Thursday, October 11, 2007

Recent Trip to Myklebust - UPDATED!


This photo of the moon shining on the fjord should be a few photos down on the blog, but it kept disappearing each time I hit the back arrow - so here it is! As we emerged from the valley with the thousand foot cliffs near Andalsnes we could see the moon shining onto the fjords. As we made our way to Brattvag the moon followed us.

We headed out towards Myklebust on a recent weekend. JH, NK, me and one of NK's little buddies. We took pulled the ATV on a trailer, which means the trip was a little slower than usual, winding through the valleys of the Gubrandsdal and along the fjords and over a few mountains to the ferry and lastly to the farmhouse.




The fall colors are magnificent. Some of the fall flowers that have expired in Gjovik were still blooming along the way.


Each time we pass this mountain I think I see a snoozing troll - do you see the snoozing troll?



The waterfalls are much smaller this time of year. In the spring and summer the melting snow gushes off the sides of the cliffs. In the fall and winter the water falls are fewer and smaller, but still captivating.



We arrived at the farmhouse at midnight. We were all exhausted even NK who had slept the final few hours. His buddy was excited about the trip and had stayed awake admiring the moon.

The next morning and the following few days were misty and the fog rolled in and out. It sprinkled a few times but for the most part the weather cooperated and made for nice hiking weather.


The boys spent as much time as they could on the ATV. They made a few tracks near the house and it wasn't long until NK's little cousin from up the road joined the other two boys. They had a blast. No disasters - they behaved and had loads of fun.


NK has waited for a long time to buy an ATV. He has saved money and he was a good little consumer as he shopped for the best possible "deal".

I was proud of NK when he let his buddy wear the "new" ATV helmet and he settled for an old helmet. I tried to tell them that they could share the helmet, but they explained to me that it takes too much time to take the helmets on and off and they wanted to maximize every possible minute riding the ATV. Boys!

And later when the little boys went bike riding, I caught the BIG boys playing with the ATV. JH and his buddy Jann looked just like little boys playing on NK's ATV! I still don't think that NK knows that the big boys tested the track!

I mentioned on an earlier blog that JH's father's cousin who is a farm up the road form the farmhouse has a baby deer that a neighbor found abandoned. It is quite strange that a deer would be born late in the fall, and apparently, the momma deer didn't adjust to momma-hood. This baby deer goes out to pasture with the sheep during the day and in the evening, it joins a baby cow for feasting on a momma cows milk. It is so cute and unfortunately quite friendly, so now the sheep and cows have a new maybe permanent family member in the barn.




The boys did some hiking. They followed JH up the mountain, and we took some nice walks along the beaches.



A view of the farmhouse from the top of the mountain across the road.


There is a lot of boat traffic in the channel between the islands and the coast (which has some islands in the fjords - which freaks me out and confuses me over what is the coast and what is another island!).





Some of the mountains have snowy peaks all year. Although, some of the snow is fresh!









This is a lake on top of the mountain on the island. I THINK it is the reserve drinking water supply for the island.




Other nearby islands.





There is a lot of moss and related species growing on the island. Little clumps of moss and fungi sprout up everywhere.





NK and his buddy had a lot of fun playing with this diablo. I was actually quite impressed with some of their tricks.


We made our usual journey to the cemetery to spruce up the headstones of grandparents and great-grandparents.










We enjoyed walking along the beach looking for crabs and starfish.







The boys had a lot of fun - okay we all did!
I found a little snail graveyard.

And the rocks were nice and warm. Sitting in the sun and enjoying myself!





A sunny spot in a valley just along the coast.
Waiting for the ferry and driving onto the ferry.







We passed a fjord in a valley where there was no wind and the reflection of the farms along the fjord made form some beautiful vistas.



I love these photos! I couldn't jump out of the car fast enough...I was so excited to look around the fjord and snap photos.






