Helena-Reet: Elisheva & Shoshana (E&S) brand development and interview for Buduaar

NordenBladet – On December 7, I wrote on my Facebook page that I am looking for an investor and co-partner of the Elisheva & Shoshana (E&S) brand, which I created a long time ago. I crated the Elisheva & Shoshana brand and blog for many years ago in order to do something together with my daughters Estella Elisheva (11) and Ivanka Shoshana (9).

Last years I have been very active in the Scandinavian media, I am the editor-in-cheief at the NordenBladet sites – which are active in 17 countries and being translated to five languages. NordenBladet is among Scandinavia’s top 10 media groups (read more about it HERE). I also run OHMYGOSSIP pages; I am manager for my violinist daughter Estella Elisheva (Instagram: @Estella.Elisheva, Twitter: @EstellaElisheva), and, in addition, I manage 8 large-scale social media star accounts in the world… A lot of work and one can not do everything; sometimes some tasks need to be further delegated. In order for the business to work well, it is inappropriate to do everything 100% by yourself, to check and decide, and to sustain to yourself all the company’s ventures and shares. Delegating some work to others, collaborating with partners will take your business further!

I have been thinking for a long time that E&S would need a new wind to the wings. I need an investor with a strong hand in the business world. E&S is a successful small brand, which has been advertised for many years, but today, due to my tight timeline, I have been marginally active with it. I would love to find a soulmate and a partner with whom I have the same vision and who would like to spend the same amount of energy, time, money and ideas to this project. I’m looking for someone who would take executive control, while I’m dealing with creative leadership. So, I’m not looking just for an investor but rather for the best friend who believes and loves the ideas of E&S as well. I would love to find a person who is business minded, who has a strong business sense, who, as partner, finds me sympathetic as well and who is economically well and could invest both money and time in the company. And what’s the main thing – who likes the product, would be willing to create something new and healthy. No cooperation is possible without real faith in the product!

Because people around me have many strong allergies and great sensitivity to different substances and things, I know the importance of a lucrative and ecological approach. The world is full of chemistry and chemicals, which should not be present in products at all! I would like to change it! I know that I would not be the first one, and it actually pleases me, but every person has his own vision and his own preferences – the market segment that I have in mind is waiting for the performer. I also know that a partner who meets all the points is likely to be rarity, but she certainly exists, and if our paths cross, this cooperation can be very successful! I would like to issue a very high quality and exclusive pharmacy cosmetic range under the trademark E&S and guarantee the cleanliness, proper impact and the 100 % quality of the product to the buyer. I would like to produce a small volume first, but with very high quality!

The short article in Facebook was briefly reflected in the website of Eestinen.fi and the online website Buduaar.ee will interview me next week about E&S brand and will write also more about my investor search! Stay tuned! If you would love to collaborate with Elisheva & Shoshana brand, please contact me at info@nordenbladet.com.

Helena-Reet: Event planner 2018 and the idea of a planner journal 2019 for a successful woman!

NordenBladet – Today I have bought myself a new calendar memo „2018″ and had to admit that my notebooks expand year after year. There was a time when I wondered what do people need 2x A4 calendar memos for, those that boldly display the entire week – and today I find myself thinking that this is exactly what I need. I managed to acquire a slightly smaller version (yet huge!) and hope to get by with it during 2018. I find it pleasant when everything is in ink, black and white – I am very conservative from this aspect – I like to see things on paper. I like it when I can quickly scribble down the useful notes, turn the pages and hear the sound of it.

The event planner is my great friend! I downright like my memo book – nice and big with green leather cover, voluminous friend. Keeps in mind all that it has to! Haha… I have spent many an hour rewriting the notes from all the separate pieces of paper and the corners of pages to the proper place and copy the important memos from the previous notebook. Yet now it is done and I have the synopsis of the coming year in front of my eyes. Regarding the memo book I came up with several ideas:

1. Since the classic reader of NordenBladet is a 45+ wealthy and successful Scandinavian woman and the typical OHMYGOSSIP-pages reader is a 32-48 years of age adventurous woman with higher education, then the following year I would like to come up with a special planner journal for a business and travel minded woman. This would be a voluminous, solid, quality, reliable piled-with-information friend for the year 2019. I have an abundance of exciting ideas that no planner journal in this world yet includes!

2. Via the NordenBladet pages bring together the Scandinavian events’ organisers and the readers. At the moment I am working on a system in the NordenBladet.com environment to effectively attain that goal. Whenever you come up with great ideas and suggestions, drop me an email, while your opinion, dear reader, is most important for me in this process!

I have filled in the slots in the schedule very tightly, at times even with double events, so that it would take a decision which one to prefer or whether to authorize someone to assist me in some duties. NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP sites are attending various worldwide fairs and conferences and since we network with very many tourism bureaus and tourism ministries and reflect on various travel destinations and the cultural events in those countries, then a large proportion of the time is swallowed by travel. Apart from travelling and conveying news abroad a substantial amount in my personal planner is reserved for secondments in Estonia-Finland-Sweden, a lot of meetings with cooperation partners and advertising clients.

In addition to NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP sites I am manager of 8 world scale prominent figure social media content + my other stream/project social media and that of my talented daughter violinist Estella Elisheva alongside with her performances schedule and contributing productions – running all of this takes a lot of time, effort, brainstrorming and working on finding advanced solutions. Non of this could be done properly without a decent notebook. The one I have bought is decent — but I have the idea that would make the decent planner journal into a perfect one!!! — until this day I have not found anything like that from any corner of the world! They say that good ideas emerge from committed labour and the evolution of affairs and that’s how it is!

Oh yes, and then also home, household and other enterprises and important events. It’s pleasant, I feel life bubbling and there is something new and exciting for every day! Many of the days include the to-do lists designed by myself, reminding me to commence subsequent negotiations and introduce fresh collabrative productions, create and develop new networks!

From 2017 on I have more deeply involved also Estella Elisheva in NordenBladet, OHMYGOSSIP and OHMYGOSSIPteen work schedule, she has accompanied me to many press trips, workshops and fairs – she is fully efficient and I want her to see from early age what is going on in the world. Despite being just 11 years of age many of the suggestions originating from her have been great and successful and have broadened her own horizons. Thus in her year 2018 I am planning several common secondments for us, visits to fairs, travelling abroad, besides her violin performing events.

May our 2018 planner journals be piled with exciting events and accomplishments and let my idea about an ideal calendar memo 2019 for an active and successful woman be realized!

Hugs to you!

TOP 10 Nordic media groups – Bonnier, Sanoma, MTG, Schibsted, Egmont, Aller, YLE, Otava, Alma, NordenBladet

NordenBladet – There is a lot going on all the time.. I would like to keep you updated with 100% of my ventures, yet I doubt if I have the capacity to reflect on 10% of everything that is going on daily. Here I am facing the dilemma – whether to post blogs more frequently and more briefly or, on the contrary, more seldom but also more exhaustively instead. Which option would you like more?

NordenBladet and the OHMYGOSSIP sites that belong to it are expanding rapidly! Such increase in growth couldn’t have been hoped for in wildest fantasies! Today NordenBladet has an overlapping share of readers with the TOP 10 of Scandinavian media groups (Bonnier, Sanoma, MTG, Schibsted, Egmont, Aller, YLE, Otava, Alma, NordenBladet), being in the social media steadily located in the TOP 5 best Scandinavian editions – the latter position is due to OHMYGOSSIP’s enormous international pool of readers. It is my dream to build NordenBladet into Scandinavia’s #1 newsletter and online journal!

I am well aware that I dream big – however, when one looks at other players on the Scandinavian media scenery then it becomes evident that we are on the right course – NordenBladet (as well as Sanoma and Modern Times Group) when beside other media editions are kiddies with regard to the year of establishment! Bonnier was founded 213 years ago and NordenBladet 5 years ago – the fact that we are already compared alongside one another is a considerable accomplishment in my eyes! Of course, there is still plenty of room for growth, but I feel in my heart that we are on the right track moving upwards and this achievement makes my heart beat faster!

A concise overview of the TOP 10 Scandinavian media groups:

Bonnier – founded 213 years ago
Bonnier is a Swedish publishing company established in 1804. The company came to life when Gerhard Bonnier founded a bookstore in Copenhagen. A book publishing company Albert Bonniers Förlag was founded in Stockholm in 1837. In the year 1924 the Bonnier family purchased the majority of the partnership in the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter, and in 1929 purchased Ahlen&Akerlund, at that time the largest magazine publishing company. In 1944 Bonnier founded the successful evening paper Expressen. In 1950 Bonnier began publishing comic strips. In 1965 began issuing hobbies related journals. In 1973 the one family company expanded towards the film industry, purchasing the largest Swedish filmmaker SF. In 1976 began the publication of Dagens Industri, a newspaper on the topics of economy, belonging to the Bonnier family. In 1984 Bonnier began publishing Science Illustrated. In 1989 Bonnier launched the newspaper Äripäev. Since 1997 Bonnier has gradually taken up shares in Sweden’s largest television channel TV4, as of today 99% of the shares belong to Bonnier. In 2005 Bonnier purchased the Finnish television channel MTV3 and the radio station Radio Nova. In 2006 Bonnier attained partnership in the U.S. publishing company World Publication which is issuing ca 50 periodicals and runs half a hundred web sites. Nowadays Bonnier is represented in 25 countries, the media group has got shares in the total of 175 companies. Bonnier is to this day a family enterprise.

