Our Easter Story

Our Easter begins on Palm Sunday with decorating home and entrance by the village road - and hoping the Easter grass has had time to grow - I use the barley seeds because  they grow long and steady with a beautiful water drop on top of them in the mornings just like summer dew...

This year we had birthday party of our 3-year-old and had an extra reason to celebrate.

I think it is important  to have both ordinary pleasant days with routines and days with special meaning and traditions. With children it has been easy to start traditions of our own and I enjoy myself, too, sometimes perhaps even more than the younger ones. 

To explain children - and grown-ups, too - why we are celebrating certain days this book has been wonderful. It is a Bible for kids with humorous pictures and an easy text to read aload. 

As a new day of Easter passes we decorate the grass with symbols that we pick from the story read that day. 

Yesterday was the last supper on Maundy Thursday.

And today we remembered the Good Friday.

Tomorrow we add a tomb with big stones but forget the religious part of Easter for a while - it is the day of old Finnish traditions of small witches called trulli. Trullis go from house to house with decorated willow branches and hope to switch the branch into a sweet to their coffee-pots... In the evening we are going to have a bonfire on our field, a tradition at our home-area Ostrobothnia. 

Village witches year 2010 - let's hope we get some visiting this year, too!

Alan miehiä ja naisia - the fans of the DT!

We had been living in a rented house next to Pellas for months but since March-April 2011 we got too home-sick. So every evening we cleaned the day's building dust away, put our sleeping-bags on the floor and filled our hot-water-bottles... We had still plastic covers at the windows but the old ovens did their best to keep us warm.

Olimme olleet kuukausia evakossa remontin tieltä, mutta nyt emme malttaneet enää. Maalis-huhtikuusta 2011 lähtien asettelimme iltaisin patjamme sahanpurua lakaisten ja hämähäkkejä hätistellen. Ja niin kuin englantilaiset tekevät vetoisia taloja ja käyttävät kuumavesipulloja, mekin. Kömmimme nukkumaan hölskyvät putelit kainalossa, kakluulit hehkuivat kamareissa ja suojamuovit heiluivat ikkunoissa, kun mereltä nousi tuuli. Päivällä ei aina uskonut, että illalla pärjäisi vain tuplavillasukin. Se oli vuosi sitten...

Kitchen in the spring 2011. We sat in our sleeping-bags in the evening and read brochures. We had  to decide what kind of toilet and water-cleaning system we would choose. The more we read the more we understood that ours would be the DT and a system of small biological purification plant. Water is so crusial for us humans - there are already wars fought for water. Over half of our bodies is water. 

Muovi pullisteli. Me levitimme makuupussien päälle sänkylukemista ja ahmimme DT-tietoutta. Vertailimme, opimme ja ihastuimme. Tämä on meidän juttumme! DT, Dry Toilet eli kotokieleksi kuivakäymälä on nykypäivän moderniteetti, jonka ystävillä on yhdistyskin. Vesivessoja käytettiin jo ennen ajanlaskun alkua mm. indus-kulttuurissa ja Rooman valtakunnassa, mutta water closetien totinen aika alkoi viktoriaanisesta Englannista. Nykyihmisen näkökulmasta ne ovat siis historiallisia. 

They had water-closets already in the ancient Indus culture and in Rome, although the modern ones were introduced in the Victorian England - so history! It is always short of water in the archipelago, and when we counted that with a family of this size we would need over 100 000 litres clean water only to flush the toilet, we were convinced that the dry toilets - that even have their own fan-club in Finland - would be the most modern solution.

Turkulainen DT-alan mies näyttää meille omin kourin, että multaa siitä tulee kovimmastakin keitoksesta! Liemet voi laimentaa, ja joku neropatti on keksinyt niitä varten oman kannun. Kultainen Suihku kourassa voi sitten pirskotella kovettua kasvuvoimaa pitkin kasvitarhaa vähän salaattipenkkiä vain vältellen.

Our purification system was installed - the three green pots -  and pipe lines from the DTs inside the houses during summer 2011. The owner of Pikku Vihreä showed us litteraly with his own hands how everything eventually turns into soil that you can then use in your garden.

And the urine you can mix with water and fertilize your land - perhaps a bit avoid the sallads.. - after 2 months of rest in a barrel. And some wise-guy had even invented a watering-can called the Golden Shower! Our big green pot under-ground has to be emptied once a year by a waste collection firm. The whole system was easy and cheap thanks to the dry toilets and the using of environmental friendly products in cleaning.

Vedestä soditaan jo tällä pallolla. Elämää ei ole ilman vettä, ja meistä ihmisistä yli puolet on sitä. Vaikka meillä suomalaisilla riittää vettä pyttyyn asti, täällä saaristossa makeaa vettä on niukalti. Laskimme omaa suurperhekulutustamme. Kun pelkkä vessavesilukema vuodessa nousi yli sadantuhannen litran, DT-läisyytemme vahvistui. Jätevesijärjestelmästäkin tuli helppo ja halpa. On niitä pyttyjä muuten city-malleinakin, vaikka me päädyimme purutettuun jättisaavisysteemiin, sattuneesta syystä.

