Vennskap News

What In The World Is Happening?

2012-02-07T13:30:00.038-06:00

It is almost mid- February in Midwest-USA. Lake ice is still unsafe for fishermen and we have green grass instead of snow. Where is our "Good old-fashion winter" with blizzards and below zero temperatures? The term "Climate Change" has been quietly whispered, while critics claim that it’s only Nature’s Law-of Averages at work.

A January, 2012 golf-outing in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, in Europe and Western Russia, there are media reports of the worst February cold wave to hit that area in 25 years. The death toll has climbed to 280 people who have frozen to death over the last few days in Eastern Europe."Global warming might be the culprit", according to climatologists. The question arises: "How does a little local Arctic summertime warming result in freezing half the globe later?"

Dangerous low temperatures and heavier-than normal snow falls have been experienced in Eastern Europe and Russia.

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The Alfred Wegener Institute says that "Summertime warming is melting the Arctic ice, which leads to a more exposed Arctic Ocean. This, in turn releases heat into the atmosphere, triggering atmospheric dynamics that morphs into massive cold waves six months later".

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Over here in the USA, bird-watchers are reporting sightings of a rare bird called the Snowy Owl. These snow-white birds stand 2 feet tall with a 5-foot wingspan and are normally seen in their normal wintering grounds on the Arctic tundra and not in the U.S. An Ornithologist has reported that as many as 100 snowy owls have been reported in Wisconsin this winter. Normally no more than a dozen are spotted from coast to coast.

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The reason? Climate change may be responsible. These birds normally feed on lemmings.When the little rodent can’t find food, it moves to better feeding areas and the snowy owls have to find them or find another food source for themselves..

Lemmings are 90% of the snowy owl’s diet and weigh about 1-4 ozs, the size of a little guinea -pig.They do not hibernate through the harsh winters, but burrow through the snow and eat the grass, grubs and larvae while living in tunnels under the snow. Warmer winters result in increased periods of freezing and thawing, making the snow freeze at ground level, reducing access to their food and living habitat.

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When the lemmings are abundant, they are hard to miss. Norwegians have had to use snowplows to clear the squashed rodents off their roads. Sometimes their strong biological drive causes them to migrate in large groups as they swim to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat. So, the hungry snowy owl has come to feast on our mice and field rodents for winter food.

This temperature graph shows the average 20-yr high-low temperatures. The trend shows a spike in temperature action since the mid-80's as the Arctic ice melts.

We may not be the only creatures affected by "climate change". It affects the habits of the birds, the fish, and even lemmings. Not to mention the bank accounts of people who sell snow-blowers and skis.

It's a Princess!

2012-01-25T16:17:00.029-06:00

Once again, Scandinavian bloodlines have been extended with the birth of a future ruler! This time in Denmark. Denmark's royal palace has announced that French-born Princess Marie has given birth to her second child, a girl. Due to Danish tradition, the child's name is not revealed until the christening ceremony.

The mother of the new princess is Royal Highness Princess Marie of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat.The proud father is His Royal Highness Prince Joachim Holger Waldemar Christian, Prince of Denmark. The Prince is the second son of HM Queen Margrethe II and HRH Prince Consort Henrik, and the new-born princess becomes tenth in line to the throne.

Marie Cavallier was born in Paris, France , later moving to Switzerland where she attended boarding school. After graduating, She then enrolled at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts and Geneva, Switzerland to study international business and economics. While on a Switzerland outing in 2005, she was noticed by Prince Joachim. After their courtship, Joachim and Marie married in May 2008. Marie gave up her French citizenship and converted to Lutheranism. The newborn is the couple's second child.

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The 42 year-old prince has two sons from a previous marriage with Hong Kong-born Alexandra Manley. The couple divorced in 2005, the first Royal split in 160 years in Europe's oldest monarchy.

Prince Joachim has a lengthy military record, beginning in 1987 while serving as a Platoon Commander of a tank squadron, rising in the ranks to commander in the Prince's Own Regiment, and remains active in the defense reserve at HQ Danish Division.

--------------------- The happy grandmother is HM Queen Margrethe II who, on January 14, 2012 celebrated her 40th year on the throne. As Queen, she serves as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment. Other than that, the Danish Queen's duties are to represent the Kingdom abroad and to be a unifying figurehead of Denmark. As an unelected public official, she takes no part in politics . Although she has the right, she opts not to vote in order to avoid partisanship.The Queen and Prince Consort Henrik have two children and eight grandchildren.

The Royal Family of Norway descends from Frederick VIII of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II's great-grandfather Haakon VII of Norway.

Mother and daughter are reported to be doing well!

A Winter Vacation

2012-01-13T14:33:00.033-06:00

Here in the Midwest , we have been waiting for winter. It finally arrived with a blanket of snow that should stay for some time! Now, skiiers and winter enthusiasts can finally get their activities underway. However, there are some who would rather not have winter arrive at all, and have become immigrants to warmer climates. For these people, winter is vacationtime. --------------------------- Most American vacationers choose to visit their ancestral roots in the summer or fall. There are very few Power-Point presentations of “Our Visit To Scandinavia In January”. Possibly cheaper? Less tourist-congestion with cheaper travel rates? Consider this four day winter Scandinavian experience doing something other than skiing:

Your plane lands in Tromsø where you will be driven to your fjord hotel to enjoy your dinner and, later, head for the glass-fronted sauna overlooking the fjord. After a good night’s sleep and breakfast, you board a fjord icebreaker on a Northern Lights hunt while enjoying the on-board hospitality of food and drink.

Tromsø has earned the reputation for being one of the best places in the world to view the Northern Lights. Stops will be made to visit small villages that welcome the winter visitors. That night, the famous show of lights is enjoyed.

Your next day will find you driven to remote Camp Tamok, on your way to a camp famous for Huskies waiting for you to lie back on the blanketed sled where anxious happy sled-dogs are waiting to get under way to help you enjoy a 16 kilometer safari, and what a view!

You will thrill to the course that follows the steep sided valley formed by the spectacular coastal mountain scenery.

The next day after breakfast, you have to choose whether to extend your visit to the winter shopping centers or elect to be transported back to Tromsø for your flight home.

---------------------- Or...Perhaps you wish to experience a winter adventure of life inside the Arctic Circle, assisting the Sami people of Finnmark on their annual reindeer migration. This opportunity is rare. The Sami have for years shunned interaction with outsiders. Many attempts have been made in the past to eradicate them and their 4,000- year-old culture.Taking part in the reindeeer migrations means eating, sleeping and living like a Sami person. You will become part of a journey which runs deep into the bloodlines of these people, dating back thousands of years.

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The journey begins in Kirkenes, northern Norway, close to the Russian border. Here, you will be trained in the working methods of the Sami people as they escort their reindeer from their winter grounds to the summer grazing area.

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You live close to the reindeer, assisting the sami in herding by sled or skidoo, moving and sleeping when they do, your direct participation will be required at all times.You will sleep in a lavvu ( Sami tent) and gain insight into Saami cooking, done over an open fire.This means long hours and little sleep for up to five days.

You will probably spend the night popping out to watch the northern lights flash over the wild and remote area where a night is said to be a unique and special experience not soon forgotten.

Tourism in Norwegian Lapland has become a main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry.

When the herd stops, it’s time to say goodbye.

Adjø!

Long Live The King And Queen!

2012-01-05T16:25:00.024-06:00

Unless you live in an area populated by Scandinavians, you probably were not aware of the royal visit of King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway as they visited the United States last October. The Norwegian Royal Couple made stops in the Midwest and New York City as they toured several Wisconsin and Minnesota colleges of Scandinavian backgrounds. In the fall/winter issue of News of Norway, a sampling of their visit was published.

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Excited and enthusiastic crowds greeted the couple as they arrived at the various

destinations.

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Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota have close ties to Scandinavian heritage and were honored by visits of the Royal Couple. Speaking to the citizens and students, here are portions of the King's speeches.

"My personal bonds to the United States have developed since my early childhood, when I spent five years here with my mother and two sisters during World War II. I have visited regularly since then, and my fascination and admiration for this beautiful and complex country is still growing.."

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" Norwegians who came to America have made an extraordinary impact in the process of building this country, and your history is full of examples of dedicated people who have left "footprints on the sand of time". You have been contributing to all aspects of American society, in a number of areas – like education, politics and business life. Every one of you should be proud of what you have accomplished in this great country...."

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"We are gathered here tonight to celebrate what it means to be Norwegian and what it means to be American. There is something special about each and every one of you, a reflection of your combined Norwegian and American heritages. I wish you all the very best in preserving these values as well as taking care of the pride and awareness of your Norwegian ancestry. I am confident that these special bonds of friendship will stay alive in the future." ----------------------------------------

At their St. Olaf College visit, the King and Queen sat in on a "Beginning Norwegian" language class. In this photo, the king apparently had some humorous reply.

(Perhaps, they thought his accent was funny?!)

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Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja were in the United States October 13-22, 2011. In Minnesota and Iowa, the Royal Couple met with representatives from the state governments and visited Norwegian-American environs and institutions. In New York, the King and Queen were among the Honorary guests at the American Scandinavian Foundation’s Centennial Ball celebrating 150 years of cultural exchange and close relationship of the United States with our Scandinavian neighbors.

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A full report of their USA visit is available online at norway.org/royalvisit2011.

So, What Did The Julenissen Bring You, This Year?

2011-12-29T19:49:00.034-06:00

Her kommer julenissen!

Every year highlights some new product, and here in the USA, all attention had been on the ever-popular I-pods, Nooks, smartphones, etc. In Scandinavian countries, the top ten most popular gifts seem to be a bit different.

A survey found the favorite "Top Ten" gifts given to Scandinavian loved-ones showed some interesting articles.

