greetings from the last days of sunshine for 5 months...
this evening the galley staff is preparing an amazing meal for us: herb encrusted filet mignon, lobster newburg, duck salad, and fine hand-made chocolates to mention just a few of the delicacies we will enjoy! we had quite a cold snap last week, it was -89 ambient and -127 with windchill... now i know what cold really is! we are still working on mapping the "berms" - these are the outdoor storage places for the vast majority of our cargo and supplies. it is quite important that we have perfect maps and photographs of each berm, of which there are 9, so that when we need to retrieve anything during the dark months it will take a minimum amount of time...it will be quite cold! we just plumbed in a fancy new espresso machine, i held a barista class and have found myself back in the bliss of making great coffees for my colleagues! one of the astronomers here, Robert Schwarz is holding an amazing astronomy class here, it's been great to learn about all the splendor that is just beyond the sunset!! we have, with the aid of matching funds donated $10,000 for the quake survivors in new zealand. just as we get this out to our friends to the north the tragedy in japan struck. it is strange to be down here as events shape the contiousness of the rest of the planet, the most common way we hear about world events is by friends and family sending us news. our satellite connectivity is still shotty and up during work hours mostly.... with the combination of our space-like station and the flat beauty of the polar region it feels like outer space, especially with the feeling of desolation. when i use the term desolation i mean it without negative connotation, it really is the best word for our life here. i am going to upload some photos from my trip back through mcmurdo after r&r.
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| these are some of the 15 emperor penguins who wandered close to the pegasus airfield in mcmurdo for several weeks of standing still to molt! |
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| notice the heaps of old feathers littering the ice |
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| just a little chilly! |
i hope this finds you all well enjoying the splendors of spring! take care, karengrace
1 comment:
Yay Grace!
Mmm - I envy the desolation, just a bit. I got hooked on the idea of actually making it to the South Pole when Beth described it with the phrase "magnificent desolation" - the same words used by Buzz Aldrin to capture his first impressions of being on the moon.
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