ridgeline organiser,
– cotton storage bag.
As well as bottom insulation, you will need some form of top insulation in the shape of a blanket or sleeping bag, which can be unzipped and used like a duvet for maximum comfort and freedom of movement.
Like all other hammocks a suitable tarp (min 3m long) is required to protect from the elements, especially wind as the botom layer is breathable/wind resistant and not windproof.

STANDARD size:
Weight:
Hammock – 700g,
Bag – 50g,
Suspension – 300g (carabiners-70g + Tapes-230g), Tapes can be cut to size to save weight.
Pack size: Hammock with suspension – 2.4 liters (20cm x 24cm x 5cm).
Hammock dimensions: 3m (10ft) long body, 249cm ridgeline, 270cm from carabiner to carabiner. Fits people up to 185cm height.

The material used for the hammock is uncoated, non-waterproof, breathable, true rip-stop (reinforced, not square textured) nylon.  The mosquito net material is strong and non stretchable.

No.5 zips are used, which helps to prevent snagging and there are two zips.  One to attach the moquito net to the hammock and the other to gain access between the two bottom layers to allow the user to put insulation between.

I used a reindeer skin for insulation and it worked very well.

The construction of the hammock is a-symmetrical and this allows you to lay flat when sleeping (or on your side).  I had a down back which I opened and had over my body like a quilt.  As it was snowing, I used my infamous piece of Pertex as a tarp.

The first night I experienced some cold spots, but the second night I constructed what I am calling a “hammock skirt” out of lightweight parachute material, which hung between the ground and the hammock to prevent cold air circulating under (it was also a good place to store my kit).

I personally did not like the back that the hammock came in,

so I designed a new bag which my wife sewed together for me.  This back has an opening at both ends, making it easier to hang the hammock from the bag, and the bag remains on the hammock all the time.

I am unlikely to use the hammock much during the winter, but I will write another review next year when I have used it more.  I will also be working with Easy Hammock to develop my idea of the “hammock skirt”.

I’ve bought a hammock

I have been thinking about buying a hammock and had decided to buy a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC

because it is possible to lay flat in this hammock as it is a-symmetrical.  However, I could not find a supplier here in Sweden, or even in the EU and as the shipping and import taxes would have been very high, I did not want to order direct from the States.

I then decided to buy a Dutchware Chameleon Hammock, but they did not have any outlet in the EU either.

Then a friend told me about a guy he knew who has started making hammocks.  He had been to a Bushcraft UK meet and shown his products and my friend thought they were very good.  The company is called Easy Hammocks and the guy who runs it is called Matthew.

I had a look at his website and liking the idea of supporting a small, growing business, I decided to order a Bushcraft/Survival Hammock which unlike his other models, does not have a built-in under-quilt but instead has two layers of material that allow you to put your own insulation or insulation mat inside.

More information here; https://easyhammock.co.uk/p/bushcraft-survival-hammock

Matt is hoping to get the hammock to me within three weeks, so once I have received it and tested it, I will write a review.

 

29.5 degrees

We currently have a heat wave her in Lapland and today the temperature reached 29,5 degrees.

Last weekend we were out fishing and grilling sausage of cause.

Today I have been working in Killinge, which is a very beautiful area along the Kaitum river.

Where the Salmon are in full migration, jumping up the waterfalls and rapids.

I have now built the stairs up to the second level in the tree house/ playhouse, so we now need to get some furniture to put in there.

Heat wave

As I am writing this, it is 8am and already the temperature is 19 degrees C.  Just about all the snow has melted during the last few days and there is a lot of flooding now in this area.  It must be summer, because the girls have set up the trampoline.

and we have been cooking our meals outside over an open fire.

I have now completed Emma’s new knife and sheath

And I have a new friend called Alf, who is a master craftsman and has already taught me a lot.  Here is some of his work.

Last Saturday I attended the annual gathering of ornithologists in Hakkas.