The #1 Scandinavian gift? Take a look around. Check out all the people wearing clogs . The clog has become popular for daily wear. Today, Scandinavian clogs come in all shapes and sizes and are available in various materials, from soft rubber to the traditional wooden clog. A popular brand for Scandinavian clogs is Dansko, which was founded in Denmark. Coming in number 2: Another very popular Scandinavian gift is a Norwegian sweater, which travelers can find all over Scandinavia. Online, you can purchase Norwegian sweaters from Selbu and Dale of Norway, authentic Norwegian companies. Norwegian sweaters are cozy and warm and come in various styles and sizes.

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Number 3? Everyone loves colorful photos of the Scandinavian regions. Stunning photos of every imaginable country scene from fjords to picturesque city scenes are always valued as home decorations.

Our next choice would be books. Subjects of everything Scandinavian from history to the modern day in photos and text. There is always something to learn, whether it's the Vikings or the Royal Family.

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And who doesn't enjoy the sound of an Angel Chime? While originating in Scandinavia, angel chimes have made their way around the world , and are now available in many places at low prices. The heat from the candles turns the top of the chimes, and the angles move across the small bells attached, making a beautiful - but subtle - tinkling sound.

----------------------------------------------- Number 6th choice goes to the world-famous Dala Horse. At Christmas time, a delicious chocolate treat. At any other time, a treasure! A Dala Horse is a unique Scandinavian gift inspired by Swedish handicraft. Traditionly, a carved and painted wooden statuette of a horse that originated in the Swedish province of Dalarna. In the old days, the Dala horse was mostly used as a toy for children. But it’s trading value made it a valuable comodity.It was in the small log cabins deep in the forests during long winter nights in front of a log fire that the forerunner of the Dala horse was born. --------------------- Using a knife, woodcarvers made toys for their children.1623—nearly 400 years ago. In the 19th century, Stikå-Erik Hansson from the village Risa in the parish of Mora introduced the technique of painting with two colours on the same brush, still used today. ( In the book "The Wooden Horses of Sweden," it was discovered that this famous Dala painter is buried in a small churchyard in Nebraska after having immigrated to the Midwest in 1887 at the age of 64). He had changed his name to Erik Erikson upon coming to America and is buried at Bega Cemetery in Stanton County Nebraska, outside of Norfolk.

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Number 7 ? Many gifts included a railroad pass. The EUrail Scandinavia Pass offers a flexible and reasonably priced transportation option for travelers exploring one or more countries of Scandinavia by train, on just one train ticket. A valuable gift for a traveler.

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Most everyone enjoys good music. Popular musicians are featured on CDs , and not all are ABBA. Scandinavia's Sissel is a very popular musician. Pleasant to listen to, and also enjoyable to view! Ninth place goes to a gift of artwork and design. And bringing up the final 10..A pipe and SNU for the tobacco lover. Snu is chewing tobacco in Scandinavia. (We know it as "snoose"). Pipes and tobacco are very popular in the cold of winter.

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No mention of any electronic equipment, so we can assume that this list for for the adults.

GODT NYTT ÅR!

Pass The Glögg, Please!

2011-12-24T13:53:00.013-06:00

You have prepared the menu for your guests, but what should the beverage be??

How about a traditional drink- Glögg?!

　 Samuel Johnson, author of the first English dictionary, wrote "Claret is the drink for boys, port for men, but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy." By that definition, Scandinavian glögg, will make us saintly. Glögg, pronounced glug, is a sweet, high-octane, mulled wine, which is to say it is made with a potpourri of spices and all three of the above: Claret (red wine), port, and brandy, and is served warm. Especially popular around Christmas, it is the perfect cold weather drink, warming the body and soul from the inside out.

-------------------------------------------- How does it work? The warm liquid raises the temperature of the mouth and stomach slightly, and because alcohol is a vasodilator, it forces blood to the skin, making us feel warm and blushing on the outside

---------------------------------------------- Glögg is the traditional drink in Sweden and Finland during the six weeks leading up to December 25--a cold, dark time of year in Scandinavia. This glögg recipe resembles a variety of historical mulled wines, such as wassail.

According to the Wine & Spirits Museum in Stockholm, King Gustav I Vasa of Sweden was fond of a drink made from German wine, sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. It was later named "glödgad vin" in 1609, which meant "glowing-hot wine." The word "glögg" is a shortened form, and first appeared in print in 1870.

Its popularity spread throughout the European nations and in the 1890s it became a Christmas tradition. It was often used as a health potion and perhaps for a wide variety of ailments, especially muscle strains induced by shoveling snow.

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Perhaps you are wondering what is in this drink, and how can I make it?.

Wine trader’s glögg Here is a recipe from 1898 taken from the blending manual of an unidentified wine merchant. 181 liters Wine Blend mixed from full-bodied red wine, fortified wine and Port wine cask sediment. 188 liters Cognac 64 liters Sherry 90 kilos Sugar 425 grams Cinnamon 260 grams Cardamom 250 grams Bitter Almond 6 kilos Raisins 100 pods Vanilla

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When you are ready to serve,warm it gently in a saucepan over a low flame or, better still, in a crockpot. Serve it in a mug and, don't skip this, garnish it with a strip of fresh orange peel, twisted over the mug to release the oils. Drink while seated and give your car keys to a friend.

Note: For a nonalcoholic version, use water or orange juice, and substitute 3 cups Concord grape juice for the wine. Omit sugar, and follow glögg procedure.

Christmas Is Coming...

2011-12-18T20:38:00.011-06:00

Christmas is coming...

Our Advent Calendar has one more week and Christmas Eve will soon be upon us. The celebration will be in full swing.

In ancient times, long before Christianity came to Scandinavia, "Jul" or "Yule" marked the peak of the winter solstice. It became a mid-winter celebration of the transition from the longest dark winter night to spring, December is the darkest month of the year in Scandinavian countries and marks the time when " the sun turns" and days began to lengthen. Christmas spirit lights up the dark nights with cheer and warmth. Norway, located in the north of Europe, has the longest and darkest winters in Europe. It’s also thought to be the least church-going country in Europe. Jul was celebrated as a drinking season earlier in the year, but Norway’s King Haakon I moved the heathen custom to December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus. -------------- Early Yuletide, meaning "the turn of the sun" or the winter solstice ,welcomed the light of the ceremonial candles and the abundance of fresh meat in this time of the year to slaughter the animals--which made more sense in that subsistence economy then feeding them through the winter. It was also a time of warmth as the men harvested the Yule Log. This ceremonial log was originally an entire tree that was brought into the house with great ceremony. The butt end was placed into the hearth while the remainder of the tree stuck out into the room.. The tree would be slowly fed into the fire and timed to last the entire Yule season. --------------------- The Christmas tree would be decorated by the adults, the children would not be allowed to see it until the appropriate time. However, the children had a task of preparing a bowl of porridge to be given to the little gnome who lived in the attic or in the barn. If ignored, this little elf would be capable of great mischief during this Yule season and the upcoming spring season.

The traditional Scandinavian cuisine for the Christmas Eve meal might be a variety of cold and warm delicacies like fish, sausages, ham, salad and desserts. Herring and lutefisk are traditional fish dishes. Glogg and schnapps would be the beverages of choice as everyone enjoys the evening, anxiously awaiting the "Julenisse", a Scandinavian version of Santa Claus. This welcome visitor has no reindeer, perhaps a sleigh pulled by a goat. He also carries a load of simple gifts in a bag on his back for all good Scandinavian boys and girls.

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Christmas Day will be marked with a journey to church to light candles and lay wreaths on family graves. The tradition of layng a spruce wreath and lighted candles or lanterns began in the 1900s, following World War II. Danish Christmas trees were decorated by Danish flags after the war. During the Nazi occupation, Danes were forbidden to display their flag and after the war, they used it as a Christmas decoration. This later spread to the rest of Scandinavia. ----------------- While it appears that we might not have a white Christmas here, areas of Scandinavia should find the ground snow-covered in the countryside with a moonlit night to help guide the Julenissen on his journey.

Jeg er så glad hver juleveld!

GOD JUL!

The Shortest Day Of The Year Is....

2011-12-07T20:32:00.012-06:00

Our nights are getting longer as we count down the days to Christmas. December 6th marked the remembrance of St. Nicholas, a legendary person of history. This saint is not too well-known in Scandinavia, but is remembered as a generous soul to children, the poor, and men of the sea. The stories of St. Nicholas become intertwined with that of our famous Santa Claus, who will be arriving soon. Our advent calendar is progressing well. For those of you who have one for the children, you might enjoy an adult version, A very popular one is an Orange and Cloves calendar . All one needs is a fragrant orange, and the needed number of cloves to mark each remaining day to Christmas. -------------- To made this aromatic calendar, just insert the stalk end of the cloves into the unpealed orange in a pattern designed by you. Use a toothpick to design your pattern while creating the holes to insert the cloves. These "Calendars" can be placed anywhere you wish. Each day, pull out a clove and refresh the room with the pleasant aroma of holiday preparations.

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December 13th marks the darkest and shortest day of the year. This day earned a mark on the Scandinavian calendar, which was called a primstav--a wooden calendar stick. On this day Lussi langnatt ( Lucy Longnight), as such, Åsgårdsreia (Asagard parade--(a trail of unsettled dead souls) became a tradition. These restless souls would travel from farm to farm seeing if people were preparing for Christmas. If not, these wandering souls would vandalize the farm.. To protect themselves, the farmers would paint tar crosses over the doors of their houses and barns.On this long night, animals gained the ability to speak and were expected to be generously fed. This feasting was also expected in the farmer’s family. -------------------------------------

Saint Lucia Day is one of few saint days observed in Scandinavia and her story stretches back to the time of the Vikings and the Roman Empire. Lucia was a brave young Sicilian woman who heard of the persecution of Christians by the Emperor Diocletian and decided to take action. She gave one Christian family her entire dowry. This angered her betrothed husband, who then told authorities that Lucia secretly practiced Christianity. Lucia, who died a martyr’s death was much admired for her courage, generosity and faith. Her memory was not forgotten. ----------------------------------------------

It was not until after World War II that the modern celebration of Lucia in Norway was imported from Sweden. Luciadagen became a day to commemorate martyrs on the anniversary of their death ( or birth into heaven). In tradition, the eldest daughter of the family arises to treat her family in the early morning of December 13th bearing treats and wearing a crown of candles.

