Hilma Hedvig Ollila

Hilma Hedvig Ollila

A Girl in the Harbor

Hilma Hedvig Ollila was born in Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio on May 1, 1886.

The first of May used to be known as May Day, a holiday to celebrate the coming of summer. On May Day, girls in white dresses danced around a May Pole, holding long ribbons of every color.

She was one of the first Ollilas to be born in America.

I found this picture in Dad's things

Which Ollila children are they ? Click to see larger

Hilma and Edward

Date Unknown CLICK TO SEE CLOSER

How They Met

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The Wedding

November 23, 1904

Making Their First Home

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Hilma's Lullaby

Many of the children have said they remember a song their parents sang to them. It goes like this...

Arthur Rackman's "Leaves". Gift from Steven.

COME, LITTLE LEAVES
Come said the Wind to the Leaves one day.
Come o'er the meadow with me and play.
Put on your dresses of red and gold.
Summer is over and the days grow cold.
Soon as the Leaves heard the wind's loud call.
Down they came fluttering one and all.
Over the brown fields they danced and flew,
singing a gay little song they knew.

"Grandma learned that in school. She sang it to every one of her kids."---Lil

Ten Children

1905 Rufus
1907 Viola
1910 Lillian
1912 Florence
1915 Evelyn
1916 Arnold
1919 Norman
1922 Robert
1924 Roy
1925 Roland

The Hummer Home

Clicking on pictures will often take you to larger images.

"Mother, August 15, 1942"

Malamarvels always first-bloomed on Bobby's Birthday, also his Grandpa Matti's

721 Thayer Avenue

Lil remembers: "721 Thayer Avenue. That is the place I still drive by and remember the many happy, sad and wonderful days of childhood.

Those flowers were called Mallow Marvels. They're a type of Hibiscus. Those are old, honey. Those flowers bloomed every year on August 9th and that was Bobby's Birthday. Grandma always remembered and remarked about it for years, that each August 9th, we would have the first bloom. It could have varied in years after that, but when I knew all about the flowers, they bloomed on Bobby's Birthday.

Your Aunt Evelyn, before she passed away, before Uncle Dan passed away, they had some of Grandma's flowers and they were beautiful. After people moved into the house, they were destroyed and I don't know any that are left, but maybe your Cousin Ted in Conneaut would have flowers like that.

Grandma always had nice clean housedresses. She felt dressed up if she had on a nice housedress."

"She had beautiful, heavy hair. We used to take turns brushing it, the few times she would sit down long enough for us to do it. (Flo and me). Her hair was a nice chestnut brown with highlights. Mom told me she was a light brown when she and Dad met. He called her his "Golden Girl", in Finnish."

Home on Thayer 1947. Grandma in doorway.

The Fine Arts of Homemaking

It's noon and Hilma's baking a two-layer cake or maybe her astonishing Nisu. See the coffee pot?

HILMA SAID...

If a job you've once begun,
Never leave it till it's done.
Should the task be great or small, do it well,
or not at all.

"Ma Ironing"

"38"

God did not create Hurry

Finnish Proverb

The Hummer Family Stories

"My mother was a good cook and a gracious hostess. Her nisu has never been duplicated, in my opinion, and her cakes were special and always with "muna kaffi". She taught her children well. I owe everything I know about housekeeping and cooking to my mother. Her sewing talent brushed off on me. I, in turn, gave it to our daughter, Bonnie, who surpassed me in her ability." --Lil

Coffee and Nisu

Finnish Tradition

I have Grandma's Tablecloth . The colors are white and deep red.

I cherish it.

Hilma's Nisu Recipe

What can we say about Hilma's Nisu, except once you have it, you will pine for it.

"I'll tell you what I had for breakfast yesterday was my last slice of Nisu that I've been cutting up in wafer-thin slices, stretching, hoarding the loaf that I brought back after the Holidays as long as I could. That was it. It's over." --Larry

Aunt Florence gave Grandma Hummer's Nisu Recipe to newlyweds, Mark and Linda Hummer in 1974. Flo describes the astonishing process in 10 pages, hand-written on a hot June day. Thanks to Linda for passing this treasure on.

Reading it, you may feel almost as if you are in the Hummer kitchen making nisu, except for one thing. There will be none to eat unless you make some. As a Hummer, you are entitled to a copy of the Recipe to try in your own kitchen. Do not be afraid.

We will gladly honor your request for a copy. Just email to ask.

Handwork

Click photo to see up close

The Bedspread

Jody remembers: "Where we grew up in Mentor, we played dolls in the guest room we called our "little room". We always had to be very careful on the white bedspread.

Mom told us Hilma made the bedspread out of string. Back then, the grocery store wrapped your meat in waxed butcher paper and tied it with a piece of white string. The story goes, Hilma saved each length, crocheted them into squares and sewed them all together.

It must have taken a very long time to make the spread. It covers a twin bed to the floor and is very very heavy.

Mom said Hilma began making it when Niles, Jr. was born. We don't know how long it took her to complete, but after some time, she gave it to him. It came to our house when Niles lived with us. When the Kinnunens moved to Florida, they asked us to keep it in the Hummer family. Laurie has the bedspread in her safe-keeping and we will post a picture of it soon."

Spring Cleaning

The Hummer home was thoroughly cleaned twice a year. Hilma described this chore in a letter. Here's what she says...

Need Letter here...

The Gold Stars

During World War II, there were 4 gold stars in the window at the Hummer home on Thayer Avenue. One for each son who went off to serve in the war: Norm, Bobby, Roy and Rol.

Norm, Rol and Roy. Need Bobby in uniform

Faith

Her Favorite Passages

Church

"When things happen and they happen not according to our will, if you're troubled and something's on your mind, give that moment over to God. Just give that one moment over to God and things can change. Things can change for you." --Lil

Edward and Hilma, 1948

June 10, 1947

June 10, 1947

Gramma and Diane