Sanoma – founded 18 years ago
Established in 1999 Sanoma Oy (until 2008 Sanoma WSOY) is Finland’s largest media group and the second largest in the Nordic countries, active in more than 20 European countries. The company’s headquarters is located in Helsinki and ca 19500 people work for the company. The biggest newspaper in Finland and the Northern countries, Helsingin Sanomat, belongs to this media group. Nelonen Media, also belonging to this group, runs 6 television channels, the most important of them being Nelonen.

Modern Times Group (MTG) – founded 20 years ago
Founded in 1997. Modern Times Group (MTG) is a Swedish media company. MTG was summoned in 1997 by Kinnevik, an investment company hosting various media enterprises, via the assemblance of Viasat and Metro International under the name Modern Times Group. Viasat is made up from a bunch of television channels, including for example TV3 (the first commerce channel in Sweden, launched in 1987), ZTV, Viasat Sport and TV1000. Metro International manages a chain of newspapers delivered free of charge. MTG is issuing shares on the Stockholm stock exchange, referred to by the symbols MTGA and MTGB.

Schibsted – founded 178 years ago
Established in 1839. Schibsted is a Norwegian media group active in 20 countries, mainly Norway and Sweden. It is noted at Oslo’s stock market. In the year 2013 it owned the newspapers Postimees and Õhtuleht in Estonia as well as the television channels Kanal 2 and Kanal 11. In the year 1998 it purchased the newspaper Sõnumileht. Schibsted activities re related with the following areas: printed news, film, publishing, multimedia, mobile services. Schibsted stock is at Oslo’s stock exchange.

Egmont – founded 139 years ago
Egmont media group (previously Gutenberghus media group) is a media enterprise founded in Copenhagen in 1878. Egmont Group was founded by Egmont Harald Petersen in the year 1878.

Aller – founded 144 years ago
Established in the year 1873, Aller Media is a Northern media group with the headquarters located in Denmark, Copenhagen. Best known brands from Aller Media are Elle, Cafe, Familie Journlen, Femina, Allers and Se og Hor. Aller Media was established in the year 1873 in Copenhagen by Carl Aller and his wife Laura aller and in the 1890s the company expanded to Sweden and Norway and in 1992 also to Finland.

Yle – 91 years ago
Yle (the full name in Finnish is Yleisradio and in Swedish Rundradion Ab) is a Finnish official television- and broadcasting group established in the year 1926. Yle is a broadcasting organization with a lot in common with the British broadcasting BBC, since it has been their example while designing Yle. Yle belongs to the Finnish republic (98,88%). Yle transmits four national television channelds, 13 radio networks and 25 regional radio channels. Finland is an officially bilingual country – ca 5,5% of the Finnish population speaks Swedish as their mother tongue.

Otava – founded 127 years ago
Otava (officially Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava) is among Finland’s oldest and largest publishing companies. Otava has published, among others, writings from Eino Leino, Veijo Meri, Marja-Liisa Vartio, Paavo Haavikko, Tuomas Anhava, Mauri Kunnas, Antti Tuuri, Kjell Westö and Laila Hirvisaari (Hietamies). Otava is a public limited company, established in 1890. It is one part of the Otava group (Otava Oy). The editor-in-chief since 2009 is Pasi Vainio. The sales of the publishing company in 2014 was 54,5 M euros, the profit was 7,2 M euros.

Alma – 168 years ago
Established in the year 1849. Alma Media is a media enterprise mainly focussing on digital services and publishing. The best known brands of Alma Media are Aamulehti, Iltalehti, Kauppalehti, Talouselämä Monster.fi and Etuovi.com. About 2400 people work for Alma Media.

NordenBladet – 5 years ago
NordenBladet is the largest readership owning media groups in the Northern countries (over 7 million readers monthly), its headquarters are located in Estonia, Tallinn. Established in 2012 by the owner of international OHMYGOSSIP sites and Scandinavia’s best known blogger and most followed woman in social media Helena-Reet Ennet. Active in 17 countries worldwide, mainly in Estonia, Finland, Sweden, America, England, Brazil and Russia. The best known brands from NordenBladet are NordenBladet, OHMYGOSSIP, OHMYGOSSIPteen, Ohmygossip Couture and Bloglist24.

Helena-Reet: My dreams & wishes – workable, unobtainable and completely unrealistic (Vol 2)

NordenBladet – In my first blog post reflecting my dreams and wishes (My dreams and wishes – workable, unobtainable and completely unrealistic -Vol 1) I revealed one of my biggest dreams that is actually already coming true – to be one fine day as powerful as has been Arianna Huffington in the world media.

Today 67-year-old Arianna Huffington was in 2009 according to Forbes magazine the 12th in the list of most influential women in the media. In 2014 she was according to Forbes the 52nd most influential woman in the world. In 2011 the media corporation AOL took up Huffington Post for 315 million dollars, originally belonging to Arianna.

Having developed the OHMYGOSSIP brand for nearly 10 years (the websites known worldwide are today publishing in Estonian, Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian, in social media also in Norwegian and Portuguese and have 150 000+ unique readers daily and 5+ million followers on social media) I can now say that in a way I have today already outdistanced Huffington, since I have grasped hold of a wider international public – OHMYGOSSIP is delivered in seven languages.

In 2016 OHMYGOSSIP was integrated under the largest and most popular Scandinavian media trust NordenBladet. Just like after the successful bargain Arianna Huffington became the president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, similarly I became the member of board and editor-in-chief of NordeBladet. After uniting OHMYGOSSIP with NordeBladet the brand’s expansion has augmented and already in 2018 it is estimated that there will be nearly 400 000 unique readers daily merely from Scandinavia. However, I have conemplated on this dream in my PREVIOUS blog post.

My dreams are outrageous, my word to that! Believe me, it a kind of craft to dream this big! It is not without a reason that members of the ruling family of the United Arab Emirates and US millionaires have repeatedly quested my opinion and thoughts on the elaboration of various exorbitant ideas. Yes, you have heard me correctly! I have shared my opinion and practical advice and changed ideas with the wealthiest folks of this world. To be more thorough, I would like to add that hereby we are discussing the accomplishment od dreams without financial boundaries. For a complete understanding of the situation, I would like to ask you the following question: What would you do if funds were none of a problem? What would you do if the most insane of all your dreams could come true – would you build a floating town above another town, a cinema in outer space, would you publish newspapers with moving images? Would you build world peace, commit to the manufacture of cancer medication? Develop gene technology? Spy after fellow humans? Make your contribution in science? – the options are limitless. In today’s blog post I will not yet focus on describing these „completely unrealistic” dreams. However, in the posts to come I will elaborate on those – beginning from what I would do or buy had I got 100 million euros, 500 million euros, a billion euros (etc) and also on the idea which special skills I would wish to have.

Dreams have no limits! I intend to open to you the realm of my dreams – even that side of it which might seem ridiculous to articulate. I gather dreams and dreaming is cool and I would say even dreams that are unrealistic and the dreaming that is outrageous is cool. Those impossible to attain – not even for the money of the entire world – this is the place where we enter the universe of fairytales! My favouraite place! Fairytales for me are like water and air. I just cannot go on without fairytales! If I hadn’t dreamt myself inti one fairytale or other every once in a while, then I would have gone absolutely bonkers by today (this, nevertheless, is possible already now, hehe).

I need childlike fantasies and a world of fantasy. This could be the reason why I tend to get along very well with children and find a common language. I am fond of fairytales, I like to make up fairytales and I really wish to put a tale on paper and between covers – this is my dream that might be considered quite a realistic one. I want to be an author of fairytales!

Currently there is in my head a story for grownups „Sepher Strong and the Azure Palace“, where women are ruling the world and the harem males are hassling to become the favourite male. The 50-year-old governess finds spouses for her sons and names daughters the rulers for different regions. Men are unable to read and write and they cannot be found on any governing positions. Only the males with special training can write – the Hunters. There is also a young gentle woman in the play – Shoshana or Shana, and she decides to turn the entire truth of the moment upside down. There are loads of text in my head, it could make book, it could just as well make an entire trilogy. The novel is ready in my mind, I need to do the writing – there is the synopsis and the full narrative.

