The modern Christmas tree most likely came to be in the eighth century when St. Boniface was converting the Germanic tribes to Christianity. The tribes were worshiping oak trees that were decorated for the winter solstice. After St. Boniface cut down an enormous oak tree, which was central to the worship of a particular tribe, a fir tree grew at the oak’s site. From then on, an evergreen tree would often be offered as a symbol of Christianity, and the newly converted Germans began decorating for Christmas.
At one time, it was a custom to decorate the Christmas tree after the children went to bed. After awaking on Christmas morning, the excited children went down the stairs where they saw the decorated Christmas tree, surrounded with all the gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Now days many families have their Christmas trees up and decorated by the first week of December.
The modern Christmas tree most likely came to be in the eighth century when St. Boniface was converting the Germanic tribes to Christianity. The tribes were worshiping oak trees that were decorated for the winter solstice. After St. Boniface cut down an enormous oak tree, which was central to the worship of a particular tribe, a fir tree grew at the oak’s site. From then on, an evergreen tree would often be offered as a symbol of Christianity, and the newly converted Germans began decorating for Christmas. ![]() On December 21, the calendar marks the arrival of winter at 6:03 p.m. Eastern Standard Time; however, by then, most, of nature, have already prepared for winter. Birds that migrate have gone south to a warmer climate; animals that hibernate are snug in their dens and others have put on extra fat and heavier coats to prepare for cold months ahead. Trees have lost their leaves and other plants have dispersed their seeds and died back, only to grow again next spring. Our word migration comes from the Latin word migrare meaning to wander. Our word hibernate comes from several Latin word: hiems meaning winter; hiberna meaning winter quarters; himalays meaning winterland (Himalaya Mountains) and hibernare meaning to pass winter. If fathers aren’t around when their children are being raised, they are known as absent fathers. There are some male animals that are not only absent fathers but also dangerous fathers, and the black bear has been known to be one of the latter.
Normally, a male bear does not recognize his offspring, which could explain its capabilities of the killing and even the eating of his own young. This is exceedingly rare in the animal world. In Minnesota, Bear Biologist Lynn Rodgers studied reported cases, from 1930 to 1978, of both bear and yearling bear being killed by other bear and could only find reports of nine cases, in which this occurred. While I’m driving the car, Mary Alice often reads, does crossword puzzles or knits; however, at night while heading home, on Route #14, she is on deer watch, always concerned that a deer could be in the road or alongside the road.
All nocturnal animals have what is called eye-shine, caused by tapetum lucidum, a Latin word meaning bright tapestry. This tapetum lucidum, which lies behind the retina, reflects light back through the retina, increasing an animal’s superior night vision. When an artificial light hits an animal’s eyes, the eyes appear to glow. Although deer have a yellow-eye shine, dogs and cats have a green eye shine; coyotes have a green-gold eye shine; opossums have a dull orange eye shine; skunks have an amber eye shine and foxes have a white eye shine. An old coon hunter told me that a male raccoon’s eyes have a red glow, while the female’s eyes have a yellow glow. He went on to say that this includes only adults. "Born on a mountain top in Tennessee,
Greenest state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree, Killed him a bear when he was only three. Davy, Davy Crocket King of the Wild Frontier." Do you remember watching the television show Davy Crockett played by Fess Parker? Back in 1955 the show and song created a demand for raccoon skins because most kids wanted to wear the coonskin hat made popular by Davy Crocket. The coonskin hat became the symbol of the frontier. Davy’s reliable old rifle, which he called Betsy, caused an increase in the sale of wooden guns and air rifles. Usually, the time change takes me weeks before I become accustomed to eating supper when it is dark and ready to go to bed at ten; however, this year it only took a few days
People and animals follow the rhythms of day and night, which are caused by the earth's rotations of approximately 365 times a year. While we are making this journey around the sun, the earth tilts on its axis, giving us our four seasons. Animals live according to this rhythm of the seasons. Breeding, raising young, family breaking up and preparing for the winter season by either migrating, hibernating or putting on extra fat and heavier coats are all done due to this rhythm. During WWII, our government asked the people to collect milkweed pods and send them to a plant, in Petoskey, Michigan, where the milkweed fluff was used in making life preservers. The slogan “Two Bags Will Save One Life” referred to the amount of milkweed fluff needed to fill one life preserver.
Once again the call is going out; however, this time the call is for people to collect the seeds of the milkweed pods. This request is being made to save the monarch butterfly. The Heritage Garden Club, of Troy, sent an e-mail to its members informing them that the University of Kansas wanted all garden club members to collect milkweed seeds. The seeds will then be sent to the university to be planted. In the spring, the seedling plugs will be returned to be planted in the same areas the seeds came from. By the beginning of November, we have usually experienced a visit from Jack Frost. Have you ever wondered why the name Jack is used in many of our sayings, such as Jack Frost, Jack-o-’lantern and Jack-of-all-trades to name a few?
Jacky Frost, Jacky Frost, Came in the night; Left the meadows that he crossed,All gleaming white. According to a popular Scandinavian legend, Jack was an elf that the Norse Vikings named Jokul Frosti, meaning Icicle Frost. The milkweed pods burst open in the fall, with the seeds dispersed by the wind.
Genesis 1:11: and God Said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: And it was so." To make seed, a plant will send miles of root hairs down into the soil. The plant gathers large amounts of water; produces its own food, by growing leaves, and grows flowers, with stamens and pistils, that produce pollen. This pollen will be either transported by the wind or attracted to insects that will carry the pollen from flower to flower. All of this happens just to produce a seed!
While sitting on the front porch, I looked up and saw two squirrels (one behind the other) crossing the street on an electric wire. Now, I know this isn’t unusual; however, each squirrel had a black walnut (still in the green husk) in its mouth. Earlier, in the week, Mary Alice found two walnuts in the corners of our porch, and we were puzzled as to why a squirrel would not have buried the walnuts. She threw the walnuts out in the yard, and we noticed the next day that the walnuts were gone. Several days later the same scenario took place. Even stranger, the nearest black walnut tree is a block away.
Many animals store food for the winter months. Gray squirrels bury nuts one at a time, by first digging a hole three-inches deep, in which to place the nut, and then covering the hole with dirt followed by leaves. During the month of October, a gray squirrel will bury several hundred nuts for the winter months. Even with ten inches of snow covering the ground, a squirrel is able to locate buried nuts by smell. Those nuts not found will sprout the following spring. ![]() As many of you know, the Troy Historical Society is trying to save the Troy Sale Barn from being razed. Although donations are doing quite well, the group still needs your help to reach their goal. After our first open house, we heard from people that could not attend due to working so we are planning a second open house on Saturday, October 18 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. We will use this occasion to honor past and present FFA teachers in Bradford County. The Historical Society has received a $5,000 donation in honor of Sam Davey, who was the FFA teacher in Troy from 1940 to 1980. Mr. Davey touched the lives of many young men and women in the area. We are hoping that many FFA students will come to the sale barn on the 18th to honor their Ag teachers . The sale barn had a big impact, not only on the town of Troy but all of Bradford County. |
Local ColumnistsFind articles by date or topic through quick links below. Categories
All
Archives
March 2020
|