The Holiday "Loy Kra Tong" (Thai Lunar New Years) is behind us and the next major holiday here is New Years (Happy Thai Year 2545), celebrated Thai style between Dec 30 and January 2nd (One day is never enough for a celebration here). The Thai people being between 80% and 85% Buddhist and around 10% Muslim don't celebrate Christmas, only the stores seem to want to celebrate it, but their decorations also say "Happy New Years" and seem to be dusty from staying up all year long. I seem to be the only Druid-Wiccan-pagan around to recognize the Winter Solstice, Thailand being so close to the equator that the days don't change in length very much. I do have fun explaining to the Thai's what I am celebrating 4 times a year and even if the Solstice and Equinox celebrations don't catch on here, at least I'm teaching them some practical astronomy.

     As a special bonus in this episode some pictures of the locals harvesting rice in the fields beyond my kitchen window can be found by clicking here.

     Attention everyone: I have decided to publish this online addition around the 5th of each month. I have also decided to archive the previous episode back one month.