Sons of Norway Blog

Do you have any kroner that you’ve been saving for a rainy day? You’ll need to trade them for new banknotes by the end of May 2018. Last year, Norges Bank phased in brilliant new 100- and 200-krone bills, while keeping the old ones in circulation for a year. On May 30, 2018, the old 100- and 200-krone notes will expire and no longer be accepted in stores as [...]

In the May issue of Viking, we talked with Nancy Lorraine Jensen Memorial Scholarship recipient Shiloh Curtis. She hails from Sunnyvale, Calif., and attends college at MIT. Curtis is passionate about robotics. See more from the interview below. Q: What sparked your interest in robotics? A: I think my dad was mostly responsible for this. When I was a kid, we spent a lot of time building stuff together, [...]

Image credit: @oslorunway Norway is the fashion world’s new “it-girl.” Before the hustle and bustle of New York, Milan and Paris fashion shows, Norway hosts its fashion week. Drawing in crowds of fashionable bloggers and celebrities, Norway attempts to put aside the fierce competition with their Scandinavian counterparts and bring recognition to Oslo’s annual fashion week. In 2018, viewers were pleasantly surprised when they saw some epic [...]

2018 International Folk Art Competition & Exhibition Join us in celebrating talent and culture by participating in the International Folk Art Competition & Exhibition, part of the International Convention in Bloomington, Minn., August 15 -19. Sons of Norway members with all levels of artistry, from amateur to professional, can exhibit work in several Norwegian folk art categories including rosemaling, hardanger embroidery, photography and more. All participants will receive a [...]

Release your inner explorer and join us Thursday, June 14, to learn about our 2019 Signature Journey: Water, Wildlife & the Wonders of Antarctica. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet Peter Neill, Director of the World Ocean Observatory and Borton Overseas’ featured lecturer on this Antarctic journey. Peter is a renowned expert in maritime history, art, exploration, and marine environmental issues. Sunniva Sorby will also join us June 14 [...]

While growing up in Norway, Lise Lunge-Larsen loved listening to her parents read folktales. Her passion for children’s literature grew when she moved to the United States. Today, she’s written eight books, including her latest “Seven Ways to Trick a Troll.” Check out her interview in the May issue of Viking magazine, and see more below. What inspired you to become a children’s book author?   I studied folklore at [...]

Looking to liven up your breakfast routine with healthy ingredients? In the April issue of Viking magazine, chef and photographer Simon Bajada shares four recipes from his latest cookbook, “Nordic Light.” Another one of his favorites in Nordic granola. “There is so much satisfaction to be had in making home-made granola,” Bajada says. First of all, the kitchen smells incredible for a couple of hours, secondly you save some coin because boutique [...]

For reasons other than health and wellness, people across the United States and around the world are joining the latest fitness craze, plogging. Created in 2016, the term is a hybrid of the English word jogging and the Swedish term plocka upp, meaning “pick up,” and involves participants gathering litter while out jogging or running. Ploggers bring trash bags with them to help collect litter, and sometimes add rigorous elements [...]

The Storting (Norway’s parliament) recently passed the most comprehensive administrative reform since 1662. Back then, the country’s administrative units transitioned from len to amt while under Danish rule. In this new reform, Norway’s 19 fylker (counties) are planned to be replaced by 11 regioner (regions) by January 2020. Four existing counties (Nordland, Rogaland, Oslo and Møre og Romsdal) will continue using the same names and borders as they had in [...]

Vikings sailed the seas as master sailors and explorers. But you may be surprised to learn that a Viking sword unearthed from a grave in Oslo, estimated to be forged in 900 A.D., can be found on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. How did it get there? In late 1943, then General Dwight Eisenhower became the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War [...]

The April issue of Viking highlights Norwegian folk singer, artist and radio host Arna Rennan. She hails from Duluth, Minn., but has spent a lot of time in Norway throughout her life. Rennan currently hosts the radio program Nordic Roots Music for KTWH Two Harbors Community Radio. Here, we feature more from her interview. Tell us about spending time in the United States and Norway as a child. My [...]

District 5 is the proud recipient of the 2018 Shellie Milford Spirit of the Birkie Award, given to a volunteer, race chief, vendor, community member or skier whose selfless, thoughtful or heroic act contributes to a successful race and a positive experience for participants in the Birkie. Members of Sons of Norway District 5 have provided more than 30 years of service to the American Birkebeiner, the largest cross-country [...]

Have you checked out the March issue of Viking magazine? For a little travel inspiration, we highlight the small and beautiful Norwegian town of Tromsø, known as the “Gateway to the Arctic.” It brims with natural beauty and many opportunities to see the Northern Lights. Whether you want your home base to be in the city’s center or on the outskirts of town surrounded by nature, here are some [...]