The day God painted the sky - Winter solstice. Spydeberg, Norway

At 4pm this afternoon in December - there was a few minutes where it seems as God was painting the sky in the most wonderful colors.

...and if it not was him there was some magnificent Mother of Pearl Clouds above 20-30km above the Earths Surface containing some ice crystals where the light was playing and making those fantastic light play for 5-6 minutes...

Christmas at the mountain house in Valdres, Norway

App. 3,5 hrs. NorthWest of Oslo we have our mountain house. Perfect to visit in the Christmas days. While there is little snow in Oslo, up here in the low mountains we have plenty for a white Christmas. A local farmer have plowed the road making it possible to drive right up to the door.

With no electricity we have to fire up our wood ovens for a couple of hours before the place is warm and comfy.
The lights come from our in house batteries loaded by solar panels.
 But of course also from lots of candle lights to have the moody setting up here in the winter darkness.

And then after some cold nights it is always exciting to see if the car will start (which is usually does - problems may occur if the temperature drops to under -30C (which is not expected this year)).

A Merry Christmas to all of you

Under: The small cottage for our guests

Cross country skiing in Valdres, Norway

A fine day for skiing - the tracks are fresh, the sun is shining - simply perfect for the grandma and her two grandchildren 6 and 10 years old.  In  our country it is common for the small children to go skiing from the age of 3-4 years.

The tracks here follow along the shores of the river Tisleia - an area with some cottages and mountain houses some 3 hrs. Northwest of Oslo.

Under: Another photo along the river Tisleia

Winter river in Valdres, Norway

Even in the winter the trout river Tisleia is open (free for ice - due to the running water).
A ski trail along the river gives a great opportunity at such a fine winter day to enjoy the fine nature in this part of our country.

This photo from January this year - but even now in December there is some 30cm with snow up there.

iphone6plus: Along an elk trail in a Norwegian forest. Spydeberg, Norway

This is what Norwegian likes: Go out of your house for a hike in a forest within 5 minutes from where you live.

Like here hiking the slightly cultivated "Elk trail" just near the big river Glomma.
Passing this point, late in the afternoon, where probably some active Beavers have felled some trees.
Or maybe it was the last autumn storm passing some days ago. Whatever; You may enjoy this option to be alone in the silent forest - still only a short way from your home.

Another example photo from my new iphone6 plus - with some PP in Corel PaintShop.

Under: The madam register the visit to the trail in the Visitor book

The off season beach at Canet de Rousillon, France

In the South of France it is interesting to see the empty large beach outside the summer village Canet de Rousillon in the start of the winter season.

Only some footsteps and the tracks of some passing 4-wheeler. Even the light those days indicates another season and climate for the winter days to come.

Stitch of 2 photos.  Under: The Port in Canet de Rousillon:

iphone6 plus: A cold morning in Spydeberg, Norway

Out for a walk in the cold frost morning on way to my village. Temperature around -5C. The frost and ice is still there in the shadows while the sun slowly warms up the upper part of the field in this photo. Another sample photo from my new iphone6 plus. Another version right here:

iphone6 plus: Macro test:Frost in the forest. Spydeberg, Norway

Today another photo from my new iphone6. Impressive close up detail as the camera can focus only some centimeters from your object. Here a detail from a winter forest.

Another example here:

iphone6 plus: The water puddle reflection. Spydeberg, Norway

Another example photo from my new iphone 6 plus.

This time a simple water puddle reflection of the clouded sky...

iphone6 plus: Going home (sun backlight). Spydeberg, Norway

Another test photo with my new iphone 6 plus.

iphone6 plus: After rain comes the sun. Spydeberg, Norway

My new iphone 6 plus has arrived and this is a sample photo from last afternoon.

Still green fields and a mild climate in November - to be in Norway.
Spydeberg is a small village app. 40 minutes outside of Oslo.

Take care out there :)

Last tour (this season) over Fort St. Elme, Collioure, South of France

It is a fine little hike walking over the hills between Port-Vendres and Collioure - crossing the summit with Fort St. Elme.

As here a fine day in November.

Under is the madam on her way from Fort St. Elme down to Collioure

A fine November day at Cape Bear in South of France

 

 

The magnificent weather we had in October continues now in November. Sun, a good temperature and no sign of the wind Tramontane makes a small hike along the cliffs near Cape Bear to another top experience in this fine landscape.

 

To the left the Semaphore and Naval station - and to the right the lighthouse at Cape Bear.

 

The pano is a stitch of 3 photos.

 

Below the photog at his hike along the cliffs at Cape Bear

 

 

Vineyards in November. Banyuls sur Mer, South of France

 

After the harvest the wine plants is dressed in some old leaves in the colors of the autumn. Vineyard workers is out there, cleaning the fields and in time removing the old leaves and branches - making the fields ready for the new season in the new year to come.

 

 

Vineyards workers in November.

November day in Collioure, South of France

 

A fine autumn day with sun and fair weather - and so far in the season - mainly without the wind Tramontane, that can be really annoying.

 

This photo is a 2 photo stitch.

 

Wiki history:

There is a record of the castle at "Castrum Caucoliberi" having been mentioned as early as 673, indicating that the settlement here was of strategic and commercial importance during the Visigoth ascendancy.

