Supply ship

Viking Lady, off the coast of Tananger

Seagull

Beach #3

Solastranden

Frost

View #11

Taken from Lunde on the island of Hundvåg, Stavanger,

looking towards Sand and the mountains of the Ryfylke region.

Ice-skating

Hålandsvatnet

The measured depth of the ice on this Stavanger lake is now 34cm.

Trees #5

The path at Store Stokkavatn, Stavanger

Falling snow #2

Lighthouse #3

Tananger Lighthouse

Antenna

Tananger

Pinecone

Pinecone lying on the frozen surface of Stokkavatn

Sverd i Fjell

"Sverd i Fjell" is Stavanger's most famous monument and was created by the artist Fritz Røed. "The Three Swords" commemorates Harald Hårfagre winning the battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. This final battle marked the end of a six-year campaign to unite many small Viking realms into a kingdom. Harald's conquest made him the first King of Norway and won him the hand of his beloved Gyda, who had sworn she would marry no-one less than a sovereign.

The monument is a symbol of peace; when the Vikings were at peace, they used to plunge their swords into the ground.

Møllebukta

Møllebukta Beach, Hafrsfjord

"A crack in everything ....."

"Ring the bells that still can ring

Forget your perfect offering

There is a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in."

Leonard Cohen

Heron

Ice #2

Sea ice forming close to the shoreline

Tananger Harbour #7

The inner harbour is slightly frozen,

but not enough to stop boats going out to sea.

Ørnabukta

Ørnabukta Beach, Tananger

Buoy

Store Stokkavatn

Several square kilometres of lake now frozen to a depth of 27cm.

Stavanger's very own free ice-skating rink!

Ice

Ice crystals formed on coastal rocks

Tananger

Aerial view

Edinburgh

Taken from Edinburgh Castle

Fireworks

Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Castle

Falling snow

Princes Street, Edinburgh

Tananger Harbour #6

Tananger Harbour

Taken from the lighthouse

Sunset #4

From Tananger Harbour looking towards Feistein Lighthouse

View #10

From the Ullandhaug Tower looking south-west towards Sola Airport. You can see the waters of the Hafrsfjord in the middle distance, and shipping on the North Sea on the horizon.

View #9

This panorama is best viewed in large format - left click to enlarge.

Taken from the Ullandhaug Tower, looking north across the city of Stavanger, the Boknafjord with its islands, at the snowy mountains of the Ryfylke in the distance.

Sukkerfri

The "sukkerfri kasse" or sugar-free till at my local supermarket.

If you queue at this one, you will not be confronted by a vast array of nutritionless confectionery. It's the perfect solution for weak-willed dieters, harrassed parents and people who have just made New Year's resolutions!

Happy New Year