Family – Page 2 – Valerie's Voice

March

The question always is will March come in like a lamb or a lion? Of course, the questions refers to the weather…

A mama robin, has perched on the tree outside our living room window the last few mornings.

For me, either way, March comes in with mixed emotions. There are several significant anniversaries for me in the month of March:

March 7, my father died in 1974
March 9, my mother died in 2009
March 16, our first grandson was born 2016
March 19, our second grandson was born in 2020
March 20, I was born in 1953
March 25, Gary and I were married in 1978

My mother died on this date in 2009. I created an album with items from her funeral and her last days.

Then, during the next 10+ years, I kept stuffing bits and pieces into the album as a safe place to put something significant related to her. It needed to be re-organized, so I took the album off the shelf to work on it during a recent snowstorm. I enjoyed going through the journal entries, the funeral program, and looking at the pictures. The hymns sung at her funeral were printed out, and included On Eagle’s Wings, an uplifting song (no pun intended!).

Chorus:
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand

We recently took a day trip to the National Eagle Center, in Wabasha.

Angel, a permanent resident eagle at the National Eagle Center.

Columbia and Angel are resident eagles there, because of injuries. Both are female, and both in their “20’s”. Such majesty, beauty, power.

Columbia, also a current resident at the eagle center.

We tallied 14 eagle sightings en route to Wabahsa, on that pleasant March day. They are a magnificent sight. But I digress…

Back to momentous March dates…

My father, Herb. Photos from the 1940’s.

My father passed away on March 7, 1974. He was only 55 years old. I have accumulated pictures and written history information from our recent trip to Norway with intentions to compile them in an album. I plan to do so during the upcoming predicted snowstorm this week. Another 2-3 inches…downgraded from 7-8 inches.

Then, on to warmer spring days, and happier celebrations of births and marriage.

Ah, the circle of life…

The Tale of Four Cats

The writing assignment: Write about a time you had to put an animal to sleep…

Over the years I’ve lived with four cats.

One, I had as a child. He was a stray cat that our family took in. We called him Chief, until she had babies, then we renamed her Chief-asina, after the popular cat movie at the time (in the early 1960’s) Thomasina. I think she eventually ran away. I thought I saw her sitting in a neighbor’s window down the block once. But for some reason we didn’t pursue her.

The other three cats were a part of our lives when our two boys were young. The first cat was a black and white shorthair male. We named him Mittens. He was a cute black and white kitten with white paws. We bought him at an animal shelter. On the way home we asked the boys what we should name him. Mittens was chosen. After we got Mittens settled in his new home we sat down for dinner. When we were done eating our youngest said, “May I please be excused? I want to go pet Gloves!”

Although, Mittens was a well-groomed cat, he would not use the litter box. We tried all kinds of tricks and suggestions, short of bringing him to a cat psychiatrist (one of the suggestions). The animal shelter did not want him back either, so we had no choice but to put him to sleep. That was a hard decision, and one not made lightly. I do not remember how we told our boys.

Our second cat was a calico cat…a lovely mixture of gray and white and tan. We named him Cocoa. He did use the litter box, but he didn’t like to be inside. We wanted an indoor cat. Every time the door opened Cocoa flew through the air to get outside. This was a constant problem.

One day I was going to run some errands. As I backed the car out of the garage, I ran over something I thought was a toy. Little did I know Cocoa was out there, under the car, and I had run over him. It was traumatic. Gary was out of the country on business, but fortunately our neighbor came over and helped us dig a hole and bury our naughty, but loved, kitty in the back garden.

Our third, and last, cat was an orange, female tabby cat. I had heard orange female cats were usually gentle and calm, so back to the animal shelter we went. We found one there and brought her home. We named her Caramel Corn. She was a beautiful cat…the color of caramel corn. She was a good cat: she used the litter box, she liked being in the house…she didn’t even try to get out of the house when the doors were open.

She loved to sit among people. I would pull up a stool at the kitchen table where Caramel Corn would perch contently and listen in on our conversations around the table, no matter who was visiting. In the mornings she would jump on my lap to snuggle while I had my morning coffee and devotions, and we’d rock in the rocking chair. She was a wonderful kitty-cat that we had for twelve years. I missed her when she died.

I like stuffed animals and years ago I bought a stuffed caramel colored kitty to add to a few pillows on our bed, as a reminder of Caramel Corn.

In the meantime, we found out our son was allergic to cats so we could not invest in another cat. But that’s OK. We had a delightful one for a long time, and it would be hard to find another one like our beloved Caramel Corn.

It’s Official

“It’s official” are the words used in a text sent to us yesterday, from our son. His wife, Andrea (our other daughter-in-love), is from Mozambique. They moved to the United States in 2018 with their two children.

After completing all that was required of her, yesterday she took the final step…the oath…in a government building in North Carolina, to become a citizen of the United States.

“It’s official!”

Congratulations Andrea!

She now has dual citizenship with Mozambique, can get a US passport, and has all the privileges of being a citizen of the United States. Their two lovely children also have dual citizenship, by birth.

We are proud of her.

Happy Thanksgiving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5

Decorating leaf cookies with the grandchildren.

