Another Christmas in Norway

Another Christmas in Norway.  2011 is also a year of big changes for me.  I’ve moved and taken a new job in western Norway.  My new position is in Os, just about 20 miles south of Bergen, Norway’s second largest city.  Bergen is also known as the cultural capitol of Norway (Edvard Grieg lived here).  I look forward to hearing more concerts and taking advantage of the cultural riches in Bergen.  (Finally I’ve discovered that there is civilization and culture in Norway).

Being so close to Bergen, Os is fairly large, about 20,000 inhabitants.  There are just 2 churches in Os.  The main church is a wooden structure built in 1870.  The seating capacity is about 500.  The other church, Nore Neset is fairly new (built in 2000).  The organ in Nore Neset is a fine small 2-manual instrument.  The organ in Os Church is from the 1950’s, not the best period in Norwegian organ building.  Os has great natural beauty and is fairly close to the renowned Hardanger Fjord.

A few weeks ago I played for a funeral in Os Church.  A violinist also played.  As in most churches in Norway the organ is in the rear gallery.  The violinist has acrophobia (fear of heights).  The only solution was that he played from the front and I accompanied on the organ from the back.  Fortunately the music was slow so there were no ensemble problems.

The weather in western Norway is similar to England’s weather – mostly overcast with occasional bright intervals.  No snow yet as of the 1^st of December, just a couple light frosts.  To put a positive spin on it you could say the weather is stable here, more so than the changeable patterns up north.  As we approach the winter solstice the days are short, but fortunately not as short as they are in northern Norway.  On December 11^th the sun rises at 9:35 am and sets at 3:30 pm.  The coming days will be slightly shorter.  On the shortest day, December 21^st, the sun rises at 9:45 am and sets at 3:30 pm.  I really don’t like going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.  But that’s life in Norway -- a country of extremes.

I look forward to this new adventure. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Easter and May

Week 16: the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. Here in Norway it is called «the quiet week» (den stille uken). Many are on holiday this week. Stores are open Monday through Wednesday but with reduced hours. Almost all stores are closed on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Many were open on Saturday but with reduced hours. Norway is really closed on Easter Sunday and Monday. I had services on Thursday, Friday, an Easter vigil service in Alstahaug Church where I had to sing some chant (in Norwegian), Easter Sunday, and an outdoor service on Easter Monday.

The Norwegian state church is now in a fairly weak position. There was talk last fall of separating the church and state, but it probably won't happen soon. (The political situation has shifted a bit: the Labour party (Arbeiderparti) has lost points in opinion polls and the Moderate Party (Høyreparti) has gained in popularity. The Høyreparti and the right-leaning parties wants to continue the current status.

From the Reformation the church here in Norway always had a position of power, priviledge and great wealth. (As opposed to various church demoninations in the US where most had humble beginnings). The church in Norway could afford to coast along. Now they are paying for their inattention: budgets are being slashed. 1 out of 3 Norwegians has a negative view of the state church. We'll see what happens in 2013 when the new parliament is elected.

On Easter Sunday the sun rose at 4:55 am and set at 9:20 pm. Length of day is 16 hours, 25 minutes.

Easter Monday I drove with a trumpet player to Søvikskaret for the outdoor service at noon. Despite the weather about 20 people (and 3 dogs) showed up.

Early Tuesday morning I took the express boat to Bodø for the Organ Festival. Fridthjov Anderssen (1876-1937) was a gifted composer who came from Nordland. Each year the opening of the Organ Festival begins with a laying of a wreath at the foot of Anderssen's statue in a park near the cathedral. I met a few acquantances from the last organ festival in Mosjøen, and met many new friends, including Jane Parker Smith, the star of the festival. Unfortunately I couldn't hear her concert on Thursday evening – I had to get back to Sandnessjøen for a Friday funeral. I took the train/bus back. The condition of the road from Mosjøen to Sandnessjøen is much worse than it was last fall. They are building a new tunnel/road but it won't be open until 2013.

On Mayday, the 1^st of May, the sun rose at 4:30 am and set at 9:45 pm. Length of day is 17 hours, 15 minutes. I have now completed one year of residence in Norway. It still feels very exotic and the novelty hasn't worn off. Pianissimo, a small women's chorus, sang for the service on 1 May. For a prelude they sang «Somewhere, over the rainbow».

Finally the weather is turning warm and sunny. (Warm means above freezing). I took a couple longs walks with Magnar – up Fjellåsen and the area near the small boat harbor.

Confirmation services began on 8 May. The church was packed for the 1^st service – about 350. At the later service there were about 250. On 8 May the sun rose at 4 am and set at 10:15 pm. Length of day is 18 hours, 15 minutes.

We now have 24-hour light. Confirmation services again on the 15^th. On Saturday the 21^st the Bigband had a concert. Everything went very well. (I was the pianist). I'm still getting used to this style of pop music. Playing the notes isn't so difficult, it's the rhythms.

I went on the radio again to help advertise a Russian male choir that came to Sandnessjøen on Monday the 23^rd. The concert was a great success. We took in about 25,000 crowns, way over my expectations. Attendance was just over 200.

At the end of May Magnar and I took the express boat to Vega to meet another friend, Bjarne, for a cycle tour on Vega. We stayed at Vega Havhotell. On Saturday evening we had a great 5-course meal – the best meal I've eaten since I've been here. The weather was good on Saturday: we cycled all over Vega.

Sad news: there was a funeral for Egil on the 26^th. Egil and his wife Berit are very active in the church, and they befriended me when I first moved here. They are good friends with Paul Christensen, former pastor of 1^st Lutheran in Decorah, and assistant pastor here in Sandnessjøen in 1995-96. Last September Egil was diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent chemotherapy but it didn't help. Egil was in his 80th year.

As of the 1^st of June the sun rose at 2:20 am and set at midnight.

In the bleak mid-winter

Week 12: In the bleak mid-winter. Spring is supposed to be here but it kept on snowing this week. Many roads were closed. On Marimesse (25 March-Annunciation) I bought skis. That should be a guarantee that spring will come next week. This week we began planning for the Easter Vigil service at Alstahaug Church. The Men's Chorus had concerts on Friday and Saturday (I played accompaniments for a couple pieces).

The Annunciation theme was prevalent for Sunday's service. It's a bit unusual for Protestant churches to give much attention to Mary, but the Lutheran Church broke with Rome over the papacy and selling indulgences, not over the importance of Mary.

On Sunday, the 27^th of March the sun rose at 6:45 am and set at 7:45 pm. Length of day is 13 hours.

Daylight savings time began today (here it's simply called «summer time»).

At the beginning of the last week in March we got more snow. It snowed about 5-6 inches on each day. The total was about 1 ½ feet. At least the skiing was good. I bought a spark sled and was able to try it out a few times. I got my Norwegian tax return this week. I have to pay about $150. This was the week to spend money: I bought a spark sled, a year's subscription to the local paper, paid my Norwegian taxes and for an oil change/tune up for my old car.

