Saturday, July 05, 2008

LOVE STORIES, JULY 13th.


My Mom insisted on going over the moors to see the small waterfall in which we used to bathe. Not even a small path to help her on her way.

Celebrating Mom's 83rd birthday, sitting in the sun outdoor the hut. Karibu is the name of a hut on the path leading to Kilimanjaro. It means something like; "Welcome, come nearer,"according to my aunt who was a missionary in Kenya. For once I tried to imitate Mr. Jim, showing off my shrimp sandwich before I ate it.
The oven belonging to my uncle Leif, was transported on an iron bed by him and my Dad forty years ago. I was there, cheerily remembering how heavy their burden seemed to be in the sunny summer's day. They were laughing and joking, drinking water from the brook. Not one word of complaining or self pity.
The hut diary. One's simply got to leave a message there. Five generations of Ljungs have faithfully done so.
Dad's only sister Ellly married a Pentecost pastor shortly after her Mom died. Here they are on their Nord-stoel honeymoon.
Picture still hanging in the hut.
Right; the riddle of the Zink. My grandDad told that a prisoner had a similar lock on his door. He could regain his freedom by picking the rings from the bow. My brother and my dad used to compete how fast they could do it. I don't remember who held the world record. I probably can find it in the diary from the sixties.
My dad made a mark on the door post for every visit from about -37. An old razor, skiwax and a whetstone on the tiny shelf.
Artistic uncle Kaare made a bugle horn from a goat the same year as the hut was built. I never got the hang of making it sound, most Ljungmen do.
The year was 1961. Uncle Leif, my Dad, cousin Grete, bro Kel and I were up to scrape and paint the little hut. It took awhile before we had finished. I still remember running downhills in the dark. Mu uncle holding my one hand, my Dad the other. The path then was so narrow and stony, we had to run in a line. I still think that was my best record ever for the stretch Hut-parking place. Feeling so safe, smelling the odeurs of the night from moss, blooming heather and blueberries .
This was the longest trip my Besten made towards the hut after my Grandmom in heaven died. He brought the family up to the parking lot in his Dodge 7-passenger sedan with a full-bodied Ram staggering the front. Cousin Grete, myself, cousin Bjoern, bro Kel are standing on a stone in the river. Besten supportingly behind with his second wife Gerda, who the grandchildren held mighty dear.
Summer of -45. Dad celebrating the freedom, playing toreador with the farm's goat.

1929 the Ljung family as always closely knit together. Uncles Rolf and Kaare behind. GrandMom, aunt Elly, Besten, and in front sitting; my Dad, by his side uncle Leif. One by one they joined the Pentecost Church, and now they're alll celebrating in Heaven my uncle's arrival this very summer.

My Grandmom in Heaven, my Dad and little dog Prince in front of the new hut, the summer of -34.
My Grandmom at the age of 15. Back then a governess of a Swedish Duchess' children. "Jenny must not scream like crazy in the kitchen," the duchess talked down her nose. "I'm not screaming. I'm singing about Jesus," Grandmom replied and continued her singing. My Granddad was a Dragoon with the Swedish Stormtroops. He came to serve at the Norwegian Court Stables in 1907, just two years after Nowrway and Sweden were peacefully separated.

LOVE STORIES

The love story of my Dad's family is ten square meters.
The hut my Granddad built to help save the deteriorating health of my Grandmom in Heaven. The year was 1933. Depression all over the western world followed the crack on the New York stock exchange in 1929. My "Besten" (means the Best) had heavy loans on his house, a new established bus company and a taxi as well. His wife was seriously down with an asthma, worsened by the heavy pollution from smoke by the Canadian steel plant.
The doctor ordered fresh air for Grandmom. Besten bought an old shed and paid his second oldest son Kaare to bring the materials 400 meters up in the mountains and set up a summer hut for my Grandmom there.
At that time money were so tight, that my Granddad would roll the petrol barrels from the quay to the bus garages himself, just to save a quarter of a cent.
He loved his wife though, and somehow managed to make it through, both with the building of the hut, a maid to cook downtown, thus saving his business and his home.
The summer of-34 the hut was ready. My Grandmom, Jenny Othilie, was too weak to walk, and had to ride barebacked on a horse.
My dad and his youngest brother, Leif were to stay with her a fortnight each and then make a switch through their summer vacations.
Their eldest brother, Rolf, had already done his time in the army, serving as a Royal guardsman at the king's castle in Oslo. Now second brother Kaare was about to enter the same duty as an elite soldier.
Sister Elly, sixteen, had finished as best student at her school, but was needed at home and not allowed further education. She would faithfully follow her mother at Sunday meetings at the Pentecostal Church, and help out home, teasing and grooming her younger brothers.
Besten would come up to the little hut in the mountains from time to time with food supplies and jokes and laughter. He even made a little poem about my father as he admired him training for track and field competitions entirely on his own;

