Mega Omlettes and Lamb Quiche

A couple times a week I'm making fresh bagels, which normally turn into bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches for breakfast.

Raul wonders in around 10 PM to prep for dinner.

Outside it's white. We're going through a heat wave as I speak. It was -21 F not too long ago, that's the warmest anyone has seen for this time of year. Later I'm going to grab my lounge chair, umbrella, and have a siesta.

I've finished prettying up the lounge. One guy said I'm in the wrong business and should be an interior design decorator... the other saying I'm like a housewife :$ Oh geeze.

But, I'm a chef guys... c'mon. Egg washin the quiche crusts.

Quiche table.

Here's all the fillings... olives, roasted bell peps, roasted onions and portabellas, lamb, and three cheeses.

Here they are with the egg-cream mix poured on topped with brie and mozo cheese.

Slow cooked and lighting browned.

Then I made some dougnuts.

Glazed.

And banana cream filled. Although darker than your average Dunkin doughnut these badboys had a flavor that reminded of festival sweets (i.e., elephant ears). Delish.

This one guy always asks for a giant omlette with everything on it... that's my fav. order.

The Chefs chillin at lunch. Happy Birthday Raul... oh wait.... Happy Birthday Francis... that ain't right... Happy Birthday Anthony. Who the heck is Anthony? We don't know, but we made a birthday cake for him.

In Search of a Heavy Bag

Start the morning off with some bagel making classes and a couple shots of expresso from the Hunting Bear Club.

Lunch was simple and good. Chef Fran, Raul, and I sat at the table... Chef looked around at our plates and goes, "Look, we have 4 different types of homemade breads in 4 different ways." Raul replies, "This isn't your average bistro Chef." Haha.

After work I decided to go mining for a heavy punching bag. Boxing classes will start up next week. No contact, just cardio, training and fun.

It felt like a ghost town.

Inside the Jamesways art was scattered amongst the walls. There's something about being here that inspires many to spread their artistic wings.

It was haunting walking through the hallways, dead quiet, with little light and eerie drawings.

Then I got lost and found myself in the 'Ice Palace', aka the bathroom facility. Oddly, there was a heavy bag behind one of the water tanks.

Next store to the Ice Palace was a gym, with another heavy bag chillin in the corner. Tonight I'm going to go volunteer to help clean up the Jamesways and I'll hopefully get this one hung up. The guys who have been here in the past tell me the outside gym is a great get-a-way from the station. Towards the end of winter I heard it's rough staring at the same boarded up windows and the same faces, the best thing to do is get out and about.

A cool climbing wall.

Then I meandered through a few more rooms.

Random find. 1979.

Too cold to use now.

Next step for me was to transport the bag from the camp to the main station.

Made it.

To be continued...

Prophetic Poetry

Autumn

2/22/2010 - Preface to the Autumn Equinox, South Pole, Antarctica

There’s a fine line between this and that,
In fact, there is no line.
Intense introspection of intention
Leads one to realization and understanding
That this life is nothing more… than life.

Striving to survive
Endlessly amongst ages
Proves righteous because it is right.
They are wrong; we think we have sight,
But, really, we are all nearly blind.

Time and time again we conquer
Only to destroy,
The finest of elements;
Humankind, nature, and joy.

When does it stop?
Where do we go?
Why are we are?
Who am I?

I am what I a yearn to be…
A poor man and a king,
A grain of dirt and a god,
A living cosmic soul, nothing more, and nothing less.

Time and time again I must say
We are nothing but flesh and blood,
A nation of one,
A kingdom under the sun…

Telling a tale of the universe
Amongst the cursed,
Worshiping and awaiting the birth,
Of a son, once again.

Resurrection and repenting
Carry no avail
For what is to arrive…
Cosmic eyes, kin of kin, they… again.

Stars of the night sky,
Children of the past,
Children of the future,
Us in the now.

How proud we stand.
Unknowingly found.
Our bodies nothing more than dirt,
Our spirits beyond the state of blood,
Whilst our completion being solely the universe that stands…
Alive and in motion,
Flowing in potions and spells,
From heaven to hell
To black and white
To matter to dark matter
To pro- and anti-
To this… a spasmodic state of One.

Big bang.

Let me say that
Today…
Is a new day,
And now I ride…
Forever, into new life.

Striving to survive,
Open eyed,
I can only freeze at the descending horizon.
Goodbye sun.
Hello stars.

Pura Vida, CLM

Notes:

I wanted to give a sense of what autumn in Antarctica is. At first glance, the mind picks up concepts regarding the afterlife, a second Christ, 'aliens', conquest, simplicity and the big bang. Quite surreal referrals, don't get me wrong. Behind the imagery is the idea of simplicity. Life is life. No better way to describe such than using biblical terms with contemporary New Age philosophies. Each day on the Ice is a process of simple living. We yearn for food, warmth, and shelter. We dream about what's out there, that's natural. In a few weeks the sun sets and we will be blessed with a glorious night sky that will last for months. I've been told the human body becomes zombie-like during the darkness, hence the connotation of morbidity. Yet, at the same time as I mingle with the IceCube scientist they discuss the very basics of life... muons. We are all made of up the same cosmic matter/anti-matter originating from the big bang. Safe to say, we are children of the universe, call it God if you wish. I can only imagine the trascending effect the night sky will have on the human psyche come mid-winter. When we look up at the stars, we truly are looking in at the awe and miracle of Life.