Syttende Mai: Norwegian Independence Day

Today is Syttende Mai, Norwegian Independence Day! Today, everyone wants to be Norwegian. (Don't deny it!)

Nearby Stoughton, Wisconsin, is having a Syttende Mai festival this weekend, where you can compete in an Ugly Troll contest, eat more lefse than any other day of the year, and even watch the high school's Norwegian dance group. Sounds like an excellent way to celebrate.

Mmm, lefse.

If lefse isn't your thing, how about some fruit soup?

The Butterfly Jungle's fruit soup recipe

You could engage in some Norwegian knitting to celebrate, with a book like Norwegian Handknits, which has knitting patterns, historical photographs and stories, and recipes. Everything you could want in a Norsk book!

Norwegian Handknits: Heirloom Designs from Vesterheim Museum

How are icy streets, knitting, and Norwegian culture related? Check out Anne Landre's article on Knitty.com.

Eunny has some beautiful work!

Last but not least... my favorite song about lutefisk! (Okay, it's the only song about lutefisk.) According to various legends, someone tried to poison Viking cod by pouring lye over it. The sturdy Norsks ate it anyway - and liked it. (That, or they were starving and had nothing else to eat, so it was really good by comparison. Depends who's telling the story.)


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