The guest for the day were people I have known and worked with since the beginning of the student teaching program:
- Asbjorn Skaar, the former Kvinnherad superintendent who is currently working as a consultant on a team of administrators who review various school districts in Norway and provide advice on how to achieve higher results; he was recruited by the state for this position
- Stein Elling Schille and his wife Elke - Stein has been involved with the ST program from the beginning and is the current local coordinator of the program; he is in the process of transitioning from being the principal and teacher at the Rosendal ungdomskule (lower secondary school, Grades 8-10) to being a full-time teacher (English, Religion, German, and swimming)
- Jorunn Toskedal and her husband Roald - Jorunn was the principal at Malmanger Elementary School for some years and then worked with Asbjorn as an assistant superintendent - Roald served as a tour guide when the children's choir went to the glacier near Rosendal in 2010
Asbjorn, Stein, Jorunn, and Margunn, were four of the five educators who toured Iowa in 2006. (Toralf also come with the team.) They visited five school districts, Living History Farms, the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, the Mississippi River, the Bridges of Madison County (and John Wayne's home!) and the Norwegian Coffee at Bethesda in Ames. My parents invited them to a typical Thanksgiving Dinner at their home and included some other "good Norwegians" - Miff and Lorraine Romsey and Ray and Alice Romsey. Miff and Ray wore Norwegian sweaters and could speak to the guests in Norwegian. What a fun evening!
Asbjorn, Stein, and Elke toured Utah in 2013 visiting schools and Utah State University educators including the student teaching coordinators. We also visited Arches and Canyonlands National Parks near Moab, Temple Square in Salt Lake City, and Bear Lake north of Logan. I prepared a special smorgasbord reception in their honor for USU educators, former and upcoming student teachers, and friends. Mother had come with me to Rosendal three times to visit relatives while I was working with the student teachers. So, she knew all of the guests today quite well; it was a wonderful celebration.
After the party, Else Hellend (her husband Einar was Dad's cousin) took Mother and me to the Baroniet (Barony) to see the special exhibition of art works by H.M. Sonia, Queen of Norway, and H.M. Magrethe, Queen of Denmark. The exhibition was created in honor of the 350th anniversary of the Baroniet (from 1665); it will not be seen elsewhere. Some of Queen Sonia's prints will be available for purchase and the proceeds will support the Barony and studies for art students. Queen Sonia's works were primarily wood cuts, water colors, and intaglios. Queen Magrethe also did water colors and oil paintings. The two queens were in Rosendal for the opening of the exhibit on June 12.
The person taking tickets at the Barony was Anders Bennes who recognized me and introduced himself. He was in Margunn's 1st Grade Class when I came to establish the student teaching program in 2001. Margunn had me teach music to her class at Malmanger skule in Rosendal. (Eventually, I began teaching music to multiple grade levels. Even though Margunn has retired, I have continued to teach one day of music at Malmanger and now have the elementary student teachers participate gaining ideas as to how to teach English through music.) Anders remembered the brown bear I brought to sing "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?" Amazing! He will be in his final year of high school next year in Husnes (which is Grade 13 for the U.S.) and is interested in math and science. Interestingly enough, I had to stop in the grocery store after our visit to the Baroniet and was helped by Caroline, who also recognized me and introduced herself! She was in the same 1st Grade Class as Anders and remembered the brown bear. (No prompting from me!) Finally, another student, Ragnhild, from that same class came up to me on one of the 'fast boat' trips from Rosendal to Bergen last year. She remembered the brown bear as well. It's times like those that make teaching a gift! What wonderful young people they have become; it was great that they would take the time/have the interest to talk to me and recall one of our activities from 14 years ago.
I requested certain meals from Margunn for the time Mother and I would be here. Tonight we had Sunde polse, smashed rutabagas with grated carrots, and potatoes. Anyone from Story City from years past would remember the polse made by the Alsager brothers at the back of the Pioneer Store. They were from Norway and were known for their polse. When Mother had the polse here the first time, she said it just like the polse made by the Alsagers! I remember running across from Dad's Chev-Buick Garage to get things from the Alsagers.
Toralf returned this evening from a week in Songdal with Kari, Hans and the boys doing some carpentry work for them. Mother and I really appreciate that we could stay with Margunn & Toralf this week; we leave tomorrow morning and they leave Saturday morning for two weeks in Crete. Toralf was an engineer on ferries transporting cars, buses, and people between the islands and mainland. Since retirement he has become a remarkable artist making beautiful items from trees, some from the Malmanger farm. Note the plate he made for Mother's birthday and the bowls at the end of the photos that can be seen throughout Margunn & Toralf's home.
I requested certain meals from Margunn for the time Mother and I would be here. Tonight we had Sunde polse, smashed rutabagas with grated carrots, and potatoes. Anyone from Story City from years past would remember the polse made by the Alsager brothers at the back of the Pioneer Store. They were from Norway and were known for their polse. When Mother had the polse here the first time, she said it just like the polse made by the Alsagers! I remember running across from Dad's Chev-Buick Garage to get things from the Alsagers.
Toralf returned this evening from a week in Songdal with Kari, Hans and the boys doing some carpentry work for them. Mother and I really appreciate that we could stay with Margunn & Toralf this week; we leave tomorrow morning and they leave Saturday morning for two weeks in Crete. Toralf was an engineer on ferries transporting cars, buses, and people between the islands and mainland. Since retirement he has become a remarkable artist making beautiful items from trees, some from the Malmanger farm. Note the plate he made for Mother's birthday and the bowls at the end of the photos that can be seen throughout Margunn & Toralf's home.
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| Birthday Party with a whipped cream fruit cake, sponge cake with icing and raspberries, Norwegian waffles, and lefse |
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| Mother wearing a leather pin with a special rose design given to her by Jorunn & Roald, Stein & Elke, and Asbjorn & Brit |
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| plate made from an oak tree by Toralf Malmanger and given by Toralf & Margunn to Mother |
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| back row: Stein Elling Schille, Asbjorn Skaar, Roald Toskedal front row: Elke Schille, Margunn Malmanger, Jorunn Toskedal, Kay Munsen |
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| Baroniet (Barony) from 1665 - celebrating its 350th Anniversary (side view) with a special exhibit of art works by Queen Sonia of Norway and Queen Magrethe of Denmark |
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| Else Helleland and Kay Munsen |
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| Else Helleland, Kay Munsen, Sylvia Munsen |
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| Sylvia Munsen and Anders Bennes who was taking tickets at the Barony; Sylvia taught music to Margunn's 1st Grade Class with Anders in 2001! |
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| Norwegian waffles with sour cream and jam |
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| Sunde polse, rutabagas with grated carrots, and potatoes |
Bowls made by Toralf Malmanger
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