Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Spinning Wheel -- Part Two


Today I am going to tell you the story
of my second favorite
spinning wheel....
When I was turning 50 years old 
my husband said he would like to give
me a special gift for my special day.
He asked if I would like a diamond ring, 
or some kind of jewelry....
I didn't....
I told him I would give it some thought 
and let him know.
We were living in northern North Dakota 
at that time. We were close to Minot, ND  and 
every year they have the North Amercia's Largest
Scandinavian Festival called the Norsk Hostfest.
(FYI -- I am 100% Norweign)


We went and the strangest thing happened to me.
Mike was off looking at one thing and 
I was a little ways off  looking at something else.  
All of a sudden this women fixed her eyes on
me and started walking towards me.  
I didn't think anything of it as I didn't know her.
She came up to me and said
 "you need to go to this building" 
(I can't remember the exact name of it)
and she walked away.  
I was taken by surprise and 
didn't know what to do....
I didn't think fast enough to say WHY?  
Mike had seen this and came
up to me and asked who the woman was 
and I told him the story.  
We kind of laughed it off and
kept looking around.  
After awhile we came to the building 
she had told me to go to and I said to Mike 
well here it is....
We walked in and there were people 
weaving but nothing out of the ordinary.  
We just kept looking around....
all of a sudden we went around this
 corner and there sat an older gentleman 
spinning on the most beautiful spinning wheel.  
My eyes opened WIDE!  
I said to Mike -- I want that wheel for my birthday!
So he said he would go and talk to him.  
When he did he found that the gentleman was from 
Norway and didn't speak English very well. 
 They talked quite sometime and Mike asked if he 
could purchase the wheel.  
The man chuckled and  said 
"Oh no, it is one of a kind.  
It was hand made by a gentleman in Norway."  
Mike asked if this man was still making them.  
He was told the gentleman was 87 years old 
and he didn't know if he would make any more or not. 
 So Mike got the information to contact 
the person in Norway and we went on with our day.
When we got home I wrote a letter to 
this gentleman and after a few weeks 
I got a letter from this man's son.  
He said his father didn't speak English and 
 all correspondence would be through him.  
He said that his father  agreed to make a wheel for me.  
But it would take a year to do.  
He said that his father was a retired ship builder 
and had started making wheels after he had retired. 
   
As the year went by I prayed 
that he would stay in good health 
and that we would be able to get it safely.
  
As was promised, a year later it arrived in 
a large box from Norway.  
It was all hand made. 
 Every piece made separately.  
Only two places with hardware.
  His son told me that it was 
the last wheel his father was going to make.  

I LOVED IT!
This is Mr. Heldal and the wheel he made for me...


Here is another eerie fact....
In corresponding with his son I told
 him about my great grandmother's wheel.  
He asked where she lived in Norway....
I asked my cousin MarLynn, who had that information,
 and she gave me the name of the 
town my great grandmother came to the states from....
and much to my amazement 
she lived in the same town 
that Mr. Heldal lives.
Oh my!  It was so strange....
I got more information from my cousin 
and Mr. Heldal's son and I tried to 
find people with great grandma's maiden 
name but no luck.  After all it has been a while
since she was there....ha ha....

This made the wheel even more special to me.
No, Mr. Heldal isn't the man that   
 made great grandma's wheel but
to think that is was the same town....

I am honored to have this beautiful 
piece of art made by the 
hands of this talented artist.
I think of him when I spin on it and
wish I could have met him....
but somehow I feel like I know him.
 (he even signed it)
I cherish this wheel as much as
 I do my great grandma's.
Needless to say it was the BEST birthday gift 
I have EVER received!
Oh and yes, it spins beautifully!

I guess who ever that woman was that 
came up to me was sent by "someone"
up above that wanted me to have this 
beautiful gift....
maybe I'll find out someday....

Happy Spinning!

Beth

By the work one knows the workman.
Jean de La Fontaine

21 comments:

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

What an amazing story! It seems to me you were just meant to have this wheel. It is so beautiful and to think of it being made by an 87 year old man - what a talent he had! I can certainly understand why it is so special to you.

Bassetmomma said...

That story gave me goose bumps! I am a believer that everything happens for a reason and you were obviously meant to cross paths with this man and have his last spinning wheel. To think he lived in the same town as your great grandmother! What a small wonderful world it is!

Millie and Walter said...

What a great story! I guess it wasn't too bad to have to wait a year for your birthday present since it was such a special gift.

Cindy

Stewey said...

What an amazing, "goose-bumps" story!! That woman sounds like a psychic - so cool!!
Stewey

Kathy said...

I got goose pimples reading the story about your other favorite spinning wheel made just for you! What a small world, for it to come from the same town as your great grandmother!

I think you're right! The mystery woman had to be a special "messenger"!

Speaking for all of your readers, we'd love to see more of your fiber art!
Hugs, Kathy

Unknown said...

Wow! What an amazing story although it's a bit eerie!

The spinning wheel is so beautiful and I think it's the passion of yours and Mr. Heldal that made the wheel to become alive.

That's a wonderful birthday gift!

verobirdie said...

This part looks like a fairy tale, with fate and fairies watching over you.
This wheel is really beatiful. And very speial indeed.

MadSnapper said...

i am so silly, i actually got tears in my eyes while reading this amazing story. i am so glad you shared it with us. it is beautiful, the story is even more beautiful. what a present.

The Furries of Whisppy said...

I so love this post. Mr Hendal did such amazing work on the wheel. What a lovely birthday present to cherish for years to come.

Chatty Crone said...

God does work in mysterious ways - I personally would call that a God Wink. That is a beautiful story how things related to one another.

I think things like these are much better then diamonds! lol

Sandie♥

My Mind's Eye said...

OH MY WORD....that was a divine intervention for sure. I'm in total amazement at this wonderful story and all the twist and turns and family connections. Beth you tell a beautiful story and your new blog is going to be a treasure for Bailey and Trevor and your children.
Hugs Cecilia

Ginny Hartzler said...

Beth, this is just an amazing story!!!! And I did not look at the pictures ahead of time, I wanted them to be a surprise and to know more about the wheel before I saw it. It really is a thing of beauty! I am now waiting to hear each story about your other wheels and how you came to get them, fascinating!
Did you keep in contact with the man's son?

Unknown said...

Wow, that is an incredible story!! I just think that is so neat and something you'll always want to hang on to. The story is just as beautiful as the wheel itself :)

Brandi

JC said...

How special that he did that for you. Sometimes things are just meant to be.

I'll go back and read part two. As I have a loud purring Siamese sitting with me.

Sketching with Dogs said...

What an incredible story Beth! I think you were meant to have that wheel. It is beautiful and the craftmanship that went into it is perfect.
Lynne x

Molly the Airedale said...

What an incredible story and a beautiful spinning wheel and the most wonderful birthday pressie!

Marilyn said...

Meant to be. Thanks for sharing his beautiful work.♥♫

Bailey Be Good! said...

What a wonderful story! You are so lucky to have gotten the last wheel that this man would make -- what a gift to treasure! :)

Woofs & huggies, <3

~Bailey (Yep, I'm a girl!)

bichonpawz said...

That really is an awesome story Beth!!! I do believe it was fate...meant to be!! What a special treasure for you to have in your home!! It is truly beautiful!!

White Dog Blog said...

Truly you were guided to that gentleman in Norway and to a connection with your heritage and to such an amazing treasure from a such loving husband. What an awesome, magical tale of your spinning wheel.

Diana said...

WOW!! what an amazing story!! it is wierd how those things happen. You must have been destined to have this wheel. It is very beautiful Beth!!!

Diana