"When Arne's coming to the hut here up/
he'll be doing pole leaps and high jumps/
and time he's fixing self/
and time he's fixing well."

So he wrote in the hut diary. We're still writing in newer copies of the hut diary, and the green wood stand for high jump always is ready for use for the fifth generation.
My Grandmom did not get to use the hut for more than this last summer. She died in what was called "lung fire" in February -35.
Neither did my Granddad want visit his hut anymore.
His children would use the hut for spare time events. Making ski jump competition and having major sleepover parties.Once seven boys were assembled in that little hut, and if they had not much money, they sure knew how to make fun anyway.
Above all the hut was a place to draw away from the crowd.
Talk about their "Mom in Heaven", feel her presence.
All the five children in turn brought their loved ones to the little hut.
My parents did even spend their fortnight honeymoon there, 60 years ago.
We are fifteen cousins who have all brought our husbands and wives to be up there.
Every season
the mountain has a special beauty, bathing, fishing, picking blue berries, climbing the peaks, cross country skiing, fetching water in the brook, showers under the waterfall in the river, the freshwater lakes, the moors.
Sheep use to grass there all summer, their bells sounding from the hillside nearby.
The flag will be hoisted to tell the wanderers that people are present.
Not many years ago, in the childhood of the cell phones, I got a call.
Someone was playing harmonica; "You are my sunshine." My uncle Leif spoke,"guess where I'm calling from.I'm sitting on the roof of the little hut.
The second of July this year my Mom had one single wish. To celebrate her birthday at the little hut.
She is not longer able to walk to half hour path we used to follow, after the stroke she had this winter. The farmers have however built a wood road, and she managed to get hold of a key allowing us to drive this single day. She still knows how to get her will done, my Mom.
For five hours we sat outside in one of those rare, Norwegian sunshine days, eating cream cake and sandwiches.
"My best birthday ever", my Mom said. "I felt Arne around me all the time."
The little, red hut, made of love still is binding young and old, the living and the dead together.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Mrs Ljung,

It has been so long since I paid a visit to your blog, I feel out of touch with you and with your blog! I always think of you when I hear Bob Dylan and I pray for you and your family every day. I hope I can make it a point to stop by your blog regularly and keep in touch :)

Love and Prayers,
LPP

Felisol said...

Dear Little Pilgrim Pal,
It's always nice hearing from you.
I know you are under a lot of pain and stress just now, and I am remembering you and your family all the time. Be assured of that.
One step at a time, that's the best way to walk for all of us.

God's blessings never seizes to surprise me.Just now I'm feeling related to the lilies in the field!
I hope the same for you.
From your Felisol

Amrita said...

Delightful page out of the Ljung family history, hich I enjoyed and the pictures too.

I love the strong spirit of your family, so sturdy and resillient...the your motto is NEVER GIVE UP.

Imagine Mother Ljung walking all the ay up. Ho far did she have to walk?

You look swell eating that sandwich.

The hut is such a snactuary and so well preserved. Good nobody stole anything from it.

Old family tresures are so precious.

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
Thank you for taking time and electric power to visit.
My Mom did not have to walk very far this time, 'cause the farmers around has join together to build a small wood-car-road. That is a road only for utility use, lumber traffic e.t.c. Tourists aren't allowed to drive in these mountain areas.
My Mom talked one of the owners into lend her the key for the bar. This way we all managed the way, with cream cake and sandwiches brought with us.

The things in the hut belongs in the hut and will not have any value without its proper settings.
But, yes I too am happy that all those family members allowed to use it (must be about a hundred), share the same love and veneration.
Your Felisol

Jim said...

Hi Felisol, your love story is so precious! Every family needs one like that. I don't think ours does.

So things are secure way up there in the 'hut?' I doubt anything there would be safe in the U.S.

Your shrimp sandwich looks really good too! Could I adopt you into the Jim Bunch Eats family?

