Winter as Crucible
Plants and animals don’t fight the winter; they don’t pretend it’s not happening and attempt to carry on living the same lives that they lived in the summer. They prepare. They adapt. They perform extraordinary acts of metamorphosis to get them through. Winter is a time of withdrawing from the world, maximising scant resources, carrying out acts of brutal efficiency and vanishing from sight; but that’s where the transformation occurs. Winter is not the death of the life cycle, but its crucible.
~ Katherine May: Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times
(With thanks to the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids)
[Art: Anna Speshilova]
The wind is rising. Should be highest around 9:00am. But I have cooked enough to get us from now through Christmas, and all of it can be warmed up on the parlour propane stove (looks just like a woodstove).
ReplyDeleteUS winter storm expected to affect 60% of population – live updates [Click] Gee. Everybody take care, hear?
ReplyDelete—Alan
WAJ: Supply Chains Upended by Covid Are Back to Normal [Click] (Emphasis added)
Every Senate Toss Up Race Went Democrats’ Way [Click]
New Yorker: The Devastating New History of the Insurrection [Click] “. . . the importance of the committee’s report . . . resides in the establishment of a historical record . . .”
President Zelensky’s reference to The Battle of Saratoga [Click] moved me to refresh my memory about it. Yes, it is a very appropriate reference.
The forgotten medieval habit of 'two sleeps' [Click] I thought much of this was common knowledge, but there are some things in this article (notably the experiment showing reversion in the absence of artificial light and clocks) that are new to me.
I think voters are becoming more aware and less susceptible to voter suppression in the form of disgusting information. Here in Georgia over 200 voters took ballots in the run-off without making a choice. In effect, they were registering "none of the above." These were probably Republicans because Democrats had no problem with Warnock.
DeleteOf course, in the 2020 general election, 20000 voters took ballots and left the presidential slot blank. Perhaps that is where Trump thought the SoS could find the 11,780 votes.
Being dissed by Republicans had to be upsetting, but Trump put quite a bit of energy into telling people not to vote.
I also wonder if there was some confusion over mail ballots and male ballots.
^^^Oops--"WAJ" should read "WSJ."
ReplyDelete----Alan
Never having used a pudding basin before, I started looking for pointers in recipes for Xmas/plum puddings. The first one I looked at said to steam it for NINE hours! Eventually I found directions to test the pudding just as I had thought-- with a dry wooden skewer through the waterproof cover (pleated parchment and aluminum foil). I had also found directions to steam it for two to three hours. Looking through old English recipes for Xmas/plum/figgy puddings I was somewhat taken aback by how much alcohol (brandy, rum or even whiskey) they often used. It could well be that my mother's family didn't use anything like that because they were T-totalers.
ReplyDelete---Alan
Now a little after 1PM here; the overcast burnt off around noon, there is little if any breeze, and reported temperature 52F. We shall take a walk in an hour or two.
ReplyDelete---Alan
Sounds nice!
DeleteWe got FAR less snow than predicted. Maybe two inches. But it's still below zero and very windy.
ReplyDeleteAn hour ago it was 47 degrees. Currently 34 on the way to 10.
DeleteSnow just getting going. We'll see.
We had super strong winds overnight that kept us awake, or at least wouldn't let us really rest. Heavy, slanting rain pounding the window, along with the driving wind. Amazingly, we did not lose power!!! Most of Vermont had major issues; our two sons lost power. One has a generator. The other is now here with us. He traveled that hour in the sweet spot, as the wind was waning and the temps hadn't yet dropped.
If you decide to get a Sno-Kitten, be sure to have an independent source of heat on board.
Delete----Alan
😆😆🤣😆. I think you mean Sno-Grizzly.
DeleteI'd rather have snowshoes and a snake bit kit.
My brother and I drove the AlCan highway (in the summer) one year. There were signs here and there along the way that the RCMP would not allow anyone onto the highway during the winter without a source of heat independent of the vehicle's engine. But temperatures there could regularly go below minus 70F, rarely below minus 80F. The road is nevertheless kept open year-round, and enough services (lodging, fuel, food, etc.) remain open to take care of those who do drive it. The drive was something to do once--dusty during the summer, and not a lot of scenery, but it looked pretty good for those who would like to get in a bit of fishing along the way. It took a bit to get used to the idea that there was no parallel road to the west, and probably none to the east for at least a thousand miles, if any--in North America, that is.
