Happy Birthday dear Ruben

Under her you see Ruben, down left, at Blue Monk, in Oslo with friends.
 
Among them a Norwegian Icon – regarding music: Jokke. #3 from left. Jokke died 36 years young. And Ruben died just over 40.
 
Here is Niklas, my Son, with my grandson Sebastian at the Grave. We lit Candles every January 29.
And Sebastian allways want me to tell stories of my Father and Grand Parents, who as well are burried here.
Then we are talking, Niklas and me, what a great time Ruben and his early dead friends have in St Peters Waiting Room.
And of course we as well said to Sebastian:
Ruben and his friends really have a jolly good time in St. Peters Waiting Room, and they don’t want us to join them for years to come. But we will. Before Ruben and friends asking for entrance…
Sebastian (9 1/2) looked at the Gravestone and said:
There is no more room for another name here.
Niklas said: Then we will buy a larger stone, so we all can stay together with our names and memories.  But, You know a such large Stone costs money.
Sebastian replied: I can and will demand half of my softdrinks and goodies as of today. I would rather meet Uncle Ruben and Grandpas Family up there in the Waiting Room.
Then he looked upon me
-- a deep breath:
Grandpa, I hope we can meet here for many years to come....…

--- so are we folks - have a great week

Skywatch Jan 28 - 2011

Hello my dear reader, you will find my
Skywatch (Himmelsk) here.

First we have to take a "Teleferique" - to have a Skywatch

WARNING
Google and Blogger  do not allow me to use photos from my other blogger-account. They do say the url is incorrect, Even they are real URL's. In addition Google claims their Picasa photosharing service is free of Charge.
In Norwegian:
(Disse bildene er også tilgjengelige for å vise og dele i Picasa Nettalbum, den gratis bildedelingstjenesten fra Google.)
This not true, because you have to pay after storing 1 GB+ with Photos.
And I've as well observed that the same photo (in fact many) have been stored several times in the Picasa Netalbum.


I'm just a "little man", a single user, so I do not think Google will change their customer attitudes or marketing information. I accept services costs money, but I will like to know up-front in matter to plan ahead. And when Google buys new companies, Terms and Condtions changes. The phrase "Free" has got a new meaning.


At least I've warned several companies NOT to use Google's "free services". After all they are NOT FREE. The Bills are coming besides all the trackings and Spam.


So what do I do to post Photos on my Blogs?
For the present I use Windows Live Writer. For Free.

ABC Scandinavia - L

First time ever I present a post in English here at the Scandinavian ABC.  Why? Because I will not do two posts at the same Day at the same blog of mine. In Nordic Languages the other post  is at “Sky Watch” –with a photo from Texas.
 
Here on ABC-L I’ll show you some very special food from Norway: Laks – Saumon – even a Gravlax. Presented by my Cousin from the S F Bay area, when he visited our Summer home some years ago.

More Scandinavian Photos here

Cats attacking Papas Dinner

My dear readers know Cats are predators. Even a House Cat. And Manx are very clever hunters. But sometimes, well..  Let’s see…
 
Here is Felicia with daughter Lilli at our dinner table. They attacked the Halibut we had for dinner this TORsday.
Next time I’ll command the Cats to stand still when I take a Photo.
At least, we blew off the Candle lights to safe their Tails. LOL.
 
Here you see Lilli eating from my plate.  She loves Halibut. Very expencive kitten;-).
She is convinced she will live with us. Who knows.  At least she is very intelligent. And loves humans and her Mother and Aunt Rosa. Keeps us all active. Nothing untouched 24/24.

More to come…

Papa is having a Dinner

aa Local products these Days are considered to be not only the best in taste, but as well sustainable.
 
Well, we do combine. Caviar from Local Norwegian Fish, Mayonnaise and Avocado, which is not locally
.
But The Duck Breast with local Green Peas. The orange sauce etc are not that strange. Europe is Europe. Right?

Well, we had a very pleasant Saturday Dinner.
Recommended.

Where to find it? Click

Papa is having a dessert

It’s weekend. And on Weekends Papa like to have a good dessert after a great meal. You too, may be?
 
But on this occasion, he was not allowed to eat his dessert all alone. Photo session first.
 
And then, the Photographers wanted papas dessert to look more sophisticated. Stilleben perhaps?
 
At last, papa was allowed to attacked his special dessert. Bought at Whole Foods in Austin, Texas. Papa love that store.
 
Woooow – does Papa looks happy?

Papa loved it. With Wine from local Flat Creek Winery. Very good.
(Papa will bring you there in a while)
 
Looks delicious?
Papa promise, it was too much, but the next Day: Nothing left.
Who ate the rest? Papa do not know… ;.)