Collioure used to be divided into two villages separated by the river Douy, the old town to the south named Port d'Avall (in French known as Le Faubourg) and the upstream port, Port d'Amunt (in French known as La Ville).

Collioure was taken in 1642 by the French troops of Maréchal de la Meilleraye. A decade later, the town was officially surrendered to France by the 1659 Treaty of Pyrenees. Because of its highly strategic importance, the town's fortifications, the Château Royal de Collioure and the Fort Saint-Elme stronghold, were improved by the military engineer Vauban during the reign of Louis XIV. Nevertheless, Collioure was besieged and occupied by the Spanish troops in 1793, marking the last Spanish attempt to take the city. The blockade was broken a year later by general Jacques François Dugommier.

Colliorure with the Fort St. Elme, windmill and other details from the small Catalan village.

Banyuls-sur-Mer in South of France

 

From wiki:Banyuls-sur-Mer is neighbored by Cerbère, Port-Vendres, Argelès-sur-Mer and Collioure. The region is known for its wines, such as the sweet wine Banyuls. An aquatic museum with aquarium is located in the town. The foothills of Pyrenees, the Monts Albères, run into the Mediterranean Sea in Banyuls-sur-Mer, creating a steep cliff line.

Banyuls-sur-Mer was first mentioned in 981 as Balneum or Balneola. In 1074, the town starts being called Bannils de Maritimo in order to distinguish it from Banyuls-dels-Aspres, which lies 20 km (12 mi) away. In 1197, the town is mentioned as Banullis de Maredine and in 1674. In Catalan, it has been called Banyuls de la Marenda, since the 19th century.

The name Banyuls indicates the presence of a pond. In fact, a pond did exist in Banyuls-sur-Mer until the creek Vallauria was drained in 1872. The term Marenda in Catalan or sur Mer in French merely indicates the proximity to the coast.

For nearly two centuries, the smuggling of goods to and from Spain was a major activity in Banyuls-sur-Mer. Depending on the needs of the time, salt, tobacco, silver, sugar, rice, textiles, and leather were smuggled through this city, almost always with impunity. Otherwise the inhabitants lived mainly from fishing and viticulture. Nowadays, tourism stemming from the wine industry plays a significant economic role in the town notably for delicious and rare red dessert wines. Under the Collioure appellation, the town is also a center of quality dry reds, rosés and whites, with a number of producers of natural wines.

A walk through centuries down to the old medieval village Eus in the South of France.

 

Coming down from the hills on the upperside of this fine village - following the gravel road - you stop in the last curve of the road. Before your eyes you see what is excact like an old living medieval town. In the early afternoon the sight and the silence is remarkable.

In the few streets you can look directly into you see no cars, hardly any human moving around. The same goes for the rest of the view - few tracks of our world anno 2014 - it looks like a conserved medieval world. Pls. enjoy

The photo is made by a stitch of 2 photos.

From wiki:
This former defensive site was built in terraces in the garrigue between the Conflent valley and Mont Canigou and had to repel the French in the 16C and the Spanish army in the 18C. Today, the imposing Church of Saint Vincent stands in place of the old citadel and steep cobblestone streets descend from its doors.

 

 

The Madam takes a look down to Eus after a hike in the hills on the overside of the village.

 

 

A look up to Comes that was left of people in 1928. Today only inhabitated by a shepherd and 200 sheeps.

The terraced vineyards of Le Cellier des Templiers in Banyuls, South of France

 

After this years wine harvest is it time to maintain the vineyards that looks almost brownish this late in the year -without grapes and the green leaves. You can easily see all the tracks going down the slopes of the hills just over Collioure, Port Vendres and Banyuls Sur Mer.

 

The little village down there is Cosprons just above the Bay of Paulilles where there in former days was a production plant for Nobels dynamite (placed as far away from the ongoing wars between France and Germany as possible (around 1870).

 

To the lower right you will see the greyish buildings that is the fine wine production plant of the Cellier des Templiers in Banyuls. Probably the largest producers of the well known Banyul wines.

 

The vinyards we look down to here is just on the upper boarder of the altitude you can have wine stocks in this region.

Hiking to the Madeloc tower, Cote Vermeille, South of France

 

From the Madeloc tower you will have quite a view to several villages and the landscape of Cote Vermeille in the South of France. There is several tracks leading upwards the steep mountainside. In this photo the madam is hiking up app. 40 minutes from the closest parking allong the narrow road going up from the coast.

 

 

Towards the Albere mountains and the border to Spain - the foot of the Pyrenees.

 

The great vista from the Madeloc Tower to Cote Vermeille in France

 

A fine day in October for a hike to the Madeloc tower and the faboulous vista, here captured in a stitch of 2 photos.

 

In the left the lower summit with the fortification Fort St. Elme ( planned by the famous and hyperactive Vauban). Then to the middle the small deep water harbour of Port Vendres. To the right again another military fortification just over the lighthouse at Cape Bear - before we ends up in Banyuls Sur Mer in the right of the photo.

 

You can also see many vinyard tracks in the hills down towards the sea.

 

 

The Madam on the steep hike up to the Madeloc Tower in the hills above Port-Vendres