This is the very dream that I need time for to come true! Time is the most precious of all wealth for me right now, it is precisely time that is already planned long ahead! Here I am not speaking about lets say an hour or two every day, this could be saved if needed – I need 3 weeks nonstop just for me – complete commitment, writing myself into the events, no disturbances, none at all. Then the book would be ready and at least as successful as J.K Rowling’s creation of Harry Potter adventures or Stephenie Meyer’s series of Twilight. This would of course happen in the circumstances that I be able to find a capable marketing specialist for my book as well as a PR support manager. There are piles of great books in the world and there are also piles of crappy (pardon!), non-existent marketing scores.

Actually what is currently nested in my head is genuine genius, the book would be awsome, above today’s hits. It is a billion dollar project! And I intend to accomplish it one fine day, since the book already exists in my mind – the entire volume, chapter after chapter, all there nice and smooth! The book sprouted in my head thanks to this photograph and my life with my darling autistic baby child Ivanka Shoshana – the world’s sweetest, most tender, beautiful and smart little girl! Everything is possible, you just need to have faith in yourself!

Helena-Reet: My dreams and wishes – workable, unobtainable and completely unrealistic (Vol 1)

NordenBladet – I am a wild dreamer, but not in the dull, negative sense. I have a vivid imagination, perhaps too intense at times to fit in the frames of normal. However, those that don’t dream big are left with their modest wishes as are the impurities on a lamp shade. I am fond of dreaming and this is one of the best and most pleasant brain gymnastics as well as a way of spending time when you have short breaks in between events. For example, when I am driving to take the children home and there is a tedious moment of pause at some place, then at once I start dreaming. My favourite type of dream starts like this: What would I do if… and there the ideas are let fly…

My so to say dreaming has been the foundation for many big projects that have come to be in the actual world. For example, all my life I have admired Arianna Huffington, today 67 years old. I started off with the design of the OHMYGOSSIP brand towards the end of the year 2007 and at the time I thought I would really wish to be much like that woman – vigorous, skillful, empowered, independent, innovative, etc. Back then it was merely a dream, completely outrageous and unrealistic. I accompanied my dream so closely that a few years later I ventured to assert in my blog that one fine day on the media terrain I would be more influential than Arianna Huffington (you can read about it HERE). In 2009 Huffington held according to Forbes the 12th place among the most influential women in the media. In the year 2014 she was according to Forbes the 52nd most influential woman in the world. In 2011 the media corporation AOL took up Huffington Post for 315 million dollars. Huffington became the president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group. It is true, my starlight has not reached her measure yet, however, I am less of age by half today and besides the breakthrough in online and print media I have divided myself between various projects – I am developing and expanding my own fashion brand that has gained popularity around the world – Ohmygossip Couture (T-shirts, casual wear, accessories), with my daughters I have founded the enterprise Elisheva & Shoshana, and I am the manager for the 11-year-old Estella Elisheva, the violinist and my daughter, as well as the promoter and administrator of seven world famous stars on Twitter and FB. During the past ten years I have become the most influential woman in the Scandinavian social media (see HERE and HERE). I am not embarrassed to name it – I am the greatest, the most well-known, the most liked, the most shared, I am the top of the cap in every ranking. OHMYGOSSIP and NordenBladet are the best known media brands in social media, with 150 000+ regular unique daily readers and with 5+ million followers in social media. Our marketing portfolio is longed for and envied both by the Estonian significant agents (Ekspress Meedia, Eesti Meedia) as well as the Scandinavan largest media – Schibsted, Bonnier, Alma Media, etc.

Yes, what I have just exercised is boasting and perhaps arrogant, yet the reason why I chose to do that is positive – my message to you is: believe in your dreams, the bigger your dreams, the more you will achieve! Do believe in the impossible, since almost any dream is possible once you really wish to reach them! What is the life cycle of a dream from the emergence of the dream until the dream coming true?

If you dream big and yearn to encourage and inspirit your dream, then you can rely on the reaction to your dreams being spitefulness, malevolence, the wounding and belittling of your dream, negativism and anything else that might tell you the word: be average, do not stick out, do not think for yourself, do nothing to seem different from everybody, do not have hope, do not have ambitions for anything further etc… You may be absolutely sure that if there is someone that feels like your dream looks good, they will try to steal it from you (or do so, if you are not long-sighted enough) and should you be on someone’s way, instead of starting teamwork you will be criticized, defamed, attempted to be reduced. A good saying is: FIRST THEY LAUGH, THEN THEY COPY! At the beginning they ridicule you, and once they realize you are a considerable player, they will start to copy you. Therefore – should you have a dream, be it realistic, unrealistic or completely outrageous – believe in yourself! Everything is possible! Whoever falls repeatedly and knows what it is like to be in the dirt face downwards, will rise towards the sky with the greater, bolder and brighter flash than ever! Everything is possible! Once more, believe in yourself!

In the next post I will tell you more about realistic, unrealistic and completely outrageous dreams, ambitions and enterprises!!

Helena-Reet: Quite unnoticeably I have come to be „professional luxury travel blogger” + ORGANIZER OF PRESS TRIPS FOR JOURNALISTS AND BLOG WRITERS!

NordenBladet – We have carried out a sizable survey and analysis concerning the NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP sites and quite many indicators have surprised me. For exmple, the fact that an entertainment site has grown into a premium travel site where the most searched for are travel blogs and travel info.

Spontaneously enough I have become „a professional luxury travel blogger”, professionally reflecting the luxurious travel lifestyle. It definitely is a fact that the Scandinavians like to travel a lot and their finances favour the enjoyment of life. According to recent surveys the Finns, the Swedes as well as the Estonians are keen travellers and it is a trend that people visit expensive destinations and luxurious hotels and resorts. Also, the age group of our readers was a surprise for me – being higher that what I expected. Our typical reader is a 45+ years of age wealthy lady.

I have for many years been in collaboration with tourism ministries, tourism bureaus, travel agencies, shipping and airline companies, hotels and restaurants. Last week a new direct flight on the Helsinki-Marrakech line was launched and NordenBladet editorial board received an exclusive invitation to travel this line among the first. Invitations like these to various press travels, hotels and flights are abundant and thus unfortunately a selection has to be made as to both what we would wish and be able to reflect. NordenBladet’s target group are the well-off Scandinavians and their preferences, this has been our program already from the starting days of the web journal. However, that the target group exactly be formed according to our original vision – this was something that we had not been quite so positively tuned to happen. I would have presumed our prime reader to be almost 15 years younger. As a mother of two, leading one of the most influential Scandinavian media groups, I often havethe same feeling myself – that once when I take time off, the vacation must be the best possible. There simply isn’t time to kill doing something next to pointless. Time is money, spare time is luxury – therefore making good use of the quality time is a priority for every person.

The affluent kind cares for smoothly organized travels, quality service and nice treatment at the destination and a personal approach. Especially the latter – you should like to feel welcome, that you matter. You should like to feel that you are pampered. Weather going on a mission or on a holiday, people expect quality catering and a clean and cozy, spacious hotel room, the SPA and swimming pool add to the plus side, and the service standards are not reduced at any time. As long as the destination is worthwhile, the elevated cost is not problematic. People turn to me more and more with the query: „What would you recommend?” „Whould you actually travel there were it self-financed?”, „How would rank the service?”, etc.

I am extremely pleased and grateful to realize that my personal opinion is of such value. On the other hand it brings alongI huge responsibility – when earlier I used to post to Twitter, Facebook whatever my mood and whatever crossed my mind, then I now carefully ponder what to lay out and what to withhold.

However, I must say that I am very emotional and I do like to continue with this kind of posts every once in a while, and oftentimes I think back afterwards, wondering if it was the right move. And yet my reader is already familiar with this and probably these readers that are with me since 2008 perhaps know me better than I know myself and they already look forward to the straightforward posts!

As a matter of fact, I also have news for you! Actually this is monumental! From now on, via several tourism ministries and tourism bureaus I am going to be organizing press travels for blog writers and journalists. So listen up, the travel-natured – this is your opportunity! If your passion is travelling and discovering the world, please let me know! Certainly I prefer to send to these complimentary luxury travels in the first priority range the blog writers and journalists that contribute in the NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP stream, however, until there are vacancies, I’ll be opening the doors for the travel friends who are running their own game. Until the new and exciting travel experience unravels!

If you feel that you are keen on travelling and wish to incorporate your (travel)blog under the NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP sites, please let me know of your wish via email: info@nordenbladet.com

On the opening photo: 2x Violinist, Luxury travel blogger and OHMYGOSSIPteen chief managerial staff Estella Elisheva (NordenBladet/ Helena-Reet Ennet)

Helena-Reet: Again off to Morocco next week with my colleagues!

