Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Wednesday's Wisdom: Snow and People

For the past year or so Josiah has become more and more interested in almanacs.  Especially older almanacs.  As he studied more about it, he has come to really appreciate one particular almanac.  John Baer's Sons "Agriculture Almanac".  He has begun to collect them, from the early 1900's and on, and as he reads through them has found many interesting, amusing, and enlightening tidbits, that we thought we would share with you.  The following article is from the 1957 edition.
~Chs


Snow and People
   It’s hard to appreciate the aesthetic values of snow and winter when your car won’t start, or the pipes freeze. But a good snowstorm does have beautiful consequences. The light, dry snow clings to the trees and shrubs to redecorate the landscape In the frigid air. A traveler on a country road, or in a rural town, can see the arches of white formed by the festooned trees bowing along his path.
   There ought to be a time even in this hurried civilization, to relax and marvel at it. Time perhaps to scuff in the snow where as children, we would have hurriedly dragged the “flexible flyers” on our way to the hillside.
   There ought to be a time – but , alas, too often there isn’t. Snow slows us down, it impedes our rapid transit, it makes us impatient to be home by the fireside. And so we stand disconsolate, wet, chilled, waiting only to get back into a warm home. Then if we have an especially aesthetic turn of mind, we glance out the picture window and see the falling snow reflected in the street light’s glow and say: “I hope this clears up before morning.”  Too bad. At least we could say a respectful word for nature (and it’s Creator).