Next week there is something called Påske vandring – Easter Journey. Kids from the local schools come to church for the half hour gathering. They begin with a short version of the Christmas story, go on to Palm Sunday, then Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and finally Easter. That reminds me of the joke about the (Catholic) priest who didn't know the Bible very well. He was called in to the bishop's office for a consulation. The bishop asked him, «what is Easter»? The priest said, «that's when Jesus died for our sins. He let himself be crucified. After he died he was taken to a stone tomb. Early on Sunday morning he awoke from the dead, came out of the tomb, and if he saw his shadow we would have 6 more weeks of winter.»

Two services on Sunday: 11 am in Tjøtta and 6:30 pm in Sandnessjøen. Sunrise is at 6:15 am, sunset at 8:15 pm. Length of day is 14 hours.

Week 14: Nothing unusual this week. We had påskevandring services for the 5 year-olds. Most of the snow is gone.  On Friday afternoon/evening I flew to Oslo for the weekend. I saw my friends Harry and Bruce. I met more American friends: Roger and Norman. Sunday I met Marilyn (a classmate from Luther days) at Holmen Church and we had a nice lunch afterward. Sunday afternoon I took to train up to Jessheim to visit Turid and Gunnar. The weather was splendid. On Monday it was very warm in protected spots. It was great to feel the sun on your face. When I got back to Sandnessjøen I found that my car had a flat tire. It was too dark to change it so I walked the 2 km home. Fortunately it wasn't raining.  An optimist would say it's only flat on the bottom.

On the 10^th of April the sun rose at 5:50 am and set at 8:30 pm. Length of day is 14 hours, 40 minutes.

Week 15: the week before Palm Sunday. There were a few nice sunny intervals this week. Friday and Saturday were windy and rainy. I began listening to my Norwegian dialect recordings. At the staff meeting on Wednesday I followed everything that was said. That is great progress. All the services are planned for Easter week. Next week will be interesting, as far as seeing what stores are open. Thursday and Friday are holidays so very few stores will be open. I'm not sure about Saturday. Easter Sunday and Monday are also holidays and nothing will be open.

On the 17^th of April the sun rose at 5:20 am and set at 9 pm. Length of day is 15 hours and 40 minutes. At 11:30 pm there is stll a little light in the north-west. At 4:30 am it is light outside.

End of Winter?

The first week of March: most of the snow has melted. The past week I spent contacting newspapers to help publicize a concert coming up at church. I called the local radio station to see if they could help. On Tuesday the 9^th I'll show up at 12 noon and be on the radio. Yikes (or Jeiks)! Well, at least I'll be known. As Dan said of himself, «star of television and church». I guess I'll be star of radio and church! More snow on Friday night/Saturday morning. Enough, already! The one thing that I really dislike about northern Norway is the weather and long winter. Not that I want a hot day, but it would be nice to have a full day of warm sunshine. On Sunday, the 6^th of March, the sun rose at 7 am, and set at 5:30 pm. Length of day is about 10 ½ hours.

Week 10: The interview on Tuesday went fine. I was nervous about it but they edited it a little. It's supposed to be available on an archived recording on their website but so far it isn't listed. On Wednesday there was a funeral. Thursday was Magnar's birthday. For presents I gave him a sweater, a book on Cambridge, and a cd that Tom L signed. Friday evening Magnar and I had a dinner party for Hans and Inge.

I finally saw the northern lights this past weekend. On Saturday night they were fairly weak. On Sunday night they were a little better, but still bashful.

Sunday was a long day: an 11 am service at Alstahaug with 3 baptisms, and a 6:30 pm service with the choir in Sandnessjøen.

On Sunday the 13^th of March the sun rose at about 6:30 am and set at 6 pm. Length of day is about 11 ½ hours. There was more snow this weekend, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Week 11: Winter is over. Spring has begun. Yeah, right. (That is probably the only example to two positives creating a negative). The days are thankfully getting longer and the sun is shining. But there is still snow on the ground. Spring will come in late April or May.

Tuesday, the 15^th of March, we had a concert in Sandnessjøen Church. MiNensemble with pianist Anna Kuvaja gave a first-rate performance. They performed music by Liszt, a trio by Max Reger and the Piano Quartet Nr. 2 by Fauré. The church is ideal for chamber music. There were about 25 in the audience. To put a positive spin on it, you could say that the number of people in the audience didn't spoil the acoustics. Maybe the Ides of March kept people away. I really don't know how to get people to come – maybe I should use a Republican tactic: false advertizing.

My friend Bjarne from Brønnøysund came for a short visit this weekend. He took the Polarlys Hurtigruten back on Saturday. Before the ship left we had coffee onboard.

As of the 20^th of March the sun rose at 6:10 am and set at 6:25 pm. Total length of day is 12 hours, 15 minutes.

Zippers and cod tongues

My trip back to Boston and Wisconsin went well. I didn't see all the people I wanted to see but I packed in a lot in those 7 days. The snow in Cambridge was incredible: snow piles 2 meters high. Some streets were so narrow that a fire truck could barely get through. On Monday the 14^th the temperatures reached about 50 F (10 C). At least the ice melted. I was lucky with the weather – no travel delays. I found it a little easier to get over jetlag coming east. I must have slept on the plane. (I couldn't sleep going to Boston and had problems getting used to the time change). My cousin Turid picked me up at the Oslo airport on Thursday morning. On Saturday morning I flew back to Sandnessjøen. We landed in a snow storm. While I was away it had been cold and clear. Sunday morning I woke about 6:30 to dawn. Finally there is light in the morning.

My new Norwegian drivers license arrived in the mail. It is valid until 2055 (just 44 years from now). While I was in Cambridge/Boston I waited in line to get a duplicate license from Massachusetts. (I had to give up my original Mass. license in order to get a Norwegian license). Now I'm completely covered. I may be dead in 2055, but at least I'll still be driving!

On the 20^th of February the sun rose at 8 am and set at 4:50 pm. Total daylight is approaching 9 hours. It's beginning to feel like a normal winter.

The 8^th week of the year: Back to the normal working routine. At the last minute they had to change Sunday's church service from 11 am to 5 pm. Apparently there was only one sexton available and he had to be at the service at Alstahaug Church. Too bad they hadn't trained a volunteer for this.

I brought back a fleece jacket for my friend Magnar. We had a discussion about zippers. In the U.S. zippers on the left side are for women's clothes; men's are on the right side. Here in Norway (and Europe) it's just the opposite.

One of the "delicacies" in northern Norway are cod tongues. They are available now. I tried it this past week (twice). They can be poached or fried. I think they are better fried in bacon grease or butter. Since I've been here I've eaten whale, moose and cod tongues. But I draw the line for lutefisk!

I spoke with Trond, the owner of the house where I live. He and his wife are separating. They don't know if it's temporary or for a longer period. In any case it's rather sad. I feel sorry for their 5 year old.

On Monday, the 28^th of February the sun rose at 7:30 am and set at 5:15 pm. Length of day is 9 hours, 45 minutes.

First week in February

Week 5: the first week of February. If the weather weren't cloudy we would have sunshine here. I know the sun exists – I saw it on Thursday in Tjøtta. Lots of news this week: my interim status is extended until October. On Thursday I passed my drivers test. The ice has finally melted, but with the mild weather there was more snow on Saturday. So the question is, «will I watch the Super Bowl»? It will be carried live on channel 1 here, without commercials. Unfortunately it starts at 11:15pm and goes until 4 am. So the answer is «kanskje», which means maybe.

