Hallo fra Norge!

This month, I hopped across the pond (a.k.a. the Atlantic Ocean) to visit my Ph.D. advisor and his family in Trondheim, Norway.  Since Dave has a visiting position at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, I was able to give a talk in the department's algebra seminar...and thus ultimately feel productive during my globe-trotting. :)

But my trip wasn't entirely business.  Despite the lack of sunlight -- Trondheim is only about 3 degrees south of the arctic circle -- I was able to do some quality sightseeing and learn a bit about the Norwegian culture.  But the highlight of my visit was getting to spend time with the fantastic Jorgensen clan: Sam, Katie, Grace, and Isaac...and their parents!

And apparently my visit was also a highlight to the kids, who took my arrival as a cue to begin devouring a recently-made gingerbread house.  In fact, this photo was taken less than 10 seconds before the entire house was in pieces!  I didn't have much time to brace myself for the sugar-high that ensued after they were finished.  But, once the energy wore off, it was great to spend time with some of my favorite kids!

All of Trondheim was beautiful, but the most picturesque place that I found was this view from the Gamle Bybro, meaning Old Town Bridge.

Actually, all of the buildings in Trondheim are pristine and colorful like these.  The town really does epitomize the word charming. 

Trondheim is also home to the Nidaros Cathedral, which is the traditional location for the consecration of the King of Norway.  The church is incredibly old, with the oldest part of the structure being over one thousand years old!

Toward the end of my visit, I accompanied the Jorgensen family to lunch at the Tyholt Tower, which provides a breathtaking view of the fjord, as well as the entire town of Trondheim.

 

The top of the tower makes about one revolution per hour.  Though it was only lunchtime, the sun was already starting to make its "descent" -- in quotes since the sun never really ascends during the winter months. 

This beautiful sunset photo was taken from my bedroom window -- at around 3 p.m. -- on my last day in Norway.

Ha det, fra Norge!!

Sonora Desert Museum

Yesterday was officially "date day," as we often call days which are not productive.  We spent a few blissful hours at the Desert Museum, among the cacti and desert animals which call the museum their home.

One of my favorite sections of the museum is the hummingbird area!  I'm sure that everyone has seen a photo of a hummingbird in flight.  But have you ever seen a hummingbird sit still?

There are so many different species of cacti in Arizona, and it would be a lofty goal of mine even to hope to be able to identify half of them before we leave here.

One plant that I did recognize, however, was the agave.  Still, I don't think I realized how many different types there were!

Here are a couple of species that we had never seen before.  Beautiful, huh?

The thorns on some of the cacti that we saw were nothing short of frightening. 

Poor Tanya was even attacked by part of a cactus.  (That thing actually got skin!)

The amazing thing is that the "skeleton" of a dead cactus is completely harmless.  Here are some cholla skeletons:

All-in-all, it was beautiful.  I can't wait to go back at different times of the year to see things in bloom! 

 We left just before dusk, when the mountains were at their prettiest shade.  I love living here!!

Bear Canyon

Since moving to Tucson, most of our hiking has been around Mt. Lemmon, at higher altitude.  We decided to save the "lower" trails for a time when the sun wasn't quite so harsh--and that time has officially arrived!

Yesterday morning was very chilly, so we decided to check out the Sabino Canyon Rec Area, which heads trails that lead into both the Sabino and Bear Canyons.  The scenery was breathtaking!

I got you, babe!

Halloween was a blast this year, as Tanya and I discovered that we make the perfect Sonny and Cher!  (Though I have to admit, the mustache really creeps me out...)

If it wasn't for the dozens of other people that dressed up like characters from some show called Arrested Development, we would have taken the award!

The beginning...

For months now, Tanya and I have been talking about kick-starting a blog so that we can easily share stories and photos with our friends and family in Texas (and beyond).  So here it is!

We've been in Tucson for almost three months now, and I would say that we're almost completely settled in.  I say "almost," of course, because only the bedrooms and bathrooms are painted.  When there is no white remaining, I will feel truly at home!

So far, our time here has been bittersweet.  Many of you know that our garage was broken into a couple of weeks ago, and almost everything in it was taken.  Since that time, we've been fortunate enough to recover Tanya's bike (in full), and my road bike (in part).  But we're still missing so many things: Tanya's golf clubs and military awards/memorabilia, my mountain bike, hoards of tools and gadgets, almost all of our backpacking gear, some motorcycle gear, a giant box of Christmas decorations (including our collection of ornaments that are one-of-a-kind), and Tanya's karaoke machine that she's had since she was 8-years-old.  The latter was the hardest to swallow, I think.

Even still, there are many things to be thankful for!  One of our first projects upon moving in was to install a kitty door leading into the garage.  (By the way, this is a great idea for any cat person...no more litter in the house!)  To think that the babies could have escaped into the darkness and been eaten by some ravenous javelina!!  But, alas, they are all safe and sound--and they slept for approximately 24 straight hours following their all-nighter. :)

But, aside from all of that drama (along with the other drama...which is a different story for a different day), we absolutely love it here!  Tucson is so liberal, which is such an awesome change (in our opinion, at least) from the staunch conservatism of the DFW area.  Here are just a few fantastic facts:

1. Tucson was rated the 9th most bike-friendly city in the U.S. by Bicycling Magazine!  Any of you that know me well know how excited I am about this. :)  It's completely possible to commute by bike anywhere in the valley.  No one throws random objects at you.  No one tries to run you off the road.  No one yells obscenities at you from their pickup truck which proudly displays a confederate flag and a rifle rack.  There are bike lanes on just about every road here.  (How many bike lanes does Arlington have?  Maybe 2...in the entire city.)
2. The general public understands the concept of veganism, and most of the restaurants have vegan options on their menus.  (This is a big deal, coming from Texas, where some people don't know that cheese contains milk...true story.)
3. There is family everywhere!  It's great to not be stared at as you walk around town, holding hands with your partner.  This would definitely not happen in Texas! 
4. Mountains, mountains, everywhere!  Tuscon is just south of the Santa Catalina Mountains, and our condo sits nicely at the edge of the foothills.  This photo captures nicely the entire range.  Mt. Lemmon, which is the highest point in the range at just over 9,000 feet, is right in the center of this photo.
   
   
   
   On most Saturdays, we drive up the mountain and hike for the better part of the day.  There are so many trails to explore, and we're trying to hike the higher-elevation trails before it gets too cold.  There's skiing on Mt. Lemmon in the winter!
5. And, last but certainly not least, I work with a pretty freakin' awesome group of people at the U of A. :)  

We're going to start posting photos of our adventures in Tucson as we upload them (we're both busy and lazy right now).  For the time being, please check your calendars and let us know when you're coming to visit!