Christmas Season

Back in the late 1970’s or early 1980’s one of my sisters was spending a year doing college studies in Spain. My parents decided to cross “the pond” and celebrate Christmas with her in Europe.  That left the rest of us to fend for ourselves on Christmas Day.  Although not really, since family friends had kindly invited us over to spend Christmas with them.  In a sense we had two Christmas', the one on Christmas Day and the whole family celebration (absent my sister studying abroad) on (or near) the feast of the Epiphany.  This was a true representation of the Christmas season, from its beginning to its end.  Receipt of gifts of the Epiphany makes some sense, as it is the day the three Magi arrived to see the Christ child.  

Shepherd Fields, near Bethlehem
Excavation roofs 

The twelve days of Christmas has been popularized by the Christmas carol, but unlike what many today seem to think, it is not twelve days before Christmas, but rather the time span between Christmas and January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. Currently, we are in the midst of the Christmas season and families who were unable to get together to celebrate on December 25 (or Christmas Eve), do so either before, or often after Christmas Day.  What is interesting about the English carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is that it was popularized in the mid-16th century and was a common occurrence until 1829 as a way for Roman Catholics to communicate certain key features of their Christian faith.  For centuries in English territories Roman Catholics often could not openly practice their faith, and they relied on certain methods to communicate and instruct.  The Irish dance, popularized by River Dance, was also used as a way of Catholics to communicate with one another by use of tapping feet over mouth and words.  When marginalized, as Roman Catholics were following the split with the divorce of Henry VIII, they developed unique methods of communication.  In the carol, the twelve drummers drumming represent the twelve points of the Apostles' Creed, and the partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus Christ, whose birth is commonly celebrated on December 25.  As some yard signs say, he is “The Reason for the Season." 

Church of the Nativity, location of the presumed birthplace of Christ

Overtime, Santa has taken on a larger dimension.  Are we losing sight of our reason for the season?  From a standpoint of religiosity, one could often count on a church to be full for Christmas and Easter services.  However, the United States is becoming more and more secularized.  You see it in Thanksgiving cards or New Year cards replacing Christmas cards (at least for the few that continue to be sent out), and it is in our language, holiday tree compared to a Christmas tree being one example. One could even argue that this trend can be good for Christianity as it can help refocus the community on the true meaning of the day.  As the number of persons who attend church continues to decline through both fewer persons practicing a particular Christian faith, and as the percent of US residents who are "nones" continues to increase, the Christmas season as a national celebration will be more and more in keeping with the consumer culture and the ever increasing secular herd, than a religious culture.  How will Christmas be viewed in 100 or 200 years?  Will it have any strong relevance to the birth of Jesus Christ, or will it have morphed to an even more complete consumer holiday?

Grotto location of the birthplace of Christ
within Church of the Nativity

There is nothing wrong with gift giving.  After all the birth of Christ was the penultimate gift of God--the birth of his son. Cultural changes, however, are taking away the purpose for which the day is named, and, I suspect, the true purpose of the day will gradually be replaced so that fewer persons will recognize the day's true original purpose.  Some cultural shifts gradually occur, and others occur much more quickly.  Regardless of how the shift does occur (if it continues to occur), there will always be some vestige, or small community of us who believe and continue to go to church; in a sense being counter-cultural.  The continued re-branding of all things Christmas to a more benign description does not, however, minimize or destroy what is one's heart.  Nor can it really compare to the difficulties of history, or present time in some regions.  History is replete with martyrs and saints who have kept their faith in difficult circumstances.  One only need to look at the coercion and murders that ISIS inflicts on Christians in the Middle East.  Perhaps Middle Eastern Christians have found methods to communicate with each other in ISIS held territory not unlike Roman Catholics did in 16^th century England.  But, the change in language does indicate a change in custom and culture.

Israeli Settlements in Palestine as seen from Shepherd Fields
With the recently adopted UN resolution, these settlements
have become a bigger source of controversy

The Christ child was born in a small town in an often rebellious and backwater province of the Roman Empire.  It is a region that today continues to be replete with strife, showing that in life some of the most precious occurrences come amidst dissonance.  My parents could have traveled to Europe to see my sister during almost any other season (but for tax season) when she was in Europe, but they chose to do so on Christmas.  They wished her to be with family on the day of Christ's birth.  For years Christmas has been associated with giving, and as I noted that is well and good, but we also need to recall the original purpose of the day and season, and give due recognition and thanks to the birth of Christ. May everyone have a blessed Christmas Season.  