On 6 February the sun rose at 8:50 am and set at 4 pm. Length of day is just over 7 hours. Right now daylight is increasing by about 7 minutes a day.  The sun shone on Sandnessjøen for a few minutes today.  It is finally back.

I'm pretty much packed for the trip back to Boston. I should have made it longer. On Saturday the 19^th (Feb) I return to Sandnessjøen.

End of January

This week I joined «Storband», a band that performs popular music. The first rehearsal that I attended was on Wednesday evening. It went OK, but I have to practice, especially rhythmic music that I'm not used to. There is a concert on 21 May. The past weekend was quite social: a dinner party on Friday evening at Magnar's house for Katrin and Elizabeth. On Saturday Magnar and I were invited to a party at Hans and Inge's house. Sunday I had two services: one at 11 in Sandnessjøen and one at 6:30 pm at Blomsø Bedehus (prayer house on Blomsø). Attendance was pretty good in Sandnessjøen: about 60. At Blomsø there were only 5 or 6. The weather is fairly mild. The snow and ice are slowly melting, although it snows once in a while.

The days are getting longer: on 23 January the sun rose at 9:40 am and set at 3 pm. The length of day is almost 5 ½ hours.

This week I first noticed that I no longer arrived at work in complete darkness. The days are getting longer. The weather was fairly mild but overcast. It snowed/rained/hailed a little then mostly melted away. We got quite a bit of rain so some of the roads are not so icy.

Today the sun rose at 9:15 am and set at 3:30. The length of day is 6 hours, 15 minutes.

Monday the 31^st of January. I finally got an explanation of what my status is here, vis-à-vis the church. Since I was in an interim position I can't automatically become a permanent employee. I can apply for the position, or not. They will extend my interim position for 6 months from 9 April, when my current position ends, to 9 October. If I apply for it, there's a pretty good chance I will get it, but it's not guaranteed. If I don't apply for it, I'll have to go back in October. If I get the job it will be permanent – something I'm not sure I want. If I were younger there would be no question of me staying here. I'm not sure what I'll do. There are so many things to consider. I'll use the next month to think it over.

My colleague Venera will continue her sick leave for the month of February. More work for me. I had planned to take my driving test on Thursday, but I had to cancel it because there is a funeral I have to play for.

End of Year Summary

Traditionally one sums up the year that has gone by. I'm very glad I took this chance of living here in Norway. Overall it's been a very positive experience. The negative aspects are mostly weather-related. Since mid-November we've had ice everywhere. It's treacherous to walk. One peave I have is Norwegian drivers. They are mostly polite but not much better than the drivers in Boston. There is something called "forkjørsrett", meaning the driver on the right side has right of way, even if he is coming out of a side street. There is often confusion and accidents. One just has to drive with caution. My Norwegian is getting better but it's a slow process. The people here are great, very helpful, even the workers in non-church related offices are friendly and eager to assist if asked. To sum it up in one sentence: Northern Norway is a land of extremes.

In the next week or so I have to decide how long this adventure in Norway will last. My predecessor has given notice that he won't be coming back. The upshot is that the job is mine if I want it. I've been given an extension to my leave from Harvard-Epworth Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts until July of 2012. I feel torn because my sense of belonging to a place will change yet again and I will be in a kind of limbo, not belonging in the U.S., and not really belonging here in Norway since I didn't grow up here. One of the goals of this year in Norway was to help me get over my partner Dan's passing in 2006. It has helped enormously. If this «sabbatical year» ends in April I would be completely satisfied with this adventure. There also is a new development: I'm beginning a new relationship. My inclination is to stay here to find out where this is headed. It may not lead anywhere but at least I'm happy, even if I feel I don't belong to any group. To sum it up, my sense of adventure has trumped my sense of belonging. I'm willing to try another year here.

The first day of 2011 was very quiet. I didn't hear any left-over fireworks. On Sunday, the 2^nd, there was a church service at Åsheim Terrasse, the large room on the 8^th floor of Åsheim Retirement Center. The best views of Sandnessjøen are from here. During the first week of the new year there were two funerals. The weather had been tranquil since Christmas. During this week we had terrific wind storms. The bridge was periodically closed. On Thursday the airport was closed. More snow came at the end of the week. People say that last year there was hardly any snow. It seems as though we're making up for two winters, and we aren't even halfway through winter yet. On Sunday evening I had to drive to Tjøtta for a church service. A storm blew through Sunday afternoon, closing the road toward Tjøtta. But at 5 pm it was cleared. Because of the storm there were few people in church: 4 in the congregation, plus the 3 employees (minister, organist and sexton). Sunrise on 9 January is at 10:21 am, sunset at 2:13 pm. The length of the day is almost 4 hours.

Week 2: Fairly quiet at the church office but the weather is changing. Whenever it gets mild it usually snows (or rains). At least the winds have abated. Fortunately there were no funerals this week. I'm taking yet another step toward a longer residence here: I have to get a Norwegian drivers license. My license from Massachusetts is only valid for a year after I entered Norway, so it will expire here in April. When I went to apply for a license I had to give up my Mass. license. It feels odd not having a drivers license. (I have a receipt from Vegvesen saying they took my license, so it's perfectly legal for me to drive in Norway). Now there is more paperwork here: I need to get a contract/agreement from the church saying that my position has changed from temporary/interim to something more permanent. And from the Immigration Service here I need to apply for another year of residency. (I can only apply for residency one year at a time.)

Since there's so much snow here I hope to buy a spark sled and cross-country skis this coming week. This past week marks the end of the first half of winter. Surise on 16 January is at 10 am, sunset at 2:38 pm. Length of day: just over 4 ½ hours.

Christmas and New Year's

Christmas week: (Week 51). Usually I have Mondays off but there was a church service for school children that I had to play for. I also had a rehearsal with a trumpet player who will play for the Christmas Eve services. Tuesday is my usual choir rehearsal day, plus a rehearsal with a soloist who will sing for the Christmas Eve services. Wednesday and Thursday I had off. Friday was a long day: 2 devotional services (11 and 12), and two large Christmas Eve services. The one at 2 pm was packed – standing room only. Officially, the seating capacity of the church is 475, but at this service there were 340 and many had to stand. The were about 100 + from Hurtigruten (boat). The next service (4 pm) was a bit better, at least all could sit. Everything went well. After the 4 pm service I drove to Tjøtta to spend Christmas Eve with Katrin and Elizabeth. There were just 3 of us and we are all non-Norwegians: German, British and American (US). Elizabeth prepared a great feast: pinnekjøtt, sausages, potatoes, turnip, carrotts, with champagne, red wine and aquavit. Since one dare not drive a car after drinking I spent the night in Tjøtta. The next morning I drove back to Sandnessjøen for the big Christmas Day service. The participants were the Mens' Chorus, the church choir, and a trumpeter – Rune S. Everything went well. There were about 80 to 100 in the congregation. Sunday I had another service – in Tjøtta. Thea S (who sang at the Christmas Eve services) sang for this service in Tjøtta. She has a beautiful voice, is only 16 and is studying music in Mosjøen. The service was fairly long with a baptism, communion and the special vocal music.