The day of feasting begins. Christmas is coming.

Prepare Ye, The Way!

2011-11-28T17:35:00.020-06:00

The day of "Thanks" is over and now it’s time for "Giving". It begins earlier every year, but all stores were ready, stocked and open for customers on "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving. In ancient times, there was a festival consisting of a mid-winter sacrificial feast celebrated with bright lights marking the transition from dark winter to spring and summer. The celebratory beverage was known as jul. This has evolved into today's julmust, a soft drink that, in Sweden, outsells Coca-Cola during current Christmas seasons.

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This ancient festival became known as Christmas, a time for celebrating the harvest, fertility, birth and death. In the 900’s, King Haakon I decided that the heathen custom of drinking jul (Yule) was to be moved to December 25th, in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ, and gradually, the pagan feast was Christianized. The name Jul was retained, but the holiday was dedicated to Jesus Christ. Christmas became a mixture of ancient heathen and Christian traditions. In Sweden, and other countries, great joy comes in the preparation. The "Gettting There" becomes almost as much a joy as the real thing!

---------------------------------------------------- Advent is the Christian season marking the preparations for Christmas. In Norway, it is celebrated with advent candles. Usually four candles set in a candelabra. The first is lit on the first Sunday of Advent-four Sundays before Christmas. Another candle is lit each Sunday, making the "Countdown" to Christmas Eve, December 24th. The final, middle candle is lit December 25.

------------------------------------------------------------------ In the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Finland, there is a tradition of having a so-called Advent calendar, or Julekalender. Over the years, there have been several different kinds of julekalender marking the days to Christmas. Some are directed at adults while others are designed for the children. Many are woven into TV Shows that begin on December 1 and end on the 24th. The Julekalender was first aired on Swedish TV in 1960 with the program called Joulukalenteri.

---------------------------- These "count-down" calendars often featured 24 windows that would be opened one-a-day, featuring a biblical saying, gift, or maybe a treat. The first widespread advent calendars evolved from a collection of 24 gingerbread cookies with numbers made of melted sugar!. Today, most Swedish children get a Swedish Television Calendar based on a serialized story that they can follow as they open each window while viewing the show.

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So, the count-down to Christmas has begun. Last Sunday marked the lighting of the first Advent candle with only three more to go!

Many of us have given daily gifts counting down The Twelve Days of Christmas, while other countries enjoy doubling their fun!

When is Thanksgiving Day in Scandinavia?

2011-11-18T21:26:00.009-06:00

Every American schoolboy and schoolgirl is fully aware of pilgrim hats and Indian costumes when November comes. Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower are common knowledge as they happily take part in the annual pagentry. Looking for celebrations of this event in overseas countries is a different story. Thanksgiving Day is a North American celebration, however the sense of appreciation for a bountiful harvest is shared by all. ---------------------- One mention of "Thanksgiving Day" is noted in Swedish tradition, however it is a Sunday in the Swedish ecclesiastical year ( the second Sunday of October) , and if one does not go to church, it isn't noted at all! On this day, the Swedish church is decorated with produce of the harvested apples, potatoes, carrots and the like, while twigs and colored leaves decorate the altar. The collection might be sent to relief organzations to aid the needy.

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Throughout history, mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thankful ceremonies. Before the establishment of formal religions, many ancient farmers believed their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and then fade. They believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested.

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Canadians celebrate their days of Thanks each year on the second Monday of October (which is Columbus day in the US). The Canadian celebration is not based on a harvest, but for the survival of travellers who arrived after a long journey from England, having struggled through a voyage of storms and icebergs to the area they called New France. Martin Frobisher, an explorer, was tryingto find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. These French settlers typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season.

This painting " The Order of Good Cheer", a 1606 print by Christopher Jeffreys depicts food carriers in Canada during their harvest festival.

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Harvest festivals have been a part of history. Ancient Greeks worshiped many gods and goddesses. The goddess of grain was Dementer and honored in a festival on October 4th. The Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. This festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian harvest season. They wept and pretended grief at their harvest as they tried to deceive the spirits that inhabited the crop. They feared the spirit would become angry when the corn was cut away and begged forgiveness for having to take the spirits home away.

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Here in America, our "Thanksgiving Day" centers around the autumn of 1621 as 53 surviving pilgrims celebrated the sucessful hunt, as they did in the Old Country, along with 90 Native American indians who had helped the small band of people survive the past year. Hunters were sent out to harvest five deer that provided the three day feast for the celebration. This print is entitled " The First Thanksgiving" by Edward Winslow".

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The first recorded religious Day of Thanksgiving was held in 1623 to celebrate a providential rainfall. The tradition of our American Thanksgiving Day was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Our festival has become one day to give thanks and the day before "Black Friday" with happy days ahead! 'Tis the season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Where Are We?

2011-11-07T19:43:00.008-06:00

Sometimes, driving around country roads turning left and right causes the driver to, occasionally, not believe "The Navigator's" decisions on what direction or where we are! ( She's not ALWAYS right!) One fun trick is to point the hour-hand of the wristwatch at the sun. One-half-way between that point and 12 will be south. It works! So, how did those Vikings travelling across the North Atlantic day and night manage to get where they wanted to go? Not too many had a wristwatch, so what were their navigational aids? And what happens in stormy or foggy weather?

While they were near shore, the Vikings could easily follow seabirds, watch wave patterns, stars and the sun-position. Leaving the shorelines and following the normal east-west routes required some navigational skills. The sun provided the basic aide, but cloudy and foggy days, combined with stormy nights with winds changing directions would leave one to believe that some discoveries were, in fact, accidental happenings.

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One Icelandic saga describes an occasion, during stormy, snowy weather, King Olaf discussed their ship direction with Sigurd. Checking Sigurd's answer, Olaf "reached into his tunic and withdrew a stone". "Looking at the cloud-filled sky and the changing brightness of the stone as he turned it in his hand, he pointed out the direction to continue their travels". This stone is now known as a "sunstone", a stone commonly found in Iceland.

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In 1967, Thorkild Ramskou, a Danish archaeologist, speculated that Viking sunstones might have been Icelandic spar, a clear calcite crystal. Calcite acts as a prism, splitting incoming rays of light in two, known as birefrigence. This property makes the crystal light or dark when held up to light of different polarizations. Viking legends mention a stone that , when held up to the sky, revealed the position of the sun, even on overcast days or when the sun was below the horizon.

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To use the crystal, the Vikings would have held the stone up to the center of the sky ( from their perspective). When sunlight hit the crystal, that light became polarized and broken into the two beams. Researchers have found that if they put a dot on top of the crystal and look from below, two dots appear, due to the refraction of the Icelandic spar. They could then pinpoint the sun by rotating the crystal until both dots line-up and were of equal brightness. So, Olaf had a sunstone,and while rotating the crystal and balancing the light and colors, he found the position of the sun.

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The optical effect of this crystal appears to be due to reflections from the stone's property of red copper, imbedded in the form of small scales, which are hexagonal, rhombic or irregular in shape.

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All this before the age of the compass, and the well-known electronic voice of Mrs. Garmin " Turn left at the corner" and "recalculating". We've come a long way, sometimes accidentally.

Eureka! I've Got it!

2011-10-27T12:52:00.018-05:00

Computer scientists from Sweden and the United States have applied modern-day techniques to decode a 250-year old secret message! The Copiale Cipher . The original document was written in the late 18th century and discovered in the East German Academy after the Cold War. This 105 page document has kept its secret, all these years..until now!

This year, University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering computer scientist Kevin Knight and collegues Beata Megyesi and Christiae Schaefer of Uppsala University in Sweden tracked down the document and cracked the code. Some of the cryptic letters were Roman, while others were Greek, and the rest were abstract symbols and "doodles".

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The book, bound in gold and green brocade dates back to a time between 1760 and 1789, contained about 75,000 characters of 90 different cipher letters, including the 26 Roman letters, all in very neat handwriting.. "Historians believe that secret societies have had a role in revolutions, but that is yet tobe worked out, and a big part of the reason is because so many documents are enciphered" according to Kevin Knight, a U. of California code-expert. Computations and a good chunk of the translation has been decoded, revealing rituals and political leanings of a German secret society. Knight called upon scholars from Uppsala University in Sweden. This institution is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe and is considered on of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Europe.

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After many hours of decoding, the team realized that some characters were inserted to mislead, while others could be grouped forming words. Using different languages, the German language, when used, resulted in partial understandable text..Sorting through the Roman, German and other language symbols, the document finally revealed the rituals and political leanings of a Secret German Society, a society that had a strange obsession with.... eye-balls, plucking eye-brows, eye surgery and ophthalmology!

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The Copiale Cipher case was cracked! This 18th-century manuscipt of 150 precise pages, written in thoughtful coded symbols and letters turned out to be a German Masonic secret society known as the "Occult Order." Decoded, the secret document documented procedures of meetings, and secret lessons for apprentice initiation. One might question the reason for the elaborate effort of secrecy. But it would take a team of Californian Americans and Swedes from Uppsala University to solve the riddle.

If you can read this. you might make the team!

Hvor mye koster det?

2011-10-21T15:53:00.011-05:00

How much is that?

Back "in the day", Wisconsin became aware of a new spread called "Margarine" , but because it competed with the Dairyland Favorite "Butter", it was illegal for Wisconsin stores to sell it. So, if we wished to buy the much cheaper product, we had to go "out of state!" Living next to the Mississippi River made it easy to drive over the river into Iowa and buy the "illegal" and cheaper margarine. Apparently, similar shopping is happening to Norwegian shoppers , who are going across the border into Sweden to buy cheaper products. Swedish stores on the border are doing well!

This is a typical Swedish store open for business.