OHMYGOSSIP – In the year 2017/2018 I intend to look deeply into further developing the Ohmygossip.fi web page and launch some rearrangements. As I have said before, the OHMYGOSSIP portals have joined the Scandinavian media affiliated group and within the coming year we will convey all the Ohmygossip pages under NordenBladet. I would like to recruit more wonderful bloggers (drop me an e-mail, should you wish to join us!) and leave the topics about society and politics for the NordenBladet.fi site. The layout scheme for our Estonian web magazines is largely settled and the same is awaiting to be performed with the Finnish and Swedish portals.

Since the homes of our co-authors, translators, board partners etc are scattered all over Scandinavia the accordingly we hold meetings infrequently. And the best solution for that would be a travel outing – be it in Estonia, in Finland, Sweden or faraway. As a rule, I plan one on one meetings with companions in a hotel or in a restaurant, this has so far been most efficient. My bold dream is of course to open up separate offices in Estonia, Finland and Sweden one fine day, however, at this point of time it is financially unavailable and neither is it currently reasonable. Also I have in mind the future trend of arranging regular travel meetings that various Norden Bladet editing team members might partake. At the moment I am further encouraging our cooperation with tourism ministries and tourism bureaus in Morocco and Israel – these are very pleasant people and very professionally minded. This far it has been a very healthily progressing cooperation and I am hoping to expand our common enterprises.

NordenBladet is a multifaceted platform and in addition to the routine output regarding daily news, politics, health topics and home columns it pays remarkable attention to tourism issues. The Scandinavians like to travel and therefore people constantly seek to find travel stories and tourism related information from our multilingual portals. Also, people are keen on the entertainment section and the opinion and reviews from blog writers that can be found on Ohmygossip sites under NordenBladet are highly valued.

Last year I have taken various team members and business partners to several trips to Morocco (Agadir) and the journeys have been very splendid. Joining me to the same Agadir business visit was Ohmygossip.ee co-author and Ohmygossip Couture long time model Marianna Link and Ohmygossip.fi blog writer Tuija Järvinen. I very much hoped that our Finnish to Estonian route translater and co-author Marju Rõmmel would join us but she was bound to staying at home with her baby son. Then again I mysel couldn’t attend the second trip, but I sent a delegation of three business partners. This year’s travel to Morocco is within the framework of Ohmygossip.fi and accompanying me I have a crew consisting of Ohmygossip.fi blogger Tuija as previously, then Ohmygosspi.fi Estonian to Finnish route translator Risto and then also Estella Elisheva, who is in charge of OHMYGOSSIPteen development. The plan was to have with us Ohmygossip.fi blogger Pia Sarkkinen, but other professional obligations prevented her from joining.

We will be travelling to Morocco (Marrakech) via Helsinki and Stockholm, and on our way back we will test the Norwegian direct flight Marrakech (RAK) – Helsinki (HEL).

However, the Morocco travel itself will be depicted closely in the next post!

Read about last year’s Morocco travel from HERE, HERE and HERE

Hereby a few photos taken by me of OHMYGOSSIP co-authors Marianna and Tuija on our previous journey ?











Helena-Reet: My secret garden – Good vibes only!

OHMYGOSSIP – I have made up my mind about distancing myself as much as possible from all that has negative impact and the best way to achieve that is being closer to G-d. The more we manage to melt into the rest of nature to be as one the further away we reach from the pointless noise surrounding us in daily life. It often happens that also the nearest and dearest tend to hurt us and on those occasions we need all the extra energy it takes to handle it. As for me, I derive energy from nature!

Lucky enough, I have got my own „secret garden”, and actually it is not quite so secret – however when glanced at with a different pair of eyes, plenty of mystery will unfold. Through various twists the previous year has added quite some esoteric aspects to my life as well as it has included contacts with extraterrestrial forces. For example, as incredible as it may seem, last summer while visiting Viljandi with my sister we stubled upon an actual spook (read more about it from previous blog posts HERE, HERE and HERE) and from then on we have witnessed many evident predictive signs. Actually, prophecies and clairvoyance are not an unknown phenomenon in our family – many ancestors have been veritable sorcerers and with profound knowledge about herbs, helping many find their true path – with the employment of herbs, lunar phases, and overall wisdom – and have helped wipe away love worries, financial concerns and health problems. I know, this tale may sound like regular crap from any Chatterbox in the light of all those TV shows about witcraft, but you can’t beat actual facts. Well, does this somehow scare me? I would say, definitely! I have always been rather sceptical about stuff like that, yet the further down the road the more I recognize that it is important to trust the inner feeling, take into account the signs and not ignore mental images.

But now back to the garden… I am keen on those semi-set half wild gardens, those like my very own. The more you invest your time in the trees and bushes and the more you talk to them, the more the garden opens up in return. It is a very pleasant feeling! I am fond of how in earlier times people grew everything they ever needed – the less of all that industrial production the better. As for me, I also grow plenty myself – especially the beverages (for example various herbal teas and apple juice for winter). I dry up several plants and herbs with numerous beneficial (therapeutial) effects. Should you be interested to learn more about that, then HERE I have compiled a brief practical compendium about easily available plants with significant effect.

I have also observed that I am really in to taking pictures of nature. Here you can find a gallery of a few recent photos that really make me sigh: Life is beautiful, make sure you notice that! The Almighty has provided us with so much to be joyous about!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ0TO-FFeTM/?taken-by=helenareetennet

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ0VsdOlMY5/?taken-by=helenareetennet

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ21En2FmhZ/?taken-by=helenareetennet

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ0pMKzlyO3/?taken-by=helenareetennet

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ1Be-yF1TX/?taken-by=helenareetennet

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ3NrbhFx6Y/?taken-by=helenareetennet

Helena-Reet: Can this be my WILDEST dream?

OHMYGOSSIP – I quite frequently browse real estate advertisements and recently stumbled on an ad that a tiny cottage without electricity and proper access by road, located even far away from any small town, is for sale… The price was many times higher than its market price would be, and during winter there is literally nothing to do there… Yet just imagine, if exactly that occasion is not wonderful?! I am in love – blindly in love. Since this „wow” emotion often takes over, then I intend to wait a bit before taking any steps, and still I wish to share this pleasant feeling with you!

Yes, I am aware of being utterly emotional – new ideas, situations and challenges easily ignite me – and still I cannot hold myself back when seeing such a miracle! Had I no children to be taken to school and classes, then probably I would not hesitate a second. For quite a while I have not witnessed such a picturesque view – the nature, forests, wild environment. It takes my breath away… and yet to some extent it is dreadful. As for myself, I am fearful. When home alone, I light up all rooms and an hour before bed time I devote myself to prayers. When I am alone I get scared of the darkness, however I would be happy to be released from that fear – I would like to face my fears. I would love the untouched and wild nature, unimpaired by human hand – precisely like you can see on these pictures. I would not need a television set, electricity, fridge or other urban amenities – it is actually the simplicity that I like, although I might at times perhaps leave the opposite impression. Sometimes it may also happen that I haven’t got a clue what it is exactly that I want, yet these sights make me wanna dive into the thick woods and isolation. For sure, there would be plenty of bears, snakes, wolves and what would be considered daily inconveniences… however there would definitely be a magic key to cure the souls worn out and weary from the urban life. Seeing that spot I felt as if being exposed to a take from Jaan Tätte script based motion picture „Meeletu” (Mindless), where man of wealth, the businessman (Rain Simmul) that seems to have anything at all necessary for his life, cannot endure the world he has established for himself and thus moves to the countryside to be a hermit and search for his place in this life.

I AM SEARCHING FOR WHO I AM, WHAT IS MY PLACE IN LIFE, AND I RAMBLE! More and more frequently I find myself thinking what has been and what will be.



PS! The images are taken from KV real estate portal!

Helena-Reet: A meeting in Southern Estonia, a visit to Taagepera mansion and draining beauty from Helme sacrificial spring + GALLERY!

OHMYGOSSIP – in the summertime it is pleasant to work outside the office and that is why I scheduled the meetings to South-Estonia, to combine work with a little trip. NordenBladet closely collaborates with various tourism bureaus and tourism service offering institutions, thus my work is versatile and fascinating! Every morning I begin the day with a very positive feeling and there is rarely a day when I don’t enjoy the work a hundred percent.

NordenBladet Estonian department has started off very successfully and also, to my mind, the readers have taken it very calmly that Ohmygossip is now under NordenBladet. Actually both support each other and the more serious news and entertainment stand apart – I very much like this rearrangement. In new year (2018) the latest I will begin active cooperation with NordenBladet Finland branch. In September there will be a major meeting and then we will plan the coming year up until May. Since there will be a lot of travelling in Estonia, Finland and Sweden for me as well as the network partners, there is always the need to accommodate somebody, cater and drive around – thus it is important to visit different places myself to be able to write about them for my readers and to recommend them to my network partners.