Finally Christmas is over. I don't think I've had to work so hard for Christmas in many years.

The weather has been very tranquil – cold but clear. While Europe is having travel nightmares because of the snow storms, here in northern Norway everything is fine. Sunrise on 26 December is at 10:45 am, sunset at 1:35 pm. Total daylight is 2 hours 50 minutes. The days are slowly getting longer.

The final week of 2011. Not much is happening at work. We have a short work week. On Wednesday there was a servie and Juletrefest (Christmas Tree Festival) at the Bedehus (Prayer House) on Blomsøy. Of course there were sandwiches and sweets afterward. Thursday there was a funeral. My friend Bjarne couldn't make the New Year's Eve dinner so I had to change plans. The party was moved to Magnar's house with Lill joining us. We ate turkey, red cabbage, mashed rutabaga, potatoes, and curried mushroom sauce. There was a lot of turkey left-over. I helped Magnar eat it up in the few days into the new year. A little before midnight we went outside to see the fireworks. I was amazed at the amount of fireworks which were privately set off/sent up. I wonder how many millions of crowns went into the dazzling display of firewords. At the office I heard that Venera (the other organist for Alstahaug Community) will take the month of January off for sick leave. It means extra work for me but won't affect the Sunday I have free, or my trip back to the US in February.

On the last day of the year the sun rose at 10:40 am and set at 1:45. Total daylight is 3 hours, 5 minutes.

December

Week 49: This past week we had milder weather, but that usually means precipitation in one form or another. It snowed a little. Fortunately there was no rain. It is very odd to go to work in the morning when it is dark and come home when it is dark in the evening. On Thursday we began «Julevandring», almost like a Christmas pagaent, but without an audience. It is just for kids, ages 4 through 7, plus a couple school teachers and a teaching assistant. I dressed up as the Angel Gabriel and had a few lines to recite (in Norwegian), and a few carols to play on the piano. Helga was in charge of these skits. She is the religious education person on our staff. There were 2 presentations on Thursday and 3 on Friday. Next week there will be only 2. The heating problem in the church seems to be fixed. Today the sun rose at 10:05 am and set at 1:50 pm. (Dawn begins at 8:40 am and dusk ends at 3:15 pm). Just two more weeks of decreasing light.

Week 50: Nothing unusual this week. I heard that my oldest friend passed away: Hugues Cuenod, age 108 died at the beginning of December in Vevey, Switzerland. I first met Hugues in 1983? when Dan (my late partner) and I went to Europe. Everytime we went to Europe we would visit him for a few days at his summer residence in Morges. I think the last time we saw him was in 2003 when he was 101. Dan first met him in the 1950's. They recorded many of Schutz' solo sacred songs. Back in Sandnessjøen there are more preparations for the big Christmas services. Fortunately there were no funerals this week. Sunday was a busy day. There was the usual 11 am service here in Sandnessjøen. Then a 6:30 candlelight service in Tjøtta. Then a rehearsal back in Sandnessjøen with Pianissimo, a choral group that will be participating in a big service on the 19^th. On Sunday the 12^th of December the sun rose at 10:30 am and set at 1:35 pm. Total daylight is just over 3 hours.

Week 51. This is the final week of decreasing daylight. There were 3 funerals this week, a big rehearsal on Thursday evening with 5 combined choirs, a large devotional service at Zahl Gården, an institution for Alzheimer patients, and a big staff party on Friday. And on top of all this activity my Gmail e-mail account was hacked and taken over. They said I was stranded in London and asked for money to be sent there. Fotunately I had most of my e-mail addresses and sent out a message that my e-mail account had been hacked and to ignore the message. I am perfectly fine, I'm not in London and I don't need money. What a headache. It's now in Gmail's hands. They are working on returning the account to me, but it may take days or weeks. Saturday marked 4 years since Dan passed away. I'm very happy I chose to be in Norway for a year. Now I feel I can get on with my life when I return.

Sunday is probably the busiest day so far: no 11 am service, but a 2:30 service at a shopping center (Skansa) and the huge service/concert at 6 pm. 5 choirs and the band are participating. At the end all the choirs sing «O Holy Night» in Swedish (O helga natt). Oddly enought that is the traditional version here, made popular by the Swedish tenor, Jussi Björling. I look forward to when it's over. Today the sun rose at 10:45 am, and set at 1:30 pm. Total daylight is 2 hours, 45 minutes. Monday is actually the shortest day, but only by 1 minute. On Tuesday the days will slowly begin to increase.

Advent

Tuesday was overcast with snow. Both Wednesday Thursday were clear. The sun is now hiding behind the mountains. We won’t get direct sunlight until the end of January. The quality of light is very unusual. It seems like a very long twilight. You can see the sun shining on the mountains to the north. As of Thursday, the 18th of November, the sun rise is at 9,05 am, the sun sets at 2,40 pm.




Nothing unusual this past week. On Sunday there was a full moon. It was very beautiful both at sunrise and at sunset. The temperature dropped on Sunday. It was about 20 F (-6 C). The Norwegians don't say minus. If it's below zero Celsius they say cold degrees. Above zero they say warm degrees. I also learned the word for step ladder: curtain ladder (gardintrapp). The Sunday morning service at Alstahaug was well attended: the youth participated and sang several songs. The Sunday evening service in Sandnessjøen had to be moved into the parish center because it was too cold in the church (about 40 F). It is interesting that if the temperature goes below 17 C (about 60 F) a church service can be cancelled or moved. It looks like the Siberian cold snap will stay here a bit longer. At least the weather will be clear. Sunday afternoon I had a nice walk in the woods with my friends Magnar and Lill. They each have dogs.



This past week was very cold, but clear. It never got above freezing. I rode my bike to work each day, except for Friday. There was a funeral at Tjøtta at noon on Friday. It was so nice to see the sun there. Again the church was stone cold on Sunday morning, so we had to move into the parish house for the service. It appears that no one is taking responsibility to fix the problem. There is a funeral scheduled for this coming Wednesday. It had better be fixed. (Not that I can do anything, except quit). The weather patterns will bring milder weather this coming week, but with that comes precipitation. Who knows what form that will take. If it rains it will be very slippery with the deep frost we've had over the past two weeks. On the first Sunday of Advent (28 November) the sun rose at 9:45 am. It set at 2:10 pm. Total daylight is about 4 ½ hours, adding an hour on each end for dawn and dusk.



This past week we had milder weather, but that usually means precipitation in one form or another. It snowed a little. Fortunately there was no rain. It is very odd to go to work in the morning when it is dark and come home when it is dark in the evening. On Thursday we began «Julevandring», almost like a Christmas pagaent, but without an audience. It is just for kids, ages 4 through 7, plus a couple school teachers and a teaching assistant. I dressed up as the Angel Gabriel and had a few lines to recite (in Norwegian), and a few carols to play on the piano. Helga was in charge of these skits. She is the religious education person on our staff. There were 2 presentations on Thursday and 3 on Friday. Next week there will be only 2. The heating problem in the church seems to be fixed. Today (5 Dec) the sun rose at 10:05 am and set at 1:50 pm. (Dawn begins at 8:40 am and dusk ends at 3:15 pm). Just two more weeks of decreasing light.