-------------------------------

Norwegian grocery stores have the highest prices in Europe and the worst selection of goods, according to comsumer advocates. A government study-group is trying to discover the reason. Food producers, retailers and wholesalers all blame each other. " The reality is that we have four major chains that control the entire Norwegian market" says one spokesperson of the group. Another finding is that when volume is high and suppliers wish to have their product displayed and sold in a store, the supplier might offer a "bonus" to the retailer, which the retailer tends to keep, instead of passing it on to the consumer. It has been said that the grocery chains' owners tend to be among the wealthiest in Norway. So, let's go shopping in Sweden!

----------------------

In Sweden, grocery prices are half the prices paid in Norway. A thin pack of 10 slices of bacon in Norway costs NOK 30 (USD $5.30). In Sweden it's one-third that price. A liter of milk costs more than NOK 14 ( USD $2.50)in Norway. Norway prices:a dozen eggs are at least NOK 39 (USD 7). A loaf of bread costs NOK 30, but can go as high as NOK 40 ( $7.10 USD)

Swedish stores have a wider choice of produce.

---------------------

There may be other reasons, as well.High tariffs on imported products protect the local producers. Norway's farmers have a very strong lobby and receive state aid. "Norwegian agricultural policy helps keep the cost of Norwegian produce high," Christian Rygh, of the Norwegian agricultural authority told the newspaper Aftenposten. All told, farmers receive an annual pay raise of NOK 25,000 on the average ( nearly USD $5,000) and are the most highly subsidized farmers in the world. This steep price of local agricultural products allows merchants to jack up the prices, while Norwegians are not necessarily price-conscious.

-----------

Still other reasons: Norway has small grocery stores on every corner and this adds to distribution costs. These shops are more expensive and are less profitable that the major chain stores that are found in Sweden.

IKEA. A popular and well-known Swedish store.

----------------------

Norway is the world's third largest oil exporter, and a major exporter of natural gas. This high level of income might correlate with higher price levels. And again, Norwegians do not tend to be price-conscious...But when the food-bill goes up, a trip across the border to buy cheaper groceries and meat products can save some NOK!

So, it's across the border to Sweden. Check the customs sign. Anything to declare?

They Have Arrived!

2011-10-13T21:55:00.009-05:00

The King and Queen of Norway have arrived in Minnesota for their U.S. Tour.

---------This is an earlier photo of the Norwegian Royal couple---------

Tuesday, the royal Couple arrived in Twin Cities to a formal greeting from Gov. Mark Dayton, former Vice President Walter Mondale and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway have arrived in St. Paul for their eight-day tour of Minnesota and Iowa. Four-year-old Bergen Gandrud Pickett, named for the Norwegian city, greeted the king and queen with a curtsey and a bouquet of flowers outside the Saint Paul Hotel Tuesday evening.

----------------------------

After a trip down to Iowa, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway are back in Minnesota for a few days, visiting the Mayo Clinic and several college campuses.

The king and queen are renewing their country's ties with the American descendants of Norwegian immigrants. In his appearance at Luther College on Thursday in Decorah, King Harald said the immigrants took pieces of Norway with them and that "nowhere is that more obvious than in Decorah,” where Norwegian immigrants founded the college. Friday, they had planned stops at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and St. Olaf College in Northfield. The weekend is rounded out with stops at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and the governor’s mansion in St. Paul. Monday, the king and queen head to Duluth, then off to New York before returning to Norway.

Another Scandinavian Winner!

2011-10-08T20:22:00.013-05:00

"The 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded to...."

--------Tomas Tranströmer of Sweden." ------------

Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer ( TRAWN-stroh-mur), age 80, has written more than 15 collections of poetry, many of which have been translated into English and 60 other languages.

Announcing the award in Stockhom, Sweden, The Swedish Academy praised Mr. Tranströmer, saying " Through his condensed, translucent images, he gives us fresh access to reality." The committee noted that it had been many years since a Swede has won the prize. The last time it happened was in 1974.

---------------------Born in Stockholm in 1931, Tranströmer was raised by his mother, a teacher, after she divorced his father--a journalist. He started writing poetry while studying at the Sondra latin School in Stockholm. Many of his teachers during the time of Geman occupation were Nazis, while he and his mother earnestly hoped for an allied victory. He has written "During the winter when I was fifteen, I was afflicted by a severe form of anxiety. I was trapped by a searchlight which radiated not light but darkness.

-------------------------

Tranströmer has lead a unique life. He has never been associated with any university, artistic school or publishng house. Instead, he served as a prison psychologist in a juvenile corrections institute. His surrealistic works are about death and the mysteries of the human mind, while probing the connections between the realms of the conscious and subconscious, the visible and the invisible. His sometimes bleak, but powerful works explore themes of nature, isolation and identity.

-----------------

An excerpt from " The Couple".."They switch off the light and its white shade/ glimmers for a moment before dissolving/like a tablet in a glass of darkness.."

---------------

This poet is capable of finding unexpected images of simple things underlining human bewilderment and finding unusual reactions by inverting "dreamtime and reality." Suffering a severe stroke that limits his right side, Tranströmer is still able to enjoy music as a classical pianist as he performs musical compositions arranged for only the left hand. Because of the earlier stroke, Tranströmer is unable to speak, and will "speak" by playing a musical composition as he accepts the award at the December 10th ceremony. In interviews, he gives mostly one-syllable answers to questions, with his wife, Monica filling in the details.

---------------------

This lack of vocal ability has not hindered his ability to express his writings about big questions. "He's writing about death, he's writing about history and memory and nature." said Peter Englund, the permanent secretary of the Swedish academy, which awards the prize.

And Now, The Rest of The Story

2011-09-27T13:15:00.014-05:00

In an earlier post, we mentioned the planned trip to the United States involving the Royal Couple from Norway. The latest Viking magazine has now published the itinerary of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway as they tour the United States, helping Scandinavian-Americans celebrate 100 years of AFS's accomplishments. .

From Oct 11 to 22, Harald V and Queen Sonja will be visiting various colleges and locations in the Midwest.They will first visit Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, October 13th.

Luther was founded in 1861 by a group of Norwegian immigrants, some of which were educated in Oslo, Norway This year marks Luther College's 150th anniversary with the Norwegian royal couple in attendance. Luther is the oldest Scandinavian-American college in the US. After a visit to the famous Scandinavian Vesterheim Museum, it's on to the next site.

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Oct 14th, finds the king and queen in Northfield, Minnesota. St. Olaf College was named after King Olav II Haraldsson ,who ruled Norway from 1016-1030. St. Olaf has a long history of Norwegian royal visitors. At this one, the king and queen will be sitting in on a Norwegian language class. (A bit of pressure on the prof, maybe??)

------------------

Then, it's on to Minneapolis. October 16th finds the visitors at Augsburg College. Augsburg was founded in 1869. The college's first two teachers were from Norway and designed courses to develope the school's mission as a seminary. after attending a worship service at Augsburg's Hoversten Chapel, the royal couple will hold a brief reception on campus.

-------------------

Then, it's north to Duluth, Minnesota. October 17th finds the travellers at a re-dedication ceremony as King Harald follows his father's footsteps in Northern Minnesota. Duluth is home to many Norwegian imigrants. In Duluth, they will help re-dedicate a five-story tower that was built overlooking Lake Superior . The tower was erected to honor the relationship between Duluth and Norway.

-----------------------------------

Before leaving the Midwest, the king and queen will take part in the October 21st opening of an exhibition at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The exhibit honors the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his expedition to the South Pole. This is an "invitation only" event sponsored by The Sons of Norway to provide the king and queen an opportunity to interact with members.

--------------------

Then, it's off the the East Coast and New York City for the celebration. This year marks the centennial celebration of the American-Scandinavian foundation, an organization that promotes international and cultural exchanges for students and adults involving over 30,000 citizens in exchange programs.Representatives from all five Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland,Iceland and Sweden will join the Norwegian royal couple as they celebrate an elegant evening of dining and dancing.

" And The Emmy Goes To..."

2011-09-18T16:52:00.014-05:00

The Herald Times Reporter, a Manitowoc daily newspaper, September 13th edition headlined an Emmy Award winner at their latest Los Angeles Award Ceremony. The front page story read: --------------------------------------------- SHINING MOMENT "Winning an Emmy- Quite a shock for Manitowoc native Garth Neustadter."

New Haven resident Garth Neustadter won an Emmy for his original musical score used in the American Masters documentary "John Muir in the New World" which was broadcast last spring on PBS on Earth Day.

---------This just goes to show that Lutefisk Lovers Have Good Taste!-----------

In early Vennskap Lutefisk dinners, outside entertainment was offered and enjoyed by lutefisk diners at our annual lutefisk dinners. At one of these events, a young boy by the the name of Neustadter, accompanied by his parents on background instruments, came to perform. Young Garth Neustadter entertained his audience with an excellent program of violin solos and various selections featuring his musical trio. Little did we know, his excellent talent would be heard later.

-------------------------------

Neustadter, 25, will graduate in 2012 with a Master's degree in composition, and hopes to continue at Yale in a doctorate program. He was chosen for the "Prime-Time Creative Arts" award over fellow nominees Ron Jones and Walter Murphy, each for an episode of "Family Guy"; Alf Clausen for an eposode of "The Simpsons" and Jeff Richmond for an episode of "30 Rock".

--------------------Lawrence Conservatory, located in Appleton, Wisconsin, founded in 1847, uniquely integrates a college of fine arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music. Neustadter has been recognized as a five-time Downbeat Magazine award-winner in the categories of composition, music arranging, classical violin performance and jazz performance as well as multiple awards from ASCAP and The National Federation of Music club.

------------------

Neustadter's musical score from "John Muir in the New World" was performed by Lawrence Conservatory of Music students. Neustadter earned a Bachelor of Music degree summa cum laude in violin and voice performance from Lawrence University in 2010.

---------------------

In his interview, Neustadter told the reporter "Winning an Emmy---I think it's going to take a little while for it to sink in. It was quite a shock, quite a surprise to me. I was honored just to be there in the first place, and to actually win it, it's even more of an honor, it's icing on the cake."

