It is common to plan a get-together with friends, but until a date is set in the calendar it often just gets pushed further into the future. We have a dear friend that lives on the outskirts of Helsinki. She is also the Godmother of our oldest daughter. During one phone call we decided to […]
Author: Laila Uljas
I've just turned 40 the other year, and to tell you the truth, I like being forty. I'm a mother to nine beautiful children (including one set of twins). Previously I have done product and concept development for coffee shops and bakeries. At the moment, I have been focusing on the wellbeing of our communities. I graduated from the University of Helsinki with a Master's in political science. The welfare of our society and community we live in is something I have always been concerned about ever since I was young. But life sometimes takes you into unplanned and exciting places. Soon we will be returning to our home city of 17 years, Kouvola, Finland after spending nine months on a dairy farm in northern Finland. It has been an experience of a lifetime. I have been telling the story of life on the dairy farm on my youtube channel Jenkkimutsi maalla interspersed with issues that affect our society. Most videos are in Finnish, but a few are in English. Welcome along.
Tulips of Spring
Just a little over a month ago, the mornings were pitch black and I would have lanterns outside burning throughout the day and night. The hours of actual daylight were quite short and it sometimes seemed like it was challenging to take pictures. By the time everything was ready the light would be gone! Although […]
Friday Night Pizza
Last week was filled with outdoor skating and a trip to the Tampere area and a visit to Mummo and Pappa’s house. It is always a highlight for the kids to visit their grandparents. While the older kids went skating at Mummo and Pappa’s house, little Isabella and I took a little kicksled outing down […]
Outdoor fun on ski break and “fast food”
The kids are on ski break this week and we have been lucky to have perfect weather. During the day the temperatures have hovered at just below freezing and in the sun it has been much warmer. During the night the temperature has dipped enough to keep the skating rinks and ski trails in good […]
Kaija’s Winter Salad with Kale
A couple of weeks ago I posted a recipe sent to me by my sister Kaija who lives in Detroit. I was pleasantly surprised a few days ago when I noticed in my inbox that she had sent me a story, recipe and photos to share. As I mentioned before Detroit is trying to reimagine […]
Gone fishing!
A week ago on Sunday we celebrated our nephew’s and God son’s birthday. What a fun day we had and the time seemed to fly. Spending time with siblings and close friends is always special. My sister had done such a good job making things for the party that I asked her if I could […]
Valentine’s Day, Ystävänpäivä
In Finland, Valentine’s day is called friendship day or Ystävänpäivä. I hope you all have a wonderful day with warm thoughts in your hearts. “A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” William Shakespeare These Valentine’s […]
Cranberry Cake
Last night our literature club came over to our house. We get together once a month on a Friday evening after 8 pm. The reason for the late hour is that most of the children have settled down for the evening and the hustle and bustle of the work week has come to an end […]
Laskiaispulla
Laskiainen or Shrove Tuesday is the day before the beginning of Lent. In Finland it is traditional for children and adults to head to the sledding hills. Winter is starting to be at its best with sun shining more and more each day. The traditional meal after an afternoon of sledding is split-pea soup with […]
Kaija’s Carrot Cake (Vegan)
I have an architect sister who lives in Detroit. She has a really interesting job and I am always very curious to hear about her projects. Detroit has experienced hard times and many people have moved due to loss in jobs. But as usual, a situation that seems hopeless may actually offer an opportunity to […]
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