In our tiny bathroom inside the house we chose a small dry-toilet model.  It is simple and clean, and meant for an extreme hurry, rainy days or dark nights. 

Just in case our guests are not so used to visiting a DT we wrote some instructions on the door. ..

In all the other cases it is to run across the yard to the big DT, by the old barn. That is EXTREME on a different scale. On windy days you won't even need any toilet paper... This is the main DT until  the new one will be built ready - hopefully by next winter!

The big pot underneath is replaced after becoming full and is waiting to turn into a gardening product... Same kind of system will be used in the new DT, too. The piss is collected in a barrel to fertilize the garden this spring.

Me isot nautimme aamu- ja iltakylvystä käyttäen vanhan saunan pesuvateja, on savun tuoksua iltapesulla ja hilpaisua yli pihan hyysikkään. Katselemme uusin silmin sisävessoja, ja kirjoitamme kauppalistaan munakellon. Suihkusta seonneet teinilotraajat kuitenkin nauttivat myös juoksevasta vedestä, eivätkä muuten osaa ulos kaapista. Meilläkin soditaan vedestä!

We grown-ups enjoy the simple pleasures of the old sauna, smell of the smoke, run over the yard in a star-clear night. The teenagers prefer the small shower-cabin inside the house. But we need to get a timer - they would stand there for ages and the boiler is tiny - so we fight for the water, too...

 ... And for those of you who got interested:) http://www.pikkuvihrea.fi/ - ours is the Green Toilet 330 and inside the house Separett Villa. And the club: http://www.huussi.net/ 

We have survived the winter!

My father belonged to the partisan-troups - though never been to a war but trained in the army as all men in his youth. He once told be that if I am left in the nature to survive I should remember to cook the seagull for at least 3 hours to kill the worms... It didn't really sound my piece of cake but it awoke a survivalist in me. I decided to rely on a hamster.

Lokkia ja varista pitää keittää kolmatta tuntia, ennen kuin madot kuolevat. Se on pitkä aika, jos muuta ruokaa ei ole. Aloin ymmärtää selviämiseen tarvittavan paneutumista, kun pioneeri-isäni palasi kertausharjoituksista. Mitä teet, jos sinut lasketaan helikopterista autiolle kalliosaarelle mukanasi vain puukko? Pieni sissi oli herännyt minussa. Päätin strategiassani kuitenkin satsata hamsteriin. Saanko ylpeänä esitellä – maitokamarini!

My hamster hole: the milk room - where the Pellas women used to preserve the milk and butter -  where I keep my cans, dried food, hard bread, matches, water bottles... It was exceptionally many storms this winter and we were often without the electricity.

Siellä missä ennen keittiön kupeessa hoideltiin meijerihommia, on nyt säilykepurkkini ja pussimuusirivistöt. Tulitikkuja, pattereita, vesikanistereita. Tapani, Hannu ja ne muut yrittävät mullistaa elämäni ja väkisin sisään, mutta minä odotan heitä.

When the news promised hard winds to the sea areas we knew we had to prepare us. Our biggest head-ache is the water: the pump doesn't function without the electricity - we must install a hand-pump, too.

Kun länsitaivaalle alkaa kertyä pilviä, ja rätisevä radio lupaa haipakkaa merelle, olen valmiina. Heikko lenkki puolustusketjussani on vesihuolto. Pumppu ei käynnisty ilman sähköä, ja kanisteri on äkkiä tyhjä lampolakäynnin ja pottujen pesun jälkeen. 

Dry wood and buckets filled with water!

On varustauduttava käsipelillä! Pakastinkin surettaa, mutta entä jos siirtyisin kuivaamaan ja säilömään? Muuri, joka ei murru ja jota ilman tämä olisi alkeellista priimuskeittelyä, on kuitenkin Kotiliesi. Vanha uskollinen puuhella lämmittää tuvan, pussimuusin ja kylmät varpaat. Tumppuarmeija kuivuu, ja kymmennen litran kattilat ovat sen päällä täydessä latingissa.

But our best defense is our old wood-stove in the kitchen called Kotiliesi, Home Stove...

It warms up a large part of the house thanks to a hole upstairs above, dries the wet clothes and cooks our food. And the 10-litre-kettels are full of warm water. - And the hole, it is practical when yelling kids down for the supper...

