Non-black Friday

Warmer, partly sunny day, with chicken turkey soup for dinner.

Here's an item from yesterday, with more to follow.

Thanksgiving, 2014

One great party, vast amounts of delectable fare, four turkeys, and the Twelve Days of Christmas.

And, a singularly beautiful day.

Corn

A bumper crop, apparently, too much for the bins. Time to fire up the grain dryer. I once watched cows chow down on similar stuff that had beeb left outside for months–and that was the first reported case of cow tipping.

Today Pax got a bath (in order to be looking his best for the holiday) and then while Sue worked on turkey stuff, I picked aunt Janet up in Manitowoc.

So, over the river and through the woods... 

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Enough winter already.

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“With the invention of the printing press and the spread of literacy, sophisticated writers at the time converged on two premises crucial to the understanding of their own craft. The first is that the public is inherently limited in its ability to understand things. The second is that this ignorance is the basis of all persecution: persecution not just of writers, but of the public itself. From these premises it follows that the point of writing is not just to slip a coded truth past the authorities but to adjust it to the limitations of the public understanding. "

Excerpt From: Stewart, Matthew. “Nature's God: The Heretical Origins of the American Republic."

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Here we are talkiing about the intellectuals behind the American Revolution—Ethan Allen, Tom Paine, Ben Franklin, and most of all, Tom Jefferson.  These guys were trying to build a democratic republic, but they knew the ignorant masses had to be handled carefully.

A Real Dusting

The morning was getting on and it was time for Pax and me to head out as we always do, but the rain was coming down hard and Pax was anxious. However, bowing to necessity, we went out anyway.  Providentially, just as I snapped clip to collar, the rain gave way to snow. The two of us watched the drops grow fat and soft and slow their descent to the hard, cold ground. And, almost at once Pax was happy—anxiety giving way to delight. Needless to say we had a good walk. 

Sue left early for Riverknoll to help with T'giving prep, and now is spending the night in observance of meterological conditions.  Left to my own devices, I worked on picture frames, a new (and absolutely squirrel-proof) bird feeder rig, and snowblower resuscitation.

Liquid Water

Warm and wet, with lots of melting, which permitted the annual fall gutter cleaning, which, due to the vortex, had looked to be impossible this year—today's thaw providential because the troughs were clogged.

And now there seems to be a winter storm warning for tomorow afternoon. It is with thanks that I remember I don't do Xmas decorations. But when I do I set up the bird feeder?

With my mind in the gutter I vaguely remembered posting a similar photo when I first, at Abby's insistence, joined the blogosphere, and, checking the dusty archives, I found this, dating to my third entry—November 15, 2011. 

I Haul, You Haul, We Haul.

File photo

Lots of moving stuff around at Riverknoll—stuff up, stuff down, stuff out and stuff in. And when it was all done, a pizza party.

The drive and walks here slickly glazed this morning, but as the day progressed it warmed, with fog and drizzle; and we appear to be temorarily out of the ice age. 

Vortex Easing

Right about zero F this morning, but by afternoon the mercury had climbed all the way up to the freezing mark, or at least close. Sunny, with a lesser wind, so walking not so much a problem.

Much of the still water—ponds and smaller lakes—are frozen over. I don't have a full ice report, but I do know that Lake Kegonsa, south of Madison, has solidified. The previous earliest known date was November 27. So, it might be time to pull the iceboat out of the barn, although warmer temps with rain and snow are in the forecast. In spite of the unseasonable cold, flowing water remains liquid.

Today's activities included sewing (not by me) and picture frame making, along with the endless running battle against ultimate evil arch enemy Rhinovirus—who spreads across the globe the worst kind of cold.

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To that degree effect succeeds to cause,
Nor is the flame once wont to be create
In flowing streams, nor cold begot in fire.
         —Lucretius

Footprints...

...on the (ice) of time.

It's beginning to smell a lot like Thanksgiving—at least in the garage, where Sue has stashed a frozen turkey. Every time Pax and I go out we go out through the garage, which is now the only way out (new rule). And as we do, Pax lifts his head, circles around, and then puts paws up on the workbench (which is where the turkey lies hidden). I consider this superlative smelling since the bird was purchased frozen and the temperature in the garage post purchase has been at or below the ice-making threshold ever since.

Our morning walk today looked promising with a clear sky and a bright sun, so we opted for the big loop. But, about halfway through the route I caught on to the fact that we had been going downwind all the time which made me realize that the last leg would be painful. Pax, however, remained undaunted, in spite of the fact that he was traveling without accoutrement. 

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Lives of great men all remind us 
 We can make our lives sublime, 
 And, departing, leave behind us   Footprints on the sands of time.

       —Longfellow

Near Blizzard

Not really, but would have been if there had been more snow. On the drive home from Oconomowoc we drove through a few squalls that created near whiteout conditions—the wind being so fierce.