I like your shirt just as well as the sandwich, you know I'm a pretty big Dlyan fan, but not nearly as big as you are though.

One last thing, you won second place in my NAMES CONTEST and honorable mention in the FEET CONTEST. That sounds really good, but there were only four who entered it.

I have a new quiz today, it is hard also but there are a few hints.
..
BTW, Hebrews 11:1, it is nice that you are bloging some more again.
Again, I am so sorry about your father. May God continue to bless you and your family as He always does(!).
..

Felisol said...

Dear Jim,
Long time no see.
Good to have you back.

The rich chalets in Norway are also exposed to thieves. They will go after easy salable modern stuff or valuable antiques.
Our hut has none of these. Just memories made of love and hope.

I wonder about the membership in "Jim Bunch eats family". Will I survive or end up as side dish???
Your name contest was tough.
I'll have to pop over to check if my assumptions (which I did not dare to put down in writing) proved to be true.

I have already entered your quiz contest - and withdrawn. Here's too much at a stake.

I too am happy to see LPP again. She's a most extraordinary girl.
One simply must love her.

Yours Felisol

Jim said...

Congratulations, Felisol! You are the winner, big time. That was hard because the clues weren't very explicit. Once you saw the guy's picture in the article you knew you had it!

I'm working on the Colorado post visit but it is coming slowly. I have a lot of things to get done.

I do have our neighbor's horse pictured on my PHOTO BLOG today.
He/she (?) is a Tennessee Walker staying in Colorado for the summer.
..

Sue Seibert said...

Oh, Elise, how wonderful. What treasured family memories. I so enjoyed reading it, and Raf is reading it, too. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you all!

Felisol said...

Dear Mr.Jim,
it was some weird hunt.
Daughter Serina and Gunnar jumped high in their stools as I cried my eureka just as we we seated for dinner. (made by Serina; boiled fishballs, potatoes naturell, fresh carrots and sauce Bechamell, for dessert; fruit, to drink spring water cooled in glass bottles).

I still wonder about the prize.
I think I might be entitled to a sheriff star, or maybe a P.I.license to hunt down the last member of this treacherous arson gang.


DEAR SIOUX SUE,
yeah, things that cannot be bought for money still are the most valuable, don't you think?
Send my best to Raf,
and a nice summer to the whole family. I always bear Joy with me,
but that you know.
From Felisol

Renae said...

Oh, I love reading the history of your sweet family! What a rich history you have.

Your lovely grandmom should be the lead character in a book. ;-) I love the story of her singing in spite of the duchess' reproof. Good for her!

Blessings, my friend across the sea!

Renae

Felisol said...

Dear Renae,
yes,I do admire my grandmom, and so did all of her children.
She was so perfectly clear about what was right and what she meant to be wrong. And she acted upon it.
Her children would all their lives refer to their "mamma" with love and respect.
She continued to be a part of her children's life seventy years after she had left for heaven.
From Felisol

Anonymous said...

Dearest Mrs. Ljung,

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Some days are easier than others...Monday and Tuesday were really hard, but then I have been sick since then, so that has consumed me for a bit ;)

yes, God is very faithful and His blessings come at just the right time!

Love and Prayers,
LPP

Felisol said...

Dear Little Pilgrim Pal,
I can understand that you became ill. When the soul and mind have been tortured for so long, the body stops,saying; Hey, I can't have it anymore, give me some rest." And you, fragile and exhausted, becomes sick.
You and your sister really have been so brave and faithful.
Now is time to get some rest before you're hurrying on.
I do steadily pray for you, but please, go easy on yourselves.
From Felisol

Jim said...

Well, Felisol, if a link to you blog isn't a good enough prize, then you can have a tin sheriff's star.
But I won't get it until you come here to receive your badge.
I'm sorry I caused your family to become alarmed, but thanks so much for your research. You may be the only person who read the article. I thought it was neat, but t :-)hat the contest was corny.

And I'm sorry too (really for this) that you couldn't go to Italy a couple of years ago. I did not know about that before.
I do have some more adventures from there, we spent four weeks in Italy and one in France that year.
..

Terry said...

Dear Felisol.. I wrote to you about this nice post last night. I took me an hour to write my comment. Did you get it? I hope that I didn't offend you in any way...

