FJELL-LJOM.. (MOUNTAIN ECHOES).. BLÅFJELL LODGE 3-646 April 2017 Co-President: Joann Barfield 540-380-2926 Co- President/Secretary: Kathy Clark 540-977-2349 Treasurer: Cheri Johnson 540-989-6330 Editor: Robin Lambert 540-904-1817 Lodge Counselor: Sharon Rohrback 540-774-0006 ======Blåfjell's website: sonsofnorwayblafjell.org Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/SonsOfNorwayBlaFjell ======Mission Statement: The mission of the Sons of is to preserve and cherish a lasting appreciation of the heritage and culture of Norway and the other Nordic countries. ======Regularly scheduled meetings: Fourth Saturday of each month, 1:00 PM, College Lutheran Church, 210 South College Avenue, Salem (Except for special events) ======NO MEETING IN MAY .. WE WILL ALL BE AT LOCAL COLORS! Saturday May 20, 2017 11am-5pm Location: Elmwood Park Roanoke, VA (If you have not yet signed up for a baked goods donation or to work the booth, call Sharon Rohrback at 774-0006)

NEXT MEETING: SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 1-3 PM COLLEGE LUTHERAN CHURCH ======CO-PRESIDENT MESSAGE:

Local Colors time again .. our largest event, both in public visibility and, hopefully, in recruiting! With our theme of "Christmas in May", we should attract a good number of the many thousands of people attending this event. In addition to doing some "business", this is a great opportunity to meet and greet and visit with folks .. and have a good time!

If you have not yet signed up for a donation of baked goods and your time to work our booth, please contact Event Chair Sharon now .. thanks in advance for your participation!

Thought for the Month

"Ideas never work unless you do.

Submitted by Joann Barfield /Kathy Clark, Blåfjell Lodge Co-President/Secretary ======LOCAL COLORS MAY 20, 2017 Our big fundraiser and fun day is coming soon: May 20, 2017, setup 9am - takedown 5pm.

We will be near our usual location along the Fountain Walk sidewalk in Elmwood Park. Parking is free in a large lot across Williamson Road about a half-block away.

Work shifts: we need volunteers to work 2-3 hour shifts at the Sons of Norway tent.

Baked goods needed: baked, pre-wrapped, and price marked at home. No ingredients that need to be kept on ice such as puddings, cream fillings, fruits. Place a sticker on the item showing the item name, the country represented, and ingredients (esp if one could cause an allergic reaction). The cost of cake depends on size: $1.00 for single slice; $2.00 or $3.00 for larger sizes. The cost of cookies/bars is $1.00 a bag: four small cookies or two large cookies per bag.

Please call or e-mail Sharon Rohrback stating if you can work and when; and what baked item you will provide. Most baked goods should be at the site by 10:30 am.

Submitted by Sharon Rohrback, Event Coordinator Phone (540) 774-0006. Email [email protected]. ======MINUTES OF MARCH MEETING:

The April 22 meeting of Blafjell Lodge was called to order by Co-President Joann Barfield. New member Jeff Helgeson was welcomed and given a new member pin. The following guests were welcomed: Marissa (JoAnn Stephens-Foster's daughter), Ed and Grace Wold. We sang the Norwegian, Canadian, and American National Anthems.

The March minutes, as posted in the April newsletter, were approved. Cheri Johnson, Treasurer, gave the report; the balance is $2,526.97. The Worthy Cause bag was passed to collect money to be given to a family in need at Christmas. We have an open position for Community Service Chairman; we would like a member to take this office.

Sharon Rohrback reported on the Boy Scout event at the D-Day Memorial on April 8. The May 6 yard sale will be at Cheri Johnson's home. Our goal is to make $300.00 for the lodge. Call Cheri 989-6330 if you need her to pick your things up.

Sharon, chairman of Local Colors event, gave an update on the May 20 event in downtown Roanoke. We will be featuring baked goods and Nordic Christmas ornaments made by our members. A sign-up sheet was passed to sign up to work that day. Joann Barfield distributed more buttons that are promoting the Sons of Norway's membership campaign. Our June event will be a presentation by our Cultural Director Cheri Johnson on Norway's flowers, oils, and perfumes. Heritage Minute will be given by JoAnn Stephens-Foster. The meeting was adjourned by Joann Barfield.