---------------------

Stay tuned. I'm sure we will be hearing more about this talented local musician..

Look! There's a Moose!

2011-09-14T20:33:00.008-05:00

Everyone who visits "The Old Country" watches out for the native moose. Behind only the buffalo, the moose is the second largest land animal in both North America and Europe. Moose warning signs have become popular souvenirs causing accidents for visiting motorists and causing so much expense that the triangular moose signs have been replaced with image-less generic warning signs in some areas.

The moose is a herbivore, consuming many types of plants and fruits. The average adult moose needs to consume 9770 calories every day to maintain its bodyweight. Some of these calories are found eating tree shoots such as willow and birch. Occasionally, a lucky moose will find an apple tree for a meal.

----------------

It was a dark and stormy night when Per Johannson returned from work to his home in Saro, just south of Gothenburg, Sweden. Per said" It was raining really bad. In the wind, I heard something screaming" in his interview with CNN. He thought it was the neighbors, but hearing it again, he checked and found something really big up in a tree in the neighbor's yard..It was a moose in the tree! He said " It must have been drunk after eating fermented apples ,and as it was reaching for more fruit, it must have slipped and fallen into the tree."

-------------------------

This inebriated animal had tried to grab an apple from a high branch, but its legs gave way and it got stuck! Cops say these animals often end up drunk after eating rotting fruit. Rescuers eventually freed the huge creature into the Swedish woods--and it lay down on the grass to sleep it off.

----------------------------

On a personal note, every fall, robins gather in flocks to feast on our neighbor's fermenting-berry tree. They seem to gather the fermented fruit and fly over to my tree ( where my car is parked underneath!)..After they devour their meal, they fly away for more..after leaving their bird-droppings upon my car! I have always fumed at this action, but now give thanks that they are not moose!.

Back to School..Who's Your Teacher This Year?

2011-09-02T20:21:00.010-05:00

Our youngsters are, once again, back at their studies furthering their education. This summer was filled with electronic inventions including smart phones and many I-products, all of which are well used and easily understood by these young minds. What else are they going to learn!? Perhaps they have something to teach us..If we're listening!

--------------------------------

A 13-yr old New York boy named Adan Dwyer was on a winter hike in the Catskills when he paused to look at the trees around him. All the leaves had long gone and he noticed that the branches seemed to have a spiral pattern.

He wondered if the pattern had anything to do with how tree-leaves collected sunlight, as sun is the key to the tree's survival. He did some research and came up with an interesting discovery.

-----------------------------------

Man-made solar panels are always in a flat line ,while the tree branches are in a mathematical sequence!! In the year 1209, a mathematician named Fibonacci discovered a repeating pattern that is even seen in many trees. This was re-discovered by a naturalist in 1754. Young Dwyer had an idea!...

Dwyer constructed a tree with branches of "leaf solar panels" using this formula and begin measuring the sunlight with meters from October to December when the sun was at it's lowest. Comparing his findings with that of a typical flat "Man-made solar-system", he arranged his "leaf" panels in this spiral pattern and found his tree design increased efficiency from 20-50%. Shade and bad weather did not affect the tree-design efficiency as it did to the "Flat-array" design. The tree design would take less room and would be able to work in urban areas where the sunlight would be hard to find! Googling "FIBONACCI" reveals some very interesting facts! Flowers have specific numbers of petals ..The Nautilus Shell uses the Fibonacci formula.......

Young Dwyer took a lesson from Mother Nature.........................

As a result of this project, the American Museum of Natural History has bestowed Adan Dwyers with a Young Naturalist Award. Perhaps, Mother Nature is still trying to tell us some of her secrets.. through a 13-yr old..If we're listening!!

Let's Go For A Walk

2011-08-20T19:00:00.007-05:00

For a nice stroll in the fresh air, how about this hike up to Norway's "Preacher's Pulpit"?

Click on the link below and enjoy the view.

http://www.businessinsider.com/preikestolen-photos-2011-08#-1

It's a Girl! AND A Boy!

2011-08-09T13:16:00.007-05:00

In a very few days, parents will be readying their children for school. Here in the U.S., we take this activity for granted. However, in Norway, this becomes a time of vital concern. In Norway, children born before September 1st are legally guaranteed a place at a local kindergarten for the next year. Those born after this date may have to wait two years before finding a place for their youngster..

Evidence increasingly suggests that Norwegian parents are planning pregnancies in order to qualify their children's school career. Officials from a number of urban hospitals confirm this pattern to Aftenposten.

Several large hospitals in Oslo and Bergen have had to send patients away to smaller hospitals in order to cope with maternity service demands. Bergen's Haukeland University Hostpital recorded 550 births in August 2010 compared to 436 on average during August over the last seven years..

------------------- Bergen's Haukeland University Hospital --------------------

The head of the women's clinic at Trondheim, Runa Heimstad stated that "We get the impression that parents try to plan when they will have children with a view to the kindergarten year."

Full coverage of kindergartens not only reassures working parents that their children will be receiving adequate care during the work day, it provides children under the compulsory school age with good opportunities for developement and activity.

Norway is striving to achieve full coverage of kindergartens. Such coverage is essential to the participation of parents of small children in working life, and helps to explain why Norway has one of the highest birth rates in Europe.

Norway Mourns

2011-07-30T17:04:00.016-05:00

Somewhere in this world, good news is being heard. However, the latest news from here and abroad leaves much to be desired. The latest tragedy took part in Norway, as a lone, delusional gunman was able to detonate a bomb and quickly appear twenty miles away to kill people at his leisure.

At the latest report, a car-bomb was detonated in front of an Oslo, Norway government building causing several deaths and injuries creating chaos not unlike a normal military diversionary action. The gunman, somehow boarded a ferry ( which he later disabled) to a famous island that was well-known for a summer camp specially designed for families and their children for annual summer celebrations.

--------------------------------

This picturesque island is located in the Tyrifjorden fjord outside Oslo and owned by the AUF ( the Labour Party Youth) and the Labour Party, itself. The AUF is a multi-cultural organization with a clear stance against racism and xenophobia, and a buzzing melting-pot. These summer-camps at Utoeya generate massive media coverage and regularily set the national political agenda. A place where a delusional extremist can "make a statement". Over the past five decades, Utoeya has become a precious asset for the AUF and the Labour Party- socially and political. The current Norwegian Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg has spent parts of his summer holidays every year from the age of 14 attending activities at this site.

The AUF summer camp at Utoeya is the place that party leaders and other prominent political figures simply have to attend. Every summer, 70-1,000 Labour youths gather for political debate and seminars and classic summer fun.

--------------------------

Prime Minister Stoltenberg spoke to the Norwegian people from Oslo's City Hall, July 26th. In portions of his address to Norwegian youth, he stated:

--------------Norway's Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg -----------------

Secondly, I want to say this to all the young people here. The massacre on Utøya was an attack against young people's dreams of being able to help to make the world a better place. Your dreams have been crushed, but your dreams can be fulfilled...You can make a difference....Get involved. Care. Take part in debates..Use your vote. Free elections are the jewel in the crown of democracy..."

-------------------------

Nan Webster, a Vennskap member, has relatives living in Norway. Nan received a phonecall from Norway. Nan writes: " Our cousin Yngve Bjerke and his wife Gunn were on their way home from a mountain cabin and got caught in a traffic jam because of the terrorism. They didn't know what was happening at first, and then heard the screaming and shots. People who had boats were going out with their boats to save as many children as they could. It was terrible to say the least. Norway will NEVER be the same."

The violence was the deadliest in Norway since World War II.

Breaking News: Terrorist Attack in Norway

2011-07-22T13:43:00.019-05:00

The news out of Norway isn't very good today -- the prime minister's office was bombed in Oslo today, and several hours later, a man impersonating a police officer opened fire on a youth camp located on an island north of Trondheim where the prime minister was supposed to speak tomorrow. At this point, nobody knows who is behind these acts, or even if they are the work of an organization or of rogue individuals. A 32-year-old Norwegian citizen (male) is in custody, but that's all the information that has been released. Early on, American news speculated about Al Qaeda, but more recently, they have been discussing a Norwegian group that is in opposition to the country's leading political party. All media outlets seem to agree, though, that at this point there's no solid information to go on and it's too early to assign blame.

Here are links to articles with more information:
BBC

MSNBC

New York Times

Chciago Tribune

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
CNN
International Business Times
Associated Press
Sheboyan Press
Reuters (video)
Aftenposten (in Norwegian)

ANNOUNCING: "The King and Queen of Norway"

2011-07-14T20:36:00.010-05:00

King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway will be visiting The United States this fall.

-------------- King Harald V and Queen Sonja-----------------

Carolyn Johnson of Kiel found the announcement on the web and thought it newsworthy.

Their majesties will travel on October 11th, 2011 to Minnesota and continue to Iowa in our Midwestern area. Following their Midwest visit, the couple will journey on to New York City. The full visitation has not been announced, but it is understood that the royal couple will meet with government and state officials of the territories where many Norwegian immigrants settled a century ago.

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King Harald and Queen Sonja are invited by the American-Scandinavian foundation to be special guests at a gala ball celebrating the AFS centennial anniversary. Although no official announcements have been made, it is believed that representatives of the Danish monarchy will be at the event, as well as representatives from Sweden.

--------------------------

The American-Scandinavian Foundation (AFS) promotes international understanding and relationships through educational and cultural exchanges between the US and Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Founded in 1910 by Danish-American industrialist Niels Poulson, the AFS is a publicly supported, non-profit organization carrying on an extensive exchange between these countries.

Vennskap Lodge has enjoyed presentations of several students from Scandinavian schools who have been studying in our area high schools. Stay tuned for further announcements.

Details will be announced when available.

Independence Day

2011-07-01T15:53:00.014-05:00

July opens with one of the most important days in American history. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, a federal holiday in our United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence July 4th, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britian. However, there are historians that believe the true signing date was a month later, being August 2, 1776.

