Possum living in Southern Finland…

After some healthy pressure from my brother to start a blog it appears it might be finally happening. Still a fresh idea, I cannot predict how this might mutate over time, but the instigating concept was to help document the (endless) historical renovation on this old log house I have been living in for the last several years.

Although primarily for my own records, I hope some of this information may be useful to others as much of these traditional construction methods have been ignored or forgotten in favor of modern techniques. This information has not been readily available in English although there are some very good books on vernacular wooden construction in Finnish (e.g. Hannu Rinne). Many of the modern techniques in Finland are under constant review and revision as sick building syndrome has increased steadily as traditional practices were replaced by money/time saving methods and materials.

The house, historically called “Klockars” from a time before houses had numerical addresses, sits on a small hill between a midieval church and the Baltic Sea. Originally this site was the location of a wooden church bell tower which was replaced by a brick bell tower (1853) further from the sea. Klockars was officially built in 1918, however, there has been evidence parts of the building may have existed as early as 1904. I suppose at some point you need to tell the tax official the cabin you’ve been building in the woods is there to stay.

Pernajan Pyhän Mikaelin Kirkko

A quick note on possum living. It’s a term, and a book, coined by Dolly Freed in 1978. The concept, as the full title of her book suggests, is “how to live well without a job and with (almost) no money.” I had alread gravitated towards this lifestyle before discovering her book but was delighted to know others have a similar disdain for day jobs and appreciation for their own freedom of time. Unlike young Ms. Freed, I do have a job although I avoid it as much as possible (and later in life she too surrendered to profession). My ultimate goal, which I have failed at many times, is to never work another 40-hour work week.