Paris

After church on Sunday, the 7th of November I flew to Oslo. The flight was delayed due to a snowstorm in Bodø. I was pleasantly surprised that the airline offered me round-trip transportation back into town and a meal voucher. You would never get that in the U.S.  I finally arrived at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo at about 11 pm. Turid (a distant cousin) picked my up and I spent the night at their house in Jessheim. Monday afternoon I went down to Oslo to meet one of the professors at Oslo Conservatory of Music. We had a couple friends in common, in particular (the late) Einar Haugen and his daughter Camilla Cai. Professor Herresthal has just finished a 4-volume work on Ole Bull. Einar and Camilla published a book on Ole Bull in the early 1990’s. The meeting was very pleasant and fruitful.



That evening I had dinner and coffee with my friend Gjerulf, Tuesday morning coffee with Harry, then off to the music store, and finally back to Jessheim Tuesday afternoon. Gunnar (Turid’s husband) has a bad knee and it needs surgery. He’s now on canes and in pain. I hope it goes well.



Early Thursday morning I got the 8 am flight to Paris. I arrived at Jim’s apartment about 11:30 am. Fortunately I brought some smoked salmon with me and we had a delicious lunch. That afternoon we went to Notre Dame for a commemoration service for Armistice Day (11th of November). We were up in the organ gallery and had great views of the procession and pageantry.



On Friday morning I hit the music stores. I made my way back to the Mont Parnasse area where Jim and I had lunch with Jaqueline and Pascale. (Jaqueline is the daughter of André Marchal; Pascale is the granddaughter of Louis Vierne). After lunch we had a walk in the cemetery of Mont Parnasse and saw the graves of many famous composers (Franck, Saint-Saëns, Vierne & Guilmant) and the famous 19-century organ builder Cavaille Coll. That evening I went up to the 56th floor in the Mont Parnasse Tower and saw Paris by night. Mont Parnasse Tower is quite ugly, but it offers great views.



Saturday I spent the morning at the Pompidou Center for Modern Art. Jim and I had lunch with Brigitte, the biographer for Louis Vierne. That evening we heard a performance of Heinrich Schütz’ Musicalische Exequien.



Sunday morning Jim and I went to Saint-Sulpice to hear Daniel Roth. There were about 10 in the organ gallery. Roth played a few improvisations, but for the most part he played Bach. After church I took a walk in Luxembourg Gardens, then made my way to the Church of the Madeleine. From there I walked to La Trinité where I met Carolyn. She was a classmate at New England Conservatory. The Church of la Trinité was where Messiaen was organist. Carolyn and I made our way to St Roche for a solo-violin concert. Carolyn directed my way back to Notre Dame. Jim and I had dinner with a couple of his friends who were in Paris for a week (Jay and Izzy). Monday morning was early. I caught the 11 am flight back to Oslo, bought provisions at the duty-free store in Oslo, and spent the rest of the day waiting for my flight. After delays I finally arrived back in Sandnessjøen at about 11 pm.



Tuesday was overcast with snow. Both Wednesday Thursday were clear. The sun is now hiding behind the mountains. We won’t get direct sunlight until the end of January. The quality of light is very unusual. It seems like a very long twilight. You can see the sun shining on the mountains to the north. As of Thursday, the 18th of November, the sun rise is at 9,05 am, the sun sets at 2,40 pm.

Half-way through

Week 42. I am now beginning the 2nd half of my adventure in Norway.




Tuesday began with rain. It gradually turned over to snow and got very cold. The winds were terrific. It was so raw. I bought a winter coat yesterday. I didn’t realize I would use it so soon.



Thursday morning I woke up to about 8 inches of snow. Am I ready for 7-8 months of winter? Today I feel like I’m in the Narnia Chronicles and the wicked white witch has declared perpetual winter.



Friday I bought “isbrudd”. They are cleats that fit over your shoe. On the bottom are metal studs so you can walk on ice.



On Saturday I decided to buy a car. It’s not cheap but in months left it will still be cheaper than if I lease by the month. It’s a little frightening: to buy a car (or any other major possession) seems like a step toward a move here. I’m not ready for that (unless the Republicans take control of Congress, gut the health care bill, abolish Social Security, and force through a pre-F.D.Roosevelt United States). I really think the next supreme court justice should be Anita Hill. When they announce that it will give Clarence Thomas a fatal heart attack and give Obama another choice for an open position.



There were about 70 attending church on Sunday, with a baptism. Sunrise today is 8:35 am, sunset at 5:10 pm. Total daylight is 8 hours, 36 minutes.



Monday, 25 October. Week 43. I picked up my car. Tuesday I drove to Tjøtta for a funeral. On Tuesday afternoon I got my absentee ballot and immediately sent it back. Thursday I finally decided to go with car insurance through the bank. The other possibility was through KNIF (Kristen-Norges InnkjøpsFelleskap – Christian Norway Purchasing Cooperative). I’m totally ready for winter: I got studded tires for my bicycle! Thursday evening Anna (one of the ministers on staff) and I drove to Mosjøen to see Eugene O’Neil’s “Long Day’s Journey toward Night”. Liv Ullmann and Bjørn Sundquist were leads in the Riksteater production. Fortunately I read the book a couple times so I didn’t have many problems following the dialogue (everything was in Norwegian, of course). It was great theatre. The drive back was hair-raising, as usual. The road is awful between Sandnessjøen and Mosjøen. They are building a new one but it won’t be ready until 2013. I had Friday free and drove down to Brønnøysund to visit my friend Bjarne. On Saturday we drove out to Torghatten and hiked up to the mountain with the hole. The hole is huge. It seemed as though a storm was brewing: the winds were very strong, but Bjarne explained that it is quite normal to have powerful wind gusts where the mountains create wind tunnels. Bjarne rode back to Sandnessjøen with me. He had a birthday party to attend. Sunday morning was the time change. (Spring ahead, fall back, or fall over!). Sunday was an exhausting day, plus my legs were so stiff from the hike up Torghatten the previous day. There was extra music for Sunday: a special day called “Prayer and Penance Sunday”. On Sunday afternoon Anna (the prosti minister) and I drove up north to Lurøy for a service at 5 pm. It took about 3 hours to drive there. The place is called Konsvik and it’s about 3 miles south of the arctic circle. A good crowd showed up – about 25 or 30 people in all. It took place in a “bedehus”, a meeting house which is less formal and smaller than a church. We got back to Sandnessjøen about 10 pm. This past weekend I saw most of the Helgeland coast: from Torghatten and Brønnøysund in the south to Lurøy and Rødøy in the north.



Sunrise on 31 October is at 8:00 am. Sunset at 3:40. Total daylight is 7 hours, 40 minutes.



The first week (44) in November was uneventful, except that my Macbook seems to be very sick. I can't get a wifi signal. So I bought a pc this week. At least I have a connection to the internet now.

The choir will be singing in church on Sunday so we've been rehearsing the pieces for Sunday.