Bob Rohrback gave an interesting and entertaining Heritage Minute on a member of Sharon's family who served in WWII, followed by Sharon Rohrback's informative program on "Norway in WWII".

Refreshments were provided by Ed and Grace Wold, Sharon Rohrback, and Todd Solberg.

Submitted by Kathy Clark, Blåfjell Lodge Secretary ======MEMBER NEWS: Gratuleer Med Dagen

May birthdays: Kathy Clark 5/3 AnnitaNelson 5/13

======What Did You Miss? April 8, 10am-12pm D Day Memorial Scout Day Location: Bedford, VA Presentations: Erik Brun of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

Note: This is the third D-Day event we have participated in representing ally Norway. 1. D-Day Memorial Family Day in July 2015

2. D-Day Memorial Home School Day in April 2016 3. D-Day Memorial Scout Day in April 2017

Location: This year we were on the covered patio deck next to the gift shop, instead of a canopy on the lawn. Worked out ok. The scouts were kept busy enough, and were interested enough, not to leave our presentation to go into the gift shop.

Group rotation every 15 minutes: Erik was able to cover the main events of the war: when it started, who controlled what, when Norway was defeated and the use of the 99th Infantry Battalion. A good bit of information. Six sites visited, so about six groups of 8-12

scouts, plus 4-6 adults with each group.

Event workers: Robin Lambert, event coordinator. Sharon Rohrback Excluding transportation time, we worked on site 9am to 12:30 pm. Two Blafjell members were sufficient (as greeters, crowd control) because Erik Brun did the program presentation. Erik Brun, guest presenter, president of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) WWII Education Foundation. **a note: Erik has always been interested in history and is working on his Master Degree In history. In about 2011 he became interested in the 99th Infantry Foundation when his father (who is still living) attended a reunion.

Equipment: Erik brought his own equipment, but used the posters and black support boards he had loaned to Blåfjell three years ago which we stored in our closet. He has taken those items back to Richmond as the posters were the masters. We gave his business card to every adult person attending. Blåfjell provided the Blåfjell trifolds, given to those interested in receiving them. Handed out about three or four, but most groups travelled some distance to get here Blåfjell also provided each group's scout leader(s) with a document she created for our April meeting. All 15 copies handed out. It showed several citizen resistance symbols, showing their quiet support for Norway and non-support for Germany.

Duties: Robin wore her bunad; Sharon wore her Blafjell outfit and vest. Robin: registering us for participation and obtaining any instructions from the D-Day staff, taking photos, showing each group where to sit, and timing Erik so he could concentrate on presenting. Sharon: greeting the adults accompanying the scouts, visiting with them a bit (but letting them concentrate on the presentation also), distributing handouts. Erik Brun, President of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) WWII Education Foundation, was the presenter. We found out about changes in plan two days before the event, in which our time slot was shared by the scout event and visit to the adjacent gift shop. (as it was, very few scouts left his activity to go into the gift shop; they may have done so when they had lunch on the deck). Erik is very good at shifting plans. He had a great program idea to get the scouts involved. He brought laminated maps of Europe showing East coast countries and extending west to Russia, Italy, and Greece. About 8 places were set with laminated map to color with non-permanent markers. The maps could then be wiped off for the next group. The scouts worked together. As Erik spoke, he assisted the scouts filling in the areas controlled by the Allies, and the areas controlled by Germany and the Nazis. He explained how Norway was used to deceive the Nazi's into thinking allied resources were going to be sent to defend Norway's coastline, so the Nazis sent soldiers to Norway instead of to other areas of Europe. Erik had a wonderful way of simplifying the presentation to match the ages of the boy and girl scouts ranging from 2nd grade to 7th grade. He had no time to try the activity from last year, where a child carried a 25 or 50 or 75 lb bag to see how hard that was to fight in mountains and snow. Lessons learned: The craft was simple and effective. Don't get too extensive. Be prepared for logistic changes. Allow four hours from setup to take down.

