Non-Profit Internet Source for News, Events, History, & Culture of Northern Frederick & Carroll County Md./Southern Adams County Pa.

 

December 2012

"But I heard him exclaim ‘ere he drove out of sight,
‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!’"
Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863)

Mid-Atlantic weather watch:  Cloudy and cold (1,2) with stormy, snow, some rain in the south (3,4,5). Fair, windy, and cold (6,7,8,9) with an Arctic cold wave with flurries (10,11,12,13). Nor’easter bringing heavy snow (14,15) turning fair and rather cold (16,17,18,19,20,21,22). Heavy snow in the north and rain in the south (23,24,25) returning to fair, windy, and cold weather (26,27,28,29). The month ends with colder temperatures and flurries (30,31).

Full Moon: the Full Moon for December occurs on Saturday, December 10th. Many Native Americans referred to December’s Full Moon as the Cold Moon (for obvious reasons!). It also has been known as the Beaver Moon and sometimes Ice-Forming Moon because beavers are quite busy trying to complete their dams and lodges before winter sets in and because ice starts to appear on lakes and ponds at this time of year.

Holidays: Season’s Greetings from The Hagerstown Town & Country Almanack! Thanks to everyone who has continued to support us over the years. Celebrate Christmas on Sunday, December 25th. Enjoy family and friends during these festive times and keep that joyful and giving spirit alive throughout the coming year. New Year’s Eve is Saturday, December 31st. Here’s hoping that the New Year brings you and your family good health, full hearts, and renewed hopes.

The Garden: Plan flowerbeds now and have the soil tested. Make a list of seeds that need to be ordered, when to start them, and a list of any bedding plants to buy first. Replant any perennials that have been heaved out of the soil by frost and consider covering them with pine bark mulch. To avoid rodent damage during the winter, keep a couple of inches clear of vegetation and mulch around the base of young trees. Plastic or metal hardware cloth can be wrapped around the base to deter chewing on bark. Remember to put plenty of seed out for the birds, especially if the ground is covered with snow.

J. Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"The thought that goes into the giving of a gift to a friend or loved one is so much more important than the value of the gift itself"

Index of Past Month's Entries