On our recent trip up north, with our sons and their families, I thought about this poem I wrote back in 1998, in the midst of raising children, working, and extended family activities. It rings true today, but maybe I’d add some grandchildren to the scene. 😉
There's No Place I'd Rather Be
There’s no place I would rather be
Than by the shore or on the sea.
For at this place my heart’s alive
My body’s at rest, my soul’s revived.
There’s time to reflect, to think, to pray
And time to watch nature at play.
These retreats are made o-so-fair
As different sounds fill the air.
Rushing water or gentle waves
Is what my body and soul craves.
The songbird always sings its song
And gulls or loons may join along.
Creatures dare to come close you see
When I’m quietly sitting with just me.
Through it all my Creator speaks
And I’d like to be there every week.
My world slows down and I rejoice
To be on shore or sea is my choice.
In 2004, 2005, and 2008 I was in the Ukraine on three separate mission trips. Each time we went to Cherkasy, a city south of the capital, Kiev. We conducted English Language Camps at the House of Gospel church.
My host family was a lovely couple that opened their home to my friend, Kay, and I. More host families from their church took in the other members on our team. But each year, Kay and I stayed together with this same family. Our home stays were about 7-8 days…enough time to build relationships.
This couple and their son, who was living at home at the time, were gracious and loving and took good care of us. The English Language Camps were held at their church. The camps were promoted for kids ages 15-20. We used Bible stories as our resource. There were eight group leaders. We each had interpreters with our small groups of 8-10 kids. The kids were excited to practice their English language skills on native speakers. Many kids attended (~90) and many kids had never been to church. It was rewarding.
After our first trip in 2004, our church started supporting our host family’s daughter and her husband, who are missionaries in Odesa, a city in the southern part of the Ukraine. Every few years the missionaries, Caleb and Christina, come to our church to give an update and thank Emmaus for our support. This year they brought along Christina’s parents, our hosts from those trips many years ago.
It was such a privilege and joy to have them stay in our home. I never thought I’d see them in Minnesota! It was great to visit with them and get an update on the current situation in Ukraine, and to just bond with them and strengthen our relationship. We had a delightful time together.
Sometimes I’m amazed when I think about having friends and family that I know and love in other places in this world. For me, those places include Norway, Ukraine, Mozambique and Japan. What an honor and blessing.
I received a gift in the mail the other day. A 2024 Collector’s calendar: Norway, Visions and Verse of Vikingland…41st edition.
And the reason I was given this calendar is because one of the photos I took while visiting Norway last summer was chosen to be in the calendar.
It was fun looking through each month to see all the lovely pictures of this amazingly beautiful country, and finding one of my own, taken on the Island of Stord.
I packed shiny, new, yellow knitting needles and a bright, multi-colored skein of soft yarn to bring to North Carolina. My oldest granddaughter had shown an interest in knitting the last time we were there, so I thought I’d teach her to knit this time.
At Hobby Lobby I told a stranger in the yarn aisle what my plan was. She helped me pick out a good size knitting needle for a young girl. I appreciated that.
Zoey loved the color of the needles, and the yarn, and she was excited to learn. It didn’t take her long to catch on – how to cast on and the knit stitch. What fun.
Because this is something new for her, she was knitting almost every time she sat down…hopefully she will continue to like it and it will be a fun skill for her to use in the future.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember who taught me to knit (I hope Zoey will remember who taught her!) I have pages torn out of a girl’s magazine with knitting instructions…did I teach myself? I remember knitting slippers…
Later I learned to crochet. And, back then (50 years ago), I learned to make granny squares…they were a big deal at that time. I remember I made a vest from them. I have seen granny square vests for sale in vintage clothing stores recently.
I also crocheted several afghans, using granny squares.
Several years later I went back to knitting. I knit winter scarves and then I learned about a prayer shawl ministry. I loved the idea, so I started knitting prayer shawls. I made several prayer shawls to give away.
Now that I’ve shown my granddaughter how to knit, I need to refresh myself on how to crochet, so eventually I can show her how to do that. And who knows, she may want to learn how to crochet a granny square…
As the snow melts, daffodils and hyacinth sprouts will begin to emerge, and fairy gardens will be uncovered.
I am enchanted with fairy gardens. They are whimsical and I love finding them in surprising places: under a flower or next to a tree trunks, maybe under rocks in a rock garden. I also like creating one in my own backyard flower garden.
Some fairy gardens are elaborate, like one on St. Olaf Avenue in Northfield. The garden is filled all kinds of miniature critters with some fairies, most are reading books. It is clever.
My fairy garden is simpler; a table with chairs, with one fairy drinking from a tea cup and another fairy with a watering can…and oh yes, I added a Norwegian troll last summer.
I’m planning an expansion to my garden this year with a few trinkets I’ve picked up in thrift stores…a lamppost and wishing well to name a few.
A couple of weeks ago we went to the Minneapolis Home + Garden Show in the convention center downtown Minneapolis. The show always has colorful flower gardens to show off and lots of different vendors promoting their wares. Every few years we think it’s interesting to go see “what’s new in home-style”.
This year my favorite display was…what I call… life-size fairy homes…uniquely designed sheds that look like fanciful fairy houses. I wanted to bring one home to play in, but they were asking an exorbitant price!
What fun it would be to have an adult-size fairy house in a backyard…especially if it were tucked in between some trees. It could be a great place to set up a small library scene: book shelf full of books, a lamp, and a comfortable chair… or a place for sitting in quiet contemplation…or a fancy garden shed with all manner of plants and dirt, tools and planting supplies…or maybe even a game room?
