Trip to Loviisa and Ruotsinpyhtää

We travelled on Sunday to Pernaja, Loviisa and Ruotsinpyhtää. It was a nice weather, sunny and a bit warm. We ate lunch in Loviisa and later went to Ruotsinpyhtää. In Ruotsinpyhtää there are old iron works, part of which is nowadays a museum. Also some craft worker's shops. Some history of the Ruotsinpyhtää (in Swedish Strömfors) iron works here.

The most interesting thing I heard was that the iron works was run by a women Virginia af Forselles. She inherited the farm from her husband and ran it over 50 years.

In Pernaja graveyard I found a big family grave that belongs to family called "von Born". There was also a grave of the grandmother of former Swedish prime minister Olof Palme. She was Hanna Maria Palme, maiden name von Born (1861-1954).

Thursday - holiday

I have been in the garden today. I changed the places of some plants and planted the Dahlias my husband brought from Holland. It's a little bit late for the already, but on the other hand they don't tolerate frost very well. The little apple tree seems to have these little insects once again ...

And there are snails in the garden. I read somewhere that you should kill them in vinegar water and throw back to forest. Any other good methods for killing the snails?

Garden looks very spring-like. Tulips, hyacinths and such.

My husband went out with his friends, so I'm here alone with the dog. I suspect I'm going to watch some telly this evening. Maybe this tv serie called Lost. See what comes from Finnish television.

Always something new

Last weekend we were in the summer cottage in Hollola. We had a visitor from U.S., a professor who is a friend of my husband. The weather was nice, but not as warm as week before.

On Sunday we visited the Hollola church (built 1495—1510) and had a very good quide. I have visited this church several times, but you always get to hear something totally new about the history of the church or of its's statues. One is the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. It was perhaps carved in Stockholm at the end of the 15th century by a carpenter from Lübeck.

The ancestors of my husband have been the vergers of Hollola church between late 17th century until the beginning of the 20th century.

Coffee

I suddenly have a big desire/urge to drink a cup of coffee- which is amazing because it's been over two years since I last drank coffee. I had to stop because my stomach didn't tolerate it anymore.

I can smell coffee, but perhaps it's still the smoky feeling in the air from yesterdays big fire in Helsinki city center. Makasiinit (the old railway storehouses) were on fire.

It's funny to think that about 5 pm I was sitting on the balcony of my working place which is pretty near Makasiinit and I was looking at people sitting on the grass in front of the empty buildings - just like any normal Friday afternoon with warm temperature. Everything seemed so peaceful. I didn't notice any smoke when I left from work (19.20).

I went to have dinner with my friends in a restaurant few kilometres away. A friend of mine, S, comes to the restaurant at 20.15 and tells that she saw a lot of black smoke coming from Makasiinit. It's obvious it's an arson. We are all mad - who are these idiots that are so stupid to make a big fire in the middle of Helsinki. I hope they will face the consequences of their deed in one way or another.

This has made me dislike the rioting activists even more. I have never understand people that destroy other people's or public property.

Other blogs about the fire 5th May:
The voyerism of destruction(Eng)
Makasiinit ilmiliekeissä (Finn)
Makasiinit (Eng)

08.05.2006 : My husband is reading this and says I shouldn't jump into conclusions about the activists. Maybe I shouldn't, but I think there are other, far better ways to protest than throwing stones to windows or destroying property.

Joy of Vappu

The first of May, Vappu, went just fine. We had a marvellous weather here in Helsinki. We had some picnic in Kaivopuisto park with a lot of other people. I had made some pumpkin soup and sandwitches.
Vappu eve we had dinner with some friends in restaurant Elite.