…that winter–meteorological/astronomical/calendar-wise–is all of three weeks away (December 21, 2024) and about that long ago we were all marveling at how unseasonably warm it had been for, how long? And speaking of the Winter Solstice (December 21, 2024)–the shortest day of the year–before it even gets here, we get to experience the Full Cold Moon on the fifteenth. Bet that you thought this little cold snap of ours was it; at least those poor souls up in Buffalo, may they rest in peace, were recruiting fans to come dig out their stadium so that they could play football. That’s a full Cold Something, for sure; put your tushie on some beachers with the snow whipping around your nose and see what you think about the Full Cold Moon being not here yet. Brrrr!
A note of thanks to the Porch Kitty Fan Club : though the Porch Kitty population is down since Mama Kitty’s (not) untimely passing this summer, there is only Sunny/SonnyBoy and Lily from next door–both of whom travel the neighborhood checking out the location of the best kibble and the softest cushions to lounge on–left to appreciate the heated water dish. They do find it convenient since the other one is currently frozen solid. The heated cat boxes are a definite draw, though I have not seen any new tenants lately. We’d be happy to have any that show up. There’s even a “cabin-in-the-woods” spare cat box in back of my porch rocker–not that I’ll be using that much for a while. Nobody gets to come inside; the resident indoor cats would not get out their Welcome Wagon smiles, should any new felines show up. It’s Porch Kitty status or nothing.
We are also in for a real spate of saints this month, familiar and unfamiliar : St. Viviana, St. Nicholas (Not our Santa Claus but his earlier personification, patron saint of pawnbrokers, interesting story), St. Ambrose (there’s more than one), St. Eulalia, St. Lucia (the one with the candle crown)St. Thomas, St. Stephen, St. John and St. Sylvester. Then you’ve got your Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Halcyon Days and Chanukah all thrown in there, not to mention Our Lady of Guadalupe. And the OFA has an entry that says “Beware the Pogonip.” What’s a Pogonip?
