On the occasion of the Royal wedding in London

Although standing in one of the halls at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris (at The Battles Gallery), my wife had to join all the celeb´s headgears in London by borrowing my cap for a few minutes.
All the best Will and Kate.

Montmartre

Versailles, ceiling queen's bedroom

Roi et Moi

Versailles 6hours

Spring in Paris

Spring in Paris

Good Friday walk along the banks of "Akerselva"

This year´s Easter walk did not go between mountain cottages during the last days of winter snow. Together with friends and friends` friends we strolled along the riverbanks of the main river in Oslo, Akerselva

We started at "Oset" and stopped for the first 20ml Underberger at "Frysja" and "Stilla"

The path from "Maridalsvannet" to the Oslo Fjord at the Opera the river has a fall of 149 meter.

There are a lot of beautiful waterfalls during the more than 8km passage.

In Nydalen artist have covered some of the trees with winter cloths, or maybe it is only clolour-plays.

"Møllefossen" is one of the most famous waterfalls and at "Hønse-Lovisa´s house" there is a small cafe serving good food and coffee (including a toilet for needy walkers)

At "Cuba" the river is slowing down its stream and a student-house has been established in the old Silo

After Cuba the establishment Blå always has some artworks / sculptures presented outside the venue. Here a huge naked male figure has climbed up in a tree

and in another tree an owl is watching your steps.

A Good Friday walk includes a lot of breaks for regaining lost body-fuel and time for discussions. Gunnar, Ragnhild and Tore are resting at one of the "Brown Cafes" that can be found on the route.

However, Good Friday is only one of the days during Easter week, and on Easter Sunday the Resurrection of the nature is here exemplified through the scillas and "hvitveis" (Anemone nemorosa)

Click on the photos for larger images.

Nature explodes

After having finished cleaning the last nine windows in my studio and bedroom, we experience that nature has exploded during the night and the light green leaves on the birch are giving another documentation about spring and the upcoming May.

Flying north

The Grey Geese are flying to the north. A well-known annual returning signal of the spring turning towards summer. Their flying habit in a "plow formation" has been described by Roar Solheim in 2009, but I have made my own translation of his text from Fuglevennen.no

When birds fly in formation called "the plow", it's not the plow-formation that is of interest to the birds. It is the location of each bird in relation to the bird ahead that is crucial. 

When the bird flies behind the rear wing-tip of the bird ahead,  the reduced air resistance may be about 20%. and a lot of energy is saved. Therefore large flying birds (geese, cranes, storks) fly after each other in a diagonal line. When birds fly behind each wing-tip to another, it could form a plow-formation. It must be many birds in each of the "wings" to make a equilateral plow. therefore the "plow" is from time to time warped out. 

Occasionally the leading bird drop back, so a new bird must take over the leading role as a "helping hand". (You see the same system performed in bicycle-racing.)

Roar Solheim (01/11/2009)

Maybe the photo is not good enough, and my iPhone not a bird-watcher´s dream tool, but click on the photo and try to count the numbers of noisy birds flying over my cottage this afternoon.

Hunting for Life

 After removing the leftovers from last season, the hunting for some signals showing that nature has the intention of giving life to another summer starts.

 The Hydrangea petiolaris  or "KlatreHortensia" has already started the process of challenging the dry soil.

The Blackcurrent is sending it´s strong fragrance from leaves and stems telling that the autumn harvest can be promising.

The Rhubarb has since yesterday developed its leaves from the tuber.

and the Crocus has opened it´s beautiful petal colors towards the sun informing that Life has returned.
It is Spring and Palm Sunday

Tullarbo 2011 season has started

 The cottage season has started. A week ago we had almost 20 cm snow on the ground, but the rain last Tuesday cleaned off the white cover opening for the ever lasting story; Removing of leaves etc from last year.

 Seven large bags were filled with garden waste and the lawn is ready for the fresh grass to grow.

 A coffee break and caring for a tired back was accepted, but in the beautiful weather the five hours work felt like a workout at SATS.

Some coltsfoots could be found after searching, but both crocus and Scilla Sibirica (Spring Beauty) can be found in the garden.

Easter in Oslo

This is weather in Oslo the days ahead.

No doubt. We have chosen the perfect place to have Easter this year. Hope the weather forecast is trustworthy.

Spring cleaning

 Once again the administration of the Norwegian Capital is cleaning the streets in Oslo.
This Tuesday it was our turn and the neighborhood was almost free of parked cars this morning. Those not being aware of the activity and had forgotten to move their vehicles, will find them somewhere else and have to pay a fine to get the car back.

Normally every streets are cleaned before 17th of May, and that is absolutely necessary when you see the volume of dirt gathered ready for transport. This pile in front of Uranienborg Church is only a very small part of the total volume that must be removed by more heavy equipment.

Aker Brygge in April

 Summer in the City. Aker Brygge. A beer and another. Life is great.

 Lots of People are celebrating the return of warm weather.

Grandchild Maja wants to read books and grandma is always ready to fulfill her wishes.

Summer in the city

Opening of the Aker Brygge season.

State visit from Lithuania

This morning we had to make a detour when walking down town. The Royal Castle was surrounded by barriers, police and military personnel.

After walking through the muddy grass in the royal garden we entered the front of the castle and discovered the reason for this safety precautions.

A welcoming ceremony for the President of Lithuania:
Dalia Grybauskaitė

The President and HM King Harald made an inspection of the Royal Guard as part of the formal procedures connected to state visits.

My wife was most concerned about the presidents´s spring shoes and the muddy gravel on the royal square, and hoped someone could help her with the cleaning before the luncheon with the royalties and the representatives from the official Norway.

Since the distance form the barrier to the celebs was too long for my iPhone camera, I have stolen a portrait of the lady from The President´s site. Here you can learn more of this 55 years old Dalia Grybauskaitė, who speaks four foreign languages: English, Russian, Polish, and French. She holds the academic qualification of Doctor of Social Sciences, and has in 20 years now hold a great number of international and domestic positions. May 17 2009 she was elected President of the Republic of Lithuania in a landslide victory.

I have already have had 308 visitors from Lithuania and the country rank as number 28 on my list of most visited countries.
The Lithuanian Flag has three horizontal lines;Yellow, Green and Red. Its yellow colour represents the sun, light and goodness; green symbolizes the beauty of nature, freedom and hope; red stands for the land, courage, and the blood which has been shed for the Homeland.

Tomorrow the president and our king will visit Ålesund:

Returned some weeks too early

There is no doubt. We returned to Norway some weeks too early.

From Fiji to the Caribbean and the Pirate at British Virgin Islands

Four hours ago 06.05 this morning (not an April 1st joke) a visitor from British Virgin Islands gave me an opportunity to make a blogpost this morning too. The visitor was googling for "Arne Sundt California" and found my post from November 5th 2009, On the run again. The post itself is about the entrance of the winter in that year, and we all remember the hard and cold period we were heading in 2009 / 2010. This winter has not been any better, even longer and colder. (Global warming or a new Ice Age coming).

However, the comment to that post from Anne "Moving into my den by the fireplace with a bottle of red wine, naked on the skin" rises another question: Is she soon on her way out of the den? (ER vi motivert??? igjen?? NEI!!! herregud, tanken gir meg bare helt fnatt mann... Går i hi ved peisen med en flaske rødvin, naken på det skinnet...)
Spring will come. It always has. Soon you will feel it in Trøndelag too.

But back to my visitor from country no 167 British Virgin Islands.
 It must have been a Pirate, because now (when writing this post) another flag has occurred:

with the following message:
Happy April Fools' Day!