At the gate, I sat down next to a woman wearing a red cardigan with clips that probably was Norwegian. She was talking to a man across from us. She pulled out a T-shirt, which I couldn't see, that she had bought at last year's Høstfest and said she could only wear it at Høstfest. She then related how she stayed at a bed and breakfast last year with Norwegians, who asked what her connection to Norway was. She said her parents were Norwegian, but when her father died, she didn't know about family in Norway. She told the Norwegians her name and the town her father was from The Norwegians were from that town and knew people by that name. The woman, who was from South Carolina, is going to be visiting her father's relatives next July! I asked how many times she'd been to Høstfest. She said this was her second time. I said this is my first and I am an author. She said, "It's quite an initiation the first time."

The plane was so packed (I actually got the last seat when I checked in at Philadelphia), there was a screen listing those on standby. Singer Charley Pride, who is an annual performer, was on the plane. Again, I started to check for more blond hair. Then, a man across the aisle from me started kidding the woman in front of him, "Snakker du norsk. Du snakker bra." "Do you speak Norwegian. You speak it well."
The pilot welcomed everybody to the "Norsk Høstfest Express."

Coming in for the landing in Minot (pronounced My-not), there was no Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Oslofjord, mountains. It was flat. Small airport? It was so small it had an address: 25. You got off the plane and on the right was security, the rental car desk and next to that the luggage carousel. I looked around for Betsy -- she and her husband are hosting me -- from the pictures we had exchanged during the week. I went by the luggage carousel and when I turned around I saw a glass enclosed exhibit of Norsk Høstfest; the special Norwegian art of rosemaling, a horse, a container, a book about rosemaling. There was a copy of the famous picture of the Birkebeiner skiers transporting the infant prince to safety in 1206. Back in the lobby, there was a woman wearing a t-shirt of the Norwegian flag and "Norge" on it. People were reacquainting themselves.

Betsy took me to the North Dakota State Fairgrounds where the fest was to be held. She grew up in Williamsport, PA, her husband, Nicholas, in Lancaster, PA. They had come here a few years ago for the hunting and because she dislikes crowded cities. Minot has a population of 36,000. On the outside of the exhibition center was "Norsk Høstfest" with the flags of the Scandinavian countries. Entering the building, there was a Norwegian flair. We had to find Trondheim Hall (city in Norway), Leif Erikson Hall, Sons of Norway, Oslo Hall (also Copenagen Hall). Once inside Trondheim Hall, my table was the very first one. Another author was setting up next to me and said the women in charge of the store was in a meeting. Betsy and I hung up my poster and agreed we didn't want to leave too many books out. We put two boxes under the table and took one home so  I could affix the special price tags on them. At the same time, I was taking in the room. Large Norwegian flags hung from the ceiling. There was a silver display in the distance but it said "sølje," silver in Norwegian. In another corner was Dale sweaters.

After battling traffic -- partially due to Høstfest, construction and trains carrying grain -- we reached their simple house, where I met Speck (special kitty), bigger than our Ketzel, but a tabby with a lot of white, and Jacob, the dog. Betsy kept saying if there is any food you want us to get, just let us know similar to Norwegian hospitality although they are not Norwegian. She said they don't lock the doors, just like in the mountains of Norway and in the Lofoten Islands. She picked up Nicholas. They are in their 20s. He made pheasant stir fry, just like I never know what Torbjørn in Norway will serve us.