After the meeting and dinner in Viljandi we went to see Taagepera manor. Those who have read my previous blog „Sometimes I play with the idea of buying a manor” already know that atumbling upon Taagepera manor I got a strong feeling and wanted to see it with my own eyes – and not to put myself through a lot of pain I decided to go and see it very soon. The Art Nouveau style facade of the building is definitely fascinating and shoud I be some day building a new house for us, then the dwelling might look a bit like a palace. Yet my version of the house would contain 5-7 rooms the most.

And now the impression from what has been seen… The palace was even bigger in real life than it appeared on the pictures. It definitely would suitably function as a hotel or other business enterprise rather than a dwelling house for somebody. The rooms are quite depreciated and even the suite (190 eur) did not attract to stay overnight. Regular rooms resembled an inexpensive hostel. Yet as far as I see the palace was waiting to be renovated and a SPA was to be put up in the basement. The tower was completely closed. The palace is originally beautiful and is in need of a wealthy suitor. Were it not a living space in the courtyard (not belonging to the manor add-ons) and a two-storey massive construction with ugly design and were there a thick fir tree forest instead of the meadow behind the palace, the place would collect more bonus points in my eyes. However, the place is definitely worth a visit! It feels great to have a glimpse on such an old building, also I wish to praise the visitor service. Already at the reception there was a very friendly and helpful lady and even after I had let her know that we would not be staying for the night and just wish to see the interior, she did not wrinkle the nose but kindly offered to show us the rooms. This left a very positive impression. The people who go there are really welcome! I will certainly be interested to know what the SPA would be like when it is ready and perhaps I will even stay overnight some time.

























Further on we went to see Helme Pearl Spring (also known as the Doctor’s Spring). This is a sacrificial spring in Valgamaa county, Helme parish. According to a legend the water from this spring helps against seven maladies and maidens used to come here with pearl offerings in order to maintain their beauty. We also stretched our hands out in the water and cast some water on our face. Since we had left the purses in the car we did not toss any coins in the water, neither did we have a pearl necklace with us, yet our offering was the time spent there. Besides we picked up the broken glass pieces that were absolutely too many around there. It is a pity that there are people who care so little about nature and vandalize like this.

The springs are very powerful, I am very fond of them. If I could, I would put some water from the spring on my face every day. It felt wonderful afterwards. I thanked the spring and drove along to Võru, where a new meeting was awaiting the following day.




Photos: NordenBladet/ Helena-Reet Ennet

Helena-Reet: Sometimes I play with the idea of buying a manor house

OHMYGOSSIP – I have this odd connection with manor houses, a strange mixed feeling of affection and awe. It pleases me when history is remembered and appreciated and historical monuments are restored, yet I do not like that many of today’s manors are rather enterprises than residential dwellings. Similarly, it is a pity to see that directly next to these beautiful manor houses, additional monstrous constructions have carelessly and cheaply been erected for purposes of greed and extra money, where under the name of a manor still some more tourists are being attracted to stay overnight. And also it is a pity that the manor houses that are for sale today have ever less and less hectars of land around them.

However, the previously mentioned situation is relatively understandable. Estonia is a small country and you cannot find here too many people that are simultaneously wealthy and fond of the rural life, willing to reside far away from the city centre, in a palace with 20+ or 30+ living rooms, intensely heating the dwelling for most of the year, taking good care of the land tenure, away from the civilization, and perhaps quarreling with the ancient manor spirits (not to mention the millions of euros that it takes to restore a manor to its normal condition). Besides, it definitely raises the question – who is about to live in these premises? Nowadays it is an achievement to give birth to a single child in the rush of life. This kind of a palace expects 10+ children! Would you be crouching there in the corner alone late at night, wondering what is happening in the other 29 rooms?

And despite this, people are buying manors in large quantities, since the selling prices seem reasonable and manor owner’s thoughts are easy to entertain. Nevertheless, when it comes to me, I am not that optimistic with these issues. It will not make you more noble once you have purchased for half a million or a even million euros a manor that is actually in ruins. In fact, you can buy one even for less – I have seen advertisements where manors are for sale for as little as a few hundred thousands. Of course, these places are mostly a complete mess. Many of the happy buyers will be fooled, they will have to face the heritage protection and they will have to use trickery to make it seem as though something is still being restored after all, while in reality it is usually limited to repairing a small bit of the roof during ten years time or setting up the very promising construction scaffolding. I have, though, been thinking of buying – let the manor then stand there so I can wait and see and deliberate. Then again this feels like deception. Deceit towards myself as well as towards the place.



Photos: 3x Taagepera manor (ATTENTION! The images have been found and downloaded over the internet. I have not been able to identify the author for reference. Should the author recognize their photos and wish to have their name added here, or perhaps have the photos deleted from this blog, then please contact us and we immediately act upon this wish.)

I have been thinking that, yes… manors do attract me in a way, on the one hand I cannot stand old stuff that is falling apart, grandiosity (a malady that often strikes me), places that may be haunted, excessive expenditures, excessive obligations… yet on the other hand it comprises a challenge… and challenges are something that I like. Although my financial position wouldn’t allow me to become a manor owner today, I still sometimes play with the idea – I calculate, I design and plan in my mind. Sometimes I have thought that it would be cool to buy a manor house, where a few couple hundred years ago the ancestors had had a hard time serving the manor owner… and in this way to bend history towards a more positive direction. The thing is – this so to say revenge motive is the most pointless and destructive of all. In life everything ought to be channelled through the energy of love, through healthy and constructive energy, not done out of greed, revenge and plain demonstration for the sake of others. Imagine you were the most important, wealthiest and best loved person in the world – how would you behave? What decisions would you make? How would you act if there were no need to prove anything to anybody, how would you live?

To my mind the first and most important thing about buying a manor (of course besides the financial strength appropriate for the transaction) is the feeling of love and recognition – if this is lacking, do not continue the business. To be genuinely happy, live so that each step in your life is accompanied by love! Though I like many manor houses, there hasn’t been this „click” about any of them yet. I have not quite so systematically visited manor houses and seen the manors, but I guess that the right things come to you one fine day and let you know that they are there. An almost complete picture for me opened with seeing the Art Nouveau style Taagepera manor which I rather randomly stumbled upon, yet when I saw the adjoining construction nearby, the emotions cooled. Of course, the construction could be pulled down etc… but to live in a 32-room palace somewhere in Valga county, you need not simply be a millionaire, you need to be financially secure inside out.

Since I have not seen the place nor the surroundings with my own eye, I won’t pause on this any longer for now – yet I have to admit that interest, anxiety and curiosity speak in me. There certainly is something… what exactly this is, I do not know yet.

Plainly accomplishing the purchase is the easiest part. Even if there is no real estate for sale today, there will nevertheless be a bargain after agreeing upon suitable price in relevant negotiations. However, besides feeling love I also am scared of manors. I got the feeling that should the deal be settled for a purpose other than that (with the wish to start a business or open a hotel there), this would spoil the old cultural object’s natural climate and disturb the peace of the beings that inhabit the place or the mythical creatures that have established themselves over time. I would be the least surprised if it turned out the old manor house is inhabited by elves, a tree spirit (the common ash spirit), treasure lifters, shapeshifters, ghosts, etc. Hardly anybody wishes that their dear purchase/investment takes a violent turn against them or even worse, drives them outright insane and directly to the madhouse.

Many years ago it was a common thing to bury the manor owners on the same territory and that would mean that those failing to let go of their precious earthly property still keep guard over the manor. As a rule, the manor owners were rich folks as compared to other people of their times, they were people with obsessions, people pushing their opinion forward – which would make their souls quite the same – greedy, controlling, dominating. Carrying out careless rearrangements in the manor will make them direct their anger at those who do that.

Besides, a bitter and mistreated peasant might have remained there to haunt after death. Well, now I am already leading this tale to be very mystical, yet I think that one must not ovelook these points upon acquiring such an old object. You need not be too scared, since it is possible to purify the energy with love and caring and bring peace with prayers wherever peace is needed.

 

Helena-Reet: by those METHODS I have gained over 5 MILLION followers and more than 350,000 readers per day

Foto: Helena-Reet Ennet

OHMYGOSSIP – When speaking about webpages, the first question that pops into people’s mind is “How many unique readers do you have?”. Me and my Estonian, Scandinavian, American and Brazilian webpages are no exception to this rule. I answer almost weekly to questions how many readers do we have on OHMYGOSSIP and NordenBladet pages, how many followers do we have on social media, how many articles do we publish per day, how big is our team and mainly – which tricks have I used to get that many readers and followers.

As I do NordenBladet and OHMYGOSSIP as a hobby – meaning I mostly even pay rather than drown in money gained by advertisement, I don’t see a reason why I should hide from you my tips how have I gained readers and how do I keep them on my page. Is it one way or another, I don’t see why people could not share good ideas. Always the one who gives, receives – I have doubted that saying a lot but now I am sure – help others and you will be helped. Care and people will care about you.

