Memories of another who did it her way

THE article about the Ojai family who built a multilevel home around an old oak tree [“Nature at the Heart of It All,” Dec. 28] brought back childhood memories of another individual who built her home around the oaks.

The little annex to Ojai called Meiners Oaks was where my grandparents purchased two lots and built their home around 1938. Theirs, however, was not in a tree. The unique lady I remember was a friend of my grandparents.

Tunia was from Finland and came to Meiners Oaks by way of Hollywood. She was an eccentric and memorable character. She had a son, Pekka, who was mostly away at sea. Both are now long gone. I haven’t visited her property for many years, so I have no idea what happened to the wooden platform under a huge oak where Tunia slept or the adobe kitchen she built “from scratch.”

She believed in the freedom to do and say as one pleased ... and mostly shocked the neighbors with her unique architectural designs. Yes, there was a structure with a staircase that led up to a door that opened to nothing but fresh air!

In today’s quest for conformity, it’s a pleasure to know there are some who can diverge from the accepted path and build their dream home.

MAUREEN DI DOMENICO

Costa Mesa