The news from the U.S. isn't very cheerful (referring to the elections), but it could have been worse. Here in Norway the right-wing party (Høyre) is to the left of the mainstream Democratic party. There is one party here which is against everything that social democracy stands for. They are called The Progress Party (Fremskrittsparti). What a misnomer. Fortunately they are only about 20%, but the third largest party. I still think that Obama should nominate Anita Hill to the Supreme Court. That would give Clarence Thomas a fatal heart attach (hopefully) and another nomination for Obama. I heard from my mother that the church where I grew up is pulling out of the ELCA over the gay issue. How unchristian can you get? I hope I never have to set foot in that place again. And there is a burial plot for sale!



Sunday the sun rose at 8:25 am, sunset at 3:20 pm. Total daylight is just under 7 hours.

Winter Begins

The leaves are beginning to fall.  I’ll be sorry when they all fall off.  That means I will see more of that ugly Tine creamery building.  On Wednesday we had rain and high winds.  A few of the trees are now bare, although some are still green.

Nothing unusual this week: just one funeral.  I spent the week getting prepared for the organ recital I’m giving on Sunday evening.

Nikolai, the child of Ann-Kristin & Trond Edvardsen, turned 5 on Thursday.  (I rent their basement apartment).  On Saturday they invited me to a coffee party to celebrate the event.

Well, there’s never a dull moment at organ recitals.  The weather turned quite cold, the high was only about 42 F.  The church was so cold Sunday morning that they tried to heat the place up with space heaters, but it kept on blowing fuses.  The organ recital began at 7:30.  Everything was going well until we had a power failure.  Jon, one of the employees of the church, tried to fix it but they ended up calling an electrician.  After about a 45-minute delay I played the rest of the program.  Fortunately, everyone patiently waited while the problem was fixed.  

Sunday (10-10-10) the sun rose at 7:45 am and set at 6 pm.  Total daylight is 10 hours, 15 minutes.

Week 41: winter began.  Sunday morning there was a dusting of snow on the mountains.  It looked liked a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  Each day there was a little more snow.  On Thursday, the 14^th of October it snowed.  According to the Old Norse Calendar this day is the first day of winter.  Like clockwork winter began in northern Norway.  Most people now have their winter tires on.  Quite a few years ago tires with studs were outlawed in Massachusetts.  The headline in the Boston Globe read, “Stud tires out”.

On Friday I had two funerals: one in Sandnessjøen Church for a 65-year old woman, and one in the chapel at the hospital for an infant that was stillborn.  This last one was so sad, of a life never lived.

I’m having a few problems with my macbook (computer).  It wouldn’t connect to the internet.  (All the other programs work fine).  I took it to a shop.  They looked at it and made some adjustments.  It does seem better but every once in a while I lose the signal.  I know the problem is with the macbook.  My iphone and ipod work perfectly fine.  I may have to get a pc.  Macs are not much in use in Norway.

Saturday I met Vera and John on the south-bound Hurtigruten.  They began their journey in Kirkenes and saw a part of Norway they hadn’t seen before.  If the weather had been better we would have taken the ferry over to Dønna and driven up to Dønnes and over to Rølvaag.    But it wouldn’t cooperate.  Instead we drove around Alstahaug: over the Helgeland Bridge, down to Søvik and Alstahaug Church and Museum, and back to Sandnessjøen on the valley road.

On Sunday Vera sang at the two services that played for: Sandnessjøen at 11 am and Alstahaug at 6:30.  The 11 am service was well attended.  They had presentation gifts for the 4-year olds.  There must have been about 120 in attendance.  The evening service was very sparsely attended.  In any case, Vera sang beautifully for both services.  The song was “Det er makt i de foldede hender” (There is strength in folded hands).  Monday morning they caught the 7 am bus to Mosjøen and from there the train down to Trondheim.  It was a short visit but at least they got a flavor of Helgeland.

Sunrise on 17 October is at 8:10 am, sunset at 5:40 pm.  Total daylight is 9 hours, 30 minutes.

Great fall weather

Monday morning was early (week 38).  I picked up my colleague Venera and we drove to Mosjøen for the Nordland County meeting of organists and district musicians.  Dolstad Church in Mosjøen had just dedicated their new Marcussen organ on Sunday evening.  I found the whole event very refreshing.  And it was great to meet colleagues.  The Friday before I found I that I was to play for a masterclass.  Everything went well despite the short notice.  It’s good to shake things up and take chances.  The cathedral organist from Bodø gave masterclasses in organ repertoire.  He is a gifted teacher and performer.  The other “star” for this convention was one of the professors from the conservatory in Oslo: W. Plagge. I had never heard of him but he’s quite famous in Norway.  He gave masterclasses/coaching in ensemble music.  He’s a fine pianist/teacher/coach.  But as a composer there is something missing.  The piece that was performed on Monday evening involved 6 or 7 instrumentalists and piano.  He seems to compose in a improvisational style, at times formless, dominated by the piano.  I wished to hear more of the other instruments, particularly in unusual combinations.

Two funerals and a wedding this week.  Thursday evening we had a staff activity: mushroom picking.  It  began with just two of us: Bjørnar and me.  About an hour later Tove arrived.  I picked a plastic bag full.  There are only two kinds that we picked: piggsopp (or spine mushrooms – hydnum repandum) and chantarelles.  Friday evening I went alone and picked another bag full.  I know they are edible: I woke up Saturday morning!  I’m hooked: Saturday afternoon I picked another bagful.  I put two containers of cooked mushrooms in the freezer.

I bought boots.  Now I’m almost ready for winter.  The past few days have been so beautiful.  My weather forecast apps on my iphone said rain.  How wrong, thank God.  On Sunday afternoon I picked another bag of mushrooms.

Sunrise on 26 Sept is at 7:02 am, sunset at 6:57 pm.  Total daylight is 11 hours, 54 minutes.  We are entering the dark period (shudder).

On Monday (27 Sept, week 39) I went out on yet another mushroom search.  I picked a plastic bag full.  I think I’m set for awhile.  On Monday evening I had a small dinner party with Katrin and Elizabeth.  I can’t have a large party, given the size of the apartment, plus I only have 3 chairs for the kitchen table.

The weather has been so beautiful this week.  But I notice that the days are rapidly getting shorter.  At 4 pm the sun is so low on the horizon that it feels more like November.  I checked out full-spectrum lights at the local appliance store.  They were sold out but will get more next week.

The weather predictions are excellent for the next few days.  While southern Norway is mired in rain we are blessed with cloudless days.  It would be great to see the northern lights on a clear night.  So far I haven’t seen them here.  According to the news report it has been 20 years since Nordland has had such a pleasant September.

Next Sunday (10 October) I'm playing an organ recital in Sandnessjøen Church.  I visited the local newspaper and asked if they would publish an article about the concert.  It will come out on Wednesday,  6 October in Helgelands Blad.  For this concert I'm going to set up a screen in the front of the church so the audience can see me.

