Jan. 5-11, 2015

The world is well kept … Her under-takings are secure and never fail.

-Henry David Thoreau

Lunar phase and lore

The Marauding Mouse Moon, full on Jan. 4, wanes throughout the week, entering its final quarter Jan. 13. Rising in the evening and setting in the middle of the morning, this moon continues its pattern of last week, lightening the cold predawn sky. 

Lunar conditions for hunting and fishing are also similar to those of last week: Look for food after midnight or at a more reasonable time, early afternoon. The days before the arrival of the Jan. 10 cold front should be the most productive of all. As the moon wanes, prepare soil and seeds for the best planting time of the month, as the moon is dark between Jan. 18-24.

Weather trends

January in the lower Midwest usually produces an average of nine days in the 20s, three days with highs only in the teens and one day when the temperature does not get above 10 degrees. There is almost always one mild day during the month, sometimes up to 10.

About 12 days are in the 30s, and there can be up to five days in the 40s and 50s. An average of two mornings dip below zero (Jan. 9 and 11 being the days most likely to see such cold). There are 10-15 afternoons when highs stay below freezing, and often those days come together, creating the definitive freeze of middle winter. The worst spells fall between Jan. 1-20. Major storms are most likely to occur around Jan. 1, 8-12 and 19-24.

The natural calendar

Jan. 5: Sparrows become even louder as sparrow courting season follows the lengthening days.

Jan. 6: Pines have begun pollinating. Allergy season begins.

Jan. 7: When pine trees pollinate, then the tufted titmouse sings in the honeysuckles.

Jan. 8: The period between Jan. 8-12 is one of the main storm windows of the year.

Jan. 9: Brown Asian ladybugs sometimes emerge on sunny window sills or in your barn this time of the month. They bring good luck; treat them well.

Jan. 10:. Go out and cut a pussy willow branch, put it in some nice warm sugar water and then watch March appear.

Jan. 11: Skunk cabbage is blooming in the warmest swamps.

In field and garden

Jan. 5: Sap may be restless in the maples under the power of the full moon.

Jan. 6: Consider forage testing for your livestock if you suspect quality is declining.

Jan. 7: Some traditional supplements for your animals include a little whole barley, a teaspoon of molasses in a pint of milk, powdered slippery elm, calcium-rich powdered willow bark, flaked oats, powdered seaweed and mashed raw carrots. Use in moderation, and keep track of any results you notice.

Jan. 8: The major lambing and kidding season now starts throughout the region; more lambs and kids are born in the next eight weeks than in any other months.

Jan. 9: Pruning is recommended for the next two weeks, as the moon wanes. Depending on where you live, this may be the time to lime your soil. Since lime reacts slowly with the ground, it should be worked in a few months before planting. Lime can also be applied to the surface for no-till fields.

Jan. 10: Farm and garden seeds normally reach retail outlets by today.

Jan. 11: Spray broad-leafed evergreens with anti-drying agent to prevent winterkill. Prepare landscaping, garden and field maps, including plans for double-cropping, intercropping and companion planting.

Almanac literature

My Most Memorable

and Embarrassing Moment

By Catherine Duling

Ottawa, Ohio

Since I love fishing so much, I once spent a Sunday afternoon fishing with my mother, brother-in-law and several small nephews. I was fishing for an hour with no luck, so I decided to move to a different pond, and one of my small nephews followed me.

My first throw into the water didn’t get out very far, so I reeled it back in, but the line caught on a small branch down along the side of the bank. Naturally, me being a do-it-yourself-type person, I stooped down over the edge of the bank to unhook the line, but instead slipped into the water.

My small nephew saw me in this predicament and ran screaming all the way to tell my mother and brother-in-law, “That lady fell into the pond and can’t get out because she keeps sliding further into the mud!” Fortunately, I was able to get out of the stinky, muddy mess before the whole fishing crew got to me, but I was such a sight to behold. That brought our day of fishing to an end, with me wrapped in towels and a blanket on our way back to my brother-in-law’s place, where I was able to wash up and change into one of my sister’s outfits.

Once I was back home, I took another long shower with perfumed soap because I just couldn’t get rid of the stinky smell.

My nephews are all grown up now, but they won’t forget the day when “that lady” fell into the pond. It could have been a very serious situation (I couldn’t swim!), but it turned out to be a lesson I won’t forget: Never try to unhook your fishing line if it gets caught on a branch.

Just take your loss, and please stay away from the water’s edge!

Winners of the Great American Almanac Story Contest will not be announced until all selected entries appear in this column.