Pickles

PROFILE

I was born in East-Finland (Karelia) long time ago just before the last Russian and Finland
war.

My family had to flee my birthplace because Russia declared war against Finland.
I was 11 months old. We fled to go to another place in North Finland.

I grew up with 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Winter time we spent skiing, skating and of course
boys playing ice hockey. In summer time we all enjoyed swimming in many lakes and
picking and eating forest berries like wild strawberries, blueberries, lingonberries etc. and in
Finland we always went to the SAUNA whether it was summer or winter.

My mother worked in a textile factory and she made beautiful dresses for me and my sisters.
I fell in love with sewing work and so I qualified as a dressmaker, but I also worked in other
business in Finland.

When I was younger my hobby was - among other things - fabric weaving and screen
printing and painting to fabrics. I sewed many different fabrics and materials for curtains,
tablecloths, pillow cases etc. for myself, relatives and friends.

I first came to Australia in September 1998 to spend three months with my future husband.
During that three month's stay I enjoyed being in Australia especially at Sunshine Coast.
Then in September 1999 I returned to Australia to marry my lovely husband Seppo.

I left all my relatives and my son Hannu and grandson Joona and granddaughter Jenna and
lots of friends back in Finland. We are in contact often with the Internet, web camera and
phone and visits.

Last autumn one day someone knocked on our door. I opened the door and there was a
clown and after a few months I joined up with CCC and now I am happy to be
a learner clown it brings me lots of laughter and enjoyment with all the activities we do and
places we visit and also see the enjoyment and laughter we bring to others.
My clown name is Pickles because I like mixing and pickling all the happy moments in a one
big jar.

Happy clowning

Pickles (Leena Kuutti-Pollari)