2009 in brief

On this last day of 2009 I will give you the opportunity to return to my 323 posts during the year.

January (28 posts) covered among others the War in Gaza, the death of the Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss and this image from january 20th. Go there and see more:In February (30 posts) the Norwegian WestCoast Peaks, my eye surgery and the loads of snowfall was central. But photofunia had also detected me and made a presentation in Vogue.When March (32 posts) arrived RuneE closed down his "Bridges" meme and the weather became better for us urban strollers. It´s the month for Tullen´s birthday and some years ago she looked like thisIn April (26 posts) we had our two first travels abroad this year. First Copenhagen, Denmark and later Palma de Mallorca, Spain, where this restaurant almost became our "local"May (27 posts) was the month when we moved up to Tullarbo for the summer season, but mostly the birth of Maja (our third grandchild) was in focus. In June (25 posts) we made our second visit to Copenhagen this year, lived at the cottage and had a lovely time with Asbjørn and Anne Katharina at their summer residence at "Flemsøya"In July (27 posts) I was awarded "Post of the Day" by aussie David McMahon for the second time, continued my painting activity at the cottage and started the harvesting of raspberries and fruits.August (23 posts) was the month of discovering the writer Ruth Rendell, presenting Terje Fagermo´s painting once more, dancing in the Aker Brygge street, but mostly for family visits from WalesSeptember (23 posts) is the month of Asbjørn´s birthday and our third trip to Norefjell and (close for myself) Høgevarde October (23 posts) was the month when we return down town, touring in and around Oslo, but also spent another week at Playa de Mallorca.November (24 posts) was the month for celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall, more nature experiences and presenting some great Reflection photos.In December two artists had success. Terje Fagermo in London and Lars Laumann winning the Statoil Art Award 2009, but my favorite photo of December (35 posts) must be Maja playing with her Christmas gift.Thank you all for visiting my blog this year. Hope you have enjoyed taking part in my 2009 life and that the next year also will bring you competencd and learning by opening my site.
Why not starting your own blog. Go to blogger.com and follow the instructions.

28 degrees celcius difference

This morning: Minus 14 degree C outside our windows.In the kitchen when starting prepare for breakfast: Plus 14 degrees C.
Time to ignite the dry wood in the fireplace.

A beautiful winterday

High above Oslo city (altitude 435 meter) we find a beautiful building and restaurant named Frognerseteren.The oldest part of the building was completed in 1891. Architect Holm Munthe made the drawings in the Dragon style of the époque.Under the beautiful house we find the skiing track connected to the Holmenkollen Ski Festival and a well known time control post in the 50 km cross-country competition.My daughter and wife used this lovely morning to ski the track to Ullevålseter and down to lake Sognsvann with possibility (due to heavy snowfall lately) to continue all the way home. Totally 16 km in clear cold weather.
From the famous hill above Oslo my camera catched the eastern part of the city covered in frost smoke and polution. The next photo shows the rebuilding of Midtstubakken (a ski-jump hill of K95 meter) with the Oslofjord and the strong sun to the south.
Building of the new Holmenkollen is continously progressing and today the hill looked like this seen from the road below Gratishaugen

Exercising necessary - weight control important

It is Monday in the most heavy eating week of the year. Fitness studio is on schedule, but the other Christmas days have also been used to reduce the body consequences of Pinnekjøtt, Ribbe, Brunches, Beers plus pluss, Nuts and Candy. Tullen took a quick skiing tour to Ullevålseter yesterday, while I was strolling along the Frogner Beach passing the Ferry to Kiel, Germany. The parties onboard that ship can also lead to weight increase. When visiting Aker Brygge and the modern Christmas tree at Tjuvholmen before returning home after a coffee break at Hannibals Hybel almost 600 kcal had disappeared.
Still very quite outside my apartment windows. Almost no trafic, lots of snow, minus 9 C. The lazy days in offices and shops are here to stay, but for me, first wood chopping for the fireplace, cardio vascular exercise at Elixia and other normal activities for calorie burning.

Time for Beauty

Yr.no has presented images of snow crystals from colourbox.com.When the air temperature is between minus 10 and minus 20 degrees C, the greatest chance that the crystals are symmetrical can be obtained. In dry air the crystals do not stick together as easily as in moist air. Is the air temperature near 0 degrees C, it also found drops of supercooled water, and this seems like glue on the crystals.
That a snowflake always have six sides is perhaps not known for most people. The crystals are actually so small that you need a microscope to see them.
Visit the site and find your favorite among the 25 images.