I had this weekend off.  On Saturday I took the boat/bus to Brønnøysund for a couple days, to meet a friend of a friend, and to see the organ in Brønnøysund Church.  Many say it’s the best organ in Nordland.  Brønnøysund is only about 40 miles south of Sandnessjøen, but it takes 3 hours to get there by bus: there are 2 ferry crossings.  The weather was gorgeous on Saturday.  Sunday I took a long walk around Brønnøysund.  I thought that Sandnessjøen is a sleepy town.  Brønnøysund is hibernating.  I got some good pictures of Torghatten, the mountain with a hole through it.  I wish I had brought my bike – I could have had a nice ride out to Torghatten.  Well, next time.  Monday morning I took the bus/ferry back to Sandnessjøen.

Beginning of fall

Week 36: Monday morning I had my appointment with the doctor.  It was very short – about 30 minutes.  He asked some questions, took my blood pressure and authorized a few blood tests.  It’s not the complete physical you would get in the U.S.  The point of this was to get into the system.  Now that I’m registered it should be fairly easy to get medical help should I need it.

On Friday I flew to Oslo for the weekend.  I saw my friend Harry on Friday evening and Saturday and Marilyn on Sunday.  Then I took the train a short distance north to stay with my relatives Turid and Gunnar for the evening.  I even helped mow their lawn on Monday.  (I also got a couple inquiries from others to help them mow their lawns!)  Late Monday afternoon/evening I flew back to Sandnessjøen.

Week 37: The big news this week is the plane accident at the airport.  Early Wednesday morning (6 am) a commercial propeller plane was landing when a sudden wind gust blew down just as the plane was landing, causing the right-side landing gear to collapse.   The weather was clear but windy.  Fortunately there were no injuries among the 3 passengers and 4 crew members.  The airport was closed all day on Wednesday.  It was very strange to drive by and see the plane in the middle of the runway, tipped on its side with one wing touching the ground.  By Thursday morning it had been moved and normal departure/arrival operations resumed.  (If you want to see a picture of it go to my Facebook page and click on “Links”, then click on the picture.  The text is in Norwegian, from the local newspaper.)

Wednesday evening I saw a theatrical production of “On Overgrown Paths”, Humsun’s explanation/apologia of his pro-Nazi activities during WWII.  I was good theatre, especially with a small orchestra playing modern music, but it is difficult to make a successful production from a documentary.

It’s hard to believe that the weather has been so good for the past few weeks.  Rain in predicted for Sunday.  So far no frost.

Saturday I took the bus to Mosjøen to see “Little Shop of Horrors”.  Many new friends in Sandnessjøen were playing in the orchestra, and singing in the chorus.  It was performed last weekend in Sandnessjøen but I was in Oslo then.  The performance was first-rate.   The bus ride was relaxing and beautiful.  It really is beginning to look like fall.

For the first time my church choir sang for the 11 am service in Sandnessjøen.  Everything went well.  The anthem was “Sammen for Guds ansikt” – Gathered in God’s presence by Egil Hovland.  According to those in the congregation they understood everything.  In Norway dialects are encouraged, resulting in a great variation of vowel pronunciation.  (Something I call vowel trouble).  In a chorus everyone must have the same pronunciation.  Anyway, there were no complaints.

Sunrise today (19 Sept) is at 6:40 am, sunset at 7:24 pm.  The autumnal equinox is on Wednesday.  Being this far north the actual equinox is on Saturday, the 25^th.

Semesterstart

Week 34: The weather is still great – sunny, not particularly warm, but not cold either.  Although one morning I could have used a pair of light gloves. 

Monday I went to the health center to make an appointment to see a doctor for an annual physical.  There’s nothing wrong, I just thought it would take a couple of months to set up an appointment.  The receptionist said, you will have to wait a little while, but we can make an appointment in 2 weeks.  That myth about waiting forever has vanished.   I’ll report about the doctor appointment later.

Confirmation classes began this week.  As one of the exercises the kids play a type of blindman’s bluff.  A blindfolded student is led around the church by another student who can see.  They explore all over the church, including the organ gallery, pulpit, and altar.  I think the purpose is to make the kids familiar with the church, so it isn’t thought of as an unfriendly, foreign place.

A type of county fair is here for the weekend.  It’s called “Horva Festival”.  There are horse shows, cattle shows, machinery on display, stands selling food, stands for advertisement (camping, hunting, sports).  The emphasis is on the environment, ecology and organic products.  On Saturday the Helgeland Chamber Choir sang a 45-minute concert in the Viking Longhouse.  The acoustics were surprisingly good.  Saturday afternoon I went to a theater production of “Growth of the Soil” by Knut Hamsun.  Hamsun won the Nobel prize in literature for this book in 1920.  Unfortunately his reputation is permanently stained because of his pro-Nazi activities during World War II.  The production was wonderful with just two actors.  The venue was in a hayloft, about 2 miles from town.  On Sunday they crowned Miss Northern Norway, and she is a cow.  Her name is Beata.  She made it on national TV.

Sunrise on August 29 is at 5:33 am, sunset at 8:45 pm.

Tuesday’s weather reminded me of the tropics: not that it was warm, but it poured rain for 15 minutes, then the sun came out.  It alternated rain and sun all day.  As the week progressed it got sunnier.

Tuesday evening I had my first choir rehearsal.  There were 8 who came.  The choir has a different function than church choirs in the U.S.  Mostly they lead in the singing of hymns and liturgical songs.  The volunteer choirs here don’t sing every Sunday, usually every 3^rd Sunday and on high holidays (Christmas and Easter).  So we’ll see how the fall progresses.  One faux pas: I didn’t know I was supposed to make coffee for the break.  I’ll have a pot brewing next week.

No funerals this week.  Rigmor is the name of the lady who runs the local mortuary.  I hadn’t heard that name before, but it’s a name that’s been around for a few centuries.  I thought it very funny that the mortician’s name is so close to rigor mortis.  Rigmor is the only one in Sandnessjøen who owns a Hummer, so a little ridicule is not inappropriate.  She must be charging too much for funerals if she can afford a Hummer, to say nothing about buying gasoline for it.   Gas is about $7.50/gallon.

Sunday I had two services: one at 11:15 on the island of Mindland, near Tjøtta, and an evening service in Sandnessjøen.  Mindland doesn’t have a piano or organ so I have to haul the electric piano to Tjøtta, get on the ferry, then drive the 5 km to the meeting house.  At least I have no time constraints, except for catching the ferries.

During the drive to Tjøtta I saw some leaves beginning to change color.  Fall really has begun.

Sunrise for 5 September is 6 am.  Sunset is at 8:15 pm.  We are nearing the equinox.

Trip to Trondheim

Finally we’re getting a few nice summer days.  Saturday (the 14^th of August) I drove to Mosjøen and took the train to Trondheim.  I saw a part of Nordland and Nord-Trøndelag that I hadn’t seen before.  About 50 or 60 miles from Trondheim I began to see fields of golden barley.  It hadn’t occurred to me before that barley can’t grow so far north in Nordland.

I had to laugh at myself: as the train was coming into Trondheim I thought, O wow, Trondheim is such a big city.  I’ve been in Sandnessjøen too long.  I need to get out about once every 4-6 weeks.