Submitted by Sharon Rohrback, Blåfjell Lodge Counselor ======What Did You Miss? April 22, 1-3pm SON Meeting Location: College Lutheran Church Program: World War II Invasion of Norway by Sharon Rohrback

BACKGROUND: I never paid much attention to this topic until the first time Blåfell Lodge participated in D-Day Memorial Family Day. I did some basic research and created two binders of information about WWII in Norway and added some updates. Sources of information were Wikipedia, the Sons of Norway Viking Magazine, "Norway: our Ally in WWII", a 1943 National Geographic booklet provided by Kathy Clark and Timothy Boyce's edited edition of Odd Nansen's diary of 3 years in a concentration camp. The books and binders are in Blåfjell library.

Norway was occupied by Germany from April 9, 1940 to late 1945. Hitler garrisoned about 300,000 troops in Norway for the rest of the year to ensure protection of Germany's iron ore from Sweden; and to obtain naval and air bases to strike Britain if necessary. There were also 6,000 SS troops. Before the invasion, it was well known Norway wanted to keep its neutrality, and did not want to go to war with . Norway had negotiated favorable trade agreements with both United Kingdom and Germany. But both countries wanted to deny the other country access to Norway. By 1939, Norway felt an urgency to prepare to keep its neutrality and to fight for its freedom and independence.

June 7, 1940: the King (at the order of the Norwegian parliament) left to become Norway's King in Exile in London. The King worked very closely with the United Kingdom and the allies.

IMPACT on The NORWEGIAN Merchant Marine, Army and Navy. A 1943 National Geographic article stated that people would hear a lot about resistance movements, but not so much about the value of Norway's merchant marine as an Ally. Merchant Marine: In April 1940, 80% of the Norwegian ships were outside Axis-controlled ports. Norway requisitioned the privately-owned merchant fleet for war use. Through the Norwegian Embassy in London, the ship masters were told to report to British and Allied ports. Through Oslo radio under Nazi hands, the ship masters were told to return to Norway. NOT ONE SHIP reported back to Norway. Maritime sailors and fleets turned against Hitler. These allied fleets carried over half of England's supply of oil and gasoline and a third of the food and materiel supply. Air Force: In 1940, Norwegian Air Force had only 120 officers and some antiquated planes. Fliers escaped using those planes or hiding in fishing boats across the North Sea. They and Norwegians from all over the world came to a training center called "Little Norway" in Toronto. Navy: In April 1940, the Navy was largely destroyed; but they also sank a third of the German fleet. Norway's whaling fleet was still out at sea and reported to the Allied ports. The large ships were converted to tankers; the smaller were used for convoy escort. Army: The Norwegian army was reorganized, made up of recruits who escaped across the North Atlantic. They trained in commando tactics in Scotland and England. BATTLES Operation Fortitude-North: a code word adopted by allied nations for a WWII military deception. Fake field armies were created in Norway (and in France- Operation Fortitude South) to divert Axis attention away from Normandy June 6 attacks. Norwegian Destroyer KNM Stord, 12/26/1943 in the North Atlantic. On Dec 26, 1943, the KNM Stord was in the North Atlantic, used as an escort to a convoy. When the convoy came under attack, the KNM Stord ran full speed straight for the German battleship. About 1,000 yards back, the KNM Stord released 8 torpedoes disabling the battleship. Destruction of Heavy Water plant in -Telemark: There were several very difficult attempts to destroy the power plant overtaken by the Germans. Four Norwegians in "the Grouse Group" scouted out the territory and a British sabotage group attempted to scale the deep gorge to the power station and factory. Finally, 140 Flying Fortresses bombed the site and the Germans were forced to flee. They were told to remove the partially processed heavy water using the ferry across the lake. The night before departure, a time charge was placed that blew up the ferry. Four Norwegian civilians and four German guards were killed. CIVILIANS and OPEN HOME FRONT RESISTANCE to the "Nazification of Norway") (other Scandinavian countries also used Open resistance) The Norwegians used special symbols (safety pin, paperclip, using King Haakens family monogram (H7) spray painted on buildings) to show their support of each other. Nazis took over most of the media but underground newspapers and radios flourished. Norwegian teachers were ordered to join the Nazi Party and teach Nazism. 12,000 refused to sign the order. 1,000 were arrested and put in concentration camps. The 300,000 members of sports clubs throughout Norway refused to have anything to do with Nazi-sponsored sports of any kind rather than comply with Nazi wishes, the Norwegian Supreme Court resigned in in body in December 1940. The Bishops of the Norwegian State Church openly charged the Nazi government with failure to maintain order and justice.

