Horsehair Bracelet Puella Star

Vinjette donated some tailhair for Birgitta´s bracelet Puella Star

The ribbon is 6 mm wide and there are 14 1,3 mm diamonds or zircons

in the small heart. 

How could you better express your love to your horse?

the original nannasalmi collection since 2000

by the designer and innovator of woven horsehair jewelry

Nanna Salmi, Finland

Horsehair bracelet Puella Star

Enquiries and orders also by email

minna.maattanen@nannasalmi.com

Hay for horses

In Finland the months have describing names: February is "helmikuu", "Pearl Month" - ice and snow make pearls and diamonds when the sun is shining...

December is "joulukuu", "Christmas Month"

Most of the month names have to do with agriculture and the name tells what is done in the fields that time a year. It might be not difficult to guess how July is called... Yes, "heinäkuu", "Hay month".

It´s fantastic to see that some people have started to make the traditional hay stooks again. It´s hard work to build them and most of hay is gathered with machines, of course, but these "nostalgy stooks" you get to see now and again - countryside "entertaining" city people... 

After reaping the hay is lifted up on a stook to make sure it dries up well.

Done!

Well dried hay is taken to the barn.

When the hay work is done without the machines, you need more people

to work together - even the children can help!

Heikki with his Finnhorse Koda. Koda has done a good job

and during the winter time he gets to enjoy his well earned hay.

So it looked like in the old days. This picture is from Mustiala Manor house .

 Mustiala was Finland’s first agricultural college.

David is the world to me

This is me and Davy Boko (alias David), a Dutch race horse (standardbred). On 25-8-13 he had to race the biggest race for 3 year old horses in Holland, the Derby. He was one of the favourites, but a couple of weeks before this race he stopped with eating. He ate, but not much. He was not happy and vital anymore and we knew there was something wrong. 

So we brought him to several vets and nobody could exactly tell us what was wrong. So the day of the big race we were all very nervous of course, it was now or never… 
The race went well for him and in the last turn he took him out and he won very easily. So end good all good we thought. We were in the clouds, so happy with our lovely horse and that he did so good despite he was not 100%.

Only 3 days later we fell off that cloud…. He had a fever of 41,6 degrees. He was so sick… couldn’t even walk anymore and we feared the worse. We had to bring him to the clinic (and normally he should not be able to be transported, to weak). He did not want to eat and drink, so the fever stayed also (around 40 degrees). 

Firstly we could not visit him because he was in quarantine, but finally they told us maybe it will be good for him to see people he knows. I saw him standing in the box and I felt terrible, there was nothing left from this beautiful young stallion. I filled a bucket with water and instantly he started to drink, I gave him food and he started to eat. And he didn’t eat for almost 3 days…. 

From that day on I almost visited him every day (together with the mother of his trainer, she loves him also very much). Every day he was getting a bit better. And we could have a little hope. But still it was not certain he would survive. Finally the vets came with the conclusion that he had a very bad stomach ulcer, so bad that it could have been fatal for Davy. But now he has been treated for that and after 2 weeks we could finally bring him home. I thank God every day that he spared us and gave me my little boy back. I have been so frightened to lose him, couldn’t eat or sleep… my stomach hurted so badly so eventually I went to the doctor and he told me that I had a stomach ulcer…. I thought this cannot be true… 

I have the same problem as David… How do you mean solitaire to the horse… 
David is the world to me.

The race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35h3Ywn63e8

Jennifer Jenna Michaela Hills, Netherlands

Since I was a small girl...

...I have always loved horses.

My dream finally came true 11 yrs ago when I brought home my first Mare. She came from
an Auction, her owners were selling her because she was accidentally bred. I was in heaven..
A 2 for 1 deal even!!

She didn't come with a name. So after some thought I named her Sierra. In the months that
 followed Sierra and I bonded, I spent many hours sitting with her in the barn or out in the pasture, Just being with her was a kind of therapy, the peace I feel when cuddling my girl is hard to explain.

I brought her home in November, she gave Birth to a pretty Colt the Following April. He is now a beautiful 10 yr old gelding, His name is Chase and he has a long story of his own.

There is nothing overly special about my little horse, but to me she is extraordinary and irreplaceable! I will love her forever and always!

Recently a friend convinced me to have some pictures taken with my girl Sierra, memories to keep close to my heart. This is one of the pictures.

Amanda Budny, USA

Strawberry Cake with Flake Oats and Cream

This recipe has been in the family for 23 years. Nanna´s grandson can´t imagine his birthday on 4th of July without it...

Flake Oat - Strawberry Cake  
for 10 persons (or less...)

For the bottom you need:
12 dl  large flake oats
4 tbls wheat flour 
4 ts    baking powder
300 g melted butter
4 eggs
6 dl sugar

• Mix flakes, wheat flour and baking powder
• Add 300 g melted butter into the mixture
• Whisk the eggs and sugar into foam and add carefully into the dough
• Cover a baking tray (50 cm wide) with baking paper and spread the dough on it

• Heat the owen up to 200 °C / 392 °F and bake the cake on the lower level for 15 minutes
• Let the cake cool off well and cut it into halfs

For the topping you need: 

ca. 2 l strawberries 

4 dl double cream whipped into foam

• Start with the bottom: cover the cake bottom with plenty of whipped cream and strawberries. You can cut these strawberries in halves - the cake keeps up better
• Put the other bottom on the top of this and cover this one also with whipped cream and strawberries.

Tips:
Make the cake early enough and keep it in a fridge. It will settle down and get juicy in a few hours.

Make only one cake bottom by halfing the amount of the ingredients and serve it like a pie.

Instead of strawberries you can use rasberries, blueberries, rhubarb or apple jam (not too sweet), flake oat bottom and cream will make it perfect anyway!

Before...

And after...

Bon Appetit!