PS. Somebody stole the Bananas… 2 Dogs and 3 Humans suspected.

More to come from here and there…

A Kitten report 2

Dear bloggerfriends, I’m still on my temporary internet connection. During February it will be a new digital world here in our Winter Home.
 
Lilli, the Kitten, has recovered after 2 days with fever. She is back to normal Kitten activities. All who have had Kittens knows what that’s about;-) Her you see her with her Mother Felicia just some minutes ago.
As soon as my Internet connection will be upgraded, I’ll return to comment all my blog-friends posts. So please be patient with me in the meantime.

PS. I had the pleasure to talk to Ginnie and Astrid this afternoon. We will meet in the Spring. Where? That’s a secret…

Much more to come…

A Kitten report

Prolog:
Papa is about to change his Internet Service Provider.
Which should have been taken place from Jan 1st.
But due to technical challenges, it will be postponed at least until Feb 1st.
In the meantime, papa is using his “mobile” internet connection, which is not very fast.

Then the News:
Lilli, the 2 months old Kitten got a severe fever here on Thursday.
(Photo at bottom of story)
She did not eat, nor drink. She was allmost “dead”.Slept on my body for hours without a move. She was hot as an Iron.
I checked the Phone # and opening time for our Vet.
Her Mother was as well desperate – miewoooow .

During the Night I found Lilli at the Rest Room, heating cables on the Floor you know.
She was shivering.

What to do?
Leave her here or bring her into papa’s bed?
Or leave her to her Mother Felicia?
Or her Aunt Rosa?

Anna, my wife, you know, as well had a serious Cold, so she slept in another Room but me….
Friday morning Lilli seemed to be a bit better, so I went to work.
(in fact a very good day at work).

When returning home Friday afternoon, it seems Lilli was more or less half recovered, until she once again wanted to lay on papa. She was again hot as an Iron.Really warm she was.

So I thought, Saturday morning: The Vet.
We will see....
 
Here you see Lilli. Papa thinks she is a beautiful Manx Cat.

More to come….

ps. due to my present internet connection, blogging etc will be at a very low level, but it was important to tell about Lilli.

A visit to Umlauf Sculpture Garden, Austin, Texas

My regular readers may have noticed I’m interested in Art.
Both contemporay and classical – Comedy, paintings and sculptures. In different settings.
So, here you are invited to an afternoon i Austin, Texas.

All Photos are taken by me. Click on each Photos to see the details. And I’ve placed them inbetween my conversation with the Officicials of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
 
This time I will invite you to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden in Austin, Texas. Yeah, it’s a natural Garden, or Park if you will. 
About Charles Umlauf here. (We have visited South Haven in Michigan, where he was born).
 
Not very big, you can walk the garden for 15 minutes, our spend a day or two, if you really love what you see.
 
When we arrived with our friends, we were introduced as Norwegians, which in fact is true, to the management.
 
- That’s interesting, do you know the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo?
 
- Yeah, we have lived only some minutes walking distance from the park for years.
 
- Really?
 
- Yeah, we did, and the Park was our recreational area. What can be better than nature and Art at the same time?
 
- You should know, when we planned this open air sculpture park, we went 2 places to learn how to plan and build it: The Vigeland Park in Oslo and as well  The Rodin Museum and Park.
We needed to learn from others. As you will see,  the Garden is not very large, but we hope you will like how we have have arranged the different sculptures in the nature.
 
- But before you enter the Garden, just enjoy our exhibition from the art of Charles Umlaufs children. (That was uttermost interesting)
 
- yeah, we will (and we enjoyed with great interest – no Photos allowed).
 
We went the tour, took photos  (here: The Skater) and more photos, and went back in to the reception:
 
- Thanks for an exeptional experience.
Even 7 hours time difference could not take away my passion for walking in nature surounded by art. (7 hours in 2 Days - try it)
 
Then I start talking about a new, great sculpture park idea in Oslo:
Christian Ringnes’ Women Sculpture Park in the Forest Hill overlooking Oslo, from the area where Edvard Munch painted the background for Skrik – The Scream.
Must be a World sensation. Right?

Well, we talked and talked – with the people in charge of this wonderful Sculpture Garden. Wonderful place to relaxe. Even the Wild Pigs listened.
…

Above: How exciting to walk around in the nature and discover Art
– The Female beauty in nature..

People in love – that’s the best. Peace in Nature? I love this sculpture..
Around the next bushes: Yeah, ART in Nature is next to heaven.

Well, we were late for dinner. It was a “high fly” experience.
In some years, you are wellcome to Oslo, to have the best art experience on this tiny planet. Just take the Gondol from Oslo Opera House and walk around in the Sculpture Forest – also with signs before the Vikings.

Art, nature and History is giving, right?