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

Without starting a animal rights discussion, Guilt? I know some people who would give a bounty on crushed snail shells.

I'm just silly that way. I occassionally felt guilty for killing the prairie dogs on my grandparents farm. I know that its necessary, but it doesn't always go down so well...

G7

Qu7en, are prairie dogs as destructive as rabbits?

There's a sentance I thought that I'd never, ever hear.

But I do know how destructive rabbits can be. And I'm talking about house rabbits, not the wild undomesticated variety. If a house rabbit can do what I've seen them do, I can imagine the horror a wild one would bring.

Rabbits: like not very furry very large squirrels who don't have all of the diseases. My favorite pet.

Glad to see a suitable amount of surreality in the air!

Put it there, near the entrance to the gallery.
*several of CLI's long-suffering workbots haul a large plump douglas fir tree with a burlap covered root ball out of the service lift and set about putting it up, bracing it, establishing a watering system, and then stringling lots and lots of twinkly coloured lights on it*

Well, I'm sorry Curator Chick is taking a sabbatical just now, but she certainly has been busy with studies, so I can understand it. Anyway. we shall see her again in mid-January.

Meanwhile, here is what I ask of you all: bring one or more ornaments to hang on the tree. I need help in decorating this massive thing! If there is something traditional about what you are putting up, so much the better! Share the tradition with us. You can bring as many decorations as you want. And expect to see presents piling up under the tree, too!

*puts a wreath of balsam pine up over the fireplace*

*comes bounding in, slightly rimed with frost*

lt's snowing! lt's snowing! ln RL even!

Annnnnd....l even finished my Christmas shopping!*
















*almost.



*shakes out scarf and jacket; heads to room to drop off packages and hide in a suitable location til wrapped*

Here is a clay Brownie.

(hide the prezzies, that is...not actually hide, herself... )

*emerges again, surveys the new decor*

Splendid tree...
*reaches into large Willams-Sonoma bag she brought back out with her*

l've panettonne, and mulling spices for cider and wine...and...
*withdraws a large red tin*

King Leo peppermint sticks. Better by far than candy canes, l always thought, though sans the curled bit at the end. Like old fashioned candy sticks.

As for an ornament...hmm. l'll have to think. But we must have tinsel! Not the most ecologically-suited Christmas tradition, but it looks so pretty with the tree lights...

A card arrives from a land far away. Written on an inside leaf is a....

Christmas Poem

The bastards of commerce count loot
in their temples, cards of alien
winter scenes arrive daily. I'm wilting
with it all like a severed pine
this old-fashioned December
but,
look,
the manuka, there,
over there, and below that scarf
on the hill; effusing, pouring it up
out from clay so dry even weeds don't profit.
So much blossom you'd swear it had...
snowed!
I give up:
"Merry bloody Christmas, trees."

Er, things to put on trees? Hmm, normally I just get to my parents on Christmas eve and they have one. I haven't put decorations on a tree in over eight years now, so I think I'll just sit back with some of that mulled wine and watch and learn.
On the previous snail killing conversation, there is a corner just along my street which appears to be a major snail convention centre during rainy moments. I know this as I have a habit of staggering back from the pub and rampaging through them like Godzilla through Tokyo without even noticing. Hence, I have given up feeling guilty about them.

*digs about in backpack, finds hand blown *and painted* caricature of Jobs kneeing Gates where the lord split him*

That's what I call the spirit of giving.

Well at home the folks usually go for the traditional victorian style tree and it seems like you've got that already. So here have a wreath of holly with it's prickly green leaves and bright red berries.

[Amy]

*WM hangs a blue ornament on the tree. It's a 3 dimensional "Classic Goo Fan Club" ornament. As has become usual, she flips her calling card on the table and rushes back out the door.*

[WM]

Continues to sit by the fire reading a good book*
Matina a hot chocolate I think.

*Just general good book, no definate titles at present.

*floating in carrying Swedish straw handicraft Christmas decorations*

Hi all! I just dropped by to leave these...
http://www.goingehalmslojd.se/katalog/samling9.jpg

Got to go... still at w*rk...

*drifting off*

*brings a crystal and pearl snowflake ornament hanging from a gold chain for the tree*

Happy Holiday, everyone!

Oh look here's another Christmas card. On the front is a picture of a tree that flowers at Christmas.

Pohutukawa

On the many coastlines of New Zealand,
A beautiful tree can be seen.

A New Zealand Christmas tree,
Brilliant red, in the summer sun.

Twisted branches, long and thick.
It is big with dark green leaves,
Hiding labyrinthine frame
That casts shadows on the rocky beach below.

Many years it takes this sapling to reach adutlhood,
And when it does, a wispy straggly beard grows.

The roots plough up and down, through the soil,
Until they end, somewhere, deep within the earth.

This is a Pohutukawa.

Here, this was my favorite decoration as a child. I thought that I would share it with you.

*walks carefully in carrying three old cardboard cartons*

Here are my collected ornaments. Watch carefully Munchkin, for I shall make like your parents and put up the traditional stuff while you make youself at home.

*accepts some mulled wine from Matina before opening first box*

The tree topper. *Lil lifts a long silvery steeple of an ornament with a besparkled star at the end, pulls a chair over, climbs up and precariously slides the hollow ornament down over the top of the tree*

And by the way, are there any recipes for eggnog out there to be shared?

*pulls a small box out of one of the carton and takes 4 blown glass gold peacocks out, one by one, each with tails of flowing golden tinsel, and affixes then around the upper branches to the tree* These are from the first Christmas I spent as a caregiver, in Florida.

*then comes a tiny parrot covered in pink and blue embroidery and bits of mirror* This came from a Pakistani stall at the Birmingham flea market way back in the 70's. 1970's.

Looney, these poems you've been posting make me think we should demand Christmas haiku all around, too.

What do you suppose is the import of the illustration in hootoo's seasonal greeting message?