There is a lot of sickness reported throughout the area – folks with the flu and regular colds, as well as stomach bugs and general aches and pains related to arthritis with this rotten weather we’ve been having. With the temperature finally climbing into the 30’s this past weekend, Ron was able to chip away the ice that was built up on the sidewalk. And, how can we have even one conversation without talking about the weather? Last Friday at 6:10 AM the thermometer read minus 11.5˚. My boss at the shoe store said it was minus 16 degrees at his house just outside Troy that morning! And then I read in the newspaper that someone in Alba had spotted a robin.
Our friend Fred said they got their maple trees tapped this past week but wasn’t sure just when the sap would start running. The weather forecast for the coming week actually looks quite promising for it, so hopefully Ron will able to help with the gathering and boiling soon, which he really enjoys.
Rural Brotherhood is next Thursday March 19th hosted by the Grover Church at Christ starting at 7 PM. All are welcome.
Once again I need to thank a reader of this column from the Philadelphia area who commented on looking forward to reading it when they received their Canton Sentinel. I am flattered indeed and am sorry I missed you the day you were shopping at the shoe store.
As most of you know, my mother Lucille Shoemaker was a very politically active individual who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind – and her preference – whenever any such topic of discussion came up in conversation. I can’t imagine what she would think (and say) about the state of affairs in this country today. As a matter of fact, I have several of her 8 x 10 signed photographs of Ronald Reagan, George H. and Barbara Bush, as well as George W. and Laura Bush, which were sent to her (I presume) as a personal thank you for her “support” and “dedication” to them and the Republican Party in general. Upon hearing about the most recent “scandal” with Hillary Clinton’s e-mails while she was Secretary of State, I’m reminded of a poster during the 1990’s that mom had mounted on the door of the store that showed a picture of the Clintons (when he was in office as President) that read: “IMPEACH CLINTON…AND HER HUSBAND TOO!” Funny, right? And I wonder what mom would say today???
As I told you before, it takes Ron and I quite some time to get used to the time change. It did last fall when we set the clocks back and it got dark before 5:00 pm, and we’re just a couple of days into setting them ahead for daylight savings time. We love having it lighter out later in the day, but as we’re early risers, waking up in the dark again causes us to want to sleep in awhile – like past 6:30 even. However, soon we will be having 12 plus hours of daylight per day and that will be great.
I believe today (Monday) was the first day in weeks, if not months, that I didn’t wear snow boots to work. But by the looks of my front yard when I got home I better dig out the rain boots to combat the mud. BUT – BELIEVE ME – I’M NOT COMPLAINING! It got up to almost 50 degrees today. Ya-hoo!
March 14th is National Potato Chip Day. On March 14, 1879, Albert Einstein was born. St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th: “On the high day of Patrick, every fold will have a cow-calf, and every pool a salmon”. According to Lore & Legend, St. Patrick, who lived in the fifth century A.D., was kidnapped and enslaved but escaped by walking to freedom. (Taken from the almanac of wit & wisdom) March 18, 1961, marks the birthday of the Pillsbury Doughboy. March 19th marks the day when, traditionally, the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano, California.
Quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President: “History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Food for thought: It is not guided missiles, but guided morals that is our great need today.