"America is, always has been, and always will be a Nation of immigrants. It was the premise of our founding; it is reflected in our Constitution; it is etched upon the Statue of Liberty — that “from her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome.” During National Immigrant Heritage Month, we reaffirm and draw strength from that enduring identity and celebrate the history and achievements of immigrant communities across our Nation... NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2021 as National Immigrant Heritage Month. I call upon the people of the United States to learn more about the history of immigrant communities throughout the generations following our Nation’s founding, and to observe this month with appropriate programming and activities " ~ June 1, 2021

I couldn't let National Immigrant Heritage Month get away without giving a nod to my own Swedish heritage. My father is half Swedish, so that makes me a solid quarter Swede. The rest of my lineage is such a mix of European countries that the Swedish portion is most certainly predominant. I've always kind of liked that. I sometimes wonder if deep in my DNA there might be uniquely Swedish preferences or tendencies. I don't speak Swedish and have never visited, but when my daughter was briefly in Stockholm, she said, "Mom, you would love this place--it's just so YOU! And, everybody looks like us. They just assume I speak the language!" I might just have to go there to see for myself.

What better way to learn about the history of our immigrant communities than looking at family pictures and recipes and sharing stories over a cup of coffee? You might even want to make a small clothespin likeness of one of your ancestors. If you'd like to make your own Scandinavian Miss, you'll find the kit here. Or, you can get the pattern along with over 20 other international clothespin doll designs in It's a Small World.  

"A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent." ~The Little Book of Fika by Lynda Balslev