Christmas Day 2018

Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast - rice pudding topped with fruit soup made of prunes, raisins and apricots.

I got up early to enjoy the quiet.  The Finns typically wish each other a peaceful Christmas (rauhallista joulua) , not a merry Christmas as we do here.  It speaks of a culture that  values candlelight, quiet and simplicity.

Santa left a number of gifts on the coffee table for the children.

The gifts under the tree were from the parents.

Opening presents.

Our cat Ilkka watched the proceedings with interest.

Uncle David showed up to read a riveting drama, The Best Mouse Cookie!

Due to illness, we weren't able to get a picture of all our seven grandchildren together, but these five are a good sample.

The two youngest cousins.

I've never been good at holding a smile for the camera so I often look like a real grouch.  But I like to think that I am a nice grouch.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve 2018

This year all our sons and their families joined us.  It made for a lively, fun-filled  time.

Gwen baking her no-yeast, soughdough, naturally rising bread.  It was delicious.

Marja mummu and our newest grandchild.  You can  tell that this guy has been home at mealtimes.

David scraped off an oval on our pond and it was off to the races....

Daniel getting ready for a lap.

Three kids in one sleigh was actually quite a load.

One at a time was much easier and faster.

Jonathan and Alina arrived from Finland just after midnight, but we put them to work right away cutting carrots and beats for rosoli.  Jonathan was surprised to learn that in Finland you can buy all the traditional Christmas dishes from the store - perunalaatikkoa, porkkanalaatikkoa, rosolia, jne.

We follow the Finnish tradition of eating the celebratory meal on Christmas eve.  This includes a tossed salad, ham with Finnish mustard, potato casserole, rice-carrot casserole, a beat-carrot-apple salad topped with whipped cream, bread, pickled herring, applesauce, etc.  This and our Thanksgiving dinner are the two most elaborate, labor-intensive, big-deal meals we eat in a year.  Needless to say, this can occasion a a bit of anxiety in the chief cook, so it is best to jump in and help out wherever needed.

By the time you get to the end of the line your plate is quite full.

Our regular kitchen table is not big enough so we move our old trestle table from the old kitchen into the living room.

Everyone has a place at the table.

Sam had just recovered from the stomach flu and I was amazed that he dared load his plate full.  Happily he had no ill after effects.

This little girl was under the weather with mild fever for several days and one of Sam's daughters had a touch of the flu as well.  This is the time of year when bugs are easily spread, but fortunately the rest of us stayed healthy.

The plates are getting empty and the children have been fed.

It is time to start cleaning the table and put on the coffee.

Baking Christmas Cookies

Baking Day!  But first the chief baker demanded pannukakkua.

The assistant baker mixed the batter.

After breakfast, the baking crew went into action.

Grandpa was drafted to help when the assistant baker went on strike.

The chief baker demonstrates the proper cutting technique.

Stars and Christmas trees, ready to go in the oven.  Shortly after this picture was taken, the chief baker declared, "I'm done,"and just walked off the job.  Fortunately grandpa had been adequately trained and was able to finish the job alone.

Getting the Christmas Tree

Heading out to the back forty to find a suitable Christmas tree.

The sawyer has found a nice one.

The sawyer taking a break.

Timberrrr!!!

Hauling it back.  It's good for kids to get outdoor exercise during the winter.  They stay healthy and sleep well.

Even I took a turn pulling.

Once we got near the sheepyard I cut another spruce and tossed it in for the sheep.

Mmmmm....Christmas trees are delicious.  Sheep won't touch conifers during the summer, but they develop a taste for them during winter.

The logging superintendent watches intently.

My five ewes, Silja, Frida, Sigrid, Helga and Enni.  My teenage rams, Einar and Arni face off in the upper right corner of the picture.

Winter started out full-bore in November, with heavy snow and unusually cold temperatures, but then El Nino kicked in in December.  The snow stopped and began melting.  We may have a mild winter after all. 

Inside the hayshed.

Riding the snow horse.

Natural trees have character.  The heavily-pruned, perfectly-shaped plantation trees are hard to tell from the fake ones.

Little sister has become quite a climber.  We have to keep an eye on her.

Time to put on the decorations.

Marja-mummu lends a hand.

Joulupuu on rakennettu....