I grew up in Helsinki Finland. We were a typical Finnish family, having a winter and a summer home. When the end of May arrived, our family of six moved to our summer cottage where we lived until autumn time and school went back again, after the long summer holidays. My childhood summers were devoured…
Category: Childhood
Dandelion Puffballs
Have you ever gone for a walk with a small child, held their hand as they skip along next to you, the budding extrovert happily chattering, jumping from one subject to another like a small grasshopper? It’s like a tap of delight that has been turned on and joy is flowing out. Children look at…
Baking with Grandma
When you take a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls out of the oven, the beautiful smell of cardamom is enough to take any Finnish person back to happy memories of their childhood, of grandma’s kitchen or of having a coffee with a friend. It is for me! I think some of my fondest memories…
Bedtime Story
When I was a little girl, around 6 years of age, living in Helsinki Finland, my mum had one of her best friends visit us for supper. Eila lived in the same neighbourhood as us and had known our family from before I was born. She is one of those lifelong friends, who has remained…
Time Travelling
I caught myself daydreaming today. I had traveled back to the days of my grandma and the happy days of my childhood. The Finnish word “mummi” (which means grandma) is always connected to the word “happiness” in my thoughts. Here I was ringing her doorbell, the type you twist, instead of press. I didn’t have…
Apples of Gold 