Photos by Author, April 2013

Rule of Three

It has often been said that occurrences, particularly bad events, come in threes. I think I first heard this as a young man back in 1979 or 1980. What is left unsaid is the time frame in which the events occur. Depending upon time interval, you can probably conjure up many events that meet this "rule." Never having had the best of luck, one would think I would be used to this rule of three. This past Sunday while out in the early morning for a walk, I had time to ponder the rule of three that occurred on Saturday, December 17. The day began well enough, with clearing of three inches of snow from the snow storm the day before. A chore one gets used to in Wisconsin.

Ornament on  2016 Chistmas Tree

My wife and I, after clearing our driveway, and warm up with some tea, headed to Sun Prairie so she could finish getting the house in which I grew up ready for Christmas, and I could plow the large driveway. With another 4 to 7 inches expected, I decided it may be wise to plow twice, than one big event. It is a big drive that is cleared by use of a heavy plow on the front of a 27 hp garden tractor. Nearing the end of the plow operation, I noticed the blade was not turning correctly to one side. I stopped and discovered the problem was one I had experienced less than two years ago. Metal fatigue had occurred, again, and opened the area in which a bolt holds the plow blade to the assembly. This allowed that side of the blade to move free of the assembly. After some work, I was able to wire the blade, albeit not too successfully, to the assembly to avoid it coming off and being totally useless. I finished plowing. My disappointment is that the metal failed so soon again, and the effort and time to replace the part is not insignificant. Worse so in cold weather. Not the thing one wants to see a week before Christmas when 26 persons are expected to gather and celebrate the Christian feast day, and Santa too. As I completed plowing light snow once again started to fall, the entry of the next wave of snow. Snow would continue throughout the day and late in the day on Saturday.

Ornament on 2016 Christmas Tree

Many people can experience firsthand the conditions of the slippery roads caused by snow. About four in the afternoon, my wife said the mailman was in the drive, thinking we were getting a package I went to meet him at the door when I noticed him setting part of the mail box and part of its wood support in the snow bank next to the remainder of the support. He apologized and said he had slipped into the mailbox with the delivery truck. Better than hitting a car or person. Hey, I thought, I don't have to go get teh mail. It of course occurred to me that with sub-zero temperatures for Sunday, I best repair the mailbox at that time. Getting on my boots, coat, hat and gloves for my person after having cut to width two pieces of old plywood, left from a past project, grabbing eight deck screws, my drill and extension cord, and headed out to place “sister” supports on the post. My wife assisted by holding the broken off section in place while I screwed the plywood to the side and front. The way the post broke made it difficult to find sufficient width to hold the screws, but hopefully the mail box will survive to spring.

Outdoor Decoration on Sunday Morning, Dec. 18.

Winter has formally starts Wednesday, so spring is a long way off. Instead of spring, however, most of our thoughts are to advent and Christmas. Our house has a Christmas tree that we put up a couple weeks back. It is duly lighted with a good number of light strands, and has a good count of ornaments. Upon arriving home from church that Saturday night, the tree lights were turned on, and we noticed several strands no longer working. Trying to find the proper light male plug end, among many light plugs was not easy. It took some time to diagnose the problems, the main culprit being that one light strand, into which a couple others were plugged had a burned out fuse. I left the fuse replacement to my wife with her nimble hands while I started the process of re-plugging lights. Our third occurrence came to a successful conclusion.

Our 2016 Christmas Tree,
(With the lights working)

As I was walking early Sunday morning, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, I could see the half-moon set in the west sky, and the sun, with its golden rays glistening off the snow and ice Mud Lake, come up in the east. A temperature of six below can easily distract, but I thought of those three occurrences as first-world problems. In the big picture perhaps only the inability to plow snow would be a health and safety issue. Some days are meant for a walk, and that cold Sunday morning, with the strong northwest wind was one of them. After getting home, and warming myself with tea the Sunday paper finally arrived. After reading the paper, and looking at ads, my wife asked if I had ever heard of a Dyson Supersonic selling for $399.99 in an ad, which we figured to be a hair dryer, and a check of the internet proved our suspicions correct. A $400 hair dryer! This takes first-world issues to a whole other level. The person who receives that gift well better enjoy it. The problems, events, and purchases in our lives tell us a great deal of how we live, and of our priorities. A $400 hair dryer certainly says a great deal. This Christmas season, as we celebrate the birth of one part of the Trinity, t is wise for us to keep things in perspective, and think of our priorities in life. That early morning walk on a frigid day had benefit for the mind and soul.