DeleteAs memory serves me, they built the road (well enough for military trucks) in a single season-- started from both ends simultaneously, and gave the surveyors a bit of a head start over the bulldozers and graders.
Delete--Alan
Snowplow driver shortage threatens to leave Americans adrift this winter [Click] Temporary jobs driving snow plows often pay less per hour than full time jobs at fast food restaurants.
ReplyDelete----Alan
House passes $1.7tn spending bill to avert US government shutdown [Click]
ReplyDeletehttps://politicalwire.com/2022/12/23/mccarthy-talks-tough-on-spending/#disqus_thread [Click] Darned if I can remember what “wokeism” is supposed to be, but it would be perfectly cromulent with me if they had embiggened the whole shebang.
Delete—Alan
Trying again:
DeleteMcCarthy Talks Tough on Spending [Click] Darned if I can remember what “wokeism” is supposed to be, but it would be perfectly cromulent with me if they had embiggend the whole shebang.
—Alan
God forbid you be woke! That means you're a treehugger who recognizes the civil rights of niggers and queers and the handicapped and - gag - women! And, oh yes, you want to take guns away from God fearing Republicans and force them to recycle their trash instead of putting it in the landfill like a normal, decent person, and keep the heat cooler in the winter and the AC warmer in the summer... You know, your standard pinko commie leftist radical scum.
DeleteHi, Cat!!! You have been missed! The other day I saw a humorous definition of "woke" but can't remember it. I figure it ought to be the opposite of somnolent, but whatever is meant, it is certainly the wingers' bugaboo de jour.
DeleteHi Alan. Actually, I first came across woke in The Economist a few years ago. It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Republicans have only recently gotten hip to it.
Delete{{{ ❤️🎄☃️🌟CAT!🌟☃️🎄❤️ }}}
DeleteIt is soooooo good to see your posts!!
You truly have been missed. You bring fun energy and interesting perspectives.
Pop by and tell us what you've been reading and writing and, well, everything! 😃
EU’s emissions continue to fall despite return to coal [Click] “November statistics show fear EU regressing on climate commitments because of war in Ukraine is unfounded”
ReplyDelete---Alan
Had a nice chat with puddle last evening! She's still reading the blog here! Everybody say hey, Merry Christmas and such.
ReplyDeleteShe's dealing with cataracts and maybe an additional eye issue. More visits coming up. Stay tuned. Her formerly feral kitty has really taken a shine to her, too. 😺
Hey, Festive Yule and such, puddle!
Delete---Alan
Hi guys! Greetings of the Season to all. Listener's lovely card arrived yesterday and reminded me of what has been missing from my life for several months - HEP.
ReplyDeleteListener, please give Puddle my love next time you talk to her. I tried to friend her on Facebook, but it didn't seem to work. Yes, I'm back on Facebook, though I haven't been using it much the past few weeks. Must get back there too. But, more importantly, thank you again, Listener, for writing and giving me the impetus to come home.
Hey!! Gteat to have you back. I've missed you.
DeleteHi there, Bill!
Delete💝 WELCOME HOME!!! 🐈
DeleteHow come Alan's being Anon Y. Mouse?
ReplyDeleteThe Internet gods recognize me so infrequently that it is simply easier to sign my posts. It could be because of using an obsolete operating system.
Delete---Alan
The main drawback is that I can't edit my posts after messing them up.
Delete----Alan
*Waves at Cat* Nice to see you again.
ReplyDelete✨❤️ You too, Renee! Merry Christmas! 🎄✨
DeletePower outage from 2 this morning till about 10. It is about -3°F. Stove top has been on for hours. I'm not going to bed until very late (cause then I have to turn the stove off). No wind, no snow, just cold.
ReplyDeleteHi Cat, welcome home! Gooooooood luck with facebook (won't let me on anymore).
ReplyDelete