Good Morning and welcome to the Almanac for Tuesday, January 23, 2018.
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
By the time that January 23 rolls around, even the most diehard advocate of hibernation has rolled their last ball of Christmas lights into an unsolvable knot, tossing them into a box with an oath to neatly store them once the weather warms up. I, on the other hand, realize that it is only eleven months and two days until Christmas comes around again so I dutifully leave my lights up…although I might not turn them on every night.
This is a great time of year to take a drive in Northern Minnesota. One of my favorite things to see at this time of year is evergreen trees holding up beautiful arrangements of fluffy white snow. Another beautiful sight is a field of snow, which becomes even more appealing when you see little trails of footprints left by mice, rabbits, and deer. However, the definite can’t miss for me is the little swirls of snow that chase each other across the highways. They often appear to look like white northern lights (aurora borealis as those who are from down south say) floating through a black night known as highway 89. Those snow swirls to me are mesmerizing.
I looked through hundreds of interesting events that occurred on January 23, and luckily for you I was able to weed out the boring ones and find a really cool event that happened. In 2003 the final communication between Earth and NASA space probe Pioneer 10 occurred. This unique spaceship has sailed past Jupiter, and is slowly making its way through space toward the star Aldebaran (part of the Taurus constellation). It will arrive there in about 2 million years, so make sure to mark your calendars. For those of you who are unsure what that time really represents, it is quite similar to being fifth in line at the DMV.
Some famous birthdays on January 23 include Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (1688), US author Herbert David Croly (1869), and American photo-journalist David Douglas Duncan (1916). Duncan’s photos of soldiers serving overseas are a reminder of the sacrifices so many have made for our country. There is beauty and tragedy in Duncan’s photos, just like there is splendor and frosty danger in snow drifting across a highway.
Frosty danger…reminds me of Robert Frost. I find snow poems by him to be ironic…almost punny!
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Robert Frost
One last word for you…if you head out to look at snow covered fields, trees, and roads you might want to bring a tow rope with you. Chances are you will be able to help me out of a ditch that I slid into while out looking at snow covered fields, trees, and roads!
Email me your comments at ffefreekshow@hotmail.com I promise to look away from the swirling snow long enough to read them!
By John L. Bouchard
“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.’”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
By the time that January 23 rolls around, even the most diehard advocate of hibernation has rolled their last ball of Christmas lights into an unsolvable knot, tossing them into a box with an oath to neatly store them once the weather warms up. I, on the other hand, realize that it is only eleven months and two days until Christmas comes around again so I dutifully leave my lights up…although I might not turn them on every night.
This is a great time of year to take a drive in Northern Minnesota. One of my favorite things to see at this time of year is evergreen trees holding up beautiful arrangements of fluffy white snow. Another beautiful sight is a field of snow, which becomes even more appealing when you see little trails of footprints left by mice, rabbits, and deer. However, the definite can’t miss for me is the little swirls of snow that chase each other across the highways. They often appear to look like white northern lights (aurora borealis as those who are from down south say) floating through a black night known as highway 89. Those snow swirls to me are mesmerizing.
Some famous birthdays on January 23 include Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (1688), US author Herbert David Croly (1869), and American photo-journalist David Douglas Duncan (1916). Duncan’s photos of soldiers serving overseas are a reminder of the sacrifices so many have made for our country. There is beauty and tragedy in Duncan’s photos, just like there is splendor and frosty danger in snow drifting across a highway.
Frosty danger…reminds me of Robert Frost. I find snow poems by him to be ironic…almost punny!
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
Robert Frost
One last word for you…if you head out to look at snow covered fields, trees, and roads you might want to bring a tow rope with you. Chances are you will be able to help me out of a ditch that I slid into while out looking at snow covered fields, trees, and roads!
Email me your comments at ffefreekshow@hotmail.com I promise to look away from the swirling snow long enough to read them!
By John L. Bouchard
Those little snow devils on the road sometimes rise up and fill the air at the bidding of a roaring wind. A good time to be sitting home by the fire.
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