Form, Function and Fashion

Form, or the shape of an object is best thought to follow function. If you deal with or are an architect you will often hear the phrase “form follows function.” This is a twist on remarks by the famous architect Louis Sullivan, the inventor of the skyscraper, who noted that “form ever follows function.” To Sullivan, this was part of a natural law. If Sullivan is correct, as part of the natural law, it means that it can be applied to a variety of objects of design. It takes objects to their basic purpose. However, going well back in time humans have had their own ideas, and often attempt to set themselves different from others—tatoos, jewelry, are just two areas of human interaction with ideas that promote fashion over form. For example fashion can dictate many items of clothing. It was a fashion statement with her top that drew the attention of the crowd at Super Bowl XXXVIII when perhaps the most famous of wardrobe malfunctions occurred. Plumbers often see malfunctions of their wardrobe (pants) daily, the ubiquitous plumber crack, but that is more a design problem. Perhaps they need to wear overalls. In some cases fashion overtakes function, and that is the story of this post.

Last week Friday my spouse and I enjoyed a dinner out, and during that cold evening, my wife had worn a scarf. Nothing out of the ordinary in the winter, but the current fashion trend is for women to wear a scarf even when the weather is not cold. I see women wearing scarves in various kinds of weather. In cold weather the scarf has a function, wearing in non-cold weather is purely, in my mind, for fashion. The herd mentality is well at work in fashion, which speaks volumes when one thinks how humans have tried to set themselves apart and use a measure of individuality—think the earlier comment on tattoos and jewelry. What most struck me was not the fact that she had a scarf, heck I wear one in cold weather, but how it was tied or knotted. It was a complicated knot that required varied levels of weaving. I was amazed at her dexterity at moving this part through, in and around another part, and not just once.   One would have thought she was tying a necktie. Scarves, for some, are now more fashion than function—why else wear them during non-cold weather? I had to inquire how she had learned such a complicated maneuver, and she told me “ Emily taught me.” A friend of hers from work in showing her how to tie or knot the scarf was undertaking an aspect of cultural assimilation. Fine fabulous female fashion of wearing a scarf—who would have thought it would be so complicated?  Not only is the scarf itself a statement, but so apparently are they should be tied in a certain way. I asked why she does not just put the scarf on like I do, and cross one side over the other. I don’t recall her words, but I do recall the look. I need not explain the “look.”  Millennial and/or metrasexual males like to wear scarves in the winter, and have the scarf sufficiently long to tie in a big knot.

First Skyscraper

Having known me for over a quarter of a century, my wife well knows I am one of the last people that looks to fashion. When told how outdated my clothes, glasses, or socks are, I prefer to look at it as I am not behind the times, but ahead of the times.  I view fashion as circular and fashion styles will nvariably catch up to me. One might say, in regard to fashion, I am so behind the times, I am ahead of the times.  One example, when I was a teenager I wore then out-of-style black horn rim glasses, those glasses are now in style. I view myself as a trend leader well before the trend. Trendy and Tom, my wife and children would say, are mutually exclusive. But alas, Form over function. Why put on something that takes longer to take off? I guess you could say the same thing about neckties—that de rigueur of male formal fashion.

There are various ideas on the origin of the necktie. One is that it was originally worn to keep the detritus of the everyday life and working off of a shirt. Others, that it was meant to work against a draft on the neck. Today the tie is more to have a closed collar, and hide buttons, and some would say looks better on a closed button shirt than a closed collar alone. Not too long ago, a shirt buttoned to the neck without a tie was considered a fashion not unlike pants pulled high—that is nerdy. Ties are quite expensive, and if you have ever taken a tie apart, you see how much material actually goes into its creation. It certainly is not representative of form over function. A former co-worker often commented that men like ties because they like where it points. That could make for anthropological study. Wearing of a tie, I guess is a lot like a women wearing a scarf, it is an ornamentation and decoration. It is fashion, and while they both may be related to a herd mentality, the style or type can be individualized. It is an accessory item.

Sarcasm?