Submitted by Sharon Rohrback, Blåfjell Lodge Counselor ======Monthly Heritage Minute: Presented by Bob Rohrback

NOTES ON JULIAN FLAATEN I would like to introduce to our Sons of Norway lodge Mr. Julian Flatten, who was one of Sharon’s mother’s cousins. I recently read a short synopsis of his life, and what I read about this man leads me to believe that he was an interesting man whom I would have enjoyed meeting.

Julian was born in September of 1907 in Butte, North Dakota. Julian had 9 siblings, and he was the oldest son in the family. Julian grew up very quickly in that he assumed responsibility for helping to support his mother and siblings when his father died when Julian was only 12 years of age. It seems as though Julian was able to go to school even while he worked to support the family, and he is reported to have been a very bright student who was especially good at mathematics, geometry, and algebra. He was such a good student that he graduated at the top of his high school class. At his graduation his high school principal announced that Julian had been awarded a college scholarship, but, unfortunately, he had to continue to work since his family just could not afford to send him to college. The Second World War came, and Julian enlisted in the Army. He was assigned to the 99 the Infantry Battalion, a special group of soldiers who could speak Norwegian. We’ve all heard of the 99th. Their battalion song was “Lutefiske and Lefse”. I believe that this song was devised to scare the living daylights out of any potential enemy. After all, anyone who hears an oncoming group of soldiers singing about eating lutefiske is going to believe that the oncoming soldiers are exceptionally brave and strong and can’t be beaten. After all, they eat lutefiske, and it certainly takes an exceptionally brave man to do that!

In reading a letter from Julian that he wrote to his Uncle Carl (Sharon’s grand-father) I learned that Julian and his unit arrived in Normandy two weeks after the main invasion. They spent some time in France clearing out snipers from the towns we had taken from the Germans. Julian and his unit also served in the Battle of the Bulge and eventually went into Germany prior to the Germans’ surrender. After Germany surrendered Julian and his unit were transferred to Norway where they served for several months. During his Norway assignment Julian met and married a Norwegian girl, Magna, in Oslo. Julian and Magna came back to the United States in 1946, and their son, Jan, was born in 1947. (Jan eventually became a Lutheran pastor in Arizona.) Julian worked in the construction industry for many years after he returned to the United States. He was highly respected as a supervisor on construction projects such as schools and hospitals. Julian was a very modest man who seems to have preferred to do less talking and more work, and that was his style of supervision. Julian continued working until he was 75. Julian seems to have enjoyed very good health. He had an exceptionally strong handshake. He also said that he never knew the inside of a hospital. When asked about how he enjoyed good health and longevity of life he advised that one should not smoke, not drink, and eat small portions. His advice seems to have benefitted him since he died at age 99.

Mother's father, Carl Ysen, had a sister Anna who married a Mr. Flaaten (don't know first name). They in turn had son Julian Flaaten and eight other children. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=julian-a-flaaten&pid=88894696

Submitted by Sharon Rohrback, Blåfjell Lodge Counselor ======BOOK CORNER: The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler’s Atomic Bomb by Neal Bascomb

From the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author of Hunting Eichmann and The Perfect Mile, an epic adventure and spy story about the greatest act of sabotage in all of World War II.

It’s 1942 and the Nazis are racing to be the first to build a weapon unlike any known before. They have the physicists, they have the uranium, and now all their plans depend on amassing a single ingredient: heavy water, which is produced in Norway’s Vemork, the lone plant in all the world that makes this rare substance. Under threat of death, Vemork’s engineers push production into overdrive.

