It’s hard to say what makes something resonate with you, isn’t it? It’s an elusive combination of comfort, family, sentimentalism, history, and straight up feelings. I have something to share with you all tonight that may make you all go, “HUH?!?” but it is -for me- a little bit of everything that something should be.
You may or may not know I’m originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It’s one of those places that sticks with you. It’s a way of life and an attitude and all sorts of feeling superior. Being FROM the Upper Peninsula of Michigan makes you feel like you’re part of lore. You’re born with “Sisu”; the Finnish word that means something along the lines of “determination, bravery, resilience, and ability to persevere.” When you are in and amongst raw, unsettled areas with dramatic weather that puts you in your place on a regular basis, you kind of feel like Sisu is your birthright.
What you may not know, too, is that your Sisu is often commensurate with the gear you have to deal with the weather. The Original Stormy Kromer Cap is the unofficial Yooper headgear uniform. Invented by Ida Kromer -wife to the namesake Stormy Kromer- to keep her railroad engineering hubby’s ears warm, these toasty wool Stormy Kromers are able to stay put in even Lake Superior gale force winds. Nothing takes this cap off your head but your own hands, friends. And when you’re facing down a blizzard, this is a very good thing indeed.
So to celebrate Thanksgiving, the impending weather, your steadfast friendship here on Foodie with Family, and inject a little Sisu into someone’s life, I’m giving away one Original Stormy Kromer Cap to a member of the FWF family.
Stormy Kromer Giveaway
The Prize
One Original Stormy Kromer Cap in Red/Black Plaid (an alternate colour scheme may be substituted if the winner’s size is unavailable.)
How to Enter
Visit the Stormy Kromer site and use their instructions on how to determine your hat size. Leave a comment telling me what YOUR Sisu is and what your hat size is!
The Details
I’m sorry to say this is only open to my friends in the US due to customs and duty issues. I will draw a winner’s name on Friday, November 28th, 2014! I’ll contact the winner by email and they will have 24 hours to get back to me. If more than 24 hours go by, I’ll select and notify a new winner.
This is my twenty fourth post in my commitment to post every. single. day in November for NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), or NaBlahBlahBlah as I prefer to call it. Follow the craziness all month as I share recipes, family anecdotes, and throw a couple of giveaways in for good measure!
DISCLOSURE: This giveaway is sponsored by Foodie with Family. Stormy Kromer is not affiliated with me in any way even though I wear their hat all winter long.
Kathy says
What a nice offer! My sisu comes from my faith and my family. I don’t have the hat measurement at the moment.
Rie says
My sisu is my dear Mom, who I lost in 1998. She still gives me strength……(I have no idea my hat size…If blessed enough to win I’ll measure my noggin’….xxoxo)
Mary says
I have a family chock-full of sisu (along with a determination to avoid living in 42,831 feet of snow each winter).
P.S. Sean and I are both size 7 1/8. I blame my hair. 😉
P.P.S. Sisu is my new favorite word for the day. Thanks for that!
Neena says
My sisu comes straight from my mother and I believe my hat size is a 7 or a 71/4. What a cool giveaway!
Anne Weber-Falk says
Oops, I hit enter too soon. Our Sisu is our family’s ability to get through anything from our strength and love for each other. Our Sisu is very strong.
Anne Weber-Falk says
My husband’s hat size is 6 and 7/8 (21 and a half inches). We both think this is an extremely cool hat!
Karen says
My sisu is German, and with this hat I know I will want to chop wood. Thanks forthe give away. My hat size is 6.75.
Theliz says
My Sisu: No matter the weather, I’m in it! I cross the border to the UP on an almost daily basis and lived there for over a decade. Running in below zero temps, skiing, snowshoeing, or just running errands requires some issue around here when winter strikes. Size 7 Thanks for the opportunity! I’m off to make pies (5!) and rolls….
Jenifer says
Oops! My hat size is 7.
Jenifer says
My Sisu is my German heritage and growing up on a farm in northern Minnesota.
CONRAD MASON says
Hi Rebecca…
I LOVE the UP!! Many many years ago as a callow youth, I determined to show my love by backpacking around the shoreline of the Keweenaw peninsula. Then there were no trails as it was privately-owned lumber-company land. I started out full of determination just south of Smith’s Creek. Soon I was forced to follow deer tails because of the heavy undergrowth. At one point, I was on a such a trail that was about two feet wide and 60 feet above Lake Superior. I asked myself: why the he** are you here? One slip and I would be a goner. Did that show bravery or stupidity? At one point, I thought I’d had enough and turned inland to take a shortcut only to find bear scat; I immediately turned around and went back to the shore. Bravery? Eleven days later I arrived in Copper Harbor safe and relatively sound. But — and this is the biggie — I no longer doubted myself and what I could do. I guess altogether that shows sisu.
The last trip to the UP a couple of years ago resulted in a bear breaking into out car!
Thanks for the chance to tell this story. And my hat size is 7 7/8.
jeri says
I don’t have a sewing tape measure, so I measured my head with a metal construction tape measure. I guess that would make my Sisu making do with what I have. 7 1/8.
teresa says
my sisu is my cherokee-irish-scottish heritage,hat size 7
jane says
My sisu is my ability to raise five daughters. Hat size, 7. Thank you!
Denise says
My issue is German heritage and my h t size is 7
Denise says
Sisu NOT issue! Kinda funny…..maybe that is my issue!
Kel says
Thank you! Love this. My hat size is a 7. But if I win, I want to measure it for my Norwegian husband who will LOVE this!