Sunday morning I went to Ilen Church (busman’s holiday).  The organ there is from the 1880’s and is the model on which the organ is Sandnessjøen is built.  The only difference is that the acoustics in Ilen are much better.  I met Øyvind Kåre after church and we went to Hospital Church to see the 1841 Albrechtsen organ, recently restored.  Unfortunately the humid weather wreaked havoc with windchests and there were constant ciphers.  We then went to Hoeggen Church to see a modern replica of a small French choir organ.  Very beautiful.  From there we went back to the center of Trondheim, picked up John Mosand (who recently lost his wife, Gayle), and went to a restaurant called Tavern near Sverres Borg.

Monday morning I did a bit a shopping and caught the 4pm train back to Mosjøen.  The road between Mosjøen and Sandnessjøen is very narrow in places.  It’s only about 60 km in distance but you can’t drive fast on hairpin-curved roads.

The weather is still very nice.  On Wednesday it got up to about 80 F.  You could certainly tell who hadn’t used deodorant.  On Saturday I took a hike up to Åsen – The Ridge which divides Sandnessjøen into the sea side and the mountain side.  (Sandnes, the name of the settlement on the mountain side, goes way back to the Viking Age.  Sjøen or sea, is where the fishermen lived.  When the two communities grew together the area was renamed Sandnessjøen).   The views from “The Ridge” are spectacular.

I woke to rain on Sunday morning.  But it didn’t really matter.  It stopped about noon.  Two services: one at 11 and one at 4 on the island of Austbø.  Attendance at the 11 am service in Sandnessjøen was about 50.  Three people came to the service on Austbø.  Wherever two or three are gathered together….

Sunrise on 22 August is at 5:10 am, sunset at 9:15.  It’s now completely dark at night.  I hope to see the northern lights soon.

History being made

Week 31: Monday I had free.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I worked, mostly getting choral repertoire ready for the choir.  Friday was a beautifully clear day.  I decided to take a boat trip up to Træna, a group of islands north of here about 60 km (40 miles).  The arctic circle intersects Træna.   When I got off the boat I wasn’t really sure where to go, but I found out that Husøy (the main island of Træna) is so small you can’t get lost.  The church, from 1773, was open and I walked in.  Organ music filled the church.  It turned out the organist was Chris with whom I had played a concert in June at Alstahaug Church.  Chris is the director for Helgelands Chamber Choir and he was there for a wedding that took place later in the afternoon.  Small world (on a small island).  I walked up to the Petter Dass chapel, built in 1997.  It was designed to look like an upside-down boat.  The building is very small, maybe 50 or 60 can sit comfortably.  The acoustics are great.  The atmosphere is intimate.  The artwork is beautiful.  It’s a perfect place for contemplation and meditation.  From the chapel I walked the short distance to the water tower, one of the highest points on Husøy.  On a clear day you can see Sweden.  (I couldn’t and probably wouldn’t know what to look for).  On the island of Sanna there are spectacular caves and evidence of people living there 9000 years ago.  I didn’t get there this time, but that’s on the agenda for the next trip.  The weather held off until the boat trip back.  About 8 pm it began to rain, but not steadily.  I arrived back in Sandnessjøen about 10 pm.

On Saturday history was made at Tjøtta.  The sogneprest (pastor of Tjøtta and Alstahaug parishes) married her partner.  The civil ceremony took place at the Tjøtta parsonage.  This is the first same-sex marriage at a parsonage in Norway.  After the marriage ceremony everyone got on a boat and went to the island of Skålvær where the union was blessed in Skålvær Church.  What I found moving was the welcome and support  from the community.  After the actual marriage ceremony a few cars passed celebrating the event by bearing Norwegian flags.  When we arrived in Skålvær there were two welcoming boats with flags waving.  The bishop in Bodø supports the sogneprest and the union, as do almost all of her colleagues.  Norway is a very modern country, no longer a romanticized version of the land of our ancestors.  It is gratifying to be in a civilized country, and to see history in the making.

On Sunday there were 4 baptisms at church so it was quite noisy.  About 80 people attended.  After church I went on a bike ride to Søvik, then by ferry over to Herøy, cycled to Dønna, and took the ferry back.  In all about a 40 km  trip.

As of 8 August the sun rose at 4:20 and set at 10 pm.  It’s almost completely dark at 1 am.

Dark Nights Begin

The week began with more rain.  It seems we have 4 or 5 days of dreary weather, then 3 days of glorious sunshine.  Being so far north I’m not used to the arctic summer.

Gary and Luana (from Mattapoisett and Rødven) arrived on Saturday afternoon.  I showed them the Petter Dass Museum and Alstahaug Church.  Sunday we went by boat to Skålvær, an island west of here a few miles.  It is still within the Alstahaug municipality.  The weather was glorious.  (I told them to bring good weather and they brought the best weather so far).  There were about 60 people on the boat (Gamle Helgeland – Old Helgeland).  A church service took place at 12 noon.  Many people attended – around 95.  It is very unusual to have so many attend church.  Since services are held at this church only 3 or 4 times each year, and the weather was great, people decided to go to church.  It is rather difficult to get to Skålvær, and practically impossible to get there and back in one day, unless a special event with transportation is arranged.  It was a great occasion and I’m glad Gary and Luana got a flavor of Nordland.  They left for Bodø on Monday morning.

The weather is moderating a bit.  There was a passing light shower on Monday afternoon, and mostly overcast on Tuesday, but fairly warm (for arctic Norway).  Most of the staff at church is on holiday so there were only 5 at our weekly staff meeting.

I finally figured out how to use the music data program at church.  Vegard (my predecessor and for whom I’m interim) showed me how it works.  For the past few weeks I’ve been assembling choral repertoire for the choir.  Norway doesn’t have the rich liturgical music tradition that you’ll find in other countries in Europe.  Most of the pieces I’ve chosen are from the last century but are easy and flexible.  Rehearsals begin at the end of August.

On Thursday I took a bike ride to the island of Dønna, just north of Sandnessjøen.  The trip began with a ferry ride over to Bjørn, the ferry landing on Dønna.  From there I cycled north to Dønnes, stopping at Nordvik Church to take a few pictures.  It was incredible seeing Dønnes Church for the first time, almost like a Disney feature film.  Dønnes Church is a medieval stone church from about 1200.   A mausoleum was added in 1690.  In 1866 the church was enlarged and an onion dome was added.  In 2006 the church was voted the most beautiful in northern Norway by Radio Norway listeners.  After Dønnes Church I went up to Dønnes Mountain and took in the great views of the surrounding area.  From Dønnes Mountain I continued north-west a few kilometers and saw the monument to Ole Edvard Rølvaag who was born here in 1876.  On the northeastern side of Dønna, in Glein, there are Viking Burial Mounds.  On top of one of the largest mound, Valhaugen, is a marble phallus measuring 89 cm high x 50 cm diameter (roughly 3 feet x 20 inches).  It dates from the Age of Migration, 300 to 700 AD.  The stone phallus is associated with fertility rites in the Viking religion.  The bike ride back was a breeze with tailwinds.  In all I must have cycled 65 kilometers.

Friday we had more rain.  I still have the heat on in my bathroom, but it’s off in the living areas.  Being so far north there is no need for air conditioning here.  Sunrise on the 1^st of August is about 4 am, sunset about 10:30 pm.  Tomorrow (2 Aug) we will begin to have completely dark nights.