For the Allies, the plant must be destroyed. But how would they reach the castle fortress set on a precipitous gorge in one of the coldest, most inhospitable places on Earth?

Based on a trove of top secret documents and never-before-seen diaries and letters of the saboteurs, The Winter Fortress is an arresting chronicle of a brilliant scientist, a band of spies on skies, perilous survival in the wild, sacrifice for one’s country, Gestapo manhunts, soul-crushing setbacks, and a last-minute operation that would end any chance Hitler could obtain the atomic bomb—and alter the course of the war. ======

"The Heavy Water War: Stopping Hitler's Atomic Bomb" (2015) The story behind Hitler's plan of Germany getting the atomic bomb during WW2, and the heavy water sabotages in Rjukan, Norway, seen from four angles, the German side, the allied, the saboteurs and the company side.

Is this really a true story? Set during World War II, The Heavy Water War (Kampen om Tungtvannet) centers on Germany’s secret nuclear project and the Allies’ efforts to prevent Hitler from developing the atomic bomb.

Woven through the six-part drama are three storylines: the quest by ambitious German scientist to get his hands on heavy water in order to produce a nuclear bomb for Hitler; the sabotage missions undertaken by and Norwegian and British soldiers, who risked their lives to prevent Hitler from having an atomic bomb; and the dilemmas faced by Erik Henriksen, the Managing Director of ’s Vemork factory, the sole producer of heavy water, that is being occupied by the Germans.

This series is told as close to the facual events during the war as possible. Even many of the locations are correct, except where exteriors in fourties’ Oslo are portrayed in the , since Oslo has changed too much since then. The series' script is based upon the many books written about this one of the world’s most famous sabotage actions during the Second World War.

However, some dramatization has been made. F.e. Leif Tronstads contact played by Anna Friel, is a fictive person, which is a combination of two female co-workers. The Norsk Hydro director which comes to Rjukan is a fictive person, combined of three directors. We could also mention that the assassination of the British commando soldiers didn't happen at the crash site, but a couple of days late after imprisonment. They were also not equipped with cyanide capsules, hence historical down written facts.

Are these events portrayed in many films? Yes, this famous sabotage actions are portrayed several times in film. 1) Kampen om tungtvannet (The battle of the Heavy Water) (1948) - French-Norwegian co-production. 2) (1965) - High budget Benton Films feature film. 3) A man called Intrepid (1979) - Canadian film and mini TV-series. 4) Kampen om tungtvannet (2015) - Norwegian miniseries of 6 episodes. 5) Telemark (2016) - American TV-series of 10 episodes ordered by FX Channel.

Written by Petter Rosenlund (Codename Hunter) and directed by Per-Olav Sørensen (The Half Brother), the multi-language (Norwegian, English, German, and Danish) The Heavy Water War is a co-production of Norway’s Filmkameratene and NRK, ’s Sebasto Film, the UK’s Headline Pictures, and Sweden’s SF Film. ======NORDIC HUMOR:

A little Norwegian Humor

Two Norwegian hunters, Sven and Ole, got a bush pilot to fly them into the Canadian wilderness, where they managed to bag two big Bull Moose. As they were loading the plane to return, the pilot said he and his plane could take the weight of only the hunters, their gear and one moose.

The hunters objected strongly saying, "Last year we shot two, and the pilot let us take them both...and he had exactly the same airplane as yours."

Reluctantly the pilot, not wanting to be outdone by another bush pilot, gave in and everything was loaded.

However, even under full power, the little plane couldn't handle the load and went down, crashing in the wooded wilderness.

Somehow, surrounded by the moose, clothing and sleeping bags, Sven and Ole survived the crash.

After climbing out of the wreckage, Sven asked, "Any idea where we are?" Ole replied, "I think we're pretty close to where we crashed last year." ======NORDIC RECIPES: Lompe for Norway'sSyttende Mai

Lefse is a soft flatbread that is a big part of Norwegian food heritage. Lefse is made out of potato, milk or cream (or lard) and flour, and cooked on a big hot slab called a griddle. Lefse comes in several thicknesses, and is usually served with butter, cinnamon and sugar between the layers. Lefse is also traditionally served with lutefisk, you roll up the fish in the lefse. It’s also served with style, a traditional Norwegian and Swedish Christmas bread spread.

