I’ve gotten a bit behind on my writing here, as it’s been a daily whirlwind of activity. Today started with a visit to Ottar and Tutti for the final time in Lillehammer, where they own a house and invited us to join them for lunch and a tour of the town. The drive there was beautiful—full of endless green, grassy meadows and rolling hills dotted with farmhouses and other structures. Sheep were abundant, and it’s that time of year for the babies to hang out with their mothers.

We arrived at Ottar’s at about noon and enjoyed a lovely lunch with wine. What I remember most is the cloudberries for dessert. They are a bright orange berry similar in texture to our blackberries, filled with tiny seeds, mixed and cooked with sugar. We ate them with ice cream, and they were so delicious. I wish we had them back home.

After lunch, we visited the Lillehammer Museum, which was very interesting. Many of the old houses and an old stave church are standing near gravel walkways, and as we walked, we talked about all sorts of things, taking in the history of the area along the way.

We also walked down Lillehammer’s quaint Main Street with its many shops. Everything was closed, as it was Pentecost Sunday, but it was still a lovely stroll in the sunshine.

Back at Ottar and Tutti’s, we discussed more family history and finally had to say goodbye. They were wonderful hosts and made our visit interesting, fun and relaxing, driving us places, sharing information and feeding us well. Tutti and I had a few tears during the days I spent with her and it was hard to say goodbye to her, especially. Some people you bond with instantly, and that’s what happened with her. I will keep in touch but probably not see her again as they don’t travel much anymore, and I won’t return to Norway again. I can only thank them both for a wonderful time in Oslo and Lillehammer.

We returned to the road from Lillehammer and headed to Dombås for our next overnight stay. It was about a 2-hour drive, and we were greeted with beautiful scenery again. The next day we were supposed to go to the farm where my grandmother grew up and my mother was born. It’s in a town called Lesja, about 15 minutes away from our hotel in Dombås. On our behalf, Ottar had contacted the people who now own the farm to arrange for us to see it. But, we wanted to get away early, so I went and knocked on their door and asked if we could look around the outbuildings now instead of waiting until the next day.

The owner was very accommodating. A mother and her university-aged daughter showed us all the old buildings inside and out and shared what they knew. They were all plank buildings built on stone foundations. They were in disrepair and were now being used as storage except for one she had fixed up and used as a kitchen to do all of her baking. The main attraction was a large wood-burning lefse pan that I’m sure has cooked many delicious lefse. She had redone the floors and put up curtains, and there was a large table that she said was there when they bought the place.

They had tried to save the main house, but she said it was in really bad shape and couldn’t be saved, so they built a new one. The rest of the buildings are as they were 150 years ago. The daughter worked at the museum just down the road and said one of the buildings was donated to the museum some years back. The owner then brought out some photo albums of building their new house and the things they had saved from the old house such as a wood box outside the main door, a side table in the house and other small pieces of furniture. I was so grateful that she took the time to spend with us as this is the main reason for coming to Norway––to learn about my heritage and experience where my grandparents had lived and worked. I remember thinking I was walking in the same yard my mom would have run around in when she was a small child. It was a bit emotional, but I’m so glad I got to experience it.

We also went to the old church where my great-grandparents are buried. We walked around and found their gravesite. It was a beautiful evening that was just right for reflecting on family, past and present.