they moved back to Haga croft, then to Kritilä croft at the parsonage. Career as a musician Her husband's inability to work regularly was the biggest cause of the many moves. During the famine of 1867-68 Haapasalo was often forced to go on singing trips. "Lapseni minun kotia huonolle hoidolle jäi. kun pitkin mailman turuja mun täytyy kulkia näin." (My children left in a corner of the home with poor care while I have to sing and gather my bread from farm to farm.) comes from one of her songs. She began her appearances in the nearest city of Gamlakarleby in 1853, where one afternoon she received 10 rubles. At one house Captain Langenskjöld encouraged her to give a concert in Helsingfors and gave her a letter of recommendation. She received 275 rubles on her journey through the southern cities; most of the money came in Helsingfors. People showed genuine and pure kindness as Haapasalo was so new and overwhelming that from 1853 the media of that time could not be more attentive. People followed her journeys with sympathy and were pleased with her success. In the newspapers of the time one can gather many accounts of the singing and kantele playing at the appearances of the Osterbottniska farmer's wife. While in Helsingfors, she gave her letters of recommendation to writer and poet Zachris Topelius. When he asked her surname, she replied that she had none. She was known as Kreeta Jacobsdotter, but he felt she should have a surname. The house she was living in at that time was known as Haapasalo, so Topelius advised her to call herself Kreeta Haapasalo. Kantele Haapasalo's songs, which she always sang, accompanied her for 40 years in the homes, in schools, at large and small festivals, at concerts, at agricultural shows, at restaurants and at markets. In 1869 they bought a home at Kalliokoski in Halsua where they stayed four years. Johan L. Runeberg arranged a party for her appearance in Borgå. One time she performed at the royal theater in Stockholm. This was arranged by Swedish poet Emil Van Qvanten. She also performed several times in the auditorium of the nobility in Saint Petersburg (Russia). The family's daughter Fia often followed her mother on trips because she also was a gifted singer and played the kantele. She married at Leppävirta and Haapasalo and Joonas with the children Matti and Matilda moved