We’ve written much lately about the importance of light, especially in dark places, including how little light we get, on average, here in the North Country of New Hampshire.
Remember that old saying about always being thankful, because there is always someone, somewhere, in worse shape than you.
I’d like to share a couple of links to 2 stories/slide presentations.
The first is a link to a story which a friend in Indiana sent me.
It is about a village named Viganella, a village in the Italian Alps, which sits at the bottom of a steep valley, and surrounding mountains cut off direct sunlight during the winter. The southern side of the valley is so sheer that on November 11, the sun disappears and does not reappear until February 2. Not a single ray of sunlight falls on Viganella in the weeks in between.
The solution? Install a giant mirror on the mountainside, to reflect the sun’s light into the village below.
Here are 2 raw links to the story:
First, from BBC News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6189371.stm
Another story, from Twisted Sifter:
http://twistedsifter.com/2012/02/village-builds-giant-mirror-to-combat-darkness/
Next … it’s called “The Coldest City in the World.” Winter temperatures in Oymyakon, Russia, average minus 50 C ( minus 58 F). The remote village is generally considered the coldest inhabited area on Earth.
Here’s a link to a slide show presented by The Weather Channel:
http://www.weather.com/travel/breathtaking-photos-coldest-city-world-20140128
So, it’s not so bad up here in the Great North Woods. According to information I just got from wunderground.com, here’s how it’s looked up here:
Our first snow of this Winter was on November 14.
In November, we had 14 days with recorded snowfall.
In December, we had 20 days with recorded snowfall.
In January, we had 15 days with recorded snowfall.
So far in February, we’ve had 20 days of recorded snowfall. This is through yesterday (Feb. 26). Yes … it is snowing now …
Our Temperatures so far this Winter:
Our first night with zero or below temperatures was November 29, when the low was exactly zero … the next night, November 30, it was -5.
In December, we had 8 nights with zero or below.
In January, we had 16 nights with zero or below.
So far in February, we’ve had 14 nights with zero or below.
Of course, the low tonight should be -2.
So far, we’ve had 5 nights where it was -20 degrees or colder.
Note these are not “wind chills,” but actual air temperatures.
For those with pellet stoves … we have used almost 6 tons of pellets this Winter, and should need one more ton to get us through …
And … just for my brother in North Georgia … and, other teachers across the globe … so far this Winter, we have had no “snow days” at School … however, we have had 2 separate “2 hour-delays,” where School started 2 hours late. Our School rule for going outside at recess is this:
If the temperature is Above Zero (And, this does include wind chill), the children go outside. And, yes, at times this Winter, there have been weeks where the children could not go outside for a single recess.
We haven’t gotten nearly as much snow this year. However, the snow is still piled us almost to the edge of the garage roof. And, I am grateful
that I have only had to shovel the roof of our home one time so far.
So … overall, a great Winter, and looking for the first robins
to show up in a couple of weeks.
Blessings,
Ted
pastorappreciationblog.com 