Today you could already sense the summer feeling ❤ Yes, a bit chilly but still.
The way the sun glimmered on the sea and the gulls shrieked was just so summery.
After the long, dark and cold winter it’s more than welcomed feeling.
Yep, so be it. And just how wonderful that is!
Reading here the greetings from the Open Doors at Lillan. Not everyone left their message there but still I counted 95 names from the book! How lovely is that ❤
The first visitors came already before noon when the happening began and last ones left after 4pm when the Open Doors -happening ended. So wonderful to read all the comments:
Ihana tupa! Wonderful cottage!
Ihana nähdä Taalintehtaan toiseksi vanhin koti; ihanasti olet Sari sisustanut, vanhaa kunnioittaen, nykyaikaan sopiva 🙂
Lovely to see Dalsbruk’s second oldest home; beautifully you Sari have designed, respecting the old, suitable for modern age 🙂Oli kauniit huoneet ❤ Rooms were beautiful ❤
Kaunista täällä! Beautiful here!
Even though the artist had painted Lillan house red in the map, many and many and many found the small yellow Lillan. So many wonderful discussions, longer and shorter, in those four hours!
But for me, the best of the happening was to hear parts of Lillan history. Who had lived there, what it looked like in those decades, how the life was back then.
And here was the greatest price for this event: a family that used to live in Lillan in years 1966-1974 had bought some photos from those days with them!
At the September Open Sunday 10th of September 2017 there is also an Open Doors happening at Dalsbruk. There are several old houses with their personal names attending, telling their part of Dalsbruk’s history for some centuries.
Old houses all have their own stories. Present owners are there to tell what they know and maybe even to hear more about the history of the houses.
And the names of the houses at Dalsbruk, then. Not were houses known by their location but by their names. In Sibirien (Siberia) it was almost always quite cold since it is located on a high bank by the sea. And Kärringslänktan (Hags’ yearning) there used to live the factory’s men still without wife and family.
The event was inspired by the book “Från Honolulu till Sibirien”, collected by the Dalsbruk village union.
Lillan will attend, of course. It is one of the oldest houses still left in Dalsbruk. About its name I’ve already told in this post.
Other houses to attend and see are
Marmorpalatset (2 apartments and garden)
Nybyggningen (2 apartments)
Övre Kajlins (1 apartment + garden)
Stenkakola garden
Worker’s apartments in Bruksmuseums area
Link to the event (in Facebook) here. Event is arranged by Saariston Kulttuuriseurue – Skärgårdens Kultursällskap.
Dalsbruk was quite depressed and blue after the steel mill had quit. No more pipe whistles to rhytm your day. Insecurity of the future.
Then, small blinks of sunshine, of the brighter future. Rosala Handelsbod moved from Rosala to Dalsbruk, first by the marketplace. Positive, international, classy, beautiful. I was so happy! Rapt for all of us. This would start our new rise, I thought. Went and wrote a blog post of the Café and its charming merchants. With her permission, of course.
But even before that, there came a small and a bit weird (in a positive sense) festival: Norpas. First year 2012 it was not a lot more, to my recollection, than a big friend gathering at Dalsbruk, ultimating at deep and warm get-together at Dalsbruk’s Old Factory, Ismo Alanko using his amazing musical talents to guide listeners from one mood to another. With some exceptionally brave and imaginative artists to tune audience even more into this magical event.
Year 2013 Norpas was already a bit bigger. More events, artists and visitors. One of the audio-visuals especially hit my artistic nerve. Year by year the Norpas Festival grew bigger and established itself. Somehow it still managed to maintain its inter-artistic and warm attitude.
Events take over the whole Dalsbruk centre area:
As well as the old interiors:
This year’s program here. Can’t wait to feel, live and breath Norpas again ❤
Yesterday I was at Dalsbruk to prepare Lillan for guests arriving today. Fog. A lot.
There were some terns flying elegantly, catching fish from the coast line.
Beautiful even with the fog. Had to take this pic to prove there were colours still present:
The spring is coming, nevertheless. And they have promised this day to be a more sunny one.
I had the honor to visit historic, newly renovated Ruukin Sauna this summer, invited by sauna hostess Henna Heinänen. What a true luxury!
The dressing room is roomy and full of light, its high ceiling and old details lovely.
Light and soft hammam towels are ready in line at the old drying line waiting to be wrapped around you.
The shower room is quite explicit. Stone on the wall changes colour as the water hits it, making the room change its outlook. Wonderful waterfall showers give soft, refreshing wash.
And the sauna then! Roomy benches with high level of carpentry. Non-direct light. Stove is the best there is, IKI-stove. Could not get any better than this.
After long sauna it is wonderful to have some glasses of water – or some other refreshments, to that matter.
I am very proud to have Ruukin sauna as cooperation partner to Lillan!
Did you know that Dalsbruk was chosen as the village of the year? Due to that honor it was designed an own logo based on the old steel mill logo.
New logo looks like this:
And the old factory logo can be seen for instance from the historic of the factory (one of the perplex treasures of my book shelf):
My warmest congratulations, Dalsbruk!
Come and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the traditional christmas market at Dalsbruk’s historical old verkstad! At Sunday 11th December 11-14 o’clock.
Local artisan and delicacy products, songs, Santa Claus and a lot more. You don’t want to miss this!
And, of course, easiest and most enjoyable is to stay at Lillan also that weekend❤️
At Friday 25th of November popular and wonderful christmas season opening at Dalsbruk Market place starting at 18 o’clock.
Many local producers, music, christmas elves giving children little gifts and maybe even Santa Claus himself present!
Be there when Christmas lights turn on. And, of course, stay overnight at Lillan❤️
Little house on the ocean shore 