Finnish Ancestor Meal

We had a special party on February 16.  It would have been John Jalmer's 113 birthday on February 17.  So, we broke out the fan charts, photos, and memorabilia. 

We tried to pick authentic Finnish foods.  

Our menu included: 

Lihapyorykat:  Finnish meatballs (sometimes made from reindeer, but we used ground beef)

Porkkanalaatiko:  carrot casserole (big hit with the kids--NOT)

Beets:  they ate lots of beets because they don't require a long growing season

Getting ready to cut the Finnish cake.  It was kinda heavy.  More like a Finnish brick.

I gave Cole the camera.  He did a pretty good job of recording the festivities.

We decorated the table with our Finnish treasures.  Sierra colored a Finnish flag.  The teacup on the left was from Waino's mother's set of China from their wedding.  The vase came from Finland.  The tablecloth was made by Waino's mother.  We had copies of photos on the table. 

We concluded that we would not carry on the tradition of these recipes on a regular basis.  

The meatballs were good, but the carrots and the cake were not well received.

John Jalmer Herl... & Lilia Susanna Jarvi Herl... Wedding photo

June 14, 1927 Scofield, UT

Ancestor Project 2014: a word to Finnish Ancestors

Some new thoughts on Family History that are NOT inline with a previous post…

STOP using the same names over and over and over.  All of you ancestors that have gone on before me.  You are confusing me.  Branch out.  Find different names.  I  realize you like to name people for someone that has passed on, but stop it.  Generation.  After.  Generation.

And while we're at it….Finland:  let people keep their same last name.

STOP making them change surnames EVERY time they move to a different farm.  I realize it makes sense to you in the 1700's and 1800's, but come on.  You are confusing those of us that are trying to track you down from the other side of the world in 2014.  

And I really should have typed that whole thing in CAPITAL LETTERS.  But I do feel a little better now.  Rick says every day that his ancestors thank me for doing their work (and his work;). 

John Jalmer (Her-love-E) and Walter (Her-love-E) in Scofield in 1934.

And we like to call this one…John Jalmer in his hipster boots.