Bjornebole
Today we had a wonderful trip to our ancestral family farm, Bjornebole, up in the mountains from Omvigdalen. Martha Bjornebole was born there in 1822; in 1843 she married Abraham Olson Donhaug, from from the neighboring valley, Uskedalen. Abraham sold his family farm, Donhaug, and traveled to America in 1860 with Martha and their five daughters, which included Bryngelana, Grandpa Alfred's grandmother. For more information, read Dear Ones!
Else Helleland (whose husband Einar was a cousin of Dad's) drove us from Rosendal through Omvigdalen and into the mountains. We were met by Haakon Bjornebole near the power plant and he drove us about 1/2 mile into the lovely setting of the three buildings on the farm. He and his wife, Anna Ingeborg, own the farm and hosted us today. Anna Ingeborg is noted for her craftsmanship of felted items such as animals, nisses, hearts, and angels as well as for her cooking. She has also been interested in antiques and has lovingly furnished the main building with remarkable items from Martha's time. (see photos)
This is probably my eighth time at Bjornebole since 2002 and it remains one of the most special places I have visited. As you will note in the photos, the buildings have been carefully preserved and renovated with a sod roof to look similar to Martha's time. Haakon and Anna Ingeborg generously hosted the Concert Choir of the Ames Children's Choir on their 15th Anniversary Tour to Norway in 2010 as well as all the chaperones, my mother, my brother Rick, and me for a total of 42 people!
Today Haakon and Anna Ingeborg included other relatives (Karen and Oyvind Steinsletten, Kristin Steinsletten Skomme, Terje Helleland as well as Else Helleland) and friends (Magnar and Elin Hjelmeland and their granddaughter). We enjoyed a typical meal from old times, rommegrot, with spekekjot, and flat bread. For dessert, we had melkekaker with strawberries and sour cream. Amazing! We shared so many good stories from times past and things current. For example, the queens of Norway and Denmark were in Rosendal a week ago for a special exhibit of their art work at the Barony. Else Helleland will take us to the Barony to see the exhibit on Thursday.
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| Sheep on the hillside in Omvigdalen |
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| Kristin Steinsletten Skromme, Mother, Oyvind and Karen Steinsletten |
Treasures at Bjornebole
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| view from Bjornebole to the lake created by building the hydro-electric power plant in the 1950s |
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| Magnar and Elin Hjelmeland, their granddaughter, and Mother |
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| Sylvia, Anna Ingeborg Bjornebole, Kay, Haakon Bjornebole |
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| rommegrot, flat bread, spekekjot |
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| melkekake with strawberries and sour cream |
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| The Norwegian flag was flying in our honor! |
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