Ellie and Amaya posted pictures from our Rutsstadir farm experience, but we didn’t write about it yet. I did email mom and dad shortly after when we got to Siglufjordur. The emails really capture our family and my response to the farm:

“It was just remarkable mom. We found the Rutsstadir farm. Dogs everywhere and a middle-aged couple out working by the shed. We weren’t sure what to do so everyone stayed in the jeep on the road and I walked down the driveway to the couple. They seemed pretty confused. I introduced myself and asked if they spoke English, and only the wife did. So I explained that my great, great, grandfather was born on this farm. Guoridur (the woman) translated for Sigurson. He asked her for our relative’s name and she asked me. I said Johannes Jonasson, and he said, “Yes, he came from here.” Then he explained something to Gouridur, and she said, “Yes, that family lived here, and he came from here.” Honestly, I had tears in my eyes.

Sigurson’s (Gudmundsson) mother was born on the farm and so was his grandmother. The area and the farm plot is beautiful, with a lovely river running in the back that has trout in August. There were some old buildings, but it was getting dark, so I hope the girls were able to get some good pictures. What a day. It wasn’t hard to find after all. Some gravel roads to get there but it was very doable.….I have to describe the area around the farm because we were all so taken with it. It’s in a valley that, by Icelandic standards up north, is pretty lush. Lots of hay and Icelandic pony farms. There is a lake in the valley to the west of the farm, so it’s snowcapped (smaller) mountains on each side, with a lake to the west and a lovely clear river running behind the house to the lake. Really, it seemed like one of the lovely ranch areas we would see in Wyoming near Yellowstone. We were all a little stunned really.”

Of course, it is a very mild winter. It is so easy to imagine this area being brutally hard to live in in even a normal winter, let alone a harsh one. That’s certainly how Louis feels–he understands why the Icelanders left for North America!