17th of May

New pictures from today's Syttende Mai in Frontier have been added at the end of this post.  Thanks Sandra!

Nora loves to wave flags!

Mother and daughter wearing their bunads

Nora with her adopted Norsk "Bestemor" Gunn
(who knit the new sweater Nora wore today)

Fun in the flowers

I'm even wearing a solje (the silver pin) that I got at my baptism!

I had made plans to go to Frontier for this Syttende Mai but this past week I changed my mind.  I'm not ready to celebrate this day yet, too many reminders of a year ago when we gathered around Howard's bed at St. Joseph's Special Care Home and this day became his "time to die".  I have always felt sad that I hadn't had a chance to visit him for the previous nine days due to a lockdown at the home. When I arrived on May 16, after calls from the nurse saying his oxygen level was low, he was already unconscious.  Now I realize that may have been a blessing.  Phone calls to him that week were frustrating as he couldn't seem to hear me or understand the conversation.  Maybe he'd have been like that in person too and those would have been our last memories of him.  Instead, our last time together was peaceful as he continued in an unconscious state throughout the night until he passed from this world to the next shortly after ten on May 17.  It was also Ascension Day, such a fitting day to go to his heavenly home.

So now I have been a widow for one year.   It has gone by quickly, yet looking back, it seems like a long time.  I have been blessed to be able to travel.  Sandra and I went to Norway for three delightful weeks last summer.  I spent two weeks in Yuma this past winter with special cousins, Myrna (Gilchrist) and Ernie Damm.  Laurel and I spent Easter with Todd, Kristy and Nora in Norway.  I spent most of the winter here on the farm and didn't mind getting blocked in a couple times.   I always have lots of food on hand and thankfully the power stayed on.  For next winter Clare plans to have a generator ready to hook up should there be a power failure.  I am content to live here at the farm as long as my health is good.  Three cats, plus three new kittens, keep me company!  I have internet and Sask Tel so can keep in touch with family and friends by phone or Facetime, as well as Facebook!  I am also thankful for neighbours and our church family at Trinity for your support.

On Thursday I spent the morning out in the yard planting garden.  Tomatoes are a must!  I put each plant in an old tire.  It's good protection from the wind when the plants are young and the black tires hold the heat  which tomato plants love.  I'm working on a "salad garden" right south of the house with onions, chives, lettuce, and radish just a few steps away - hopefully!

Today I spent some time at Salem cemetery working in the flower bed.  I had red wave petunias to plant on Howard's grave and a garden flag for the stand that I bought .  I had put it up last week but the strong north-west wind blew the flag right off the stand.  I was happy to find it in the field just south of the church.  I added a fastener to the rod so that won't happen again.

This evening I want to watch the video that we took in Oslo on May 17, 2005 on our first trip to Norway.  We arrived on the 16th and joined the Brekke tour group, a wonderful introduction to Norway as we spent nine days travelling and sightseeing with a great group of people with Norsk roots.

The Norwegians were out on the streets today dressed in their best for the many parades.  Many, including Kristy and Nora, were wearing their bunads.  Each area in Norway has a distinctive style so you can tell which district they are from by the bunad they wear.  Todd said that he will be taking part in body but his heart will be elsewhere today.

Sandra will be the emcee for the festivities in Frontier today.  The tables will be loaded with all kinds of Norsk goodies, more than you'll see on any table in Norway today!  Now that Sandra has visited Norway,  she will have many of her impressions to share with the guests.  We have precious memories of the warm hospitality shown to us on our trip last summer - by the Eika family in Oslo and Skien, our mother's family at Bømlo and of course, Todd and Kristy in Kristiansund as well as their friends Rolf and Ruth, Odd Bjorn and Elsa.  Tusen takk!

I will close this post with pictures from past year's May 17th afternoon in Frontier.  Perhaps there'll be some more to add tonight!

Kranse kake and other goodies

Sandra with Rhett and Katie

Frontier ladies singing Norsk songs

Sandra with Allan Mything (he must be a Norsk curling fan!)

So it has been good to have this first anniversary day on Norway's national day.  Nora has been the bright spot for all of us.  I got such a cute video clip of her waving the Norsk flag but can't seem to put it on my blog.  Send me your email and I'll forward it!

Here are the 2013 pictures of Frontier's 17th of May celebration today.

Sandra and Nola in their bunads
(Sandra found Nola's in Kristiansund!)

Sandra with the ring from Norway that
 she gave Megan for her 13th birthday

Sandra with 5 of her 8 grandcildren

The crowd enjoying Norway's National Day