This Week: Let's take another look at the summer seen thru my camera lens...

Good morning!

Tuesday, August 30 2011!
In 1918, on this very day, on Stenö gård in Norrnäs, Finland this pretty, lovely, wonderful, most beloved lady was born.


With great-grandkids Karolina and Ebba in July, 2011.

That is right!
And, today she's turning 93 years old! MY beloved grandma Signhild!
And, she's also the great-grandma of 7 grandkids! They all call her Mommen!
She's one hell of lady, people!
She lives alone, she takes care of herself without any help, she goes to numerous activities, she has loads of friends (much of them younger than herself), she's a card shark, She goes to the library several times a month to pick up new books, she's crocheting and knitting like no other person I know in this world! Today she's celebrating with her two daughters, my dad and my aunt's hubby. I think quite a few friends will show up as well!
Mormor, you are the best! LOVE you!!
HAPPY Birthday!!

So, let us all take a look at the place where Signhild spent her summers as a child.
Yes, it is the very place where I spend all my summers.
The land where we have our summerhouse has been in the family since the early 1920's. My grandma spent the month of August there when she was growing up.
All the farmers used to take their cows out in the archipelago during the month of August. While they were there the hay was harvested in the villages. The cows could roam around eating lots of fresh grass while their regular pastures in the villages got a break for month.
It was the kids job to be out in the skerries with the cows during the days, the mothers usually arrived at night when they were done with the harvest for day. The next morning the moms would return to the villages, and the harvest, again. The dads came out during the weekends. My mom and aunt had the same duty when they were growin up in the 1940's and 1950's. Needless to say, that has never been my job. In the 60's, people had stopped taking their cows to the skerries, and the houses then became regular summer houses.
Well, nuff talking for the day.
Just come along and take a little look, AGAIN, at my paradise on earth!


This is how it looks if you stand by the shore looking north. Very familiar views for me!










YOU stay classy, Skäristugan!!!

A little further south in the sound lies Junkarsgrund, my aunt's summerhouse. The distance between our two summerhouses are 2 kilometers. The land my aunt built her house on has also been in the family for a long time.
My aunt built her house in 1989, and before that none had had a house there.




















You stay classy, Junkargrund!

This post will conclude my pictures, and stories, from Finland for this summer. I really hope you have enjoyed it. I have SO enjoyed writing about it, and posting all the pics. It feels like I am reliving my summer vacation there.
However, later this week I'll be back with "chapter three" of my summer: Vislanda, Kronobergs län, Småland, Sweden...

I hope you will ALL come along then as well!