In the end, form does not always follow function. This inversion of the Louis Sullivan principle can be seen in various areas. It is visible in fashion, and it is visible in what is known as Starchitecture. The wings of the Milwaukee Art Museum have little effect on sun or shadow, and the little effect it does have could have occurred by use of less expensive sun screen. But, the wings make a statement. It is a statement that people like to make with not just tattoos, and jewelry, but also clothing, and clothing accessories like scarves (and ties)—whether in winter, spring, fall, or even summer.

 Images from Google

Let it Snow

This past Sunday, December 4, the Dane County area received its first snowfall of the 2016-2017 winter season. It was a significant accumulation of about 6 inches.  I know that winter, by the calendar does not start until 17 days after Dec 4, but from a meteorological standpoint winter constitutes the months of December, January and February.    A much nicer break than having a season begin on a solstice or equinox.  Regardless of what the calendar or a meteorologist may say, we all know winter when we see it. Certainly the weather on Dec 4 felt more like winter than it did fall.  Snow brings about a number of challenges, particularly the first snow fall.  It seems that drivers often forget what snow does to roadways.  Patience and ingenuity are often required.   This post will touch on but a few of those challenges.

United States Salt Use per Lane Mile (Google)

The snow that fell this past Sunday was wet, which being laden with water made it heavy.  Having fallen on non-frozen pavement the snow would slightly melt and become saturated with water, rather than simply being nice light puffy snowflakes.  While the warm temperatures made the  snow heavy, it also promoted quicker melting. The snow on our deck was much deeper than that which resulted on the ground.  The snow was so water laden that when it was driven or walked on it became an ice pack.  Ice is not easy to drive on.  For one of the few times that I can recall after getting home from shopping, my car did not make it up our steep driveway into the garage.  Hence, before hauling groceries into the house, my wife and I shoveled the heavy wet snow from the driveway.  As the snow tapered off for the day, we again shoveled in the early evening.  Of course, as bad as the snow is on the drive, it is the huge windrow deposited by the snow plow at the end of the drive that is most heavy and difficult to remove.  With some snowfalls it takes me as long, or longer,  to clean out the end of the drive as it does to shovel the rest of the drive.

Education piece on how to limit salt use (Wisconsin Salt Wise web site)

Storms, such as we had this past Sunday, required both plowing and salting.  There is the old rule that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.  In this case the reaction may not be equal, but there is a reaction. The reaction is more than salt promoting a lower melting point. (Check out the Wisconsin Salt Wise web site here.) Salt use has increased on roadways to the point that wells are becoming polluted, Madison has one such well.  Point source providers see more and more restrictive limits coming about to decrease chlorides (and other loading levels) in waste water, which is often realtes to reducing pollutant loading in water bodies.  It is easier to regulate point source polluters over non-point source polluters.  The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District is one such point source agency feeling the pinch of increased chloride use.  They even co-sponsor workshops to educate public works staff about best methods of salt spreading, and options to than the sole use of salt.  Years ago cars had chains on their tires for winter use, later studded snow tires became popular, and now there is the use of salt, or some communities will use a salt-sand mixture.  Madison blames the contamination of its well on use of salt in winter weather.  Yet, it is not only salt on the roads, but use on private walks, drives and parking lots.  In other words, all have a part to do.  Education is needed, but no one wants to face a slip and fall lawsuit, so they, as a former Parks Director where I work would say, “burn it off.”  Not the most environmentally friendly alternative.  Water softeners also contribute chlorides to the waste stream.

A common snow figure depiction

Beyond regulations and driving, the first snow fall brings fun to children, and even some adults.  Of course, by the time February rolls around, many are wishing for spring.  I think of the winter about nine or ten years ago when the Madison area received over 100’ of snow, by late January we were well tired of the white stuff.  Even the most hardy snow enthusiasts were looking forward to spring.  But, Mother Nature’s plans seldom fit our plans.  That is why our camping trips often bring rain.   For some it could snow December 23, and melt on December 26, and see no snow for the remainder of the season.  The wet snow, and depth we had was great for both snowball fights, and making snow figures, more commonly referred to as snowmen (not knowing if snowman is an appropriate term in today’s overly sensitive politically correct society I used snow figure), are great to make with the wet snow. 

