John and I spent two days in Decorah, a very Norwegian town. I wanted to visit Vesterheim, the Norwegian museum to educate myself a little more on my own roots as well as my characters. It's a really nice museum, and Decorah is beautiful.
I learned some things that I didn't know. I'm planning to incorporate them into this new novel. I am determined to be as educational and accurate about the Norwegian Americans as possible. I saw a krumcake iron. I described Karoline and her mother making krumcakes in the first novel.
Something that really struck me was their traveling trunk. While it was large, they carried household items. The museum had those items laid out. I hadn't thought about the kitchen ware a woman would want to bring, including her loom. The trunks were also beautifully painted on the outside.
Here's a little tip for you: don't go in cold weather 😳. So much colder up north. 💨