A special type of lefse is “lompe”, a small and thin version of lefse which is rolled around a pølse. This is the customary way to eat a pølse or in Norway, especially on 17th of May. You wrap your sausage in them together with ketchup and mustard.

Ingredients:  1 lb of Potatoes  1/2 cup All Purpose Flour or gluten free flour if needed  1/2 tsp Salt

Keep the potatoes whole with the peel on and boil them until very well done. Rinse the water off and let the potatoes cool preferably over night, but at least for a few hours in the fridge. Once they are completely cold, peel them, mix them together and slowly add flour.

Mix the dough together and you’ll end up with a pastry looking dough. The starch or “glue” of the potatoes will keep everything together. Use a potato masher or potato ricer to get all the lumps out.

Use a mesh strainer when adding the flour to make sure it’s as light and fluffy as possible. This just makes it easier to blend.

Throw some flour on a flat surface and roll out the dough using a rolling pin as thin as you can without it breaking. The thinner, the better.

Use a breakfast plate or a round object that’s the size of your desired Lompe and cut out circles. Heat a pancake pan on medium/high heat with no oil/butter or any kind of grease.

Place the cut-outs on the dry pan and cook on both sides until brown spots appear.

Stack them up under a dish towel to keep them soft and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge if you don’t eat them all right away. Lompe is actually better cold, so just let them cool in the fridge before you eat them.

Grill the pølse, add some ketchup, mustard and add some crispy onions on top, roll it up and enjoy! :) ======Language Lessons 13: Sports Activities (Part 1) Phrase Pronunciation English Jeg liker å jai lee-kehr oh I like to drive idrett. dree-veh eed-rehtt do sports. Hvor kan man hvor kahn mahn Where can one spille tennis speel-leh tehn-nees play tennis? Try putting the following together as a sentence: Example: Jeg liker å trene. Practice Pronunciation English trene treh-neh work out gå på rulleskøyter goh poh rool-leh-shoy-tehr go rollerskating gå på roller blades goh poh rohl-lehr-blaids go roller blading gå på skøyter goh poh shoy-tehr go ice skating gå på jakt goh poh jahkt go hunting gå på tur goh poh toor go hiking gå på ski goh poh shee go skiing bade bah-deh swim fiske fees-keh fish sykle seek-leh bike riding jogge yohg-geh jog seile sai-leh sail rafte rahf-teh raft brettseile brehtt-sai-leh windsurf klatre klah-treh go climbing Try putting the following together as a sentence: Example: Hvor kan man spille tennis? Practice Pronunciation English spille tennis speel-leh tehn-nees play tennis? spille fotball speel-leh foot-bahll play soccer? spille golf speel-leh gohlf play golf? spille volleyball speel-leh volleyball play volleyball? Excerpts from Sons of Norway member Kari Diesen-Dahl Norwegian lessons. ======ADDITIONS to the BLÅFJELL LIBRARY The following additions have been placed in the Blåfjell lodge library cabinet. At each meeting, I will put out the checkout sheets. If possible, return the book(s) within two months, when you next attend a meeting or event.

1. THE FOLK ARTS OF NORWAY This enlarged edition was published by Dover Publications in 1972, using as the base the 1953 first edition by Janice S. Stewart. I found this used book at Buy the Season store in Salem, VA. The six main types of Norwegian folk art, with associated text, are covered: carving, rosemaling, weaving, embroidery, costumes and silver work. Ms. Stewart stated "I have tried to place them in their natural setting by presenting the conditions from which they arose and in which they existed. Ms. Stewart also notes that this enlarged edition added 219 illustrations, 20 of which are in color; and that the text has not been altered significantly.

2. World War II Nordic Country summary info binders. NORWAY in WWII binder one (background and battles) NORWAY in WWII binder two ( effect on citizens) SWEDEN in WWII binder DENMARK in WWII FINLAND and ICELAND in WWII The data was collected to display at the D-Day Memorial events we participated in, and used in the April 22, 2017 meeting program information.

