If I were a god - the best meme ever!

"If I Were A God..." -challenge!

Rules are as follows:

1. Tag back to the person who tagged you.

2. Answer the questions.

3. Add a question if you come up with a good one.

4. Challenge five other bloggers.

Long story short, since that 11 questions challenge has done the rounds for years now and everyone and their gerbils have done it, HajaMiel at Written Before Dawn came up with a new one and it's made of beauty.

Here are the questions:

1. The global warming thingy will kill lots of stuff. You get to save one species and have to kill another. Which ones and why?

I save humans, for the selfish reason that once upon a time I was one myself and there's still plenty of great people back there humaning along following me. As for killing off a species... hrrnnnnn a tough one. I'd probably just blindly point at some random amoeba for fear of choosing wrong, and in the end I'd realize it was thanks to that specific type of amoeba alone that the Earth was still livable BUT NOW IT'S ALL RUINED BECAUSE OF GOD.

2. Ok, since you are playing god, make a prayer your worshipers would have to pray every evening.

"Good night, Kaino-god
Great are all your cakes,
Pastries, buns and pies,
Popsicles and bakes.

Now send me a puffin."

3. Nice and poetic that one. Now, any sacraments you would want to have?

I'm not gonna be a Christian type of a god so there'll be no sacraments per se, but I'll accept tea parties held in my name as a godly connection to me. May your cup ever be filled to the brim with the tastiest tea!

4. I like this theme. Three annual ceremonies that would be held to celebrate you?

Ooooh! I'm going to take over Bobmas, which will then be called Kainomas instead. The purpose of Kainomas is to eat, eat, eat and be generally nice to everyone around you. The next celebration I want is 1st of May/Vappu, during which I'd like some bonfires, sparkling drinks and lots of eating, renamed Kainoborg. Being generally nice to everyone is also a theme of Kainoborg. For the third I want a harvest festival, at whichever time people feel like they should have one. It will consist of eating lots of yummy foods and generally being nice to other people and will be called All Hail the Puffin.

5. Just in case you become a god, what sacrifices we mortals should offer for you for a good weather and such benefits?

I don't do weather. I'm strictly a god of food and the occasional puffin. I do appreciate good cakes, yummy foods of all types and many kinds of beverages. However, I'm also a god of vanity so anything sparkly, pretty and shiny will also be received with a promise of plentiful meals in return!

6. Since there are the five of you playing gods, check each others blogs and tell us what kind of gods you think the others would be like according to their blogs.

Namuless: clearly the god of fangirls everywhere. Serving her well will guarantee you a place in the front row, that special item that's only been made one batch for one VIP expo, and rest assured your favourite member will see just you among the crowd and propose to you immediately! But do not ever call the wrath of Namuless upon you or it'll rain on you while you queue and Kyo? will show his open disappointment at your conduct.

Tinde: the god of soap bubble guns. Her followers are known for their multicoloured hair with which they try to emulate the multitude of colours that she makes, of their habit of poking at seemingly nothing and of the faint smell of dish washing liquid wafting from their general direction. If you please her she will let it always rain soap bubbles all around you wherever you go! If you displease her there'll never be soap bubbles for you! Ever! EVER!!!

Praying for a soap bubble rain.

Pinkishpixiedust: the god of Disney tattoos and a bit of a trickster god type. Please her and your tattoo will be misspelled. Displease her and your tattooist will be so drunk you'll run for the woods instead of having that tat. Yet years after when you're stuck in a tiny rowing boat in the middle of Atlantic the misspelling of your tattoo will actually turn out to be a teleporting device and your faith in her is greatly repaid!

PS: only works if you're getting a Disney tattoo. Else it'll just be a misspelled tat.

Giko: I'm not entirely sure but I feel like this one's a god of entertainment. She's special in that her love and hate strike everyone the same - and usually simultaneously, when she decides it's time to kill off another dearly beloved character of SNK. Serving her doesn't hurt either, and her followers are known to both quickly rebound from heartbreak over an anime character and calm down from rage-quit mode a little bit faster than common people.

7. With which god of the other four would you most likely ally yourself with if needed?

I'm the god of food. I rule over everyone MUHAHAHAHAH- okay no actually Tinde, because eternal rain of soap bubbles is the highest dream anyone could have, and one which a god of food can never grant anyone.

8. Since there are five to choose from to worship, why would your supporters choose you?

Ma-ca-rons. Te-a. Coffeeeeee. Wine, in case it's to your tastes! Look at that cute puffin, oh no it's actually a cupcake in shape of a puffin! Cakesssss... ooooh do you smell that it's your favourite food, how'd you like a bathtub full of candy?

9. Tempting! What rules should the followers of your cult follow?

To be generally nice to other people. That's it, that's all, I'm the hardest god to please.

10. How would you end the World when the time comes? Your take on the apocalypse?

Nobody would even notice it. Everyone would just go on living as usual without knowing they died and went to the afterlife I offer.

As for the world, I'd just eat it.

Ending the world one waffle at a time.

11. Ok, the World is ending, what will you offer as the after life?

A world just like this one but with all the problems removed. Also that asshole would realize they'd been mean to you and would apologize.

