11/30/70                

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350-års jubileumet
And there our interests seemed to be parted by the Jubileum activities, the visiting of all the relatives, Forsback, Liljestroms, and Sunday afternoon with Mrs. Ek at her sons at the Lassila place in Kovjoki. We were busy from breakfast to night. We were much with the Boman's and spent a wonderful day at Tornskär with one of Ester Boman's many delicious meals.
     Anyway, we did not see very much of you because we had an obligation to see as many of our friends and relatives that time permitted. We were going from morning to night to the Sunday morning church service and several Jubileum activities like the song festival and finally the closing banquet at Eden Hotel. This was a great event. We had interesting table companions, including Bror Åström. Conversation was in both Swedish and English. There was a long time between courses, wine was plentiful, second helpings offered. Very well done in every way to enjoy food and wine and our table companions as it should be!
     After dinner and liquor, important guests from near and far had much praise to give the Nykarleby. The Borgmaster answered and made hopeful prophecies for Nykarleby's future. Then the Master of Ceremonies invited anyone who wished to say something — to do so, and they did! One was one of the long-winded persons who spoke at the song festival at the club.
     Last and best entertainment was Poet — troubador Lybeck's jolly songs and guitar. And then to bed.
     Next morning it was rush to pack up and have breakfast in our room.
     Together with breakfast was a note from the hotel management that Stadsstyrelsen was our host, and we their guests.
     The next moment we were at the Vasa bus across the street saying farewell to the relatives that had come to say goodbye.


Barndomsminnen
Once aboard the plane at Vasa, we were in another world.
     Looking back today we see and feel even more clearer that Nykarleby was an experience both spiritual and intellectual. It has a mystic presence that is as I said before a spirit born when it was first settled, perhaps by men and women who had dreams like the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Who also celebrated a 350th anniversary of their landing at Plymouth.
     Rooted in that historic past, yet it lives on in the present, unspoiled serene and unhurried; sheltered by the forests and fields, divided by the river bank reaching out to the skerries (skärgård) and the waterways where her ships sailed out to a greater world that does not know the peace of Nykarleby.
     Sometimes I remember now, when the Gypsies made their annual visit; everybody took inside anything that could be carried away and peeped through their windows to watch their doings. I also forgot to tell you that I remember the "rivermen" (Stock Flottären) who came sailing down the river riding their logs balancing with their pike poles. When these visitors passed through, four year olds were not allowed out — only look through the windows in wonder.
     No doubt the logs were placed into booms at the anchorage for loading aboard the sailing ships anchored there.
     I also remember visiting with my Grandmother [Sanna Liljeström; min farfars mor] at Andra Sjön; the water lapping on the endless sandy shore; the islands — — — — — and rocky ridges with my Aunt Elizabeth. I remember Grandmother baking in the big oven, and sometimes spinning or weaving woolen cloth, or rag rugs or even scaring hawks from her chickens. Sometimes she took me along in her buggy to one town or another to visit or to market. What a treat to get a lemon soda! And I remember Grandfather ditching or making hay or standing on barrel stave skiis in the winter snow.
     Harking back again as I write, I remember sixteen year old Aunt Elizabeth taking care of the flower garden at my home her own project planting annuals in the spring — violets, poppies, lillies, english daisies and nasturtiums and pruning the lilies. The very fragrance or tantalizing pungence of nasturtiums takes me back to my Birthplace.

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