They (Norwegian government folks) are restoring this old bridge. The bridge is now blocked to vehicles and is only used for hikers and bikers since they built the new bridge (above). We walked across the bridge and looked down into the sea (fjord) water. The water is so clear that it is possible to see all the way down (10-20 feet) to the bottom of the fjord.




This is one of the higher peaks we drive by in our journey to the farm and back to Gjovik.

This is the spookiest peak we drive by!



This is where the inner valley starts as we leave the coast and start our return trip inland along the Gubrandsdal Valley back to Gjovik.

A photo of where we cross over the continental divide and the waters rush down to the sea or down the valley the other way and into Lake Mjosa.
This photo divided the sky as a weather front of some sort moved out towrds the coast.




We didn't stop to see if the troll family was at home.



This is an interesting reflection of my camera in the middle of the photo.


And alas! We are almost back home and the sun FINALLY crept out from behind the blanket of clouds. Proof that the sun does shine in Norway! And since we are going into the season of darkness it is nice to see the sun and know that it isn't anoth Norwegian fairytale - like low prices!

And as it is cooling off the fireplaces and wood burning stoves are firing-up! Since we pulled the trailer out to the island with the ATV, we filled the trailer up with wood for the return trip to Gjovik. We don't have a furnace, and so far our heated floors in our condo are keeping us toasty - but for the cold evenings we now have fire for our woodburning stove!







Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Language School

Norwegian Language class is going well. I am learning a lot about verbs - Norwegian verbs. I still go to class five days a week for about 20 hours a week. We now have about 18 people in our class. Only two males left.

We have three instructors who are rotating through. Each have a different style. I guess it keeps things from becoming too routine - and it is definitely not boring! The teachers speak Norwegian - only! They need to because many languages are spoken by the students in my class. Most students speak two or more languages, but not everyone speaks English. And, I am the only native English speaker!

The Norwegian government requires that we have 200 hours of language class and 50 hours of culture class. Last week during the traditional Norwegian "fall break" week, many of us attended culture class. Culture class is taught in "mother tongue" languages. I attended an English speaking class, taught by an Afghanistani man. He speaks several languages - including English. He has been in Norway about five years. He did a great job. His only weakness was that since he came to Norway as a refugee and most of the students in the class are not refugees (British, New Zealander, American, etc.) his perspective is of coming to Norway as a refugee and he wasn't familiar with the processes and rhetoric that most of us share(d).

Norway is becoming less strange to me. Sometimes I am surprised to hear people speaking Norwegian - because I forget I am in Norway! I am comfortable with Gjovik. And, our condo seems like it is our home...our stuff looks like it belongs where we put it - unlike in a hotel room. We are even falling into routines of eating Indian food every night (since I love to cook Indian food)!

NK is becoming so good at Norwegian. In six months or so he will be fluent. Last night we sat together and did our homework. Strange for me to sit and do homework with my nine-year old, since we are going to class and learning the same thing. Actually, he is ahead of me! He helped me with some verbs!

What if I were in Wichita - although I loved my job, I worked and then we had a hectic life. Here I spend a lot of time with NK. JH gets home from work by 4PM and then we enjoy each other. NK practices football and guitar. And we spend lots of time together! Even when Norway sucks - and it does a lot (!!!!), it is promising. But, more than anything, NK, JH and I spend a lot of time together (didn't I just say that?). What a joy to drive my child to school and pick him up. To have my husband home at 4PM - before we are all too tired and grouchy to do anything but retreat to our corners. Norway designs school and work to complement the family. And, for us it does. Still, we wish our extended family weren't so far away. And, we miss our friends.

Monday, October 08, 2007

NK & Football




NK is preparing for his football (US soccer) badges. Later this week he will run drills to qualify for his badges.


This evening JH and NK are up the mountain from our house at the soccer fields. NK is practicing his "moves".


In a few weeks, the indoor season will start.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Snow and Still the Roses Bloom

We have had sleet a few times and snow once, but still there are so many beautiful flowers in bloom in Norway!