Dec. 13-19, 2010
Suppose we did our work
Like the snow, quietly, quietly,
Leaving nothing out.
-Wendell Berry

Lunar phase and lore

The Sundog Moon, entering its second quarter at 8:59 a.m. Dec. 13 in Pisces, reaches Aries on Dec. 14, Taurus on Dec. 16 and Gemini on Dec. 19, waxing until it enters Cancer and becomes completely full on Dec. 21 at 3:13 a.m.
Continue to seed your bedding plants as the moon waxes, keeping them warm, moist and close to the grow or shop lights you are using. And even though it is too late to start amaryllis or paperwhite blossoms for Christmas, plant any leftover bulbs you have for January color and cheer.

Fish and hunt at the second-best lunar time this week, when the moon is below the region, in the early morning. Dieters should beat lunar influence by avoiding doughnuts and Twinkies for breakfast, indulging instead in a high-protein meal of one or two eggs and a slice of bacon (no toast).

If you go out for pizza in the evening this week, however, the moon will be moving overhead and will pull the fat pepperoni right into your mouth all at once.

Winter solstice occurs at exactly 6:38 p.m. (EST) on Dec. 21. The sun enters Capricorn on Dec. 22. The Ursid meteors will appear late at night deep in the northeast around the Big Dipper and Little Dipper, the Ursid or Bear Constellations, between Dec. 17-25.

Weather patterns

The strongest cold wave so far in the season typically moves across the region early this week. Below-zero temperatures now enter the realm of possibility; the strength of the mid-December high-pressure system is also associated with higher-than-average precipitation both before and after its arrival. Full moon on Dec. 21 should contribute to snow and bitter winds for holiday travel.

Daybook

Dec. 13: Halfway between new and full, today’s moon favors any activity that ordinarily creates physical or mental stress. And since the moon will have set by the time the Geminid meteors appear, you may be able to find a few shooting stars if you watch the eastern sky after midnight.

Dec. 14: The Halcyon Days begin today and extend through Dec. 27. According to Greek legend, the halcyon (kingfisher) built its nest on the surface of the ocean and laid its eggs late in the fall. In order to ensure the brood would emerge safely, the bird calmed winds for a week before and after winter solstice.

In the lower Midwest, these days mark the last of the relatively gentle period of early winter.

Dec. 15: Soil temperatures have often fallen into the mid-30s throughout the lower Midwest. Odds against the survival of garden vegetables rise sharply as the full force of the Dec. 15 cold front settles in across the area.
Dec. 16: In the warmest Decembers, rose buds often form, sometimes even bloom, before Christmas.

Dec. 17: Force all the hardy bulbs you can for the coldest days of January. If you haven’t already purchased your bulbs, check with the local nursery to see if they have some left. Or, if the ground is not frozen solid, go out, dig up a few that you can spare from your March or April garden and tell them that it’s spring.

Dec. 18: Be sure you are protecting your pesticides from winter cold. Check containers for the recommended temperature ranges for the products you have on hand.

Dec. 19: Lettuce and spinach, covered with straw, are usually still edible in the garden. Carrots are still firm. Kale and collards are still providing greens.

Countdown to deep winter

Between this week and the arrival of deep winter on Jan. 1, normal average temperatures drop one degree every four days instead of one degree every three, signaling a slight slowdown in the chilling of most farms and gardens. Even though early winter brings colder and colder days, the land gradually reaches a kind of equilibrium that finally turns into late winter in the last week of January and into early spring in the third week of February.
A light snowfall is not usually associated with a significant increase in health problems. On the other hand, accumulations of more than six inches do correlate with more sickness and mortality. Of course, the snow itself is rarely dangerous – it is how humans respond to it that makes the difference.