Green Care Abroad!

I have started studying Green Care officially, something you catch up otherwise, too, if you enjoy a walk outdoors,digging in your garden or taking your dog out. The feeling how you breath easier, your steps get lighter and eyes notice the shades, bugs, birds and plants. But as something to earn a living from - I felt I needed some back-up to continue.

One of the best ways to learn is to meet people who are already doing it, like Eva from Pensar Syd, Nauvo. We decided to pay her a visit. 

Nordic Duck was full when we got on one misty morning to Pensar island.

Our tutor Helena was quite a driver on the country roads but usually visitors come to Pensar Syd with their own boats.

We were on our own... "Driving on board on your own risk!"

Heisala, Björkholm, Kuggö... through the southern archipelago of Nauvo

Pensar Syd had a lot to offer - a harbour with an organic restaurant, ecological thinking through-out the business concept...

a nature trail and a charming energetic Eva who openly shared her thoughts and wisdoms.

The place used to be a summer-camp of Lotta Svärd Organization before the II World War and during our visit a new memorial plate was installed by the statue of Suojeluskunnat, a right-wing military organization also from the early 20th century.

We heard exciting memories from the summer camps after the war when the memories of war were fresh and the imagined enemy could surprise at day or night...

I think I got both some new ideas and some of my old ideas confirmed - and then a dream of paying Eva a visit at her winter residence in Åre, Sweden... Pensionat Mullfjället sounded so nice!

Now on with my business plan...

http://www.pensarsyd.com/
http://www.greencare.fi/
http://www.livia.fi/fi/tutkinto/green-care-maaseutumatkailukoulutus

Sadonkorjuussa - Harvesting!

We got visitors! From the local school came 8 eager pupils to learn a bit about the farm life and growing your own food.

Saimme vieraita, pieniä ja vähän isompiakin! Saarellamme on upea oma suomenkielinen koulu, ja sen alakoululaiset olivat lähteneet retkelle. Rumariin oli matkaa kymmenen kilometriä. Perillä Pellaksessa ensin luettiin aarrekarttaa!

First they got a treasure map to fill in the compass points.

Sitten lähdettiin etsimään: yrttejä,

And where were all the herbs?

Chamomilla

Cornflower

Calendula

Runner bean

Dill

Lovage

Mint

Lettuce, it was just so lovely!

juureksia, kurpitsoja

Then to search for vegetables!

 ja siinä sivussa opeteltiin ilmansuuntiakin. Agnes ja kaverit saivat vähän herkkuja ja rapsutuksia ja me kuumaa kaakaota ja ison vadillisen näkkäreitä!

Hot chocolate and crisp bread, then back to school! See you!

Tervetuloa taas! Ja koululla jatkettiin kurpitsajuttuja.

At school we made pumpkins of our own of old news papers and silk paper.

Taitoimme kolme aukeamaa sanomalehtiä, piirsimme kurpitsamme, leikkasimme varoen heiluttelemasta papereita, teippasimme reunat paitsi täyttöaukon.

Sitten sisään lisää sanomalehtiä, sauma kiinni ja vedellä ohennetun erikeepperin avulla juuri sellainen kurpitsa kuin halusit...

Torstaina jatkamme paistopuuhilla! Saa nähdä, millaisia piirakoita syntyy -
                          ja maistiaisia kotiväellekin...

Water Animals

”Jokainen vastaa sitten omista varpaistaan, ei tässä kaikkea ehdi”, ja lasken kolmeen. Kiskomme ja työnnämme. Vene haparoi pöllien päällä. Neljään naiseen ja kolmeen mieheen se ähelletään yli rantatörmän ja litistyvien kumppareiden jäälohkareiden puskun ja nousevan veden ulottumattomiin telkän pöntön kaveriksi talviteloille. Kiitos tästä liudasta! Kyyneleet poskilla vilkutan hanhiparvelle, joka huutaa hyvästejä, ja selitän liikutustani silmiään pyöritteleville lapsille: ”Jättävät meidät taas.” Merirokot raapivat rystysiä.

Thank God for our many children - and some borrowed! They were all needed when we had to get our boats up on land before the first hard autumn storms and wind from the east, always bad in our small village harbour. Grand-parent's little rowing-boat was a piece of cake!