PASSION AND PERSISTENCE – these are the first tricks and probably the ones which affect the readers the most. Our articles are not full of sponsored posts, the webpage is not flooded by irritating and out of context advertisements and our articles are honest – so honest that sometimes I even regret if there was a need to be that straightforward. So I do what I love and I love my job a lot! I have been communicating with my readers so much that both me and them have a certain kind of addiction. Okay, this is all blablabla. You came to read this article for certain tips. I will continue with the next one in the importance ranking.

INVESTMENT TO THE FUTURE – now comes a very controversial idea to what I said before that “I rather do it as a hobby and pay for my site”. On one hand me, like every other person, I spend certain amounts on my hobbies but on the other hand I invest to the future. As I have the opportunity to live thanks to another income, then the potential income of the web is planned for the future – luckily in one case or another I will not be a loser as I am doing what I love. Only a few can afford to do that, this is a huge privilege. I use all the income from the advertisements to invest again to the company. I haven’t paid a salary to myself since starting the company. What I get through advertisements, collaborations and different deals, I invest immediately to the expansion. Moreover, I invest a lot of my own money to the page, not to even mention my energy and time.

But more precisely:

TWITTER – the same channel that brought victory to the president of the United States Donald Trump – as a major part of people “live” for the social media. It would be silly to underestimate it. Like for any business, timing is the key – I was active on Twitter in 2009, when most of the people in Estonia used Orkut and did not even know about the existence of Facebook. At that time there were less users on Twitter and those who were became automatically your friends. It was easy to find new “friends”. Twitter has a rule that you can add maximum 1000 people per day which I use as firstly, those people will look “who is it who added me” and secondly, 20-40% of them will start following you. As I have webpages in many different countries and in different languages, then obviously I have different accounts for each of them. Thus, I start following different people depending on the account and get different followers. What the pages have in common is the goal – who will come to one page will end up to the next ones. So the pages support each other.

FACEBOOK – For a long time I used the paid “boost” option on Facebook which worked very successfully. I paid for the appearance of my articles on the feed (max 150 euros per month) – I chose the location and timing where I wanted them to be seen and voila—the readers came but currently the service is rather painful for the wallet and moreover, useless. Sometimes out of an old habit I “boost” things but the result is generally very bad. For instance I boost for one euro and I’ll get 500 views and 1 click per article which is ridiculous considering that before the Facebook boost brought thousands of clicks just for one euro. Facebook’s time is about to be over, that’s for sure. I am over 6 years in different South American social networks which still remain unknown in Europe and Scandinavia.

INTERVIEWS – The world has millions of websites and smaller or bigger media channels. I have always thought that a good one will be found without advertisement, so besides Facebook Boost I have spent money on advertisement only on few occasions (which haven’t been very useful). I have mostly through Twitter searched for collaboration partners and channels where to advertise OHMYGOSSIP, NordenBladet and Ohmygossip Couture. I have offered many interviews and different means of collaboration. I have received thousands of rejections and even more ignoring but I have also received positive answers and collaboration possibilities. It is important not to be afraid, not to take it personally and keep pushing forward. There will be always those who don’t answer, who are not interested and also those who are very interested. It’s just important to figure out the ones interested! Numerous foreign websites, newspapers, magazines, bloggers and social media channels have wanted to take our relationship a step forward after our first collaboration as they understood collaboration is the key. Every collaboration is always beneficial! I never “leave behind the door” collaboration partners who are even 90% or more smaller and “weaker” than me. Why? Firstly, there is always something to learn from everyone as everyone has something that you don’t and you never know when a tiny company will become something huge. People are often pessimists but those who are over it can confirm that helping others and collaborating has brought them only pleasure. There is no need to be afraid that the other one will be “bigger, richer, better” but that together we will be even better, richer, happier. Shared happiness is always the biggest!

PRODUCTS – at some point your page will become your brand – the name becomes so known that it will be noticed by different companies in different sectors. For instance, OHMYGOSSIP name has released various products from teas to scarves and bags. I’m not speaking about what Ohmygossip Couture produces but what kind of collaboration other companies have wished for to get an exclusive OHMYGOSSIP product. How to reach the point that companies want to produce products under your brand’s name? I have used two ways – I have written in my blog about my wishes, ideas and dreams and secondly, I have tweeted in Twitter where I have clearly expressed my wishes. It is easier to find contact with people when you show your thoughts, express your dreams as most people are not fortune tellers. Don’t be afraid to show your dreams and wishes!

DIFFERENT MARKETS – Definitely one of my strengths has been the fact that I work in different languages. I have done different pages and social media accounts for different countries. My brands’ news are published in 5-8 languages depending on the content which is already a base for a large readership. The most red but the most difficult market is in English, it’s very “all over the place” and it’s hard to choose whether it’s meant for England, America or just to an English speaking reader. Multilingualism gives you a heads up in different areas and situations – almost every partner is interested when he hears that his news can be published in numerous other languages and countries. Businessmen think big! And a journalist must think even bigger!

PERSONAL CONTACT – This is the most time-consuming and the most difficult one. You need to keep regular contact with people which takes time. This is something to take into account – nothing comes without hard work. Each project needs time, investment and YOU NEED TO SHARE LOVE as if you want to gain something without giving anything back – your plan is not sustainable. You can gain in short-term but in the long-term perspective you’ll be the loser. Do this to others what you want to be done to you!

Helena-Reet: Vacation (vol5) – A broken tire, Marilyn Kerro, Hans H. Luik and consultation with Rabbi

OHMYGOSSIP – Obviously I am already compiling a novel based on my 24-hour mini-holiday trip to Viljandi (Estonia). This is volume 5 – and I gather this is rather odd! How long am I to continue telling you what I have seen behind this or that forest or what feelings arose with this or that field. Hahaa. This was simply way more important an event for me than purchasing in Los Angeles real estate in the value of 10+ million euros. As I have mentioned earlier – money and feelings stand completely apart!

In advanced years, with advanced experience people want more clarity – especially about what concerns the past. My elder sister has taken a great interest in digging as deep in the past as she can – due to this she has inolved high level personal history researchers and specialists to draw up a complete family tree. At this point she has complied and reviewed the genealogy from our father’s lineage so thoroughly that it is among the best investigated and mapped written sources of informtion about the past that is publicly accessible on Geni web. Thanks to my sister’s research project we have dicovered surprising kinships – for example further back such families as Roht, Leibach, Leipalu and Kerro (in Estonian and Russian communities well-known maiden witch Marilyn Kerro’s ancestors… I am bringing these out because, lets put it this way, there are in succession a lot of people in the lineage that intensely sense the surroundings!) and among Estonians one of the wealthiest, well-known and in my specialty (media) the most significant men – Hans H. Luik, who is in the cousin line a few generations back! Besides, we didn’t know earlier that the politicians named Helme are our relatives. People tend to know and communicate only with the closest of the relatives and at the end of the day on a larger scale everybody is related to everybody as cousins and kinsmen, however it is good to know in which ways the branches in the family tree have developed.

For example in the newspaper Postimees lately a story was published about Estonia’s oldest known person Maria Tomson (born Maria Geelman, on December 27th 1853 in Aru parish, Tartu county, deceased on April 26th 1966 in Holstre), having lived 112 years, three months and 29 days.

I would say that they have been inadequately informed… In our family line there have been people that lived up to 112 years – there are official entries in church books about that. Stemming from Suure-Jaani parish (belonging to Jaska manor) the farmer Tohver of Pojo farmhouse was born in 1607 and passed away 23.01.1719. But where am I directing this story? My point is: Those not remembering the past lack a future – the poet Juhan Liiv’s golden words. It is very interesting to discover the predecessors that we were inaware of before.

But let me continue with my vacation topic’s final entry. We stayed overnight in Intsu village, Männiku Metsatalu farmhouse. We were delighted about the place and we sincerely recommend the place to everybody, from all our hearts! Usually when you check in to a hotel, the receptionist takes a photocopy of your passport, also you must fill in a great many documents – yet there they only collected the money (merely 20 euros per night per person!) and that was it! So simple, easy and confiding towards the guests. Very pleasant! I continue to be enchanted about the place and probably already next week will be visiting them again – now with two sisters – the younger as well as the elder!!!

As you know, weird, unexpected and unprecedented events took place during my one-day visit, and there is no one explanation to those. People do not stumble upon ghosts, not every place is haunted and not every person can sense spirits… this is something that I am searcing an answer to. At the moment I can tell you that it has frequently occurred in our lineage and perhaps too commonly even to make a big deal out of this. Among my ancestors there have been a great many nature persons – people who read the nature like an open book – in every possible way. People who feel the vibes of nature, who read the signs from nature and breathe together with nature are very mighty – they possess great powers and force. I would not call this witchcraft or clairvoyance, but in reality the essence and consequences of this go further than those listed supernatural powers, being even stronger, even more powerful. With these skills and knowledge it is possible to heal, predict future event as well as interpret past events. However, now coming back to myself, I have avoided this all – clairvoyance, feeling the nature and energetics – as a conscious choice! Yet whenever I let it go, things start happening. Understanding and interpreting dreams is not new to me, perceiving loci and energies, glancing in the „mirror” of the past times. I even turned to my Rabbi regarding this, wishing to find a clear answer to what happened. And I can assure you I got an answer – it is not at all negative, but still rather unexpected for me and at the present moment I do not feel like I wish or want to share this with the broad public. Everything at it’s reasonable time! I myself must digest this knowledge for a while!

