Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Happy Leif Ericson Day!

October 11, 2013

Well, okay, Leif Ericson Day was actually this past Wednesday – October 9 – but never mind that. Tomorrow is Columbus Day, but we mostly know about what he did:

Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492

I’m sure there’s more to that little ditty, but it’s been a long time since my elementary school days and the horrible drawing that I did of Columbus’ ships. Anyway, let’s talk about Leif Erikson instead.

First off Leif’s father was Erik the Red (Ericson is literally Eric’s Son – get it?) who was a total bad ass because he got kicked out of Norway first, and then got kicked out of Iceland to Oxney (an island near Iceland). Later he sailed to Greenland and established two colonies.

Now, Leif was born in Iceland about 970 or 980. He was not like his father at all and, according to the Wikipedia article was “described as wise, considerate, and strong man of striking appearance.” While his father Eric held to pagan ways, Leif and his wife converted to Christianity. Around 1000 A.D. he was apparently blown off course trying to go to Greenland and found Vinland – otherwise known as Newfoundland – New Found Land. There was also a saga written of Leif and his father’s journey’s around 1200 which sealed the story as a certainty. Then it seems to have been forgotten for awhile.

In the 1960’s research was done by Helge and Anne Ingstad who found the viking settlement at L’anse aux Meadows (Newfoundland) and in 1964 Leif Ericson Day was proclaimed to celebrate the earliest discovery of North America. Now, this is the really condensed version so look up the Wikipedia articles yourself, and here are some wonderful books to read to your children (or just on your own):

Leif the Lucky by Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaire (this one gets a 5 star rating as do all of the D’Aulaire books)

D’Aulaire’s Book of Norse Myths by Ingri and Edgar D’Aulaire

Eric The Red and Leif the Lucky by Barbara Schiller

Viking Adventure by Clyde Robert Bulla

Also, I found the website of L’anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, which has some really cool videos and pictures. The commercial with the kids in it is great – I’m making Becky and Katie watch it today because we just finished Leif the Lucky. I can see why Leif wanted to establish his home there – the land is beautiful.

So, Happy Leif Ericson Day and now I’ve got to go make lunch for my brood. :-)

2 comments
Comments

On October 11, 2013 at 5:44 PM, dxprog said:

> the horrible drawing that I did of Columbus’ ships
If this still exists, I want to see it!

On October 11, 2013 at 6:58 PM, java_queen said:

No, it does not exist, but sometimes I wish it did just to see how bad it was. I should write about that whole fiasco.

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» Happy Leif Ericson Day! » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Happy Leif Ericson Day!

October 11, 2013

Comments

On October 11, 2013 at 5:44 PM, dxprog said:

On October 11, 2013 at 6:58 PM, java_queen said:

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