3. THE MOON IS DOWN by John Steinbeck. (Kathy Clark described this book and movie in the April 2017 Blåfjell newsletter) This book is about the invasion of Norway by the Nazis on April 9, 1940. This is a fictional account of what life was like for the people of Norway that were invaded and the Nazis invaders. The author delves into the psychological impact on the people of the two countries and what they had in common.

Submitted by Sharon Rohrback, Blåfjell Librarian ======3rd District Fra Presidenten

May is such a great month. The month is full of occasions to celebrate – Syttende Mai, Memorial Day, Mother’s Day and Spring!

The mild winter this year caused early blooms but the last snow/ice storm wiped out my daffodils. The tulips and hyacinths are in full bloom. The roses and lilacs are getting ready to bloom. I had to use plenty of “deer away” to protect my tulips but it worked! Next I have to work on the weeds and will be looking at adding some soil nutrients, as some of my azaleas didn’t make it through the last storm. Have you noticed the facebook posts regarding the declining bee population and how that will impact food production? Scarystuff.

So, what is this all leading to? Analogies– you know by now that I like analogies. From time to time we should look at our lodges and do some weeding, spray some deer away, add nutrients and apply a little nontoxic pesticide. It might be time to weed out stale programs and try something new. Spray a little “let’s give it a try” on the nays sayers or those that will say “we never did it that way”, “that won’t work”. We must nourish and protect new ideas like we protect our plants. Sometimes, you may find that you have to use a little friendly persuasion to isolate a stubborn weed and make a concerted effort to sprinkle some peace and harmony. We must protect all the good that we have and nourish the new growth. Don’t let the weed mentality take over; we don’t want to be facing what the bee colonies are facing.

The good news is that many lodges have been working on these very things! I see seeds being planted in the form of new programs and venues. Flowers are blooming in all parts of the District. We have new faces trying new things and it is exciting to watch!

Let’s always remember to “nourish” our lodge leaders who do so much, often behind the scenes, with a thank you every now and then. A pat on the back can go a long way. Sprinkle gratitude freely and try to reach those members you haven’t seen in a while. You will be rewarded with a vibrant and strong lodge.

I can’t thank you all enough for what you do for Sons of Norway and the Third District. I see it and I appreciate your efforts.

Let’s not forget our Veterans and their families, for the families serve too!

Jeg ønsker dere alt godt.

Mary ======MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

May 6, 8am -2pm Annual Spring Yard Sale Location: At the home of Cheri Johnson

May 20 9am-5pm Local Colors Location: Elmwood Park Roanoke, VA Baked Goods and Christmas Ornament sale

June 24, 1-3pm SON Meeting Location: College Lutheran Church Program: Flowers, Essential oils, Scents & Perfumes from Norway by Cheri Johnson Monthly Heritage Minute: TBA

July 22 Annual Summertime Picnic Location: At the home of Georgia Carr

August No meeting - Summer Vacation

September, 1-3pm SON Meeting Location: College Lutheran Church Annual Nordic Auction/Cake Walk Program: Culture of Sweden by Cheri Johnson Monthly Heritage Minute: Kathy Clark

October 9 Adopt-a-School Presentation: Leif Erikson Day by Cheri Johnson Location: Faith Christian School by Cheri Johnson

October 28 21st Anniversary Dinner Location: TBA Monthly Heritage Minute: Joann Barfield

November 3 Adopt-a-School Presentation: Viking Day by Cheri Johnson Location: Faith Christian School

November 18, 1-3 pm SON Meeting Location: College Lutheran Church Program: Comparison of Christmas Traditions in the Five Nordic Countries by Cheri Johnson Practice/Table Prayer. Christmas Carols Monthly Heritage Minute: Larry Norman

December 9, 1-3 pm Yulefest Annual Dinner and St. Lucia procession Location: College Lutheran Church

December 13 St. Lucia Festival at St. Andrews Catholic Church Contact person: Joann Barfield