Hereby let us put an end to this vacation-narrative. In the morning my car had a broken tire and this is a sufficient sugn to quit the conversation on the Viljandi topic. Car service reached us in half an hour, replaced the tire and the critical situation was solved. After that we visited Ramsi, Heimtali, Puiatu, Matsimaa and Kõpu and drove back to Viljandi. We had coffee and cakes in a cafe in Viljandi and drove back home. Within this 24-hour holiday I had experienced more than a journey lasting a week. I intend to find time for myself in the future more often – to work well you must have knowledge to rest also – may it then last these mere 24 hours!











Helena-Reet: Growing, collecting and drying herbs for the winter + a LITTLE guide to the effect of various herbal teas!

OHMYGOSSIP – During the summer I eagerly make preparations for the winter. I prefer to drink only those herbal teas that I myself have grown, collected and dried. Those have a special power in them. For example, when during summer I drink tea that is made from fresh leaves, blossoms and stems, then for wintertime I gather and dry herbs. Those are perfect to drink daily myself as well as for offering to friends.

My favourites are linden blossoms, peppermint and chamomile, but I also always gather raspberry leaves and stems, and also black currant leaves and common sea buckthorn leaves – all these are available in my home garden. This year I have not yet collected birch leaves and blueberry leaves. July is the best time for gathering the herbs. While many of the herb friends collect and dry the herbs rather in May and June, then I personally prefer the herbs and leaves that have seen a sufficient amount of sunlight and daylight and have saved plenty of the warm and light energy. The daylight can cure! Even a day when there is not much of sunshine has great healing potential!

In order to still increase the healing effects of herbal teas, it is recommended to speak to the tree or bush before picking the leaves – tell the plant that you are there for a kind end, that the plant is of great help, and of course thank the plant for the good harvest. Do not withhold a return – stroke the plant, smile to it and praise it!!

And here is a brief guide to how the different herbs can cure:

Linden leaves – the biochemical compounds of linden leaves are, besides an abundance of vitamins, the saccharides, flavonoids, tannins, phytoncides, glycosides, essential oils, etc. Linden leave herbal tea is well known for its general anti-inflammatory effect, it calms and relaxes and pumps health and vitality into the body. It is used in folk medicine against common cold, fever, the flu, sore throat, pneumonia and coughing. To some extent the tea has a calming effect, also relieving indigestion problems and relaxing spasms and suspending inflammation. From the wisdom of my grandmothers I can tell you that linden leave herbal tea prolongs life and earlier on they were widely viewn as the symbol of immortality. Besides, should you have problems with sleeping, then place linden leaves on your eyes when going to bed and before going to sleep also drink linden leave tea! The power from linden tree calms you and brings you sweet dreams!

Peppermint – peppermint leaves contain essential oils, tannins (6-12%), carotene, flavonoids, ursolic and oleanolic acids. From peppermint’s etheric oils 40-70% is menthol and 10-25% is menthone. Leaves also contain tripertens, hesperidin, betaine, copper, manganese and other microelements that widen the therapeutic effect of the plant. Folk wisdom recommends peppermint in case of various gastrointestinal problems from nausea to menstruation pain, also peppermint will relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Peppermint has a calming and relaxing effect. It helps in against neurosis, insomnia and hypersensitivity. Also it is helpful to drink peppermint tea in case of a headaches and nausea.

Chamomile – chamomile flowers contain etheric oils, flavonglycosides, coumarin derivates, hamasulen, choline, vitamin C, carotene, bitter, natural oil and mucus. They contain antioxidants that support the immune system. Volatile oils contain also bisabolol (bisabolol and hamasulen have anti-inflammatory effect). Due to coumarin content chamomile sometimes inhibits the effect of blood fluidifiers (warfarin). Also it may inhibit iron absorption. In folk medicine chamomile is a beloved herb that supports the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the nervous system – it lowers blood pressure, slows down the heart rate and breathing, relieves stress, increases well-being and empathy. Chamomile tea helps maintain the health and welfare of the respiratory tract. It relaxes the throat and the vocal chords. It supprts the immune system. It contains antioxidats. It helps support normal healthy sleep.

Raspberry leaves and raspberry stems – raspberry leaves and raspberry stems contain vitamin C and vitamin E, carotene, fragerine and phenolcarboxylic acid. Raspberry leave or raspberry stem tea helps against stress and nervousness, against diarrhea, it contributes to perspiration and is good to drink in case of a cold (alleviates the sore throat and coughing), helps in case of sensitive gums and oral sores, alleviates swelling, cures skin conditions (boils), alleviates menstrual pain and keeps the skin beautiful, radiant and elastic. In pregnant women it alleviates morning sickness, accelerates and eases the delivery and stimulates lactation.

Black currant leaves and black currant stems – black currant leaves ad black currant stems contain vitamin C, phytocides, magnesium, manganese, silver, copper, sulphur and etheric oils. Also, black currant leaf extract helps excrete purine and uric acid. Due to containing a lot of vitamins the black currant leaves have a tonicizing, invigorating and refreshing effect.

Common sea buckthorn leaves – common sea buckhorn leaves tea boosts the immune system. In case of gum inflammation a strong infusion of common sea buckhorn leaves is of help. Should you wish to strengthen your hair, you can use the tea also for washing your hair. Common sea buckhorn leave infusion, when used to rinse hair, will strengthen the roots, helps avoid dandruff and falling out of the hair.

Birch leaves – birch leaves contain volatile oils, tar, vitamin C, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and in fresh leaves also substances with strong antibacterial effect.

Birch leave tea speeds urine, sweat and bile excretion (it is recommended to drink in case of renal disease and gallstones). Birch leave tea awakens intuitive powers in people and increases sensitivity – releases from fear, doubt and worrying.

Birch leaf tea helps cleanse the organism from toxins, it has a diuretic effect (takes out water).

Blueberry leaves and blueberry stems – blueberry stems contain a lot of vitamin C and neomyrtilline, acting as great antioxidants. Blueberry leaf tea helps avoid changes related to aging and chonical diseases. Blueberry leaf tea is good for the circulatory system, it boosts digestion and lowers blood sugar.



2x Linden leaves (Photo: Helena-Reet Ennet)


2x Raspberry leaves (Photo: Helena-Reet Ennet)

Black currant leaves (Photo: Helena-Reet Ennet)

Common sea buckthorn leaves (Photo: Helena-Reet Ennet)

Helena-Reet: Vacation (vol4) – Visiting lake Võrtsjärv, Paistu Cemetery and Männiku Metsatalu in Intsu village

OHMYGOSSIP – Days are quickly dashing by and for a while now I have been back from the two-day vacation, doing this and that in my garden and proceeding with other daily duties. Yet the trip to Viljandi a week ago on Tuesday and Wednesday astonished me – why, because in a way it had been the world’s best mini-holiday, and besides I had discovered in myself so many features that still frighten me at the moment. For example the fact that deep down I know myself to have more „powers” than I realize or than I currently wish to admit.

But now I will continue from where I left off previously. Once we had visited Mustla, it seemed that lake Võrtsjärv was also close enough to be seen on our way. The best known and most visited sightseeing attractions near Võrtsjärv are at Kivilõppe – the stones of Kalevipoeg (Kalev’s son, the epic hero) and Vanapagan (Old Nick, the devil). The weather was on our side, on our track there was just once lightening, but we luckily drove past the great rainfall. Most of the day the weather was really fine. It was delightful to be on a road trip in the surroundings of Viljandi with my sister, we even agreed that it was like a real vacation and that we wouldn’t replace this trip with any fancy and expensive journey abroad.

It was about five o’clock when we turned from lake Võrtsjärv towards Paistu through Pahuvere. I had been driving since 9 o’clock in the morning, the last two hours with great pain in the leg. We fetched two bottles of mineral water from Mustla store and my sister took the wheel. The distances in Viljandi are not significant and no matter where you happen to be, it is possible to quickly reach any new destination. I am not completely sure if we drove through Pahuvere, but we arrived soon. Somebody from our relatives had already been to the cemetery and tidied everything up, so there was nothing much to do with the bucket and the watering can. To our great surprise a big tree had been chopped down near one grave and half of the stump was in the ground while the other half was bending over the grave. Very spooky and hideous. Also somebody had replaced the old wooden seat (made from a log cut into halves) with a varnished bench that reminded us of a casket on legs. We wrinkled our noses as we had the impression that it didn’t suit there very well. Later I mentioned it to my mother and wondered how the bench got there – when she replied that our uncle Peter (dad’s brother) had constructed and put it up, we viewed it with a new pair of eyes. It is my point of view that when a son builds something with his own two hands to equip and decorate his beloved mother’s grave, you simply cannot have a bad attitude towards it – and thus when we looked back it warmed our hearts that the new bench was there.