When writing about these sheds, a memory surfaced of playing in a shed in our backyard when I was a little girl. My dad and brother made an adult-size play shed out of scrap wood – nothing fancy like these fairy sheds – but it had a door and a window and that was enough. The neighborhood kids and I played for hours in that shed.
I’m thinking that subdued memory was what sparked such a joyful response in me when I saw the creative fairy sheds at the Home + Garden Show.
Recently I bought a new sweater and I have a necklace to go with it. I am happy to be wearing this necklace again. I have a few special pieces of beautiful jewelry (with stories), and some costume jewelry. For a while I didn’t wear much jewelry, but I’m trending towards wearing a few pieces again.
I received this enamel heart necklace years ago. It was a gift from my Auntie Ag. I was probably in my 20’s…I don’t remember. I’ve had it for a very long time. Agnes brought it home for me, as a gift from Norway.
I like the heart shape, the color, the simple rose pattern, the enamel.
And there is something distinct on the back. It is embossed with the Lord’s prayer, in Norwegian. I remember being told that when I was given the necklace, but today I wondered if the prayer could possibly fit on the back. So…I translated the words on Google and sure enough, it is the Lord’s prayer.
I always enjoy a good story behind the different things we have and use.
Libraries are a gift to any community. I have come to love and appreciate Northfield’s public library.
I think of Andrew Carnegie, whose mission was to provide libraries to many communities throughout the world. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929.* Northfield’s library is a Carnegie library.
“His [Andrew Carnegie] philanthropic interests centered around the goals of education and world peace. One of his lifelong interests was the establishment of free public libraries to make available to everyone a means of self-education.” **
Over the years I have used a variety of our library’s helpful services. I realize my list is a fraction of what libraries have to offer.
My list includes:
When our grandkids lived with us a for a few months, we went to weekly children’s story time. And after story time, I took them to the children’s area and they picked out books to check out and bring home.
I’ve attended author’s talks at the library.
I’ve had help with my computer from a librarian.
I’ve had help finding books and audio books for myself from a librarian.
I’ve had help finding children’s books from a librarian. I have gotten ideas for children’s game.
I’ve found nooks to sit in and write for a spell. It's a peaceful place.
I can order a book from home and the librarian will find it and put it on the hold shelf for me...I just stop in and pick it up! Quick and easy.
The library offers daily newspapers to read.
When we were in Tromsø Norway, we visited the public library. Tourist information for Tromsø includes a visit to the library. It has a beautiful, architectural design. We did purposely walk to see it, and then one day, when we needed a place to rest while walking around town, we found shelter in this beautiful public library. It felt so right, so peaceful. It was comforting to know we had a place to sit for a spell, and to get a drink of water, use the restroom.
There was a seed exchange program at the library in Tromsø. I’ve seen the same seed exchange program in Faribault’s Buckham Memorial Library. What a wonderful idea.
On a side note: In Svalbard Norway, far above the arctic circle, there is a Global Seed Vault, that stores seeds to provide “security of the world’s food supply against the loss of seeds in genebanks due to mismanagement, accident, equipment failures, funding cuts, war, sabotage, disease and natural disasters.” ***
Libraries: the concept is appealing… and I believe, it’s called pooling and sharing our resources!
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.
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 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.
We boarded a few boats during our time in Norway. First, we were cruising along the western coast of Norway on the ferry/postal ship, the Hurtigruten.
We also took a number of ferries as part of our road trips. It’s just a natural and reliable way of life, and transportation, in the area where we were.
And, we took two more intimate rides in a boat that Heine and Kari have at their cottage. It seats six comfortably, and they graciously took us for rides on the Norwegian sea.
I love the water. I love being on it, or beside it. This was a special treat.
The scenery was stunning.
The scenery was breathtaking.
The scenery was colorful.
The scenery was pastoral.
On one trip we docked in a town called Fitjar, where Kari grew up.
We disembarked and found ice cream treats, before getting back on the boat to continue our fabulous ride.
The scenery included many styles of boathouses along the sea shore…
and hilly and rocky shorelines.
What a pleasure it was to be on the water, taking in a different perspective of this absolutely, beautiful country.
Our drive to the cottage took us through beautiful countryside across the island of Stord. And once at the cottage, we were able to go on two hikes in the countryside, during our stay.
On one hike we walked up to one of many wind turbines in a hilly area along the coast, close to the sea.
At the top, the view overlooked 365 islands off the coast of western Norway. Even though it was partly cloudy, we could see for miles, and we could see the North Sea beyond the islands.
Three sheep met us on the way up. They walked toward us, stopped, and then turned around as though they wanted us to follow them. When the sheep turned off the main trail, they turned and looked at us quizzically, while we kept going straight.
We continued to hike to the top, looked around, then headed back. The sheep met us, once again, on the way down. They seemed to be wondering why we didn’t follow them the first time, and they were willing to give us a second chance!
A different hike took us through a forest to a trail that was dotted with interesting characters and trolls along the path.
Apparently, the displays began with one man creating dioramas and placing them in the forest, along the side of the trail.
It turned into several more figures being created, and added, to the trail.
Now it is a fun place for children, or for those of us young-at-heart, to look for these special creatures.
Adventure Road is close to a city so children can visit the forest easily, and walk on the trail to find the treasures.
Our hike took us to this unique Troll Forest. It was a fun adventure.