Vanha luotsiasema nousee vastarannalla. Keltainen kaislikko kahisee. Nostan kuin spanieli kuononi ja haluan sisääni meren suolaa ja auringon viimeistä lämpöä, kun keräämme kuivuneet verkot ja unohtuneet ämpärit rantavajaan. Innostumme sisustamaan vaseliinituubien, onkivapojen ja perkausessujen sekamelskaan naisväen kaipaamaa uimahuonetta. Vanha  laudoitus on niin säänpieksemää, että tirkistely on turhaa, voi ihan vilkaista. Pelastusliivit tarvitsisivat naulakon, vavat ja pesuvadit telineet. Mytyn vanhoja käsinsolmittuja verkkoja voisi nostaa katonrajaan tunnelman tuojaksi.

 But the old Buster of our girls, Pellas Flicka was a tough one. It was full of water but was then rowed in Venetian way to the shore.

With the help of round stocks and muscles it was then pulled and pushed up!

And because you never know how high the water and ice will reach this winter we didn't take any risks but placed it under a big old pine high up behind the fishing shed. 

The boys rescued the bath toys!

 Mies huokaa, lisää listaan, mutta innostuukin. Kesän veneretkillä on ihasteltu komeita venevajoja, jotka ovat kuin paattien autotalleja. Osa on kallellaan menneeseen, mutta monella rannalla punamullattiin uutta. Toppuuttelen. Kun saataisiin edes laituri ehjäksi! Edellistalvi nostatti pylväslaiturin pään vinkuraan. Päätettiin korjata, vaikka arkkulaituri kestäisi paremmin ja olisi kunniakkaan perinteikäs. Siinä salvattu hirsineliö upotetaan ja täytetään murikoilla. Hirsikerroksia lisätään, kunnes ollaan sopivasti pinnalla. Sitten kirstu katetaan päältä ja sivulta. Nätti kuin mikä.

Then Pellas II. First it was driven to Korpoström harbour. It was almost too lovely a day to take it up without a last voyage...

Korpoström Mansion and the fine boat house and pier

 With the help of a local farmer Pelle the boat swam nicely to its vehicle.

Although Isak thought it was quite exciting!

And then home! One of us even got a ride on the tractor...

Kesä alkoi tarmokkaasti haaveissa laiturielämä ja uimaportaat. Sitten valmiiksi sahatut mutta ruuvaamatta jääneet lankut lähtivät laineille, ja listalla oli tunkua. Koko kesä jännitettiin, koska mamma molskahtaa. Konttasin tilapäisviritelmissä, kurkeloin paalun nokassa ja sohin kohti kurkottavia käsiä kauris-geenien puutteessa. Vielä ei tänä kesänä nähty uivaa mammuttia!

Autumn tasks done: all potatoes, carrots and pumpkins in cellar, boats up and bottoms cleaned of bay barnacles.

Autumn tasks still waiting: last leeks up, empty the compost, enough sand to the paths before the ice, dig the garden ditch ready, tidy up the green house... and remember to enjoy!

Thank You All For A Lovely Summer!

Because of working so hard all summer I haven't had much time to tell you how we are. So, I thought I will catch up a bit every now and then. I will start with sharing some moments from our summer café on the Rumar Mountain.

Having a café even if it was a small and modest meant a lot of baking. And when no customers, a lot of happy children in the evening at home...

Fortunatelly we did have some customers who found their way to Korppoo and to Rumar! And nice ones, too.

We had many interesting conversations and tried to tell about our way of life here in the archipelago, nature and history of our village.

 We in return got many tips where to head for a good meal, lovely service and nice archipelago originals when we had a day off - though maybe that'll be next summer...

Because one of us had to be at the café almost every day from June to August it was easier to get together there for our own parties, too.

Iris 15 and...

Three generations!

Our traditional Women Name Day Week celebration... 

And of course presents, for even those unfortunate not having their day just that week in July...

And then guide forward along the archipelago ring road! What we most wanted was to give a peaceful moment and give a glimpse of how it is to listen to the nature and forget the kilometres, goals and time. Something we try to learn here every day. And I listened, too, and drew, wrote, read and had a nice cup of coffee every day with an ice-cream, allowed to the one working there once a day... with the sea eagles as a company every day.