Poor Will's Almanack by Bill Felker 

 

Dec. 8-14, 2014

There are afternoons in late autumn or early winter, during that recessive period of the year when the sun is low in the southern sky … Snow has not yet fallen, or has thawed and gone, the land is brown, dun-colored, grey, with every vestige of the vernal seasons vanished save only for the tight buds on the maples.

But in this very drabness ... the sunlight lingers; it falls at an angle which invests every blade and seed-head with a life it has at no other time.

-August Derleth

Lunar phase and lore

The Sandhill Crane Migration Moon, full on Dec. 6, wanes gibbous throughout the month’s second week, until becomes a half moon on Dec. 14, when it enters its final phase. Rising well after dark and setting before noon, this moon brightens the early-morning hours as it passes overhead throughout the week.

Hunt and fish when the moon is directly above you (or 12 hours later, when it is below the Earth), especially as the cold fronts of Dec. 8 and 15 approach. Pruning and the forcing of bulbs are both favored by the darkening moon.

Weather trends

The first week of early winter is often comparatively mild in the lower Midwest, but the second week typically brings significant cold. The high-pressure system of Dec. 8 marks the start of the 16-week snow season in this area.

Full moon on Dec. 6 is likely to strengthen the cold. And the front due to arrive on or about Dec. 15 is almost always a major turning point in the course of the Natural Year, definitively ending most signs of 2014.

The natural calendar

Dec. 8: The second week of December brings Honeysuckle Leafdrop Season to a close along the 40th Parallel, opening the woods completely for hikers and hunters.

Dec. 9: Ducks have usually completed their migration by this date.

Dec. 10: Whitetail deer enter their secondary rutting period, which usually lasts until late December.

Dec. 11: Feeding birds is one way to fight growing seasonal affective disorders. You can also watch the gradual change in species and feeding habits throughout the months ahead.

Dec. 12: Even though the weather is getting colder, the Season of Slowing Cold takes place between this week and Jan. 3, normal average temperatures dropping 1 degree every four days instead of every three, signaling a slowdown in the chilling of the land. Soon the averages become steady at their lowest; on Jan. 28 they start to climb toward summer.

Dec. 13: The Geminid meteors will pass through the sky after midnight, arriving out of the northeast near Castor and Pollux, the twins of Gemini. Be ready to find them to the upper left of giant Orion. The rising moon, however, may interfere with meteor watching.

Dec. 14: Across the lower Midwest, the Season of Average Highs in the 30s begins on Dec. 15 and persists through Feb. 20, bracketing almost exactly the three seasons of winter.

Farm and garden

Dec. 8: Avoid overcrowding in the barn in order to cut down on the possibility of pneumonia. And, keep adequate ventilation in any closed area your animals use on a regular basis.

Dec. 9: Heavy December snows may put pressure on coyotes to find suitable prey. Make sure your fences are adequate and that drifting snow does not cover them up.

Dec. 10: Tamp down the snow around younger fruit trees after each snowstorm to protect them from mice working under the surface.

Dec. 11: Review this year’s costs for hay and grain. If they are too high, experiment with a later breeding schedule so lambs and kids will be about 5-6 weeks old at the time pasture growth is strong.

Dec. 12: Pruning season gets under way as average highs drop into the 30s; it continues until the average highs climb once again past 40.

Dec. 13: In the greenhouse or south-window garden, hibiscus will bloom, open before dawn, fading and falling by 3 in the afternoon.

Dec. 14: Soil temperatures have often fallen into the mid-30s throughout the lower Midwest.

Almanac literature

Great American Story Contest entry

Candice’s Prayer

By Jerry Golay

Vevay, Ind.

This true story took place over 30 years ago in a small town in Alabama. I was living with my stepmother there, and we attended a small church with her daughter, son-in-law and their two children – Curtis, who was about 6, and Candice, who was about 4.

Like all 4-year-olds, Candice was full of energy all the time! Well, this one Sunday morning on the way to church, she kept telling her dad she wanted a parakeet over and over. She kept at it until Don told her to wait until we got to church and then stand up and ask Jesus for the bird.

So now we were at church, and everybody was asking for prayers for whomever. By now little Candice was about to burst, and she stood up and in front of the whole church and said, “Jesus, I want a parakeet!” Then she sat back down.

The morning service was over, and we went back home. It was off with the good clothes and we ate, then Don and I went to the barn. We were in there about two minutes and a blue parakeet comes flying in and lands on Don’s back. Wow!

I grabbed it. As Don turned around, he saw what I had in my hand, and at the same time we said, “Praise God!”

 I’ll never forget the look in Don’s eyes when he saw I was holding a parakeet. And I know my eyes were bugging out as well. We rushed back up to the house and showed everyone the beautiful answer to a child’s prayer.

Little Candice came running up to her dad, and he said, “Here’s your parakeet!” Candice held out her finger and the little fellow hopped on. Then Don told her to thank Jesus, and she said, “Thank you, Jesus, for my bird. But I wanted a green one.”

Counting cold fronts to spring

One of the easiest ways to get a little control over winter is to count the major cold fronts that reach your house between now and the middle of February (when earliest spring often arrives). Here is the system I have developed from the past 30 years of watching.

See how many of the fronts you can record on your calendar. If you have a barometer, you can follow them on a graph.

Early winter: This first of the year’s 12 seasons contains six major cold fronts, and it lasts from the first week of December until about 10 days after solstice. Early winter’s nights are the longest of the year, and its cloud cover is the most intense.

Deep winter: This season also has six significant cold waves, and it lasts from Jan. 1-25. Average temperatures in this season are the lowest of the year. Few visible changes in fauna and flora take place.

Late winter: This period contains 5-6 cold fronts and lasts from Jan. 26-Feb. 18. Average temperatures start to rise throughout the nation. Sap runs in the maples. By the arrival of early spring in the third week of February, the day is more than an hour longer than it was at solstice.