Merry Christmas, Trekkers,
How did you celebrate the holidays? Did you travel, eat, cook, eat, play games, eat, decorate, eat, frost sugar cookies, eat, make new friends, eat, laugh, eat, laugh more, eat?
Well, the Byrd Surface Camp did all of that and more. There are 42 people in camp now so we had quite the active group. The galley, which is our dining room and kitchen, was full of laughter and fun.
Thanks,Trekkers, your flags gave the galley a festive look!
It was amazing what people had packed in their bags in anticipation of a Christmas celebration. I had a little Christmas tree and candy canes. Someone else had craft supplies and rounded up lots of recycled stuff from around camp. Word was spread around that there would be a white elephant gift exchange a couple days earlier so many were working on hand made projects.
A large batch of sugar cookies was made and everyone was invited to help cut out and then decorate the baked cookies. We had no food coloring so we used the juice from raspberries for red, blue berries gave us
lavender, and saffron made light yellow.
Cameron KU cookie was frosted in K-State colors by Gary
Stephanie of PoleNet enjoys a cookie, one of many?
The first snowman of the year by Mr. W
A masterpiece by Mr. W
Everyone will decorate their own
Galit and Gary cut out sugar cookies Christmas Eve
Wonderful smells wafted from the back of the galley. Robert started in October planning and had the order for all the food made at that time. Then two weeks ago they placed an order for "freshies" which are fresh fruits and vegetables and herbs that were delivered on one of the LC-130 cargo planes. Great care was given to them so they didn't freeze. The other chefs, Giles and Shannon, along with Robert spent days cooking. Then Robert stayed up all night cooking and baking and building things from chocolate. The meal was a feast to rival anything penned by Charles Dickens in "A Christmas Carol".
Crepes for Christmas Eve Brunch
Cooked and Baked all through the night
About 30 minutes before midnight Robert came from the kitchen end of the galley with a chocolate dessert and told everyone that in his family they get to open one present on Christmas Eve so here it is. We all got a slice of a wonderfully creamy chocolate torte.
At 11:45pm Christmas Eve I went for a walk. I walked out 15 minutes from camp, and exactly at midnight I took my video camera and filmed a 360 degree view of this area while singing some of my favorite carols. That will be my gift you all of you when I am able to upload it to this journal.
[video]
The festivities and game playing continued for a couple more hours before everyone drifted off toward tent city and bed.
Merry Christmas
Christmas brunch was at 10:00 followed by trays of fresh veggies, cheese, and snacks all afternoon. The Christmas feast occurred at 5:30.
The galley had been transformed and decorated. The food was prepared and ready to serve. The laughter and storytelling lasted for several hours.
A new friends in every chair
Who said we would go hungry?
Keith, of Polar Grid, going through the line. What will it be? Duck? Lamb? Filet?
Later that evening we had a white elephant gift exchange, and game playing. Trekkers, have you ever laughed so hard you couldn't see. Well, this gift exchange had people laughing that hard. True Merriment!!
The gift Gary received in the exchange.
Ben, camp manager, opens a couple of new games for the camp.
Heavy machine operator and great sport!
Jamey of PoleNet red nosed and all
Pilot Monica joins in the fun!
A card game called Nertz
I have an observation about "Antarctic People", people who come to this very harsh environment for science and in the support of science. They work long hours doing often very hard work, but when it is time to relax they invest in their play with the same gusto.
I hope you are enjoying your time off school if you're a student or off work if you're a student of life. Either way work or play with gusto.
(If you're going to nap do that with gusto too)
Peace, Mr. Wesche,
Here celebrating with gusto in a most unique setting. Merry Christmas!!!!
Merry Christmas from Byrd Surface Camp, Antarctic