Eyes made out of coal (Google images)

Snow figure or snowman, what I do see is that arms still tend to be made out of sticks and the nose uses a carrot.  The use of these items is a long-time tradition in the snow figure building scene going back in time even before Frosty.  What Frosty also had, but today’s children have difficulty doing is building eyes out of coal.  Heck, even when I was a child, charcoal was used, and not coal, but close enough.  Coal has seen a great decline in home heating, with most homes now heated by natural gas, and a smaller number by fuel oil or propane.  The coal furnace has gone the way of the dinosaur, so perhaps too are charcoal grills going that way, hence a reduced supply of charcoal.  There are some households which do not have a grill, although statistics found on-line show that 72% of US households have a grill.   In 2015, 40% of grill sales in the United States were for charcoal grills.  Most grills sold are gas grills.  With fewer charcoal grills now available children will not be able to find a lump of charcoal for the eyes of their snow figure, much less a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking.  How distant in time is it when a child will wonder what is a piece of charcoal?  It may be only a few generations away when great grandparents will need to do the explaining. 

Chldren need no help being creative (Google images)

Today children will have to more ingenious in what they use for the eyes  than what us earlier generations had to be since our mind is ingrained with the Frosty song, which pretty much tells us how to build a snow figure.  With charcoal use in decline they need to find other items for the eyes.   Ingenuity is good, although it is sometimes sad to see tradition fade away.  The Frosty song may be replaced by eyes made out of CD’s (bug eye like), but then again we are only a generation away from someone wondering what a CD is, CD's are going the way of coal, corncob pipes and top hats.   Traditions change over time due to a variety of factors, and new items take their place.  What we do know is that the Frosty song and its television special still are based on long-held traditions of making a snowman.  How long that will remain, is any one’s guess.  Just as children need be more ingenious in finding eyes for a snow figure, adults need to be more judicious in use of salt, and scientists finding other cost effective, but more sustainable, items to use on our roadways and parking lots.  Beet juice anyone?

The Right Tree

About this time every year our family heads out on a journey of great import—obtain a tree to decorate for Christmas.  The two boys are now on their own,  but we have been fortunate for at least one to join us. If for no other reason than to help haul the tree.  A common item in Christian households, I wrote a past blog, from Dec. 2015, on the history of Christmas trees which you can find here.  Decorated with strands of lights and ornaments, a Christmas tree is a way to help offset the dark days common in the northern hemisphere this time of year.  Currently, we are about three weeks to the shortest day of the year—December 21.  How fitting that we look forward to the day that Christians recognize Christmas, which is often a metaphor for the Christ child.   

Our selected tree, Nov. 27, 2016

Decorating for Christmas can be as simple as doing little, perhaps a small artificial tree, or it can be more grand with significant ornamentation and decoration.  Some places showcase Christmas decorations, such as the Wisconsin Governor’s mansion in Maple Bluff.  And there is the Christmas light display in Madison’s Olin Park which can draw long lines of cars with anxious adults and children.   As we age, my wife and I have taken to decorating somewhat less than we did in the past.  Still, the centerpiece for Christmas decorating is the Christmas Tree. 

Tree at the Governor's Mansion, 2016

The tree is often set up in the living room of a home, which may be the least used room in the house, but it provides a commanding presence for the room.  How can it not with its lights and ornaments.  It is also often the largest piece of Christmas decoration in a household as it will often it will stretch from floor to ceiling, not to mention its breadth.  The quest for a tree is a whole other story.  The journey may surprise and when you leave a tried and true place for another locale you wonder if you had made the correct decision.  First of all, we get a real tree,  the next decision is do we purchase a pre-cut tree, or visit a cut-your-own location.  Over our past 26 years of marriage we have preferred to cut our own, in all but in couple those years.  Most years we have had our best success at a Christmas tree farm west of Middleton, but two years ago we noticed that few trees remained of the size and type we prefer.  We prefer a balsam fir, with little shearing.   At that farm, the stock of those trees had declined so we began a move to different location.  What we find is that Frasier firs are now the predominant type of tree.  The place we went this past Sunday had a great number of Frasier’s, including most of the younger trees.  It had few balsam firs.

