We Love all the Nordic People

So, did you already know that Finns are not considered to be Scandinavian, because they are not 'related' to those in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland?  The Finn's roots at the same as Hungarians.  Yet in the cause of commonality, a new term has more recently come into common usage that unites them all, "Nordic" countries. I like that because I know that my Norwegian heritage has a lot in common with the Finnish peoples that I have come to know and love.

So here we go and welcome to my messy Monday.  While Dad was making more spools for me, as well as cleaning out the cars, I was busy dealing with this purposeful mess.  I have gathered the goodies from all my recent shopping adventures, including the trip to the flea market and Goodwill Bins in Texas, a private buying appointment, the stuff I got at fleaology and from clearing the trunk from recent DI trips. Now I am gathering, cleaning, organizing and pricing items for large bins to be left each month at Treasures by Becca, for my friend Mary to tastefully display.

Here is one bin, each one will have some sewing goods for my Haberdashery booth, a tea pot and tea cups for my tea party booth and at least 20 books for my Bibliophile booth.  

Another ready to go.

I managed four and a half bins by the end of the week. That leaves 13 and 1/2 to go. Strangely because of the nice space we have in the Carriage house, I am actually enjoying the preparation.

Here are some spools and lace cards getting ready for the bins.

I am also starting to gather sewing box items, to put together some fun ...

Sewing boxes ... of course a lot of fun for me, and maybe someone else will find them charming too.

On Tuesday my crafty girlies came by for some crafting fun, this is Shirley and Kim.

I made a mobile from egg carton baskets with flowers and mushrooms.

Here we are. 

Here's a close-up of Kim's baskets.

another of mine.

Shirley's florals.

Kim's again.

That night we met up with the Heuers at The Rumbi Island Grill, 

Then we attended Once Upon this Island, at the Ruth.

I worked on Wednesday, but nothing memorable happened, I spent much of the day making price tags

At work we discovered a shoplifting event, probably done the day before. This is the policeman who came over from Springville City. 

Here Nikki comes back up the isle, with the Policeman behind after showing him where the case was broken into and two trays of $25ish rings, maybe 100 rings in all. Very frustrating for all of us. It looks like they took the flexible foam trays and fold them in half and shoved them in their clothing.  Another customer found a $25 ring of Tom's on the floor of another Isle, on the way to the door. 

After work I headed to south Provo to the Watt's home (on the right) to meet up with Punu Hartiala, a Finn we knew in Finland, but met online when Spencer met her living in Kelowna on his mission to Canada. She is shown on the left here and is visiting from Canada where she is now living.

Here are those that I know, aside from our hosts.  The left side is Charles Johnson and the one on the right is Kevin Mitchell who served with the young adults, after we left Finland.

Here the whole group.

Me with the Watts.

Kai, however was navigating much rougher terrain. 

And it so amazing in the view department, they were taken during the 6 days it took him to summit Mount Whitney.

Of course, all that snow leads right into all things Finnish and the first all-woman LDS Sunday School Presidency in world, who were set apart in Helsinki, including the tall woman here, who is the President, and whom Dad met up with on Friday, while I was at work at the Grove. Her name is Hannela Vaissi, and she is the wife of the couple who have agreed to host the building of the Kristus Garden in Finland.

Here she is at the Flow Hause, a Sauna and Cold Plunge place in PG where missionaries from Dad's Missionary Group were meeting to learn about an opportunity for them to sponsor a particular Statue that will be placed in the garden.

Here is a group of the people there.

The men enjoyed the sauna.

And all enjoyed a chance to meet up with Finns and Finn lovers.

The whole gang.

On Saturday we headed south to Spring City, to join the Historic Home Tours, one of our favorite activities of the year.  Since my Father's family settled in Fairview, one of the several Scandinavian communities, found in this long valley, along with Ephraim and Manti, I always feel connected to the northern roots here.  Here we see Doug and Jill Wilson, who now have a home there, as well as one in our ward.  The gal with them ....

owns this old home, the oldest still in existence in Spring City, built circa 1860. It was so fun to talk to her about the renovations they are doing.  She said the finished house would be on the tour next year.  Sadly. we will be missing a couple of years' worth of this tour.  On the other hand we'll be touring lots of National Trust houses in England, if all goes as planned.

Here are a few favorite moments of the tours.

Loved this old green door.

Here we hear an excellent docent, who told us the most amusing story about this wood cabin.  It turns out that the house was originally a granary, on the property of the father of a bride, who planned to marry.  Her Father hooked the granary up and hauled it to the empty lot next door and refitted it to be her new home.  The house was placed on two different size logs, because the ground was slightly uneven. 

We loved the gallery walls in Craig Paulsen's home.  The Paulsens lived in Dad's ward growing up, and Craig's Dad provided dad with one of his missionary suits, when Craig's younger brother changed his mind about going on a mission. 

Craig, descended from Norwegians, was drawn to the community here in Spring City. In fact he was a moving factor in the Arts Community, and did much to preserve the historic houses.  The town is very small just a few thousand residents, with only 3 LDS wards.  Craig has often been in charge of the Home Tours, and always has a property on the tour.  This was the first time since we have been going that his home was open, and we were so happy to see it. 

More gallery walls, all over the house, which made me feel better about my own gallery walls. 

Lots of wonderful art.

Dad ran into a former Finnish missionary there, named Micheal Boud, who also grew up in the same ward with Dad and the Paulsens, though he was much younger than both Craig and Dad.

I thought this light fixture was amazing.

Here we are in front of the Larsen house.  A common name in the developing days of Spring City.

These are pictures from my favorite house.

I thought these two gals, about my age, were also decorative. 

A gorgeous stove.

Such a charming bedroom.

And how sweet is this vignette.

Last of all is the grand piano in Randall Lake's Studio.  We lived in the University village with them when we were first married. Dad had high hopes that he would be there, but in the end, Randall had become ill, and had gone to his home, next door.  I am pretty sure that he would not have remembered us, after all we don't remember anyone else who lived in that ward, since no one else became famous later.  Oh, there was a young Finnish couple, she had hair to her waist, and I remember her holding baby Brittany, and Brittany pulling her hair.  She said it happened all the time.  I guess it's hard to forget Finnish people, and these folks were not even members. 

When I got home, I sorted all the jewelry I'd gotten a lot price on at a garage sale on our way to the home tours.

Today, in Deuteronomy, my primary class, studied the scripture that led Jews for all these centuries since, to have mezuzahs on their door posts.  I happen to own a small mezuzah and took the chance to share the tradition with the kids.

We made informal mezuzahs using glassine envelopes with the scripture mentioned, hearts punched from this early 1800's bible, a picture of Christ, and a sticker of the Book of Mormon, which, when one studies it regularly brings us all closer to Christ.

Deuteronomy 6:5-9

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might.

And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down and when thou riseth up.

And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 

And though shalt write them upon the posts of thy house and on thy gates.

Here is Sister Morgan interacting with the kids during singing time.  All but the last girl in the dark blue are class members, all 8 of them.

Dad, meanwhile, was having fun in the Elder's Quorum as Brother Mathis, Jason Eddie, and Brother Holcomb reenact when Joshua fought against the people of Amulek, and the holding up of the rod which controlled who was winning at the time.

After church I finally got around to hanging the two upper majolica plates that I got in Texas at the flea market there last month. Yep, that's how long it took because the plate hangers were on the second floor.

Alas, we have high hopes that your life was full of joy this week, and sparse in the frustration department.