There were much less birds than usual, and I did not get any really nice photo’s, but here are a couple; a Capercaillie and a White Wagtail.

Now the girls have new knives, there mum also wants one, so that’s what I will be working on this week.

Easter weekend at my cabin

My family stayed at home over Easter, but I spent the weekend at my cabin.  I spent some time ice-fishing alone

and I also spent time fishing with my neighbours

but unfortunately we did not catch many fish.

I was also out and about with the snowmobile (this picture was taken by my neighbour)

When I first bought my cabin, there was forest all around, but unfortunately the majority of forest has now been removed.  I saw no animals at all while I was there.

Here are a couple of pictures of the full moon from last weekend.

I also took some bird photo’s.  These are of Siberian Jay

and Willow Tit

and finally a male Pine Grosbeak.

You may recall that I built a sledge earlier in the winter.

I made the seat removable which has meant that it has other uses.  I used it to carry my equipment to the cabin

and to collect wood

 

Bunk-bed work-bench

I have been continuing to develop my work-shop and I have completed to transition of the bunk-bed, into a work-bench.  I began by taking the bunk-bed apart and then re-used the various parts to begin constructing the work-bench

The project did not take long to complete

and I am very pleased with the end result.

Hopefully my workshop will be completed next week and I will be writing more.

We currently have 4 Pine Grosbeaks (Pinicola enucleator) feeding in the garden

and today I have been watching Waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) coming to a small hole in the river ice, to drink.

It should be feeling a bit more like spring now, but night-time temperatures are still below -20 and day-time are only at around -10.  This is the first winter since I moved he, that the temperature has not been above freezing during the whole winter.

 

Chocolate raisins and whisky

Last weekend I went to the cabin

I was concerned that there might be a large amount of snow on the roof and when I arrived, I was that I was right.

After getting a fire going in the stove, I cleared a path to the wood store

and then to the toilet.

I decided to make some lunch before beginning work.  I had with me some sausage, bread, butter, whisky, cheese in  a tube and a packet of hot chocolate + some chocolate raisins.  I also found a tin of frozen Baked Beans in the cabin, so for lunch I had sausage and beans.

After that, It was time to get up on the roof and start removing the snow.  Fortunately my father-in-law was nearby and called in to say hello and helped with the snow removal.

It took about three hours to remove the snow

To give you an idea of the snow depth, the next-box in this picture cannot be reached during the summer without a ladder!

After my father-in-law had had a coffee, he headed home.  It was starting to get dark, so I kit the oil lamps and started making a leather pouch for my 8×24 Opticron binoculars.  My evening meal to accompany me while working, was chocolate raisins and some whisky.

By the end of the evening I was a little drunk, but very pleased with my pouch.

The next morning I made Chaga tea and fried sausage and made sausage sandwiches for breakfast.

After breakfast I made a pouch to hold my First Aid kit.

For the closer on the pouch I made two holes in the lid and two holes in the front of the pouch and then threaded a match through the holes.

After lunch, I headed home again.

 

Jokkmokks Marknad 2018

I visited Jokkmokks Marknad  both on Thursday and Saturday.  While travelling to Jokkmokk on Thursday, a juvenile Sea Eagle flew up from the side of the road.

and landed in a tree, but it was a bit too far away to get any decent pictures.

There were many people at the market. So many, that it was difficult to take photo’s.

There was a Sámi women was very good at making Birch bark containers.

There is a also a Finnish house building company that has moved to Jokkmokk, and they will be selling timber houses from 2019 and they had a sauna at the market to demonstrate to quality of their work.

I bought a couple of tanned reindeer skins for making coffee bags and a thicker skin (not sure from which animal) for making pouches for my new equipment belt.  The fork in the picture below, I use to make the holes for sewing.

I wet mould the leather to achieve the required shape.  I had made a pouch for my Leatherman Wave, a pouch to hold a tobacco tin and one to hold my Petzl Tikka head-torch + three spare batteries in the bottom of the pouch.