Foyer decoration in Governor's Mansion

The locations we went both last and this year were between Sun Prairie and Marshall near Highway 19.  Both had trees of similar height, but unfortunately most all were highly sheared.  We find that sheared trees provide too tight of a structure—you do not hang ornaments so much as drape them on the tree.  Last year, for the first time, we had a Canaan fir.  I had only come across Canaan firs a few years earlier at the tree farm west of Middleton.   Canaan fir,  also called West Virginia balsam fir, is described as follows by Ricky Bates of Penn State:  “a little known tree that is native to isolated pockets in the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia. Some have suggested that, during the last glacial period, a continuous fir population extended from North Carolina north along the Appalachian mountain range into Canada. As the climate changed, fir in the Appalachian mountains were replaced by other species at lower elevations, isolating balsam fir to the north, Fraser fir at higher elevations in Virginia and North Carolina, and Canaan fir at higher elevations in parts of Virginia and West Virginia. The tree takes its common name from the Canaan Valley northeast of Elkins, West Virginia.”  Heck, I thought it was a modern hybrid, not realizing it was a nature induced tree, and I ithought it was named after the site of miracle of water into wine.  The Canaan valley of the Appalachians is quite distant from Wisconsin, but the wonder of tree adaptability is one of the wonders of nature.

Governor's Residence decoration

The wonders of a tree search also never quite the same.  If you expect to spend time on an overcast, but otherwise fairly pleasant late autumn afternoon walking through rows and rows of trees to find just the right tree, if my spouse is with you, you will be disappointed.  She is a no-nonsense type of person and has this way of rather quickly pointing out a tree.   She gets perturbed when I take time exploring other trees, when she knows the one she picked is the “right” tree.   Trips to the farm west of Middleton require quite a bit of walking, but more important a long haul as the parking area is quite distant from the fields.  But the location this year we could drive to the edge of varied fields of trees using farm lanes.   A marked difference from our past mainstay, the tree farm west of Middleton.  The farm lanes allowed easy access to linear fields of trees.   No long haul up and down hills was necessary.   As we were driving to a field, my wife says: “what about that one”.  Well, we had just arrived, and in my mind, why not search some more.  We drove to a couple more distant fields and scouted out for a nice tree.  Our son headed another way, and with modern cellphone communications sent a message to my wife about a possible tree.  After deciding it was a tad too short, we headed back to view the fields near the entrance, and with my wife getting anxious that someone else may grab the tree she had discovered by purely looking out the car window.  We passed that tree (with of course her pointing it out once again). Probably ten times she had said we should just cut that tree.  I was still not ready to end the journey so, nkowing her growing concern of a possible loss of a quality tree, I quickly scouted out a few more fields.  As most readers probably know by this point, we ended up with the one suggested by my spouse. I am not sure what would have happened to me if someone had cut it “out from under us.”    Choosing a tree requires a balancing of decisions, over height it will be in the house, branch structure, width when set in the stand, and what side will go toward the wall.   My spouse was desirous of a more narrow tree this year, but she had to balance a tree she liked with the fact that is wider than what she had hoped.  A Frasier fir would provide the less width tree, but we find that species often lacking in some qualities that we prefer—such as the balsam tree smell and the needle structure.  Frasier’s may have stronger branches, but we find that a more open tree (non-sheared) allows us an ability to place heavier ornaments to the inside, but still be seen.

Tree in library of Governor's residence

While every year we try to find what will be the right tree, we also have found that lights and ornaments will well dress a tree.  Most (non-sheared) trees will look quite acceptable in the end.  I really don't think we have been disappointed.  We have had years of trees most would consider too bare, turn out to be respectable.   The tree this year was on the dirt lane, and being a tall tree, I am sure it was passed over for many years.   This does not even get to selected trees in past years when it is was one of the few lone taller trees in a cut over field.  As much as we may think we need the perfect tree, we do not need perfection.  You find the one that works for your tastes and methods.  If one wants perfect form and shape an artificial tree could well do.  Real trees give not only the nice scent (some better than others), but each is unique.  They may challenge us in the odyssey of our ornamentation, but that is all part of the journey to Christmas.  We get a tree to celebrate the birth of an individual born in the most humble surroundings over two thousand years ago.  It would do us all well as we continue this advent journey to reflect on the true meaning of the day, and what the advent jouirney means to each of us. 

Oh, Deer

Thanksgiving week in Wisconsin is not only about travel, turkeys, and shopping, it also is the week of the Wisconsin gun hunt season for deer.  Deer widows (and perhaps some deer widowers) get to have some time to themselves without a pesky spouse or significant other being in the way.  Some deer widows take it upon themselves to enjoy eye candy provided by some beefcakes.  Of course, for many the peak of the week is not Thanksgiving Day, but the start of the Christmas shopping season, now named Black Friday, which now starts on Thanksgiving day.  Thanksgiving may or may not provide an interlude to the hunters from their Wisconsin tradition of the week long deer camp.

