Let There Be Light

As we muddle through the dark winter months, light therapy is an important part of self-care here at McMurdo. Previously the Green House was the sole source of mood enhancing, good-for-your-soul light, and while it is also nice and humid there, it's somewhat out of the way of my regular comings and goings around town. This year, however, the Light Room has been set up in room 101 of 155, which happens to be just around the corner and down the hall from my winter room.

When it was first set up and opened to the community, the room was dingy and sterile, as are the dorm rooms here. I helped Shandra and Sean clean and organize the room. Shandra brought some tapestries and I made a few pillows out of skua fabric. With those few upgrades, the Light Room is rather enjoyable.

Skua fabric pillows.

One for this chair...

and one for the couch.

Light, comfort...

color, leisure...

tranquility and greenery.
What a nice place to spend some time reading and relaxing!

Smoothie Break!

Once a month during the winter, the MET (Mapcon Editing Team - of which I am a part) hosts a smoothie break. Larry, Shandra and I gather the ingredients of yogurt, ice, fruit, frozen bananas we've saved from the last freshies of February. And for a brief moment during winter, we can all pretend we're at the beach sipping our fruity concoction with the sun kissing our cheeks...

What time is it?
Smoothie Break Time!

Shandra prepares for the hoards of fruit-loving winterovers.

We got ice and yogurt from the Galley.

And used strawberry applesauce left over from
flight meals to sweeten the tartness of the yogurt.

I put a brilliantly beautiful purple fake flower on the table and
put out some dried Hibiscus flowers from Trader Joes to share.

Go blender go!

Mmmmmmmm...smoothie.

Jonathan, Cedar and Gareth partake in some fruity deliciousness.

Gareth and Joseph add a little Passion Fruit Squeeze to the mix.

Mark and Zachary try to describe the complex and delectable
taste while Amanda smiles away in the background.

Life is short. Antarctica is cold. Smoothies are good.

Kiwis Stitch-n-Bitch Too

It's true, Kiwis stitch-n-bitch too, and this Tuesday, they invited us over to do our bitchin' and stitchin' by the light and comfort of their lovely fireplace. We sipped wine, swapped celebrity crush stories, chatted about biomimicry and crafted up a storm.

Karen, Shandra and Jana smile the evening away.

Ang is crocheting a hat!

Melanie works on some cross-stitch while
Lan knits a square for the charity quilt.

Thanks to Jana for inviting us over, to Shandra for
organizing and to Melanie for driving the shuttle!

Melanie!

Shandra!

Karen!

Ang!

Lan!

Me!

Smoothie Break

Once a month, the MET (Mapcon Editing Team), of which I am a part this season, holds three-o'clock smoothie break up in B140. We stash away fruit and bananas in our freezers and get yogurt and honey from the galley.


My smoothie cup after the break was so pretty. I thought it might dry nicely as they do here with our lack of humidity, so I left it overnight. And then took this beautiful photo:


And then I turned the cup into a sun-flower for our window...


It's the simple things.

Women of Winter

A Woman's Place is in Antarctica. Or anywhere else she darn well wants to be for that matter! And every year at the beginning of the Winter season, we Women of Antarctica get together for a little meet-n-greet. Shandra, Cathy and I planned on put on the event this year.

This year, I made a nice log book for us to pass on to future
Women of Antarctica, so we can record our legacy.

The book already has a nice collection of signatures!

Shandra works on cutting up all the appetizers.

While Cathy arranges yummy bites on pretty platters.

Delicious and tasty punch - one with a little bubbly, one with out!

So pretty! I'm sure appreciating the freshies while they're still around.

To die for! Hot cheesy artichoke dip with banana peppers.

Just a nice afternoon of chit chat.

Jenn checks out the bookmarks.

Mingle ladies mingle.

Janette and Cynthia aka Rhyme and Reason.

Quite a nice crowd.

Molly, Gracie and Jamie are all smiles.

Jenn and Kelli take a moment to reflect on some powerful women quotes!

Last Flight Out

Having spent the entire Summer season in Antarctica before my first Winter, when it came time for that last plane to leave, I wasn't sure what to expect. As you may recall, I was somewhat expecting a profound sense of isolation. As it turned out, it was one of the most interesting, stable and community involved times of my life.

It is interesting to note the difference in my expectations for this Winter. Like most winterovers, I was somewhat relieved to be settling in with the final crew. I am more than ready to wrap a security blanket of darkness and solidity around my shoulders and hunker down into my own little winter world.

Still, this Winter holds it's own possibilities, mysteries and new experiences. And that is definitely something worth toasting.

At 13:30, the Winter crew gathers at the Chalet
to sip some bubbly and wave goodbye to the
final flight out of McMurdo for the next six months.

The NSF Station Representative gives the toast.

Shandra pours and hands out the champagne.

Fellow winterovers, awaiting a visual of the plane.

Justin and Jen sippin' on the bubbly.

Jenn - nervous? excited? or just practicing her penguin puff up?

Clay, whose smile tells us he's quite happy that some people aren't wintering.

Janette. Doesn't she make carhartts look so ski-lodge-chique?

Ahhh yes, me with my Wookie gloves (Beaver)
that Bamma leaves me for the winter.
Nothing goes so well with champagne than Wookie.

Kris rocks the Jackie-O glasses.

Kelli with those sassy safety
glasses that we all know and love.

"Oh really," Larry seems to say.

No wonder Shandra volunteered to pour!

Cathy, Ryan and Brooks looking chill.

Sean and DJ clad in brown are mellow dudes about the town.

Todd, Jonathan and A-Con.

Zachary wonders exactly what he might be getting into
while Larry stands by amused by it all.

Troy and Amanda are about to lose it...already!

Cara got a heads-up fashion tip on proper
"Last Flight" attire from the aliens last night.

Karen, Keri and Kris are excited for summer people to leave!

Poo-Baca is already off his rocker.

Bye Bye plane!

Larry takes a moment to reflect and raises a glass to Winter!

And now...we're in the capable hands of these folks.

Welcome to Winter.