Category Archives: Miscellaneous

History, Miscellaneous

Welcome, February

February by Leandro Bassano,1595/1600
Public Domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

January has been sent to the exit and we welcome February. February is the second month on the current Gregorian and the old Julian calendar. The month is the shortest on the calendar: 28 days in regular years and 29 during a leap year. Meteorologically speaking, it is the last month of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. However, winter can and often does continue after February no matter what a certain groundhog indicates. February comes from Februa, a Roman ritual of cleansing. The amethyst is the birthstone for February with its birth flowers are the viola and the primrose.

Why the leap year?

The old Roman calendar was ten months, which began in March and ended in December. When January and February were added it meant February became the last month of the year. That meant the month had to have 28 days to fit into the calendar. A leap month was introduced every few years after February to make room for the thirteenth month. This meant February had to be shortened. As you might guess, this made things a bit confusing. Julius Caesar introduced the new calendar in 46 BC (named for him of course). He abolished the 13th month and introduced the leap year so that every fourth year, February would have 29 instead of 28 days. Thus, the leap year was born and became part of the Gregorian calendar as well.

February has some important events in it. There is Groundhog Day (Feb 2) where a groundhog comes out of its burrow in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania, and its behavior determines­–if he goes back in or stays out–whether winter will last six weeks more, or spring will start early. German immigrants used to see hedgehogs coming out of hibernation as a sign of winter ending back in Germany. Unfortunately, hedgehogs are not found in the wild in Pennsylvania (or most of North America except as domesticated pets where allowed) so the groundhog became the substitute.

For many Americans, Superbowl Sunday (the first Sunday in February) is the big event where two top teams in the NFL duke it out. It is one the biggest sports events of the year and millions tune in to watch. Fast food places get lots of orders for delivery on that day and bars showing the game are often overflowing (at least before the Covid shutdown). And the ads for the game itself are specially tailored for the event. For everyone else (like some friends of mine), watching the original Star Wars IV, V, and VI or The Godfather I & II are that Sunday afternoon.

Of course, the other big day is Valentine’s Day on February 14 which is celebrated in the U.S. and around the world as well. Restaurants, florists, and chocolate makers all are major beneficiaries of this day set aside to show our affection to our wives, girlfriends, and others close to us.

 

 

Holidays, Miscellaneous

Christmas Day on the Great Lakes

Shipping did not stop on the Great Lakes during Christmas. Many people must work on Christmas from emergency responders to retail workers that have to work in grocery or convenience stores over the holiday. The same goes for crews of Great Lakes freighters that load and unload cargo during the Christmas season and in particular Christmas Day. Ore and bulk freighters carry raw materials needed by power plants, factories, and other things. That means ship crews need to work over the holidays so that these raw materials get delivered.  Such was the case of the Mesabi Miner which departed from Duluth on Christmas Day.

Of course the crews do celebrate Christmas aboard ship. Most ships these days have comfortable crew areas where they can get fed and relax. So no doubt they had Christmas decorations up, music playing, and of course some Christmas food as well. And when they get home (and the shipping season generally ends at the end of December and early January) they will probably have celebrations when they get home once their ship is laid up for the season (until late March or early April depending on the weather) .

We should never forget those who do provide essential services during the Christmas season. They work in the background to get things done that benefit us all.

Holidays, Miscellaneous

Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice. It is the shortest day for the Northern Hemisphere. The Winter Solstice usually falls between December 20-23 and the sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn resulting in the North Pole being tilted the furthest away. The result is shorter days for sunlight for the Northern Hemisphere. And the further north you are (like Alaska or Scandinavian countries) means less sun during the day. The reverse happens in the Southern Hemisphere as the sun is closer to them and they celebrate the Summer Solstice. Those closer to the South Pole can have nearly 24 hours of sun during this time of year.

Solstices and Equinoxes
Image: NASA

 

Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as it marked an important time in the agricultural cycle. By this time all crops and livestock had been prepared for winter. Important foodstuffs were stored for the months when virtually nothing grew. Wine and beer, which had been fermenting during the year, was ready. Cattle and pigs would often be killed at the start of winter so they would not have to be fed during this time. The early months of winter were tough in many places and often called the “famine months” since little food was to be found. Many cultures observed the Winter Solstice as a renewal or that the year was reborn. For out of the seeming withdrawal of the sun, it would come back just as strong and powerful as before. Thus, the Winter Solstice was seen by many as the start of a new year such as the old Roman Feast of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) which happened around the 25th of December.

For more information:

Winter Solstice(History.com)
Winter Solstice (Britannica.com)
13 Fascinating Winter Solstice Traditions Around the World (Readers Digest)

 

Miscellaneous

Happy Sunday/Happy November

Le Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry-November
Jean Colombe (1430–1493)
Public Domain (Wikimedia)

November is the eleventh month on the Gregorian calendar, but its name comes from the Latin word for nine. The reason is that on the old Roman calendar it started in March, so November was the ninth month. The name stuck even when the Roman senate in 153 BC decided to make January the start of the new year. November is the last month of autumn or fall in the northern nemisphere, and the last month of spring in the south.

By this time most countries have returned to standard time and will stay on it until next spring. In some countries, like the U.S., there is a desire to stay on time for the entire year. Some prefer daylight saving as that gives you more sunlight (only because we change the clock) in the summer but your autumn and winter mornings are often darker. Others prefer standard time. Why change the clocks at all is what they argue? Our desire to remake the world to suit how we want it to be is the real problem here. You get the illusion, created by daylight saving time, of more sun but it is just that. In more simpler times, we knew the sun rose and fell at definite times and were content with that. And now with everyone staring at cellphones these days, whether it is day or night hardly seems to matter.

November flower:Chrysanthemums
Photo:Fir0002/Flagstaffotos (via Wikimedia Commons)

November is the time of real change in the north. The Great Lakes sees its worst storms during this time. Snow begins to fall. In other places it is more subtle where the climate is milder during winter. Trees that shed leaves begin doing so, meaning lots of raking up to do on weekends if you have a lot of them on your property. The variables in climate every year might bring more rain one year and less the next. Out in California, the rain is heading to the Pacific Northwest leaving California very dry. Drought has been declared there and very severe in places. When the groundwater begins to go though, you notice structures in those areas start to subtly sink just a bit. And with lakes really dry, you see things long forgotten becoming visible (like in lakes that were created for dams and a small town had to be abandoned).

 

Have a nice Sunday. Here is some Autumn music to get you in the mood.

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

Some Positive Signs (Leavenworth Christmas Lights)

A lot of things were turned upside down thanks to Covid. And things are not that okay this time either. Energy costs are soaring (nearing $5 for a gallon of gasoline and that is just normal unleaded), galloping food and raw material costs, shortages on many things at the stores and it goes on. Thankfully there are signs of things trying to at least return to normal.

Up in my favorite adopted hometown of Leavenworth, WA (aka the Bavarian Village), they have installed the Christmas lights on the downtown trees. They had them up all the way till spring. It made the downtown look bright an festive (hoping it would invite people to come, shop and dine there). Almost all the downtown buildings kept their lights up or changed them to just white lights. Now the Christmas lights are back! Now all they need is some nice snow so that the kids can tobaggan again.

Christmas Lights Downtown
Bavarian Village (Leavenworth, WA) 2 Nov 2021
Image: Mark Taylor