MARK YOUR 2016 CALENDARS NOW ======THIRD DISTRICT UPCOMING EVENTS

The “John Karlsen Memorial” Golf Tournament, Levittown, PA 19055 Land of the Vikings May 5 – 7, 2017 Tournament Fee: $70.00 for each Golfer Includes: Golf, Greens Fee, Meal and Prizes. Send Tournament Fee by April 15th to: Audun Gythfeldt PO Box 702 Pocono Pines, PA 18350 For LOV Reservations Call or E-mail Bev or Rick: Phone: 570-461-3500 E-mail: [email protected] Questions for Audun Phone #:- 570-646-3817 E-mail:[email protected]

Restauration Lodge #3-555, Wallingford, PA Susan March Genealogy Presentation May 12 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT There will be a genealogy presentation by Susan March at Restauration Lodge #3-555, Wallingford, PA. For more information, contact William Taylor at [email protected].

Norumbega Lodge No. 3-506, Boston, MA Syttende mai Family Picnic May 13 @ 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT Norumbega Lodge will once again be hosting its annual Syttende mai family picnic. The event includes live music, a short parade, field games for children, and great Norwegian style sandwiches. The public is invited to this fun family event. The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children.

Fredriksten Lodge #3-125, Bensalem, PA 17th of May picnic May 13 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT Because the Lodge will not be taking a bus to the Brooklyn Syttende Mai parade, Lodge members decided to do a picnic celebration at home Lodge Hall. Hot dogs, coffee, and tea will be provided, and members are asked to bring donations of side dishes, salads, or desserts.

Washington Lodge #3-428, Washington DC Syttende Mai Gala with Ambassador Aas May 17 @ 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm EDT Event held at Capitol View at 400, 444 N. Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC An elegant affair with cocktail reception at 7:00 pm and 3-course dinner and entertainment following. Speakers will be Ambassador Aas and Norwegian Parliamentarian Abid Raja. Tickets are $90 per person for Sons of Norway members and $110 for non-members. Sponsored by the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce Mid-Atlantic Chapter along with other DC Norway organizations like the Washington Lodge of S.O.N. For reservations go to: https://www.naccma.org/events/annual-norwegian-constitution-celebration-gala/.

Bondelandet Lodge #3-612, Lancaster, PA Syttende Mai supper and parade- May 19 @ 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm EDT Celebrate the 17th of May and the Bondelandet Lodge’s 27th anniversary with a supper of hot dogs, potato salads, strawberry shortcake, and ice cream cups. Bring your Norwegian flags for a walk, if nice weather. RSVP Jeanne Addison 717-793-7428 if able to attend supper.

Norrona Lodge # 467, Saddle River, New Jersey May 20 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm EDT

Washington Lodge #3-428, Washington DC Syttende Mai family picnic – Washington Lodge jointly with Norwegian Embassy May 21 @ 12:30 pm - 4:00 pm EDT The annual Syttende Mai (17th of May) picnic and parade will be held at Carderock Park in Maryland. A representative from the Embassy will be speaking. Hot dogs, ice cream, soda, and popcorn will be shared. There will be children’s games and music, too. This event is for the whole family. Carderock Park is located in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Potomac, MD 20854. For more information, contact [email protected].

Syttende de Mai (17th of May) parade- Brooklyn, NY May 21 @ 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm EDT The annual parade begins at 1:30 pm at 3rd Avenue and 80th Street. ======THIRD DISTRICT/INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

For President’s letter, see the Third District Events Calendar: www.3dsofn.org/newsletter/index.html District 3 events: www.3dsofn.org/eventscalendar Land of Viking (LOV) camp and conference center in Pennsylvania: www.3dsofn.org/lov or www.Landofthevikings.org New Sons of Norway E-Post: [email protected] Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington: [email protected] Nordic News from the Icelandic Embassy: http://www.iceland.is/us NEWEST NEWS: New newspaper ... Welcome to Norway Today: www.norwaytoday.info FULL LISTING OF EVENTS around the U.S: wwwnorway.org/calendar

SONS OF NORWAY MEET ON THE FOURTH SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH!

PLAN TO ATTEND EACH AND EVERY LODGE MEETING AND ACTIVITY! ======For the Love of Norway!!