We were starting to get a bit hungry and so we decided to have a look at the Männiku Metsatalu farm in Intsu village. The plan was to stay there in case we liked it and if not so, we would easily find a decent hotel in Viljandi city centre. Intsu is actually not far from Paistu at all. We were there soon and happily noticed that the place was very beautiful, a peaceful setting amongst a thick and beautiful fir wood. At the time a family camp event was held in the farm – have you ever heard about such an enterprise? I had not heard about it, I did not know that there are camps where families (mother-father-children) all get together. Very interesting! The participants were accommodated in tents and we supposed there would be a noisy gathering in the evening – we ourselves had intended to take a serene walk in the forest, talk, have a cup of chamomile tea and then go to sleep. An urban subject’s spoiled thinking! There was really no noise, most of the people were in their tents quite early. Everything just seemed friendly-sincere-splendid-lovable. We had therefore no motive to dine in a faraway cafe or restaurant, so we drove to Viljandi and fetched some food from the supermarket for supper and breakfas (grapes, water melon, salad ad sandwich material). The farmhouse was completely empty and all to ourselves. We selected a convenient room, then had a light meal, chatted for a while and went to our room. And then it started… I am convinced that from as early as Mustla on we were not alone – a creature/ghost/being, I do not know the proper name – had been following us, or perhaps it was some kind of dark energy that we had amplified or, based on fear and ignorance, downright made up ourselves. Be it yet either one or the other, it really freaked us out! It was the feeling that there was something other than ourselves – something we cannot see with the eye, but only sense, perceive. Something that makes us draw conclusions, makes us, forces us to think of it. I was suddenly compelled to delete most of the pictures that I had taken during the day (something was telling me that I cannot keep those pictures). Also my conscience was not at peace until I prayed many times in a loud voice and asked for forgiveness that we had entered a private property unauthorized. The dark and gloomy feeling grew as the night went on and had us so scared that we started praying. I turned to Hashem and expressed my wish to always and only be on the side of LIGHT and even if I had a gift that some portals-channels should open and I would sense them, then I have fear for those powers and I wish not to sense them and prefer not to communicate with them. Oftentimes earlier I have realized that I feel and sense too much, I see something that others don’t, and when I open myself up, I can read places and people like people read books – but I do not want anything like that, nothing at all! I am scared of these things, indeed! Praying there as we were, we finally fell asleep. We had intended to find a real estate appraiser the following morning, to give those real estate offers a second try. Yet when morning came the plan crashed – a tire of my car was broken and absolutely empty. We now needed car service.

Once again, besides twisting my leg, this had also been somebody’s sign that we should back off and not continue our agenda that day or ever. I will let you know in the next blog, what was to follow and why clairvoyance scares me. Also I will say a few words about clairvoyant who gained popularity on television, Marilyn Kerro – a relative and also in the family among the more modest on the powers ladder. You may only guess what powers other members might possess when a player as big as that is yet in her „crib shoes”.

To be continued…











Helena-Reet: Vacation (vol3): Holstre, Mustla and meeting the creature/ghost

OHMYGOSSIP – It is unbelievable that there may be so many emotions in a single day! A brief trip to Viljandi seems like a trip to outer space – bringing along so many emotions, so many discoveries, so many great things to see!

In Ruudiküla we stopped the car to take a walk in the forest – my sister was wearing rainboots and I was in my flip-flops. It didn’t take long when I started lamenting about the danger of a possible snake moving in the hay. In a word – I was spoiling the event. So we went back to the car, I fetched my sister’s socks and sneakers and replaced my flip-flops. From now on it was a lot better. Yet soon enough we had to admit that instead of a fine forest there was plain brushwood. Well-well. It is not quite so easy to find beautiful fir forests in Estonia.

After a short while in the forest, telling how different it all used to be back when we were young, we decided to visit Mustla. This was due to a memory that Memm (dad’s mother) always used to say that we must catch the Mustla bus. Now this meant that we took Mustla bus to get from Viljandi bus station to Ruudiküla. Since Memm kept repeating the word Mustla so often, then it seemed proper that we got there to see the place. Of course we had not studied the map and ended up in a random destination. Actually, in a way this was what we wanted – not to navigate from target A to target B along the main road, but to have an adventure and try following the village roads and perhaps even hoped to get lost on the way. However, since the road network and all the street signs were so logical and reasonable, it was sort of a challenge to get lost in spite of that.

So we drove through the beautiful Viljandimaa, admired the various picturesque fields and finally reached Holstre. That place greeted us with the store named „Pärna”. Well-well, it was now obvious that a picture had to be taken and sent to Margus, so that he might easily recognize the current post and perhaps feel better after the somewhat goofy previous post — his last name is Pärn. It often happens that I say something rough and soon after will regret it. We entered the shop where there was a salesperson with blue hair, and I quite spontaneously took a few pictures from the alcohol section and cookie shelves. As a blogger I am used to always taking pictures, since you will never know what you might need and use later. Then the blue-haired salesperson objected that we may not photograph the interior and we departed mumbling to ourselves. And then, right in the doorway, something strange happened. As I noticed and followed a bus that was passing by, I got stuck and lost balance, and the next thing I remember was having fallen down in full length. I twisted my leg quite badly. And I was afraid that there is a crack in the bone. With this in mind and with great pain in the twisted leg, we left Holstre and proceeded towards Mustla.

Once we arrived at Mustla we were surprised how small the place really was – there was one cafe, one supermarket, one municipality house, a library and a school – and that was it. The cafe yet surprised us with very tasty local products. We shared a soup (€1.50), two locally baked different rolls and a latte, and it didn’t cost us even as much as four eiuros – I cannot remeber the exact sum, but I do remember that the meal was divine! We were positively shocked that a place as small as that had such a great menu and such super small prices!

After that we went to see a house in Tarvastu county that was for sale. What is to follow now is rather scary. At least the two of us got so frightened that we were shaking until late night, praying that we’d be pardoned for any unwanted disturbance that occurred to the possible creatures. Earlier we had spotted on a real estate portal an old farmhouse that was for sale and we got to thinking that in case the house was fairly adequate we might buy the place and try to fix and tidy it. Since our schedule was kind of scattered then we didn’t bother to call the broker-owner and decided that we just have a look from a distance (old houses are usually all the same from the inside – falling apart and in need of a total makeover). We were driving here and there and finally got to the path that we were seeking. We parked the car by the road and walked along the meadow towards the aforementioned object. My foot was still aching yet the curiosity and overall excitement exceeded the pain. Soon we were at the gates of the old farmhouse. The gate itself was missing, what I meant was rather the ground’s contour, the imaginary boundary. We shouldn’t have crossed that line, since it was private property and unauthorized entrance was not suitable. But then again, since the place was for sale in a random countryside, then we defectively gathered that we might look around a bit and see the yard somewhat closer. And now comes the scary part. There I was near the house standing by the wall, when I clearly felt that somebody was behind my back. I definitely and very truly felt it. We walked round the house with my sister and I told her that probably she might find me a little weird, but I had the impression that the house was haunted. And now comes the extra scary part. I had been convinced that my sister would recommend something like „make sure to reduce the next dose of liquor” or „you seem to have a hangover” or „try not to imagine things that aren’t really there”, but instead she said that she had had the very same feeling. To be more precise, she looked at me, petrified, and said: „I sensed the same creature, but I didn’t want to tell you, since I didn’t wish to scare you as your elder sister. It came to my mind that somebody was watching us all this time and I felt that there was something behind me. I tell you that there is something very strange about this place. I cannot articulate it, but thing are not in good order here. There is some dark energy here – sorrow, disheartening, solitude, something unnatural.”

We left the yard and went back to the boundary of the ground and a very unpleasant feeling befell us. We kept walking and reached the car. There we met a local inhabitant. We tried to describe what had just happened, but it was difficult. The woman replied that nobody has lived in this house for many years and that besides there are also no children in the nearest dwellings.

We now continued towards the lake Võrtsjärv, then further on through Pahuvere to Paistu and from there on to Intsu village, Männiku cottage in the woods. Events that started happening there were even more intense than so far – either the creature/ghost had followed us on our way or we were already too frightened to think rationally. At least it would be illogical that something didn’t happen despite two different people sensed it.

Read more about the trip to lake Võrtsjärv, the visit to Paistu cemetery and about events in Männiku Metsatalu cottage from the next blog!