This denotes a time of celebrating by fireworks and patriotic songs such as "The National Anthem", "Stars and Stripes Forever", "Yankee Doodle" in the north, to "Dixie" in the south. The United States is a diverse nation made up of a dynamic mixture of our nation's immigrants who have fought to make our nation a beacon of freedom, envied by many other nations.

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One of these warriors of foreign descend was honored recently for his actions in American history. Believing strongly in the rights of free-men, a Norwegian-American named Hans Christian Heg died for America while fighting in the War between the North and the South.

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Heg was commanding The Fifteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment, a regiment consisting mostly of 90% Norwegian immigrants with the remainder being of Swedish, Danish and Dutch men. Shot astride his horse at the Battle of Chickamauga, Heg was the the highest-ranking Army officer from Wisconsin killed in the Civil War.

This Civil War hero was born in Lier, Norway whose father immigrated to the Racine area when Hans was eleven years-old. Hans left to find gold with the "Forty-Niners", but returned to Wisconsin at the death of his father. Hans was an avid "Anti-slavery activist" and the first Norwegian-American elected state-wide in Wisconsin. At the outbreak of the Civil war, Heg organized the Wisconsin regiment at Camp Randall. This regiment was the only Scandinavian regiment that fought on either side. After his death at Chickamauga and the end of the war, a statue of the war hero was erected and stands next to the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison .

--------------------

Recently,a youth band from Norway played a concert in a wreath-laying ceremony in Wind Lake to honor his memory . Wind Lake and the surrounding Town of Norway lay claim to the first Norwegian Lutheran Church, and the first Norwegian-language newspaper in Wisconsin.

In his honor, and all those who have fought and died for our freedom, we give thanks to Col Hans Heg, and the 1776 "Committee of Five", with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author of The Declaration and celebrate our independence this and every July fourth.

Hvor er vi nå ?

2011-06-24T16:02:00.029-05:00

"Where are we now?! Are we almost there?"

Oft-heard words from the youth in the back seats with the reply from the front.. "Almost."

I received a post-card from a couple who visited a traditional stave kirke. Judy & Bill Block found it in the hills of.....

South Dakota! This full-sized replica is of a 850 yr-old stave kirke in Laedal, Norway. It's complete with dragon-heads and Scandinavian charm in the good old USA.

Ole and Leana seem to be in charge of the museum displaying artifacts of Norway's past. All near Rapid City, S.Dakota..

So, we really don't have to go too far to experience Scandinavian activities. Right here, in Wisconsin, we can journey through the Ocooch Mountains to a famous Norwegian settlement, better known as Norsekedahlen.

This 43 acre Scandinavian settlement is just west of Westby on Hwy 14/61.

You can even stay in Per & Ann Paulsen's 130 yr-old Cabin. Just be ready to climb the steep Norwegian stairs to the sleeping loft! Activities abound all summertime.

Or, travel to Niessedahle, Valley of the Elves, again better known as Little Norway with another stave kirke modeled after a 12th century stavkirke.

It was built in Trondheim and moved to Chicago for the World's Exposition in 1893, later finding its way to Wisconsin with some interesting historic mementos. Several Scandinavian buildings and guides in costume will be on-site to tell you all you wish to know.This summer attraction is located 20 miles west of Madison on Hwy18/151.

Of course, everyone knows about Stoughton, the Dancers, and its reputation. If you journey north to Door County, you will probably join all the other photographers who are pointing out the goats on the sod-roof..Lots of Scandinavians up there in Door County!

We could go on and on....So...."Hvor er vi" going??? Have a great trip!

Hva koster det...?

2011-06-16T21:11:00.009-05:00

How much???

Okay, you have all summer to spend in Norway and you are looking for the cheapiest vacation you can. Everyone has heard that Norway is very expensive, and chances are, you are booked for at least TWO of the most expensive cities, ever! Even lunch in New York will be cheap..New York isn't in the top fifteen!

--------------------------------

You'll be sure to visit Oslo. Oslo has been known to be one of the world's most expensive cities. The cost of a "light lunch" is going to cost the equivalent of $45.00 USD. (That's right behind Japan's Tokyo and three other Japanese cities.)

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These rankings have been compiled from the international human resources organization called ECA ( Employement Conditions Aboard) for Bloomberg Business Week. This report is based on the cost of local goods and services in various cities.

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And now, Stavanger has moved into the number four spot. Stavanger was a relatively poor fishing town with many canneries, however it became an important oil and oil offshore location, including the State-controlled Statoil! That "Light-lunch" will cost about 177 NOK..That's USD $32.30.

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Four of other "most expensive cities in the world" are in Switzerland, which, like Norway, refuses to join the European Union. Norway, Switzerland and Japan are known to have protectionist policies to keep out lower-priced imports, especially in the food department!

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One more Scandinavian city makes it onto the list......

Copenhagen...Number 12

------------I believe they take credit cards..Enjoy your summer.---------

Lest We Forget

2011-05-27T11:30:00.023-05:00

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last monday of May. Originally called Decoration Day, this day commemorates all militarymembers who have died in our nation's service. There is evidence that this event was organized by women's groups in the South who honored their war dead of the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers. This day of memorial was extended after World War II to honor all Americans who have given their lives for their country.

There are several medals given to honor our soldiers. Until late 2006, the Medal of Honor was the only service decoration awarded special protection under federal law .

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Bronze Star is a US Armed Forces individual military decoration and the fourth-highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. Awarded to a member of the military, who , while serving in or with the military of the United states after Dcember 6, 1941, distinguished him,or herself by heroic or meritorious achievement while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States.

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The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government to those who distinguished themselves through "conspicious gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the call of duty." Due to the nature of the criteria, it is often awarded posthumously.

The War Medal Krigsmedaljen is Norway's war decoration for service during the Second World War. This was instituted by King Haakon VII of Norway by Royal Decree in 1941 and awarded to Norwegian members of the military following WWII. This War Medal was also awarded posthumously to all Norwegians and foreigners who lost their lives in the Norwegian forces and merchant marine as well as the Norwegian Resistance.

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Many parades and ceremonies at cemeteries around the United States will find American flags flying proudly while honoring those who gave their lives that we might fly that banner, enjoying the freedom others have fought and died to protect. The bugle notes of "Taps" always brings tears to the eyes of those who remember.

It's syttende mai!

2011-05-17T07:57:00.008-05:00

Today is the day!

Every year on May 17, Norwegians across the world celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day. Many people believe the day honors Norwegian independence, but the day actually commemorates the Norwegian Constitution, which is the oldest single-document national constitution in Europe in use today. Known as syttende mai ( 17th of May) or Grunnlovsdagen ( Constitution Day) or Nasjonaldagen ( the national day), the history of the constitution illustrates Norway's commitment to freedom, equality and democratic principles.

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Norway's journey to its constitution began at the time of Napoleon's defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, when Norway was under the rule of Denmark. Denmark lost its fleet due to its connection with France, and under the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, King Frederick VI of Denmark, was forced to cede Norway to Sweden to prevent an occupation of Jutland. The Crown Prince of Denmark, Christian Fredrik, was less than pleased with the arrangement as the viceroy of Norway, and he began a Norwegian independence movement in January 1814.

--------------

For "The rest of the story", check Norway.com

---------Today's the Day! Happy syttende mai!----------

Where am I? (a.k.a. Signe's first post)

2011-05-15T20:52:00.003-05:00

If you had to guess where this picture was taken, what would you think? Bergen? Trondheim? Somewhere on the coast of Lake Mjøsa? You'd be right if you guessed "Land of the Midnight Sun," although you'd be wrong if you guessed a Scandinavian location. This photo was taken at sunset on the Seward Highway, just south of Anchorage. I lived in Alaska for four years. One thing I learned while I was there is that, like Norway, Alaska also calls itself "Land of the Midnight Sun." Rightfully so. On the summer solstice, it barely gets dark in Anchorage -- people set golf tee times for midnight in June and July, and at 3:30 a.m. the horizon is already that hazy pre-dawn gray. North of the Arctic Circle, in Barrow, Alaska, the sun rises on May 10 and doesn't set for 84 days. (The opposite is true in winter; the sun sets on November 18 and doesn't rise for more than three months.) Sound familiar? That's what happens in Northern Norway, too. I don't miss Alaska much in the winter, but when the sun sets at 8:00 during a Wisconsin summer, a little piece of me wishes I was back in Alaska, among the moose and the mountains. In some ways, I felt less connected to my Norwegian heritage when I lived in the Land of the Midnight Sun -- or maybe it's more accurate to say I felt connected to my Norse heritage in a different way when I lived there. It's true that in Anchorage, there were no sandbakkles at my Thanksgiving dinner, no neighbors named Hans Brekke or Inga Moen, nobody responding to bad news with an "Uffda," no strong black coffee to sip in a Lutheran church basement. In that sense, my Norwegian-ness -- or at least my Midwestern Norwegian-ness -- was strangely absent for four years of my life.

Star the Reindeer

In other ways, though, Alaska felt more authentically Norwegian to me than the Norwegian town of Blair, Wisconsin, my parents' hometown where I spent a lot of time when I was growing up. In Anchorage, there's a man who routinely walks his pet reindeer through the downtown streets. The Anchorage Museum houses an extensive exhibit on the Sami people who came to Alaska and taught the native Yup'ik tribes to herd caribou. The severe landscape of mountains and ocean looks like something from a coffee table book of Norway photographs. And in Alaska, there was easy access to Norwegian chocolate -- I frequently stopped by a shop in Anchorage, Pia's Scandinavian Sweaters, for my Freia fix. Pia had every variety imaginable -- the one in the blue wrapper, the purple wrapper, the yellow wrapper, the Norwegian Kit Kat, Smil. (If anyone knows where to get Smil in Wisconsin, by the way, please let me know!)