I shall now tag the following: Caramea, Rinna, Mimmi, Asio Otus and Elfie!

The summer slipped away; welcome autumn.

I realized that I've got plenty of photos I haven't put here yet ranging from the end of summer to the beginning of autumn, so here we go. Starting with puffin elegance because yes I've made these puffin hairclips in all possible colours.

Hveragerði's ice cream day casual coord. Except that when we got there it was so windy that my hairstyle was immediately torn to pieces and it was pure luck I didn't lose the poor puffin. ;^;

We also had our first autumn storm which was a bit surprising because they usually hit us in October. I went to walk in it for fun because I have a weird idea of what constitutes as fun.

Hair art by the SO. Not sure whether to call it a heart or a certain part of male anatomy. :D

More food news from Reykjavík: there's a donut stall on the side of Ingólfstorg that sells mini donuts. Super yummy!

Best part of autumn: layers and layers of sweaters and scarves. 

I think the shoulder thingy (scarf? cape? shoulder-ette?) is crocheted by either my mother or my grandmother. It's cute and warm. :3

Naturally the drunk-knit bubble sweater has been dug out a long time ago, the first cold day in fact. I missed it! Btw new shoes - well, new from a flea market -new.

Hoping you too will have a warm autumn and chai tea, cinnamon coffee, hot toddies and mulled wine and oh, isn't it soon time to prepare for Kekri/Halloween...?

Don't miss these delicacies!

Guys did you know what's going on at Ingólfstorg at the moment? YUMMY FOODS THAT'S WHAT. 

Yesterday the SO sent me a message about someone selling baklava on Ingólfstorg and I literally jumped on the next bus heading downtown. As you may have somehow guessed I live in Breiðholt, I just get pretty serious about baklava - but what I found there was even better.

Two large tents full of nomnoms. They'll be there only until Friday this week so schedule yourself accordingly if you want to go get some. When I visited one of them - the white one - they didn't have a card paying option but there's an ATM about 10m away so that was not really a problem.

Let's have a look at some of the goods!

First of all my great weakness, baklava. It's almost impossible to get in Iceland and when you do find some it's nearly always kinda... old. These ones above however are crispy and yummy annnd well I bought three but I may have to go buy more. I'm that much in love with baklava.

If you've never tried it I agree it may look unusual, but don't let that stop you. Baklava is made of thin, crunchy layers of filo with nuts and honey/syrup. These ones also had a mild taste of cinnamon in them which I loved. It's a bit messy to eat. :D It's extremely sweet so if in doubt, just buy one piece and try it.

Baklava is not the only reason you should pay this booth a visit though - there's also cashews and dried fruit and I think I'm seeing chocolate-dipped dry fruit in the back -

- fudge of all flavours -

- and Turkish delight! Again, on a rare occasion I've found this candy in Iceland but it's never this good looking. I think I must go get some of this too. The reason that I didn't was that I blew all my money on baklava and

OLIVES. Filled with almonds, garlic, with or without a pit, paprika or chili-filled or... well I didn't even know which to start from so the booth owner suggested we make a mix of them for me.

My catch. :) He told me they'd last two weeks in the fridge and I was quietly thinking "haha they'll be gone in a few days". At the moment I've already destroyed about a fourth of them because I'm a greedy pig.

Let's not forget the other side either. If the white tent seems to offer south-east European/Turkish treats, the red one specializes in Italian/south-European ones. I might also have to come back for this tent - the SO bought some of these and they're also super delicious! 

I went to snap photos of them as they were still setting up the tent so everything's still wrapped up.

I'm getting hungry again.

Also these. I have never tasted anything like this so I'm feeling like I'm missing out, it looks so good!

In short:

- delicacies that usually are not available are now available downtown

- seriously try some baklava

- Miss K. you don't want to miss the olives (she knows who she is)

- the olives are really gooooood

- these booths will only be there this week

- I'm not sure if paying with a card is an option because I was there so early they were only setting up, so ask about it

- I'm more informed about the white tent's yummies than the red one's so my sincerest apologies that I don't know what the Italian treats are, I only know they taste really good!

My favourite teas.

I was arranging my tea stash and realized I hadn't been drinking several of them for ages. One thing lead to another and as you can see I ended up drinking quite a LOT of tea, of course photographing it as I went and noting to myself some things about each tea type, why I liked it and so forth. So here you go - my favourite teas (of the ones I currently have in my stash, if you think I've gushed about a tea that's not here it's entirely possible that I've finished it already)(I'm a tea fiend)!

Japanese green tea with Matcha powder mixed in 

This is my typical go-to tea if I have it because I seriously love the cloudiness of the taste that the powder creates. It's also one of the most beautiful colours for tea that I know, definitely my favourite of all the ones on the list although I'll readily admit tea of almost any colour has its own charming beauty.

Has a very distinct flavour and mouth feel due to the "powderiness". Very charming and energizing tea, goes well with almost any food and situation.

Keisari (= Emperor) black tea mix

First of all I'll have to confess I rarely buy tea mixes and that I don't generally enjoy them as much as plain types. Keisari is an exception to this rule, it's fun and playful and the scent reminds me of my teenage years.