Oh dear if you didn't get it, I will never be able to reapeat it because I write according to how I feel at the time and I may be in a different mood the next time!
Oh I feel so bad!...Love Terry

Felisol said...

Dear Jim,
A link to my post is more than enough, especially if it has a star behind it. (Joking)
My brother is in Las Vegas playing bridge for the time being. I can eventually make him pop down to Texas to collect the star.

Now, me and my big mouth has gotten me into troubles before.
I did enjoy your contest, in fact I was used to much competition, playing and laughing from my home.

only drawback with Gunnar is, he's not much for it.
Well, when he's feeling really sorry for me, he'll play the odd game of Scrabble, and when my bro and I join in radio pop quiz, he will also be in the room, amused and helpful in the background.

About Italy;
We have been there three times, and I think and hope we will come back, once at least to see the southern part, but for the time being things aren't right there.
Gunnar has bought a tough Land Rover Discovery, and I have packed a bag lying in the trunk, ready to leave in short notice.
Serina is also driver the wild camel(!!) She is so tough behind the steering wheel.

We certainly will do more small trips around the country.
That's great too.
We are being blessed who have all these opportunities.


DEAREST TERRY,
no blog comment has arrived. I always love your comments, they are so elaborately made.
Well, now you are here, and all's well, that ends well.
I did get and answer your mail some days ago, so we both know that we are doing fine, bestest.
It is annoying when a blogcomment disappears, no way of tracing it as far as I know.
I made a comment about hair coloring over at Mrs. Mac's the other day. It never came up either.
Guess I should do like you, pop over and say hello anyhow.
Have a real nice week-end all of you.
From Felisol

Saija said...

God has blessed you with a wonderful heritage and good people to come from ...

your story had me teared up ...

thank you so much for sharing it!

Unknown said...

Hei min venn Elise. Jeg er trist for å være forsømmer for slik lang. Jeg håper deg, Gunnar, Serina og din familie er all brønn og glad. Du er all i mine tanker og bønner.

Kjærlighet, Justin (aka Judas Hates)

Felisol said...

Dear Saija,
Thank you for dropping by.
Like yourself, I too like sharing.
The only thing that does not minimize by sharing are words of and from love.
That little hut up in the mountains is worth nothing in the eyes of man, but is a jewel to those who know its story.
I am blessed,for knowing.

Dear Justin,
you are here in Norway in my prayers, (right after Will, actually).
I always brighten up when you drop by.
Actually Terry also mentioned you this week. She has not at all forgotten you either.
We all hope and pray that the Lord may stand right by your right hand side, as is his promise.
From Felisol

Terry said...

Oh Felisol...I am so glad to hear Justin's voice again.
A breath of fresh air just entered, eh?
Curious Servant and I were just talking about him last night!

Well I have to run! The Sunday school kids are awaiting!!!Love Terry

PS I will try remember what I said in that comment that got lost in cyber space!
It took a whole hour to write it. Maybe it was too long to squeeze through..Ha!!

Felisol said...

Dearest Terry,
I too am happy when Justin pops in. He's an extraordinary guy, very deep water and honest in love.
Have you read some of his short stories. They are breath taking.
Well, today I have been working with a new post, you might want to comment that instead? I really cannot expect you to use two hours on one single comment.
Love yours Felisol

Terry said...

Dearest Felisol. I am going to try and gather my thoughts together and remember as much as I can about the comment I made here a couple of weeks ago...a comment that got itself lost in cyber space!

It is late at night or I guess early in the morning but that seems the best time of day that I can talk to you.

