Category Archives: Scandinavia

Knitting My “Shield of Norway” Mittens, I Conquered Fair Isle and Remembered My Visit to Trondheim, Norway

Posted on May 9, 2013 by

“A Cruise of Norway’s Fiords Reveals Scenic Treasures,” an article I wrote for the July 3, 1994 issue of The Columbus Dispatch, sums up the highlights of my August 1993 vacation in Norway. In Lillehammer, I rode the lifts that … Continue reading →

Posted in Knitting, Scandinavia, Travel | 3 Comments

Wander Through the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning and Take a 90-Minute Tour Around the World

Posted on April 18, 2013 by

When a lecture isn’t taking place inside, a classroom is one of my favorite hangouts on a college campus. After-hours at Sweet Briar, I’d go to my Arts Management seminar room on the second floor of the Anne Gary Pannell … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Art, England, Germany, History, Pittsburgh, Scandinavia, Travel | 1 Comment

Until the Frugal Traveler Visits Carl Larsson’s Swedish Home, “Til Karin – 4 Elements” Is a Great Substitute

Posted on November 12, 2012 by

In December 1997, Tait and I celebrated the holidays with a European trip.  We took the Eurostar Chunnel train to Brussels, Belgium; we tried Printen Lebkuchen at a Christmas market in Aachen, Germany; and we reveled in being in our beloved London, England at … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Museums, Needlework, Scandinavia, Travel | 1 Comment

Nikolina the Nordic Needle Nisse Visits Central Ohio

Posted on June 17, 2012 by

Nordic Needle is a business in Fargo, North Dakota that sells Hardanger embroidery and other types of needlework. Last summer, it invited interested customers to host a nisse named Nikolina for a short visit to their home. Nikolina’s hosts were … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Lakeside, Museums, Needlework, Ohio, Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society), Scandinavia | Leave a comment

Making Lebkuchen Hearts in the Midst of Scandinavian Straw Ornaments, Barley Sugar Figures and Hand-Cut Paper Mobiles

Posted on December 15, 2011 by

Several Christmases ago, my mother and I invited some of our friends and neighbors to a Scandinavian “coffee table.” A combination of a smorgasbord and the Swedish tradition of fika, or going out for coffee, the coffee table is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Germany, Holidays, Scandinavia | Leave a comment