Several black tea mixes titled Keisari-something (Emperor's Bride, Emperor's Cup) are sold in Finland and they're all very similar, it's like there's a type of black tea mix that shares that first name Keisari. Whether or not this is true one thing is definite: my love for tea began at my teenage years and was caused by these Keisari-tea mixes. A very nostalgic tea for me.

Ylliblómate

This is an Icelandic herb tea and far as I'm aware it indeed is only made of herbs. It takes a long time to brew - longer even than the 5min marked on the bag - but the time spent waiting is well worth it. A very distinctive flavour of flowers and excellent scent.

Gyokuro Tokiwa

Here's the prissy little princess of my tea collection. Very specific about correct water temperature and a short brewing time (you can't leave the pot for a second alone, that's how exact it is), yet has one of the most charming flavours when correctly done, almost like it had natural sweetness. This is a bit of a specialty for me and usually I'd only drink it for celebrating something but it could not be left out of my favourites list.

English Breakfast

Lots of teas seem to go by this name but this one actually tastes like English tea. It reminds me of everything good about England, although I know I tend to complain about Birmingham a lot I did have some great moments there as well. One of them was getting used to drinking tea instead of coffee. I can't say it was easy for me at first and it did also cause me my first massive culture shock but hey English teas are actually really, really good! Even cheap kinds are easily better than some expensive types you can find in Finland.

...and of course this is how I like it best. English tea is special also in that milk compliments it well, something that I learned at the student housing when someone would make tea and ignore my request of not wanting milk in mine - happened a lot and because I never made any note of it and drank my tea with milk it just became the way my tea was made. :D I learned to actually like it a lot! Excellent morning tea just like the name suggests, at its best on light, early summer mornings.

Milk Oolong

Another go-to tea for almost any situation, although never with food or snacks because I love the flavour as it is. It has this soft, milk-like touch to it that's really unique among the teas I have. Another positive part of it is that the leaves can be brewed several times, each brewing yielding a slightly different outcome!

Genmaicha

Ok I cheated! My apologies but this is actually cold tea. It's the kind of genmaicha that comes in a bag (it does of course exist as "normal" tea as well), you fill a bottle with water, dunk the bag in, close cap and soon you'll have a bottle full of tea. Genmaicha has roasted rice mixed with the tea which give it its taste - difficult to explain but seriously yummy. My favourite tea whenever visiting Japan during the hot seasons.

Icelandic chamomile tea

This is another herbal tea (Icelanders do herbal teas really well but that's possibly not surprising knowing the long history that herbal teas have here): nothing but chamomile flowers! Much better than any Finnish chamomile tea I've had. Also much stronger flavour and scent plus natural chamomile-sweetness, my mother who hates chamomile tea would probably not stay in the same room with a cup of it. :D

Jasmine tea

A tea mix with jasmine flowers included, a typical tea type you most likely know well already. Best tea for the cold season, excellent choice for all kinds of desserts such as cakes, pastries and cookies. Another tea that links strongly to my teenage years, my mother always had jasmine tea but I never showed any interest to it until I first got myself firmly hooked on the Keisari-teas. A stable part of my tea stashes always, everywhere, cannot have a proper tea stash without it.

***

I know there are several tea lovers among you guys - I don't make a habit of including a question at the end of my blog posts but now I'm genuinely curious: what are your favourite teas? Anything you'd like to recommend me?

Happy 1st of May!

This time of the year is absolutely wonderful. I love the sunny days best and for the 1st May we got the most perfect weather imaginable, sunny, warm and almost no wind. Since it's a holiday it demanded dressing up a little! That wig is a bday gift from the ever so awesome Mr Tea and it immediately became my favourite. :3

Dress: Gunne Sax

Bonnet: Mra Parker's Millinery & Mercantile

Socks: Innocent World

Shirt, gloves, boots: vintage

Then for some early summer feels. The weather has been beautiful for a week and by beautiful I mean the kind that Finns describe as "the weather's like a bride". It makes me want to take photos of everything, no matter how mundane, so here goes - have a little taste of ordinary life. :D

Some creative parking near Kólaportið.

Mountains far away. You can tell by the blue tone that they're actually much further than the photo would make you believe.

There's an Icelandic proverb that states "the farther the mountains the bluer they are". On its own it's a fact, but actually the proverb means "the further away from home you are the more beautiful it looks".

Oooh what's this?

Apparently her name is Hafsúlan.

Then for some crocuses because crocuses are magical. They're also bad-ass. You can freeze them stiff and they'll not care, you can freeze the ground they grow on and they'll just shrug. It can snow on them and they're unfazed.

It's dangerous to go alone. Take this!

Crrrrooocusessss!

Other plants in the garden are also showing signs of waking up. :3

These here are narcissus. They've been planted haphazardly all over the lawn on the side of the house, apparently at my SO's suggestion. It looks really charming when they bloom!

And here we have a part of my 1st May picnic meal! In Finland I would be going to Ullanlinnanmäki for the annual Vappu picnic but even if I can't there's nothing that can keep me from feasting on yummies to welcome the summer. :3