| December 1st |
Christmas comes but once a year.......it just seems more often than that. But then just as soon as it gets here, it seems to go on forever. Sigh....... Who is this and why is her picture here today? Click HERE. |
| December 2nd | Two years ago today North Carolina Laurie fell off of a float in a Christmas parade. |
| December_3rd |
Do not ever eat beans, stir the fire with a sword, stand on your own toe nail clippings, sit on a bushel basket, or drink wine in the daytime. But above all, do not eat the flesh of a sacred bird. -- From the teachings of Pythagoras (circa 520 BC) Oh yes......he also said that the sum of the squares of the two legs of a right triangle is equal to the square of the hypotenuse, but that was probably in a different lesson. |
| December 4th |
To my old Michigan pal Stover whom I first met in the 6th grade: Happy birthday!!!! And by the way, I assume that you've made an appointment for your "Welcome to Medicare" physical, right? And to change the subject a bit, is this a 160 acre skating rink or what? Click HERE. |
| December 5th | There is snow down state but, as has been common the last few years, here we sit with almost nuthun'. There can only be one explanation for this........the Snow Demons are angry with us. So what does one do about that? Well, the first (and easiest) option is to perform some sort of ritual to appease them, and the one that comes to mind is to move one's skis and mukluks to their winter home in the kitchen. This has been done! Click HERE. If that doesn't work, the only thing left to try will be some sort of sacrificial offering. Snow Demons love sacrificial offerings. |
| December 6th | Two ice fishing houses went out on LBL yesterday, both of them near the sunken island. Winter is coming......get ready for it. |
| Pearl Harbor Day |
Today is the anniversary of the "Date that will live in infamy". Do you realize that there are still about 30 million Americans who were alive when that happened, and that over a third of them were old enough at the time to remember it well? It wasn't that long ago, was it? Tonight was the first walk across the lake and back. Well, around the edge of the lake to the Ks and back, not across the middle. And it was gorgeous; here's looking forward to many more of them this winter! |
| December 8th | The ice is 6 inches thick where the front porch usually is, which is typical for this time of the year. |
| December 9th | Despite the fact that some people despise cold weather, it does have its advantages. After all, a good cold evening gives us an opportunity to cuddle up indoors in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine and the people we love......or in my case, with a glass of wine and a good book. |
| December 10th | Alas, it was too cloudy to see the lunar eclipse this morning, but for a memory of a lovely full moon from this past summer, click HERE. |
| December 11th | Lucas, my buddy from across the lake, pulled his spearing house over the center of the lake yesterday morning and set it up near the duplex point. This is a picture of him chipping a hole in the ice. (PS: It seems like just yesterday he was a little kid.) Click HERE. |
| December 12th | It's quite possible that this series of daily entries should be called the LBLR Chronicle (as opposed to the LBLR Chronicles). Look it up and tell me what you think. But remember, no matter what the dictionary says, we can call it what we like. |
| The Ides | It isn't necessary to go anywhere for Christmas.......it'll creep up on you no matter where you are. |
| December 14th | As mentioned several weeks ago, the Old Farmer's Almanac predicts December to be warm and wet in this neck of the woods, and the rest of the winter to be cold and dry. Maybe it hasn't been wet, but December so far has been WARM!!!!! Ridiculously warm, in fact. Well, there's one good thing about it......the heating bills will be lower. |
| December 15th | It's already half past December. Sheesh! |
| December 16th | In exactly six months the Kielpinskis will gather at LBLR for a family reunion. Click HERE. |
| December 17th | Lori and I walked across the lake to visit the Ks last night and a lovely evening it was.......warm, easy walking, no wind, clear sky, and lots of stars. We were accompanied on our stroll by Orion, Cassiopeia, the big and little dippers, Jupiter, and the Seven Sisters; but the moon hadn't risen yet. It was delightful. |
| December 18th |
SQ234406: Once upon a night so dark, I saw a smuggler in the park. -- SQ217951 (FC) Please reply. |
| December 19th | LBLR to SP last Wednesday, SP to LBLR last Saturday, LBLR to SP today, SP to LBLR tomorrow, and then the Holiday traveling is done until next week. |
| 25 Kislev | As I type, the sun is setting on this, the 25th day of the month of Kislev.....hence, Hanukkah begins now. Happy Hanukkah to one and all! |
| The Winter Solstice | Today, in our neck of the woods, is the Winter Solstice, but those poor guys on the East Coast have to wait until tomorrow for it to happen. Anyway, Happy Winter Solstice to everyone, including those unfortunate blokes back east who wont see it until tomorrow. |
| December 22nd | You really can't rely on not having visitors at this time of the year. At this very moment the world is plum full of people stuffed to the gills with goodwill, just bursting to inflict it on somebody. |
| December 23rd |
A prayer to the Winter Goddess: O Mighty Winter Goddess in silvery ice, watching over us as we sleep, Please give us a layer of shining white snow covering the earth each night, And a hard frost on the world and in our souls. Because of you, we seek warmth in the comfort of our homes and our hearths. We thank you for visiting us! |
| Christmas Eve | Look at this.......click HERE. What kind of life do you have when the highlight of your December is the first lap around the lake on skis? It wasn't what you'd call a great skiing day, and in fact the snow was getting a bit sticky by the second lap, but for a first time it was quite nice. |
| Christmas Day |
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
-- Luke 2:4-7 |
| Boxing Day | The total lack of a winter this year is really getting me down. I can't stand it any longer!!!! This has been, by far, the worst November and December since I moved here almost 20 years ago. WILL WINTER EVER ARRIVE?????? It has to eventually, doesn't it? |
| December 27th |
Concerning the entry from yesterday (see above), Jamie P. had this to say: Jerry, I just read your entry in the Chronicles for Boxing day and it is truly funny that what one person might consider to be the worst winter so far, another person might consider to be the best. I am enjoying this winter for the fact that I do not have to get up early to plow snow for hours before I leave for work. I do not have to worry about the roads blowing shut while I am at work and not being able to get home. Heating bills are way lower and the wood pile is lasting a lot longer than last year. Then there is the whole livestock issue. This year the waterers aren't freezing up, it's easier to get to the feed, and the animals are eating less. I just thought I would share a few of the pleasures of a mild winter with you. Everything is relative.........right Jamie? Although it might not sound like it, I am enjoying those aspects of the mild winter as well, and as usual, I'm looking forward to your return to LBLR again next July. Thanks for the "other view" of the winter, and keep in touch if you don't mind. |
| 2 Tevet | At sunset this afternoon, the 2nd day of the month of Tevet, Hanukkah ended. See the entry for December 20th (above). |
| December 29th |
The shortest day has passed, and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February, at least we know that the days are getting longer. Minute by minute they lengthen out, and it takes some weeks before we become aware of the change. It is imperceptible as you watch it day by day until the moment comes when, with a start of delighted surprise, we realize that we can stay out of doors in a
twilight lasting for another quarter of a precious hour. -- Vita Sackville-West (circa 1930) I don't really share Vita's joy and enthusiasm for the lengthening days, but I know many people that do. |
| December 30th | No comment. |
| December 31st |
Old year you must not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year you shall not die. -- Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Death of the Old Year (circa 1860) |