1. When I saw this picture of Mom Ljung, I thought to myself, "What a brick that little lady is!"
I mean how many other elderly people do you know Felisol that would struggle up a hard path like that to see her beloved waterfall?!
2. I just wish I could of been with you two as you sat there together celebrating life and your mom's birthday in such a sweet simple way. It would have been nice if all your girlfriend bloggers were there and Mr. Jim. We would of had a ball!
That little red hut is just like a doll house.
3.I never knew that you had an aunt that was a missionary in Kenya.
There is a friend of ours there, a friend that used to take the Golden family to and from Sunday School[to the tune of 130 miles two round trips] She asked the Lord one day if she could go to Africa to be a missionary nurse but she also asked Him if He would send someone to take care of the Golden mother and her nine children.
Well the Lord did send someone and Marion Ronald went to Kenya. That was 43 years ago and she is still there!
4. Now that shrimp sandwich of yours looks as appetizing to me, Felisol as Mr. Jim's sardine sandwiches, NOT!!!
What is a picnic lunch with your Mom without peanut butter sandwiches, a jug of Kool-ade, and green apples dipped in honey? That is what the Golden kids took on their picnics...Yummy!
5.It is just amazing how those two men, your Dad and your Uncle Leif could carry such a burden with n'er a complaint
I love stoves like that. My cousin, Carol used to have one and there was always hot tea in a white granite teapot on it,
Piping hot it was and she had nice china cups to put the tea into!
6.Oh such a nice diary guest book Felisol. I guess that whenever you read it, you cannot but help shed a few happy sad tears when you see how many guests there are that are already in heaven!
7.Oh my! Does your young princess ever look like her Aunt Elly[shining light]!
I can see a resemblance in her pretty face of you too Felisol..
I just love the Pentecost Christians. They are so full of life and are not afraid to tell others of the Lord.
I remember one special elderly lady who we were on a bus with on the way home from a gospel concert. The bus was in trouble and it was about to stop, which would have been all right but we were just about to go under a long tunnel. The United States has a lot of long tunnels on the highways it seems!
Well we went through the tunnel, most of us really afraid. I could hear dear Lucille praying softly that the Lord would protect us.
Well it was a real miracle and that bus ran just long enough to get us safely on to the other side and then it died!
Well that Pentecostal lady was not one bit surprised. After all hadn't she asked her Father to preserve us and He did?!!
8. Hmmm...That lock looks pretty interesting. Maybe I could borrow it some day and lock that Bernie and his cat up, and put them away somewhere out of my hair!
9.Your Dad was a very wise man making those marks for all of the visits. He was preserving history.
Did you ever count how many marks are there Felisol?
10.I can understand that you couldn't blow that horn my Felisol. You were never one for blowing your own horn! No siree. We have to blow that horn for you and even then you don't believe us when we tell you just how great you are and such a good friend!
11.Oh what fortunate children you were with your Uncle and your Dad each holding your hands, as you ran down the cool but stony path smelling the sweet musky fragrances of the evening air!
This is a memory that you must always keep Felisol, taking it out every so often on a sad day. It will bring the joy into your heart as you remember those two special men that were so precious to your childhood and on into your adult hood!
12.Is cousin Grete[pearl] Bjoern's[Bear] sister Felisol?
How is Bjoern these days? Is he still thinking seriously about getting saved?. Oh I hope he does and that he gets saved before it is too late!
You kids don't look too happy in this picture.[Kel means decisive] You probably didn't like taking the time to stop from your romping long enough to take have your photo taken!
13. Oh the sweet taste of freedom for Norway and the rest of the world in 1945!
How we long for the peace in other parts of the world now and how we long to see the American soldiers coming home to their families!
I think so much of Pilot-Mom's son and Mrs. Mac's boy. Do you know of any more of our blogger friends that have children over there Felisol?
14.So precious that the Ljung family circle is unbroken in heaven Felisol! Oh I am just praying for the same thing for the Golden family. So far David, my brother and Gracey's husband, Eric are there adn Gramma Golden.
Dad Golden has been so peaceful and happy the last while.
15.Oh Grandmom is so sweet in her nice dress Felisol That's the way a gramma should look. Mom Golden looks like that although she never does wear an apron. Your dad was a cute little boy!
16.Oh what a sweet face your grandmom has!...Jenny[white, fair and smooth]
Your telling this story reminds me one time of old Mrs. Garner. She was 104 and the sweetest little Christian lady and she was in a nursing home. One time one of the nurses told me, "I am so surprised! Mrs. Garner is swearing like anything today!"
Well I couldn't believe it either, so I went to Mrs. Garner who was laying in bed and put my ear down to her mouth.
"She is NOT swearing nurse! She is praying to God!"
17.It is well that Sweden and Norway had a peaceful separation Felisol. Here in Canada, Quebec has fought for years to separate from the rest of Canada and it has caused a lot of bickering. I really pray that it doesn't result in blood shed one of these days.
Our Little Pilgrim Pal and her family live in Quebec.

Well I had better go to bed because tomorrow we are suppose to be meeting Donna in Niagara on the Lake..Mom Golden Betty and I.

Love you so much,,,I will try and get at your second newest post tomorrow if that trip doesn't tire me out too much!!!Love Terry