Hello, December!

 The Month of December

 

Almanac  

According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac December’s temperature is expected to be 4 degrees below average and precipitation is expected to be 2” below average.  The month is going to be generally cold and slightly dryer.

 

Night Sky

Venus is at its most brilliant this month.  You’ll be able to find it tucked in next to December’s crescent moon on the 6^th.  By the time the holidays roll around you’ll be able to see Mercury next to Venus.

 

December’s full moon is the 18^th called the Cold Moon.

 

Holidays

Pearl Harbor Day

Hanukkah

Christmas

Boxing Day

 Kwanzaa

Read a New Book Month
Calendar Awareness Month

National Handwashing Awareness Week

National Fruit Cake Month

Symbols of December

Birthstone: Turquoise, zircon, or tanzanite

Flower: Narcissus or Holly

Fun Facts about December

It is the first month of winter and the last month of the year.

National Cookie Day is December 4th. Other snacks celebrated this month include pie, cotton candy, chocolate brownies (mmm!), cocoa, and cupcakes.

December often marks the beginning of rain, snow, and cold weather.

In the United States the month is associated with Christmas. There are Christmas decorations, sales, musicals, and parties. Many people spend their time Christmas shopping. A lot of people have days off around Christmas and before New Year's Eve.

December in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to June in the Southern Hemisphere.

The first day of Winter is on either December 21 or 22. This is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It is called the Winter or Southern solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

 

A travesty? Or Justice?

Jury finds Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty of all charges in high-profile murder trial

Caitlin Dickson

·Reporter

Fri, November 19, 2021, 1:43 PM·6 min read

A jury found Kyle Rittenhouse not guilty Friday on all charges stemming from the 2020 shootings that killed two people and severely injured another during chaotic protests against racial injustice in Kenosha, Wis.

There are those who claim this was a profound miscarriage of justice and then there are those who say justice was done.

Having not been on the jury nor have I read every word written about this I do have a couple of questions.

1.  Who shows up at a protest armed with an assault rifle?

2. Was the judge in this case biased to the point that he determined the outcome?

These, to me, are important questions.   I have an idea what the answer is but I'll leave it to the more informed to tell you. 

A Word About Daylight Savings Time

I think I've reached the point where I think we should just leave the clocks the same all year.  There is no longer a need for daylight savings time and it's a twice-a-year pain in the rump.  Even with various devices that automatically adjust the time there are still a lot in my house that I have to do. Plus the disruption of sleep patterns is annoying.  

 So now the question is which one is it going to be: daylight savings time or Eastern standard time.  It's basically a choice between dark mornings or getting dark more quickly at night.  I, personally, vote for dark mornings but then I think about kids waiting for school buses in the dark.  Not good.  So I'll sacrifice my choice for them and stick with Eastern Standard Time.

Anyway, it doesn't much matter what I think.  Nothing is going to change.