Alaskan Sons of Norway members

"Authentic" Norwegians

And let's not forget the dog sledding. Alaska is home to the Iditarod, one of the world's most famous dog sled races and also a popular sport in Norway (at least Northern Norway). I attended the ceremonial Iditarod start in Anchorage twice, and the actual start in Willow, Alaska once. Each time, Norway's mushers were out in full force -- and each time, their fans were also out in full force (some came all the way from Norway; others were members of Alaska's seven Sons of Norway Lodges). Seeing all those Norwegian flags always made me feel a little bit more at home in a place so very far from my actual Midwestern home.

I'm glad to be back in Wisconsin. I sometimes miss the mountains and the Midnight Sun, but I don't miss the long winters, the December darkness, and the ridiculously expensive cheese. Yes, my Sheboygan neighbors are mostly Germans rather than Scandinavians, but I manage get my Norsk fix every month from my Vennskap friends (and by thawing some of the lefse I keep in my freezer). Gudskjelov!

This Just In----It's Twins!!

2011-04-15T11:57:00.007-05:00

Just this week....

Princess Mary and Prince Frederik of Denmark have christened their newborn twins in Copenhagen. The twins, a boy and girl born on January 8th were baptised at Holmen's church in the Danish capital this week.

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Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary hold their newly christened twins, Prince Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander and Princess Josephine Sofie Ivalo Mathilda. The children were each given a Greenlandic name, Minik and Ivalo, in honor of Denmark's autonomous territory, Danish media report. In keeping with Danish royal tradition, the names of the new prince and princess were kept secret since their birth until the christening.

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Godparents for the newly-christened royalty are Australian. Aussie interest in the Danish family has peaked since Mary and Frederik met in Sydney in 2000 and were later married.

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Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine are the third and fourth children for the happy parents. The earlier siblings are Prince Christian, five, and Princess Isabella, who turns four next week.

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming!

2011-04-06T08:54:00.009-05:00

In an E-mail to The Foreigner, a press spokesman for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence writes "We are informed about the plans for the establishment of an Arctic brigade, close to the Norwegian border. We do not know when the brigade will be established and operational. We will follow the progress of the Russian forces close to Norway."

Soldiers attached to the new Russian mobile brigade are expected to be ready for combat later this year. They will be expected to be taking part in special Arctic warfare training in the base located on the Kola Peninsula, approximately ten kilometers away from the Norwegian border. The move is part of a larger military plan designed to defend its oil and gas interests in the region. Similar actions have also beeen undertaken by the US and Canada. The Arctic contains as much as a fourth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves, and US experts predict global warming could leave the area ice-free as early as 2030.

The Kola Peninsula is located in the far northwest of Russia, almost completely to the north of the Arctic circle. Earlier populated by Sami who engaged mostly in fishing and deer-herding, the territory was later lost in wars and settled by victorious Russians. Closeness to the gulf-stream leads to unusually high temperatures in winter resulting in the area being an important sea-base. Murmansk, in the area, was a significant submarine production center and remains home to the Russian Northern Fleet. Today, the Kola Peninsula is the most industrially-developed and urbanized region in Russia.

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Due to earlier actions by US and Canada to protect future sites of fuel deposits, Russia has decided to extend their interest in the area "to balance the situation."

The new unit, potentially numbering up to 8,000 troops will add to the existing 20th Russian Motorized Infantry in the area.

----The Russians are coming!----

" Fill It Up, Please!"

2011-03-20T19:54:00.011-05:00

Back in "The Day", someone would come out to your car when you drove into the gas-station. Today, we are on our own and pay at the pump, and every day, we complain as the gas prices rise. Over in Norway....

Gas, in Europe is sold by the liter, while we think in terms of "gallons". There are 3.9 liters in a gallon, so, how many liters am I going to need to fill my 15 gallon tank, and how much is it going to cost??! --------That’s 60 liters!

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In Norway, gasoline prices have hit an all-time high.Even though Norway is an oil-producing nation, it’s always had high prices for gasoline (petrol) because of heavy taxes to discourage use of private cars. Now the prices are higher than ever before, because of rising oil prices and the strong Norwegian currency and the Libyan crisis.

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When converted to US dollars, Norwegians are now paying more than USD $10 a gallon for the standard grade of unleaded gasoline (called 95 blyfri). Newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reports that posted prices at Shell stations in Norway, for example, hit NOK 14.12 per liter for unleaded this week, meaning it costs motorists as much as NOK 600 (USD $107) or more now to fill up their tanks.

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By the way, do you know who invented the gas-pump? It was John Tokheim. John was born in Odda, a town in the Handanger province of Norway. In 1887, he emigrated to America at the age of 16, and worked as a sheet-metal worker. Later , he began his own business, which included selling gasoline for stoves and lamps. Becoming annoyed by the messy " drum and spiggot" method of storage, he devised an underground storage tank of the liquid. In 1900, he received a patent for the "Visible Measuring Pump."

Between 1911 and 1939, Tokheim patented and produced the first-known electric gasoline pump.

------A Norwegian did it!-------

C'mon Down!

2011-03-09T20:23:00.016-06:00

Norwegian Reality TV Is Casting For A Show. Here's Your Chance! But you must hurry!

Reality shows are hot in the United States, but Nowegians in "The Old Country" are crazy about Americans! If you are interested in dating interesting and beautiful Norwegian men and women, Nordisk Film TV is looking for you.

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The casting staff will be in Minneapolis/St. Paul March 10th-March 14th looking for candidates. Qualifications are minimal. Whether you are half Norwegian, or your grandparents are Norwegian, or whether you speak the language or not, all you need is some sort of personal relationship to Norway and an interest in dating single Norwegians.

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Four Norwegian-American singles will be presented on Norwegian TV in an episode in May. They will be writing about themselves a bit, and sending a date request to one of the Norwegians on the show, plus adding a little video..Sound like fun?

Check out the on-line form for more information and good luck!

-------norwaycasting.com---------

Let us know what channel you will be on!

Norway's Puffin Dog

2011-02-20T16:38:00.011-06:00

Five hundred or more years ago, people on the northern coast of Norway depended on birds, known as Puffins, to be their major source of winter food. These birds resemble small, flying penguins with big colorful beaks and they nest in the narrow, twisting caves along the rocky sea-cliffs. Those cliffs are so treacherous there is a big problem getting to the Puffins. ----------------------

The Norwegians bred a unique dog for this task which they named ‘Lunderhund’. These dogs are able to scrabble up cliffs and crawl into caves. They have 6 functioning toes, rather than the usual four which allows them to gain purchase and haul themselves along in positions where only the sides of its legs are touching the rock. They also help the dog with traction on steep and slippery cliffs. ---------------------------------

It’s forelegs can bend outwards far enough for the dog to lay flat on its chest, with the legs in a human position The dog’s neck and spine are so flexible it can lay its head back along its own spine, which helps them back out of a cave or turn itself around where there is little room - even with a mouth full of Puffin! The ear structure allows the Lundehund to seal its own ears shut, saving it from getting rock dust and water in its ears. These dogs also have what is known as ‘Lunderhund syndrome’, a condition of digestive disorders involving intestinal cancer, and a loss of the ability to absorb nutrients from food, in extreme cases resulting in starvation. Every Lunderhund has it but some are pretty much symptom free. In the 1940s, these dogs nearly became extinct, with only 5 dogs remaining. The breed has been rebuilt but remains one of the rarest with fewer than 1,000 of these animals worldwide.

Where is Stavanger?

2011-02-20T14:33:00.019-06:00

Everyone knows that Stavanger is an important Norwegian name and a famous port. Or is it?!

Carolyn Johnson has just discovered that Stavanger is losing population! Gone is the famous one-room school, the blacksmith shop, and the general store. Only the famous Lutheran church remains a famous landmark in the community, but this Stravanger is not in Norway.

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In 1975, this Stavanger church was visited by King Olav V as he toured the area. However, this area is not in Norway, but in Illinois, USA. Numerous bus tours have visited this Illinois community to experience the famous name-sake and view an active Norwegian church that was established in 1876. King Olav was greeted by a Norwegian-singing childrens-choir.

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At one time, 22 Norwegians from Norway, Europe came on their bus-tour. In the words of one community member "A lot of people are into genealogy, and we get a lot of people who call and ask to go through our old records to se if "great-grandpa was here." Sometimes, visitors will end up in Stavanger by following the route taken by early immigrants. The church celebrated it's 125th anniversary by celebrating a service in Norwegian. The populatin of Stavanger, Illinois at the 20 census was 2053 people. Other than the Norwegian Lutheran Church, little evidence of Norwegian influence can be found in this community located about 30 miles southeast of Chicago. The village is also known as Seneca on an Illinois map. What may be the Norwegian connection? Just 25 miles north of Seneca/Stavanger is a place called Norway, Illinois ,and the Norwegian Settler's State Memorial. Things begin to be even more interesting!

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This memorial commemorates the 1834 settlement at Norway, Illinois.

This plaque marks the first permanent Norwegian settlement in the Midwest. This location became the departure point for many Norwegians, who, after organizing here, then left for other locations in the Midwest. It became known as the "Mother Settlement", honoring the area and its founder Cleng Peerson (1783-1865). Peerson helped many Norwegians immigrate to the US. This memorial is one of five commemorative markers in front of the small Cleng Peerson Memorial Cemetery.

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Cleng Peerson was born a farmer's son in Tysvær, Norway. In 1821, he received a request from a religious group in Stavanger, Illinois, which, was then, a settlement of Quakers and followers of Hans Christian Hauge. He traveled to the little settlement and assisted many immigrants to the area. Cleng was a deeply religious man who was convinced of the religious and social structure of the Illinois settlement. Starting in 1838, Peerson made numerous return trips to Norway , assisting groups of immigrants to the new country. His travels brought him as far south and west as Texas, as he aided Norwegians settling in their new country. Cleng Peerson became known as "The Father of Emigration."

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You want WHAT in your coffee?

