On the negative 9th day of the 12 days of Christmas my true love gave to me...

Well folks, it's that holiday time of year again and I hope yourselves, friends and family are doing well. Up here in Toronto, just south of the north pole, things are looking white. I read in the Globe and Mail over the weekend that Canadians should brace themselves for the coldest winter since 1994, at which time temperatures across the country got as low as -43 before the wind chill factor! There is supposed to be a lot of precipitation so maybe we'll actually have a white Christmas for the first time in many years.

For the last couple of years, Trisha and I have been trying to make as many of our gifts as possible. Last year we made soap, which was interesting. Some bars turned out quite well, while others were less desirable. This year we're attempting to make stained glass for friends and family. Again, it's an interesting process, but you have to be careful not to be overly ambitious. The first piece I attempted was a boat resting on a beach with a sunset in the background. It was too complicated so I've given up on it for now. Instead, I've designed an abstract piece with stardard geometric shapes, which has been much easier.

Over the weekend I was up in Petawawa, which is a small town on the Ottawa river and home to a Canadian Forces Base. As we were driving up there through many small towns, it occured to me that there is a lot of Celtic music from those parts. First we drove through Lakefield, where I believe the Leahy family is from. Then, we weren't far from Foymount, where I'm pretty sure Searson is from. Thirdly, the town of Pembroke is about 20 mins from Petawawa and I believe that Dan Stacey from Seven Nations is recording a solo ablum there. Pembroke also hosts a very popular Old Time fiddle contest, which Brian has competed in a few times over the years.

It's nice to have a fairly extended break right now - about 5 weeks in total. I'm not exactly sure how I'll be spending my time besides the standard seasonal get togethers. A friend of mine has a wood working shop not too far away that I've been working at in my spare time. He makes very cool, funky, simple, organic furniture - you can check out some his work at http://www3.sympatico.ca/peter.marrs/gm/main2.htm

Also, I haven't done much in the way of volunteering so I called the Daily Bread Food Bank and apparently I can drop in any time and help out. I'm writing it down here so I feel somewhat accountable for putting my money, or at least time, where my mouth is.

I'll also be competing in the play-offs for our Ultimate Frisbee team, the Red Hots. I've probably blogged about my enjoyment of Ultimate Frisbee before, but it simply can't be stressed enough. If you're looking for a new activity to try and there is a league near by I definitely suggest checking it out. The basic rules are easy to learn (there are a few more complicated ones that we're still learning) and you don't have to buy any equipment besides some running shoes. It would be a great game to play at festivals next summer if we have time off during the day. We'd have to find some pylons though.

Donna, a PA Haggis Head, emailed me about a website that sells and distributes various "green" products. The website is www.recycline.com if you'd like to check it out. They manufacture post consumer recycled items like razors and tooth brushes. I'm often wondering if it's more environmentally friendly to use an electric razor or razor blades. For the amount I shave, I tend to use one razor blade for several months so I assume that's the better choice. Maybe I should look into a straight blade but it could be a little scary shaving with one of those.

Please respond to my blogs if you'd like. And if anyone has any other "green" websites or ideas, please post them. It would be great to brainstorm some ways to make our festive celebrations more green!

Cheemo,
Trevor