I was eleven when my family left Finland and migrated to Australia. At that age, I could not possibly grasp the full weight of what was happening. To me, the biggest wonder was that I was about to fly on an aeroplane for the very first time. There was excitement in that, the kind only…
Tag: family
Christmas 1939
Written by Jaana M. H. JokinenTold by my father, Matti Samuli30th November 1939, Helsinki, Finland “All aboard!” The conductor’s booming cry drew my mother to her feet. “The train is leaving, let’s go!” I clapped my hands in delight. I could hardly contain my excitement. Though I was barely four years old, I had already…
Sunrise Sunset
Is your favourite season spring — the time of rebirth, daffodils and new beginnings?Or do you prefer summer fields laden with golden flowers, humming bees darting through warm air? Perhaps you are like me and love the shorter, cooler days of autumn, when the trees put on their final, breathtaking display of colour.And yet… isn’t…
Apples of Gold 