h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This evening (afternoon really, but at this latitude its dusk at about 2 pm) we adventurously drove across town in the blizzard to visit the Royal Alberta Museum. We hadn't been in a few months so we weren't sure what would be happening.

What a pleasant surprise it was to see a lovely display of Ted Harrison's http://www.tedharrison.ca/ original paintings from 'A Northern Alphabet' http://www.tundrabooks.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780887762338 Absolutely beautiful and delightful canvases. It was also a pleasant surprise to discover that Harrison had given the canvases to the University of Alberta here in town.

What a pleasant surprise it was as we walked out of the Museum at closing time to see that the snowy night sky was a beautiful violet colour, just like the colours of Harrison's paintings.


and

What a pleasant surprise it was to see the hare run away through the parking lot as we drove away. It's so nice to have a vast forest full of wildlife in the middle of the city

Yes to all of that





But I'd find winter a lot more pleasant if the days were not so short, and a bit less chill



Oh, well, there's always

and a bit of good ol'

I spent the afternoon filling gift bags and, with great glee, I stuffed an into my parents'.

It's been a good holiday: I got an emergency call from the local brewery asking me to come and help them with some mis-labeled bottles; I delivered a loaf of home baked bread (red quinoa and green pumpkin seeds for a Christmas effect) to my Haggis purveyor; and, of course, shortbread to the ladies at the local 7-11 and to a few select neighbors.

And, really, the holiday hasn't started yet.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost, 1923

We had our family supper at an excellent local Hunan noodle shop, went to my daughters to divey up all the presents. My oldest sister made and shortbread this year, smells fantastic! I made pears in apple juice, short bush blueberry jam and walnut halves in maple syrup. The usual chutneys were there but there was one single jar of wild huckleberry jam from the Kootenays. After much trading and negotiations I got that and this morning I'm enjoying it on rye toast.

Good day to you all an a very Merry Christmas!

*and*

Time to make .