Keräämme pressukatoksen riekaleita kylätien ojista, kannamme puita ja tiivistämme ujeltavia ikkunanpieliä pellavalla. Huomaan vanhan saunan räystään lentäneen. Haen murtumia puolustuksessani. Jospa ne heikkoudet ovatkin meissä survivalisteissa? On haettava ystäviä, ei vihollisia. On tuettava, ei torjuttava. Parhaita myrskymuistojani on tapaninkirkosta. Kirkko pimeni kesken Kauneimpien, mutta laulu jatkui ulkomuistista penkeistä. Tosisaarelaiset kaivoivat taskulamppunsa esiin. Katsahdimme hymyillen ja vähän liikuttuneina toisiimme ja jatkoimme.

We try to find breaks in our defence, scope for enemies, try to be strong. But should we instead concentrate on finding friends instead of enemies, helping instead of tackling? My best memories from the worst storm was from church where the islanders had gathered to sing x-mas carols. Lights went off, the organ became silent, it was dark but people continued singing the familiar song to the end by heart, smiling to each other and then picking their flash-lights from their pockets.

Foggy days with democracy

A whole day debating and voting?

We were gathered in Korpoström - only five minutes by a boat but not yet...

Sounds weird but it was quite fun. Everyone on our island was invited to an arcipelago meeting. The aim was to give us a chance to say our opinions and try out the fine equipments in voting - the idea was - I think - from Bologne, Italy and without computers and on-line-connections used in 17th century America and in old Finnish local meetings, käräjät!

Archipelago Center of Korpoström

We discussed issues of living in outer archipelago, of ferry connections, of importance of own schools, doctor, even cinema and library. We were eager and concerned although found some of the questions badly written or focused.

We had a lunch of fish soup and continued until late in the afternoon.

I wish I had taken our own youngster with us to get some fresh opions. I hope the town of Parainen will arrange a similar meeting for the pupils of our schools - that they get used to saying things aloud and to act instead of just complaining or learning to ignore.

The nature outside by the strait was awakening from its winter sleep, it was quiet but if you listened carefully you could hear the birds of the small island across and the ice melting beside the pier.

In two months the first boats will arrive to this pier - the summer is so close...

Princes on the Ice

It is almost the last days to enjoy winter and outdoor-life on snow and ice - if we don't get mr Winter back that is...

To be on the safe side we decided to try the ice rink in the centre of our island by the school and only enjoyed the view to the sea behind the trees.

First time with skates on was exciting! And challenging! And a lots of fun!

And tiresome...

But we all learn by doing - and it doesn't have to be so serious!

Now we are waiting for the biking season to begin...

Spring Green on our Sandwiches!

Just a bowl of soil and some dried peas - that first had a long bath in water - and a miracle! Peas that were meant for our soup are now enjoyed fresh on our morning bread.

Only after a week of waiting and they just keep on growing longer. First taste of spring and the amazing sun.

Our favourite Arabia's blue and white bowls

The Winter Date

I attended again an inspiring Winter Date of the Biosphere Area of our archipelago - and this year here in Korppoo at snowy and glittering Korpoström - on Friday. We were many to listen to speeches of sea and nature, tourism and small-scale food producing, and writing down ideas and new ways to see the life here.

Equally inspiring is always to meet other people from all over the archipelago, see friends and notice how many there are who have the same kind of thoughts about the environment, our beautiful archipelago and every-day life here.


We had a dinner together and sat in long tables while the evening light outside on the icy sea was darkening. We tasted the menu of ContemporaryArt in the Archipelago - CAA -  from last summer made of carp bream sandwiches and forest mushroom kornetto - a risotto made of barley.

During summer time it is only a short boat trip from our village harbour to Korpoström, you can almost see it behind the trees on the right...

The culmination of the evening was a short-film made by Lotta Petronella about everyday life in the archipelago during winter-time. She had interviewed a female ferry pilot, children who travelled to school by a boat  two hours every Monday and returned home again on Friday, a local baker, a farmer etc. And they all had their own view about life in here but had in common a deep love for this place. I was touched - because I knew many of them and because I admired their guts and because I recognized their thoughts. 

What is my everyday life like in the archipelago? What do I  need to know and what skills do I need to be able to live here? Or you...?  I'll continue thinking of the questions, but the special feature of living here is that 
you don't want to leave...


People and places from our archipelago - pay a visit:


Janne Gröning -Moving to the archipelago was the best that has happened to me. www.archipelagophoto.com 
Lovely Nötö and http://www.majatalobackaro.com/en/
www.suurenmoinensaaristo.fi - partners of the PAN Parks organization
www.aaltojenalla.fi - about the Baltic Sea in Finnish
and also in English: www.itameriportaali.fi 
And the beautiful photos underwater: http://finland.fi/Nature_Environment/vedenalainen/index.html 
Korpoström, an ancient harbour and a modern centre of the archipelago: http://www.skargardscentret.fi/index_en.html 
and Katja and her work at the: www.skargardshavetsbiosfaromrade.fi 


and come then to meet us alive - 
maybe you want to stay, too...