I am freezing

Let the car rest

When we walked around Oslo Harbor two days ago and visited this alien ship, the traditional Christmas snow started to fall.
The Oslo Opera House became covered with wet snow and we had to fight our way back home through the muddy streets.
This morning the News told us to let the car be parked if not we are forced to use it. No snowploughs had visited our neighbouring streets during the last 48 hours and those plows available were busy with cleaning main highways and public transport roads.
Let the car rest and use the 2nd Christmas Day for skiing around your own area.
Or sit in front of your fireplace with the book you got as Christmas Gift. Cool down.

BUT, when writing this post we got help on our own sidewalk. There is hope to get out of isolation.

Christmas with Maja

With Christmas dress and tasting Grandma´s "pearls".
Playing with one (of a lot) Christmas gifts, and almost ready for the Christmas Day stroll.

Public presentation of my photos

On pages 53 and 57 in the "Outdoor Excursions in Lesja" brochure from Nasjonalparkriket.no my two photos shown here have been used to promote the beautiful mountain area along the E 136 ( European highway which goes from Ålesund up through the Romsdal valley and crossing into the upper Gudbrandsdal valley to end at Dombås.)
On the first photo my wife is skiing in the Culture Landscape at Bjorli, and on the photo below my "Old Bunch" is walking up Asbjørndalen towards Gråhøe (altitude 2014 m) and all the DNT Cottages in Tafjord Mountains

Merry Christmas

To all of you from all of us.

Nissene have arrived

It is the day before the DAY. Nissene have arrived to the living room, bringing gifts to children being kind (at least for some days), and to all others celebrating Christmas eve at our home.
Nissene were believed to take care of a farmer's home and children and protect them from misfortune, in particular at night, when the housefolk were asleep.
The Nisse or in Swedish "Tomte" was in ancient times believed to be the "soul" of the first inhabitant of the farm. He who cleared the tomt (house lot). In the 1840s the farm's nisse became the bearer of Christmas presents in Denmark, and was then called julenisse (Yule Nisse).

Gradually, commercialism has made him look more and more like the American Santa Claus, but the Swedish jultomte, the Norwegian and Danish julenisse and the Finnish joulupukk, still has features and traditions that are rooted in the local culture. He doesn't live on the North Pole, but perhaps in a forest nearby.

Today the Nisse family has arrived to us waiting for our traditional pre-christmas eve buffet to take place later. Christmas has started here at Frogner, Oslo.

six months of rising sun

With the Snow-white Amaryllis and the summer boathouse with fishing nets as background, we are on our way to summer and bright nordic lights once more.
Outside our cottage the rose hips are a sign of what to come.

The shortest day of 2009 - Winter Soltice

The Winter Solstice 2009 is the shortest day of the year because the earth's axial tilt is the farthest from the sun today. We have the least amount of daylight and the longest night on Monday, December 21, 2009.
The Winter Solstice is also referred to as "Yule". For centuries, the Winter Solstice has been a celebration of harvest, wonder and magic. The shortest day of the year was always a time to gather and share.

In chapter 55 of the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, different names for the gods are given. One of the names provided is "Yule-beings." A work by the skald Eyvindr skáldaspillir that uses the term is then quoted, which reads:

Again we have produced Yule-being's feast [mead of poetry], our rulers' eulogy, like a bridge of masonry.

Ynglinga saga, the first book of Heimskringla, first mentions a Yule feast in 840. After 1000, it is the main feast of the year.
Saga of Hákon the Good credits King Haakon I of Norway with the Christianization of Norway, as well as rescheduling the date of Yule to coincide with Christian celebrations held at the time.

Today the limited light of the day has been caught through my iPhone camera about two hours before the earth´s tilting stoped and slowly will bring light and warmth back up north.The lawn at my cottage is covered with snow and temperature is minus 7 C.

Although Yule in modern times proper starts with the chiming of the church-bells in the afternoon of julaften ("Yule Eve" or "Christmas Eve") on December 24, the previous day lillejulaften (little Christmas Eve), when the tree is put up and decorated, is increasingly the actual start date for the 13 day long Yule celebration in Norway.

Julaften remains the main event, with a traditional lunch, dinner and the exchange of gifts. Traditional dishes vary by region, but ribbe (pork ribs), and pinnekjøtt, some places also codfish are eaten. (We are having cod and red wine today)

As a continuation of older beliefs, a bowl of porridge is sometimes left outside for nisse . Maybe the spots in the snow show that "Nisse" has visited my cottage.

It´s hard to be a "Nisseman" on shopping

No need for extra comments on a Sunday morning.
Tomorrow it is JULE and the position will be like this: