Southern Sunset: Tromsø Palm
The Tromsø Palm is beautiful but deadly. It stands strong and high, and dominates roadsides, gullies, creek banks and backyards. It changes dramatically from Spring to Winter – an alluring plant to photograph.
Tromsø Palm in: Spring, Autumn, Winter
The plant’s sap is poisonous to the touch. One can suffer an array of ailments from mild rashes and burning to eczema and large blisters. Today the Tromsø Palm is considered a weed but it was once admired for its beauty. It was introduced to Tromsø as a garden plant in the 1860s by Nanna Sabine Mack. The plant became a ‘must-have’ by all the socialites for their Tromsø Summer homes. However, it wasn’t long before the plant took over the whole neighbourhood.
Every year there are attempts to eradicate the Tromsø Palm but it is very robust. It is thought that today’s palm is a hybrid that has adapted superbly to the Tromsø climate. As yet, there are no proven ways to get rid of the plant other than digging up the roots and churning the soil. An awesome task for any gardener or conservationist.
But while they are here they make interesting photo objects. Their alien profiles intriguing images against the Tromsø sky. The Day of the Triffids has arrived!
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Pølse is THE fast food of Norway. When the grilled pølse was first introduced to Norway in the 50s it was eaten naked – without bread.
The sun never goes down during this season but the mountains to the East are so high that the sun still has to raise above them in the morning hours and an artificial dawn-effect wakes the city.
Even though the males are called bulls and the females cows, the muskoxen are more closely related to sheep than cattle. Make no mistake, though – this is not your average cuddly ba-ba-blacksheep! A grown animal can be 2,5 m long and weigh up to 400 kgs, and their long curved horns mean business.
The further ‘out of the way’ you go the more common it is to see folk cottages standing by the side of roads, along fjords or in a thicket of trees, minding their own business. 
Flower Show Series: Arctic Botanical Garden Selection – Tromsø
How did the vikings manage to leave quite a large number of words in the english language??
XXX
Johan sp2h
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from L-Jay:
The Vikings not only pillaged and plundered – they immigrated. In fact from London to the north of England during the Viking era England had a Viking (Danish) King – Guthrum. When two groups of people come together they start to share words. This is how language changes. We are actually in the process of writing a series on the influences of Old Norse on English. One particular post is: How Vikings Changed the English Language: Origin
You’ll find related posts are the bottom of the article.
Cheers