…through all generations …

Grateful!

Thanksgiving in the Woods

I have a children’s book titled “Thanksgiving in the Woods.”

It is a true story about one family’s Thanksgiving tradition. Each year they make a special effort to go into the woods to eat their thanksgiving meal, with extended family and friends. The story tells they bring traditional Thanksgiving food, set up tables and chairs, load a truck full of hay for hay rides, bring guitars to make music around a bon fire, and other outdoor activities. I always thought it sounded like a lot of fun.

So, when our grandchildren were invited to attend a “Thanksgiving in the Woods” I, of course, latched on to the idea and signed us up.

We didn’t know what to expect. I knew it would not be like the book, but I wanted to experience what this event had to offer. We knew the weather in North Carolina has been unseasonably cold, so we planned to dress warmly. We knew that by 6:00 pm it is dark outside, but that added to the excitement. We knew we were to bring a dessert, and we knew the park (which was on an island) since we had hiked there before with the kids.

We didn’t know if there would be any program, a campfire, or what kind of meal to expect.

We used our iPhone flashlight to light our way. I wanted to retake this photo, but the kids said it turned out perfect.

We drove across the causeway to the island, parked in the lot, and walked a little ways up the unlit, paved path to the picnic shelter.

A large bon fire greeted us. The buffet table was set up in picnic shelter and we set down our contribution to the meal. The kids immediately started to run around as we stood by the campfire and had polite conversation with some folks.

The servers at the buffet ling. Fun plates, napkins and cups.

The meal was the real deal…a full array of Thanksgiving foods…stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach casserole, gravy, turkey, ham, cranberries and miscellaneous desserts including pumpkin pie, and a decorated theme cake.

Everyone went through the food line, including those serving the meal. Not until after everyone had finished eating did they open the dessert line. That was a nice touch.

Fun captions on this Thanksgiving-themed decorated cake.

A lot of work went into planning this event, and although the event was not at all like the book, we enjoyed being outside in the woods… we did not get cold…we ate tasty food (including smoked turkey!)…and we were thankful.

It was an enjoyable evening… at this “Thanksgiving in the Woods.”

All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, is celebrated in honor of all the saints of the church. I’m grateful our church celebrates this day, always on the Sunday before the official November 1st date.

In our church, names of loved ones that have passed away are collected from members prior to the Sunday service. You add names of those people who have gone before you, those that have made a difference in your life, especially spiritually. The list scrolls through the ceremony in the church service, and the congregation can read the names to get a visual of the many people we consider important to us…Ruby, Herb, Agnes, Bob, Warren, Jean, Ed, Henry…

During a time set apart in the service, people from the congregation get up and walk to the front of the church. On the altar there is a table with many votive candles. You can light a candle(s) for your loved one(s).

Sunday’s sermon focused on the several long-time members our church who passed away in the last four months. It was somber, yet celebratory, as we were reminded of these wonderful folks who were a part of our congregation, whom we loved, and whom we will miss.

We sang the old, traditional hymn, For All The Saints, written by William Walsham How, in 1864.

A few select verses (from 8 stanzas):

1 For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

2 Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou, in the darkness dread, their one true light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

4 Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

8 From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Today is All Saint’s Day…take time to remember.

Auntie Ag

We called her Auntie Ag. She was my dad’s older sister, Agnes. She was a special aunt…she never married so her nieces and nephews were very important to her, and she treated us well. She pass away in 2004.

Last summer I inherited a couple of her photo albums from the 1930-40’s. I was amazed at what I could glean from perusing the old photos, where few photos had captions, and very few were dated!

I have many good memories of Auntie Ag. I knew her well, particularly in her older years…But when I looked through her photos, I felt I learned a lot more about her as a young woman. I found it interesting that I felt I could capture her essence from the photos. I decided we had a lot of similar traits.

When I found this photo of Auntie Ag, I remembered a dress I wore to a high school winter dance that was similar. I don’t know the date of Ag’s photo. The photo of me was taken in 1969.

I resonated with the photo of my aunt overlooking Lake Superior when she was a young woman. The photo immediately caught my attention when looking through several of her old photo albums.

Auntie Ag on the north shore. Date unknown.

One similarity is our love for Lake Superior and the north shore. It is my happy place. It was fun to see how often the north shore showed up in her photos, and to learn she went there often. I also know that my grandmother, my dad and Agnes’ mother, had a love for the north shore.

Another trait I share with Auntie Ag is she liked to travel. She liked to travel a lot; across the country, and to cozy cabins, and to Norway in later years. I like to travel too.

She was an adventurer…There were photos of her on hikes, on bikes, on horseback, on the water, on a toboggan, and fishing…what fun! I, too, am fond of adventure and new experiences.

You could see from the different photos she liked being with friends, and she had a lot of them. She loved hosting them for breakfasts and dinner parties, as do I.

Agnes’ mother, my grandma, was always well-dressed. I think there are stories of grandma having more than one trunk of clothes when she traveled to Norway. I noticed Aggie was always well-dressed in the photos. I know when she was older, her outfits “matched” and she always wore “matching” jewelry. I am not a fashion bug by any means, but do like to dress nice.

