Minnequa Grange’s regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 27th, at the Alba Church’s fellowship hall beginning at 6:30 PM – so we won’t have to start a wood fire at the grange hall. Please bring finger foods for refreshments.
As Ron and I (and Palin) are still trying to catch up on our rest following our trip to Georgia last week, we’ve commented several times on some of the sights and sounds we experienced. However, we both agreed that two of the things we missed the most while we were gone were: 1) our good morning coffee together, and 2) good drinking water! On that note, I’ll let you know that Art’s condition remains about the same and is thanking everyone for the cards – I, too, really appreciate this kind gesture.
I hope you were able to capture the spectacular sunset last Saturday around 5:15 PM – an indication of how the days are finally getting longer. We’re half-way through winter (hooray!) with spring about 2 months away starting on March 20th. The thermometer read minus 5 degrees Saturday morning at 6 AM and only 12 above when I left Alba to run errands at 10:00. However, Sunday morning at that time it was 27 degrees and went into the high 30’s! The good thing was we were able to chop away a lot of the ice piled up on the porch and sidewalk. On that note, I’ll remind you to keep an eye on your bird feeders if you have them. Make sure they’re stocked with seed. Ours is a very busy place most of the time. It’s located right outside my kitchen sink window and I love watching them.
I hope you were able to catch the fantastic picture of Tom Young with his Clydesdale stallion Andre that appeared on the first inside page of the Towanda Daily Review recently. As expected, he, his granddaughter Olivia, as well as our neighbors Tom Hojnowski and his daughter Tricia came away from the annual Farm Show in Harrisburg with several awards with their mighty and beautiful steeds. Here are few statistics: Tom and Olivia received 3rd in “Men’s and Ladies’ Cart”, Tom got 9th in “Team”. Tricia got 3rd in “Team”, and Tom Hojo got 12th in “Feed Scurry”. A team member of Young’s Real Horsepower also got 8th in “Youth Cart”. And, Tom Young also placed in “Tandem Cart”, but I’m not quite sure where. Awesome job folks! You make us here in “our neck of the woods” very proud!
There is so much sickness in the area. There is every strain of cold imaginable, plus the flu and that super nasty stomach bug. I heard on the news that the flu shot is good at warding off only about 23 percent of this year’s viruses. Not very good statistics if you ask me, who is someone that did not get a flu shot, nor did many, many other folks I’ve talked to. I try to wash my hands – A LOT! – and just use my head regarding unnecessary exposure. I’m sure it won’t work 100 percent, but every day I’m NOT sick is a plus.
Speaking of feeling on the “ill-ish” side, it’s time to receive the W-2’s required to file income tax returns… The word “TAX” seems to be in our daily vocabulary and I think most of us would be flabbergasted if we tallied up all the “TAX” we pay in a given year on every non-food item/non-clothing item, every utility, every service, property, income, school, and on, and on and on.
January 23, 1737, marks the birthday of founding father John Hancock. Hancock was an American patriot and statesman who was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence and had a conspicuous signature. This is why when asked to sign some important document you might be asked to “put your John Hancock right here”. On January 25, 1924, winter games sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee were held in Chamonix, France. The games lasted for 11 days and were later referred to as the first Winter Olympics. On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, ending the Vietnam War. On January 28, 1915, Congress established the U.S. Coast Guard. Also on the 28th, in 1986, the space shuttle “Challenger” exploded after liftoff. All seven crew members perished.
Lore & Legend: Upon signing the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock looked around at his fellow revolutionaries and warned, “We must be unanimous; there must be no pulling different ways; we must all hang together.” To which Ben Franklin reportedly answered, “Yes, we must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”