2011-02-04T19:20:00.015-06:00

Many have heard the old expression of having "Egg in your beer", but you have to be from the Midwest to have experienced egg in your coffee! A recent Vikings Magazine featured an article on the Scandinavian and Lutheran practice of Egg Coffee.

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Judy Block, a Vennskap members says " I remember Mom making this egg-coffee every Wednesday night for their Bible Study/Sing that they held in Richfield, Minnesota. Mom used a camping-type coffee maker, the blue-speckled enamel ,non-filtered, large pot with a handle to carry it. She would line up the refreshments on the workbench in the church basement, and then bring down her egg-coffee.

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Her recipe called for 10 cups of boiling water One and 1/4 cup of cold water

1/2 cup coffee grounds

One egg

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In a kettle, bring the 10 cups of water to a boil. Combine the coffee grounds, and the egg and 1/4 cup of cold water in a bowl. Add the egg/coffee mixture and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add one cup of cold water. Serve hot. The egg protein binds and settles the grounds to the bottom, while it enhances the clarity and mildness of the drink."

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Apparently, others add eggshells to the grounds-egg mixture (through a filter) that has been added to boiling water.

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Another coffee-drinker says" take an egg in the shell and wash it. Crack the egg into coffee-grounds, and mix well into a paste. Drop the crushed egg-shells into the paste..Mix, brew the coffee and serve strained...UMMMM!"-----------------------

The egg shells are an important ingredient in this drink. At any rate, many Midwest church basements have been filled with the aroma of Lutherans drinking their coffee and having their egg in it, too! Can you imagine, lutefisk AND egg-coffee? Google "egg-coffee"....Interesting!!

Don't Miss the Boat!

2011-01-28T13:55:00.022-06:00

Looking for a unique winter cruise? The travel industry now offers everything from climbing walls and water parks to bingo, karaoke and dancing girls on their cruises. Then there is Norway’s Hurtigruten line. None of that here! These are working ships which ply the magnificent craggy western coast of Norway. They pride themselves on being "the anti-cruise ship" line. These ships haul things like refrigerators, dryers, lumber and electronics north to tiny coastal communities. Going south, they pick up pallets of fish or maybe equiupment which needs repair. Oil and gas workers, college students, retirees and families are transported in both directions along with cars, bikes and strollers. ---------------------------- Ships can arrive and depart from these little ports in the middle of meals or the middle of night, however it happens. Tourists are allowed to leave the ship to see the sights, but if they don't get back before their ship leaves again, they've literally "missed the boat". Some of these little hamlets have bus or train connections, others not. Best option may be to wait for the next Hurtigruten boat though it will not be able to catch up with the one they are booked on. -------------------------------People must understand the ship’s route doesn’t revolve around them and this is not the trip for them if they can’t stomach fish. It was noted that one buffet included 14 varieties of fish. -----------------------------------So why would anyone be interested in this cruise? The scenery !!! The experience of seeing beautiful Norwegian fjords, the Arctic Circle, Northern Lights, the Midnight Sun, playful killer whales riding the ship’s bow wave as it leaves a fjord... There is the fun of tossing fish in the air to be snatched by sea eagles and being greeted by Sami herders and their reindeer en route to Nordkapp, a plunging cliff at the top of Europe. -------------------------------------------------- If you go: The weather is rough and relatively wild year round so dress accordingly. Twelve-day voyages through fjords cost from $1502 per person. Most popular departures are in winter to see the northern lights, with February being the busiest month.

Oh, But It's Cold, Outside!

2011-01-19T21:18:00.011-06:00

"So, is it cold enough for ya?"...

Everyone talks about the weather, and December has been in the news as a tough month. Wisconsin has experienced some nasty wind-chills. So, how cold is over there, in Norway?

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Oslo. Norway’s capital city has not registered a December month as cold as this one in 110 years. So far, the "mean temperature" for the month is 9.2 degrees Celsius. And there are several even colder days left to bring it even lower, if we are to believe the forecasts. The former Oslo "record" is minus 9 degrees, from 1981.

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Now, we, here in the USA measure our temperatures in Fahrenheit degrees, while overseas, the thermometer is in Celcius...

Math problem to solve....To convert Celcius to Fahrenheit requires a bit of math.

1.Take the temperature in Celcius and multiply by 1.8

2. Add 32 degrees

3. The result is temperature readings in our familiar Farenheit.

So, how cold is it?! ( A hint: -12 degrees C is 10 degrees F.)

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This year, all Norwegians enjoyed a "White Christmas" it seems. Southern Norway is in the grip of a cold-spell, with temperatures from around minus 10 degrees, down to minus 30 degrees Celcius at the inland city of Røros. On the West Coast it is also cold, around minus 5.

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And contrary to what one would believe, it is mildest in the North, with coastal temperatures barely below freezing in places, and snow flurries.

I thought it would be colder than that! You, too?

By the way, that -30 degrees Celcius is -22F for us..That's cold enough! Spring will be coming soon.

Long Live The Queen!

2011-01-06T19:47:00.012-06:00

It's not a "done deal" but it appears that the Swedish population is urging a Monarchial change! Carl XVI Gustaf has been King of Sweden since September 15th, 1973, when his grandfather died. He is the only son of the late Prince Gustaf Adolf and Princess Sibylla. The eldest child to inherit the throne is a girl! An unusual law concerning heir apparents was passed January, 1980, enabling the eldest child of the King and his wife Queen Silvia, male or female, to inherit the throne. The next Swedish ruler will be Queen Victoria. -------------------- Crown Princess Victoria Ingrid Alice Desiree was born July 14th, 1977. Being the first-born of the present King and Queen, she will be next to succeed the throne. June 19, 2010, the Crown Princess wed Daniel Westling, a gym-owner, in a spectacular three-day royal wedding. This was the first wedding of a female heir to the throne in the history of Sweden. The royal couple has been wildly accepted by the Swedish population. --------------------- The latest news report from Sweden finds the people anxiously awaiting her ascension to the Swedish throne. They are urging King Gustaf to retire, allowing Crown Princess Victoria to become the next Queen of Sweden. Stay tuned!

Time for a Ride

2011-01-04T21:36:00.007-06:00

Now that the holidays are over, it's time for a new start. Carolyn Johnson found a road that looks interesting. The Atlantic Road ( Atlanterhavsveien, in Norwegian) is a spectacular road that sports an eight mile bridge. This bridge links the coast of mainland Norway and jumps from island to island to reach Averøy. This road is considered the second most visited tourist attraction in Norway. Construction began in 1983, continuing through twelve hurricane stormy seasons. The main attraction is the Storseisundet Bridge, a twisting structure of 853 feet in length. If you wish to take a ride, google "Atlantic Road Norway youtube". You might turn your speakers down during your ride. I suggest clicking on Atlantic Road, Norway, a 2:56 minute classical music tour. Then for a wilder ride, try "Autocam..atlanterhavseien"..1:40 minutes. Loud, short and fast! Enjoy your trip. Happy New Year!

The Norwegian Military Band

2010-09-19T20:55:00.008-05:00

Turn up your speakers for some precision action and sound!

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The Norwegian Military Band

The Royal Norwegian Army band is called Forsvarets musikkorps Nord-Norge (FMKN) in Norwegian. The band is located in Harstad and has arrangements and concerts every week. They also tours both domestically and internationally. The Norwegian Army Band is thought of as northern Norway’s own band.

---------------- The band is made up of approximately thirty musicians and therefore has a variety of possibilities when it comes to repertoire. The Norwegian Army Band North plays everything from heavy rock and hip-hop, through big band to classical music, with one common denominator: quality. Chamber music is also a strong point within the repertoire. Amongst the ensembles you will be able to enjoy are a brass quintet, a Dixieland band, an alto horn quartet, a woodwind quintet, a percussion ensemble and a trombone trio. The Norwegian Army Band North has attributed greatly to the growth and success of classical music in northern Norway. A major contributor to this progress is the violinist and conductor Arvid Engegård, who in the fall of 2000 took over as the band’s artistic director.

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Click on this link and enjoy! http://biggeekdad.com/2010/08/norwegian-military-tattoo/

Crabby Norwegians

2010-09-19T16:10:00.005-05:00

Years ago, the red king crab invaded Norwegian waters and was considered a pest, making headlines such as, "Devouring Norway’s Fauna" and "Biological Terrorism." Today, it is becoming another Norwegian success story. The king crab industry is where Norway’s salmon industry was 30 years ago as, consumers are anxious to buy them. The harvesting season is limited and the crab’s meatiness (meat volume in the legs) is often poor, so there is a challenge to earning a profit in this business. However, researchers have been working with the problem and have developed a system of catching the crabs in the ocean and feeding them until their meatiness is right, to be sold at a high price. It takes about 2 months to "fatten up" the crabs for sale.

Sheboygan County Historical Center Event

2010-04-27T20:57:00.007-05:00

For all of us who have been searching high and low for information on our ancestors, we have found The Place!

Right under our very noses, in our own county, are individuals who are willing and able to guide our research with a wide variety of recorded information and an organization for even more information!

Drop in for a visit. Lots to see and lots to learn!

2009-06-02T21:48:00.000-05:00

Vennskap Lodge 5-622 is a Sons of Norway Lodge in SE Wisconsin. Our approximately 75 members meet monthly and invite all people of Scandinavian heritage or interest to join us. Our members come from the northern area of SE Wisconsin ranging from Valders, Two Rivers, and Manitowoc down to the southern reaches of Fredonia, and Port Washington. Vennskap is Norwegian for Friendship and our friendly group welcomes you! Meetings are held in Manitowoc one month, while the next monthly meeting is scheduled for Sheboygan. We strive to keep our business meetings short and our social activities the "reason for the meeting". Various speakers are invited to share their experiences travelling in Scandinavian tours, or specialty dancers perform, we share our interests, and every meeting concludes with Scandinavian delicacies. We have fun! Join us. Contact me, dellsolberg@hotmail.com for information. Ask for the Vennskap News, our monthly newsletter. Tusen Takk..Dell Solberg Vennskap News editor