Auntie Ag’s nieces and nephews, photo taken in 1971. I am in the front row, in the red dress.

There were hundreds of photos of our families. I know Aggie loved her extended family. She was a believer and prayed for me (and for her nieces and nephews) all her life…and for that, I am grateful. I too, am a believer, and deeply love and pray for my family.

My Grandfather Torkel and Grandmother Elizabeth in the front row. Again, I’m not sure of the year this photo was taken. Elizabeth died in 1962. The siblings in the back row L to R: Herbert (my father), Agnes, Earl, Bob.

At Home in Norway

This wraps up my series on our trip to Norway. However, other stories may pop up in the future.

In Norway, being close to the sea every day, surrounded by amazing beauty, was an incredible gift.

A scene off the western coast of Norway.

I felt so at home. I felt I belonged.

In Minnesota, my happy place is on the shores of Lake Superior. I felt the same feelings in Norway, as I do when I’m up on the north shore.

I’ve been told my Grandmother Elizabeth loved being up on the north shore too. It reminded her of the homeland she left behind in Norway, when she was a young woman. I like to think about our connection. She died when I was ten years old.

I love my rich Norwegian heritage, and am proud of it!

I am wearing my American cousin’s Norwegian bunad. It represents the Hardangerfjord, the area where my relatives live in Norway. I borrowed this costume to wear to work in 2011, when Norway’s King Harald V visited St. Olaf College.

I was grateful that Gary made so many travel arrangements to make this trip happen. And that he embraced my relatives, and they embraced him.

And, of course, I’m grateful to all my many relatives in Norway for the marvelous and abundant hospitality shown to us.

My heart is full, yet part of it was left behind Norway.

The Island of Stord, Norway

After saying good-bye to Brita’s house in Kaldestad, we took the ferry to the island of Stord, where my second cousin Heine and his wife Kari live, and work, and have a “cabin”. Heine works for a company that makes oil platforms for the north sea.

Kari manages a delightful home decor/gift shop, The Five Hens.

We stopped by their home in the southeast area of Stord, on the way to their cottage on the sea, located in the northwest part of the island. That day we went from my grandfather’s house, built 1882, to Heine & Kari’s house on the sea, built 2012.

The cottage was a gorgeous home, with floor to ceiling windows and it sat right on the water’s edge, offering a great view. The six of us, Jomar and Bente, Gary and me, Heine and Kari, spent three nights there and had an enchanting time.

Besides being at the “cottage looking out over the water”, our mealtimes were memorable. Gathering around the dining table each morning, and every night, was fabulous. Not only was the food delicious, but the camaraderie was sweet.

Breakfast buffets in the hotels in Norway are amazing with breads, jams, soft-boiled eggs, egg dishes, meats, cheeses, fish, yogurts, oatmeal, trimmings, waffles, salads, cucumbers (and more)…they’re bountiful!

We had a lot of these same foods for breakfast at the cottage, except they were all set on the table in front of us. We passed the array of food back and forth, and enjoyed our leisurely breakfasts.

Dinners were fantastic too. Scrumptious food including elk, beef ribs and a pork roll, and chicken. Yum. We would eat a late, leisurely dinner, with good conversation.

Heine grilling elk from his hunt last fall.

Lunches were eaten outside; on the deck, or on the boat.

Our enchanting mealtimes made for some wonderful memories at the cottage.

Happenings in Kaldestad, part 2

I haven’t mentioned much about my grandmother’s family.

She grew up in Prestnes, an area next to Kaldestad. And therefore, I have relatives in the area on her side of the family too. Jarle Prestnes is another second cousin – on my grandmother’s side. His grandfather and my grandmother were siblings. We had lunch with Jarle and his wife and one daughter, at their home in Bergen. They also traveled to Kaldestad, to Jarle’s father’s home, and Gary and I went there for an enjoyable dinner with his wife, daughter, and Jarle’s sister (and therefore, my second cousin) and her husband. 😉

Redden Jane, front left and Jarle, head of table, are siblings and my second cousins.

Jarle, my second cousin on my grandmother’s side.

We did not see my grandmother’s home this time however, in 2007 we were able to see Grandma Elizabeth’s house. It is not owned by anyone in the family. In fact, I’m not sure if it is still standing.

My grandmother’s family outside their house, early 1900’s. My grandmother is Elisabet (Elizabeth), the one in the white dress.

The front of my grandmother’s house. Photo taken in 2007.

Before leaving Kaldestad, I want to highlight a new boathouse. Some of the grandchildren built a boathouse across the inlet from the old boathouse. It is twin-peaked, modern, and painted white. The boathouse fits right in on the shoreline and is very attractive.

The new boathouse is the white one between the red and the gold one.

It has space for several boats and currently there is a kayak, a canoe, and a very special treasure…the old wooden row boat that my grandfather’s brother, Johnannes, used for his livelihood, fishing, back in the early 1900’s.

The wooden boat underneath the kayak is the fishing boat my grandfather’s brother used in the early 1900’s.

Our times in this very special place, Kaldestad, was enjoyable, exciting, amazing and memorable! I am grateful.

As we left Kaldestad, my heart was full.