Our undergrad art exhibition starts tomorrow. It’s been ridiculously crazy trying to organize the event ourselves, finish our work, classes and clean our studios (*sob*) while still participating in trips and holiday stuff. I can hardly believe there’s only about a week left. They said at the beginning that this semester would fly by, and at the time I didn’t believe them. Now I do.

Orchard House put on quite a good Thanksgiving this semester. There was TONS of food. And yet it seems all the leftovers were gone before I could even blink. My contribution were pecan bars. They were pretty much an experiment since I didn’t have all the right ingredients and also didn’t have the right measuring tools.

There was an inordinate amount of mashed potatoes. Also desserts and wine. It was beautiful.

Literally seven or eight hours after everyone finally went home after Thanksgiving, the fourteen of us squeezed into the minibus (all cozy-like) and drove five or six hours to Belfast for the weekend. And once again, a great time. We stayed at the Youth Hostel right outside the city centre, where there was the most incredible Christmas market fair. The city hall was all lit up and there was the most beautiful lit Christmas tree. We had mulled wine, macaroons, fudge, crepes… just about any and every kind of seasonal food and craft you could imagine from a number of different countries. It was a lot of fun.

I forget which night it was (not important) but two of my good friends and I wandered around the city centre and ended up at the outdoor mall. It was this incredible five or six story domed mall, and you could take a glass elevator all the way to the top and look down. We chatted with the greeter person there, and felt the floor sway beneath us with the height. I’m afraid of heights… so that was interesting.

Once again we visited St. George’s Farmers Market. It really is the most spectacular place. Whoever came up with the idea of Farmers Markets like that was a genius. My favorite was a crepe stand, and you could watch the friendly Frenchman make the crepes with his perfect expertise. Haha. There was also a craft stand selling these awesome flattened glass beer bottles made into clocks and cheese plates. Also, there was more Irish music. I never get tired of it.

I went back to the Botanic Gardens and took about a zillion photos of flowers in the Palm House. I love those gardens and those greenhouses. I also love little coffee shops in Belfast; the three of us went to Esquires, where they actually make spectacular white chocolate mochas. Wonderful.

On our way home from Belfast we went to Giant’s Causeway (we got lost a couple of times on our way.) This time a few of us climbed to the top of the causeway (a lot of very narrow and frightening slippery stone steps) and I swear we could see the coast of Scotland.

From there we drove the long way back through Donegal and County Sligo. We stopped at a little village for dinner (the name of which I don’t remember but it was somewhere in Sligo.) They were having a Christmas parade and it was pretty ridiculous. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many people out on a Sunday night in such a small Irish town.

Then coming through Sligo we drove between snow-capped mountains. They took my breath away. I think that has to be one of my favorite things about visiting Northern Ireland: there was snow!

So yeah. Another fantastic time in Belfast.

So now I’m working on getting all my work put together and cleaning. It’s altogether too sad to have to take down all the paraphernalia off my studio walls. I remember first arriving here and seeing those stark white studio walls. I was kind of frantic to put something — anything — up there so that it wouldn’t be so blank and bare. I remember how intimidating it felt to have my own studio and to be expected to work everything out on my own. Now I’m staring at a blank white wall again, anticipating an exhibition and then leaving!

Last night we had a prom. I know, ridiculous, right? Art students are very strange creatures. But everyone got dressed up fancy-like (we did our hair and make-up and I felt like I was back in highschool again) and ate a nice dinner and danced all night at the New Hotel down by the pier. I think everyone had a good time, even if we’re all a bit slow and groggy today.

I’m hoping to post some photos of everyone’s wonderful work at the exhibition tomorrow.

Well… I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying Advent, anticipating Christmas. I hope my fam hasn’t decorated the tree without me!

I’ll be home for Christmas!

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