As Pancake the Penguin and Pep the Lungfish make their way through the forest, they are spied upon. Who is the spy? Not the FBI or the CIA or MI5. Nope, it’s the creature pictured above: its name is Fuzz, and it belongs to the Snow Monster!

Now, I don’t actually know what Fuzz is, but he looks like a pink bunny. And Nea, the ice cream fairy who gave the adventurers the map they’re following, has warned them that the snow monster — whose name is Narlee — likes to eat gold things. Oh no! Will Narlee go after the golden key in Pancake’s backpack?

Also, Narlee’s name is suspiciously close to the word “gnarly”.

It only makes sense that there’s a snow monster in Antarctica, and that’s where our friends are. Or maybe not. Penguins (and here’s your scientific fact of the day, brought to you by my friend Theresa) actually live on several continents. Even more, if you include places like zoos and the California Academy of Sciences, which has a whole bunch of penguins on display.

Here’s a picture of some of the penguins at the San Francisco Zoo that I took many years ago, and which I share here because I think it’s a spiffy one.

You may notice that not one of these penguins is wearing a scarf, unlike Pancake’s mother. That’s because it’s warmer in San Francisco than it is in Antarctica. More science for you.

Anyway. Tomorrow the monster may appear. What kind of monster is Narlee? A shoggoth? An elder thing? WHO KNOWS?

‘Tis a creepy season of Holidailies

Today’s entry in the Episcopal Advent Calendar (Pray) reads, “Pray along with the Collect for Advent 3, found on page 212 in The Book of Common Prayer. How will prayer guide you through the rest of the week? Set aside special time today to focus your intentions on stirring up peace and spreading joy.”

First of all, I want to mention that I dearly love the Book of Common Prayer. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just something about having a wee little book that I can bring with me or pray with when I need to.

That said, I sometimes feel comfortable with praying the Collects, primarily because they’re meant to be spoken in church with other worshippers.

But anyway.

I’m feeling sick and kind of blue right now, so spreading joy and stirring up peace is a little difficult at the moment. I was cheerful with the person who took my order at Round Table Pizza, so there’s that. Again, I’ll ponder this further.