Deer camp, often conjures images of a small cabin heated by a wood stove deep in a northern Wisconsin Forest.  Rural legends, and stories abound about what occurs at deer camp.  It may be more about beer, male bonding and camraderie than about deer. Dad's who hunt now pass on the jouirney of the hunt not only to their son(s) but in an increasing number of cases their daughters.  For those who wish the deer population to be controlled this is a good thing, as the number of persons who hunt has seen higher numbers.  Yet controversy always seems to exist as to the amount of deer present.  In an undated article I  believe to be written sometime after 2011, outdoor writer Bob Lamb says the number of deer are down and no one knows quite what to make of it.  He goes by the decrease in harvested (a euphemism for kill) deer since 2000 (which was the peak year), not relating the figures to number of hunters (or other factors) and he goes on to recite figures that he, Governor Walker and others did not shoot a deer and many never saw one.  Although he proudly points out that DNR Secretary Stepp shot a 7 point deer.  A DNR game manager noted that he believes the deer numbers to be down, but in his opinion that is a good thing.

Several years ago the WIDNR attempted to control the burgeoning deer population by creating the earn-a-buck rule.  The rule was never fully embraced by the gun hunters.  Even though many say the reason for the hunt is to control the deer population, it really is to bring pride to themselves that they got a deer.  What they really want is a large deer population, just like Bob Lamb, to increase their chances of getting a deer.  It is more than that, they also want to get the big buck, eight points or better in most instances.  Some even set an eight point rule for bucks.  Governor Walker understood the frustration with earn-a-buck, and with efforts to significantly reduce the deer population in southwest Wisconsin due to the outbreak of Chronic Wasting Disease (which is similar to Mad Cow disease).  Governor Walker brought in an outside expert who noted the futility of the DNR efforts, and to let hunters hunt.  In the meantime, CWD has worsened, and is most prevalent among the big bucks that hunters wish to kill.  It is reported that few choose to have their deer tested for the disease.  I know persons who hunt in southwest Wisconsin and have not had their deer tested.

The prions that lead to the disease take rather extreme temperatures to kill.  Their presence was such that their was concern that deer with CWD placed in a landfill would see the prions reach the landfill leachate which in, the Madison area, goes to the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.  The leachate is treated, and the treated effluent released in the environment.  The problem was that no one knows if the treatment plant process will effectively kill the prions, posing risk to public health.

What is good for the hunter may not be good for the environment.  I have an acquitance who is near 80 years old, and grew up just south of LaCrosse.  In a conversation with him a few years ago, he noted a time, many years ago that the spotting of a deer made it into the LaCrosse paper.  Likely proving the DNR game managers point that the deer herd is too big.  Other evidence of an overpopulated deer herd can be seen in car-deer crash statistics, although there are many more cars on the road.  But it is also shown in our forests.  In June 2015 I had a chance to tour some of the many acres of forest land owned by one of my siblings and his family.  What I noticed is that few small birch trees exist, and many of the older birch were dying, likely of birch leaf miner borer.  He noted that the small trees cannot take hold as they are eaten by the deer.  St John's University in Collegeville, MN has over 2000 acres in an arboretum and outdoor learning center.  They are studying the effects of the deer population on their sustainable forest management techniques, and realize the population needs to be controlled due to the damage deer do to young saplings. Forests are living mechanisms and require regeneration and renewal.

Deer also are rather adaptable.  They have moved into suburbia, not unlike foxes living near downton Madison have adapted to an urban environment.  The move of homes into exurbia takes away space for hunting, and in so doing provides the deer with safe shelter areas.  I live within a few hundred feet of some wetlands, and have seen up to eight deer in my back yard.  One dry year the dear came up and would nibble most all of my garden plants.  The quality of deer in southern Wisconsin was shown to me in a high school biology class years ago when deer skulls from northern, central and southern partsof the state were compared in terms of thickness and other qualifying features.  The southern Wisconsin deer scaled much better than the other two locations, only proving garden and corn fed deer of the south are better than those gatherer deer of the north.  This helps prove the thesis that the southern hunters going north to deer camp is more than just killing a deer--after all they are not only better, but maybe more prevalent in the southern part of the state.

My personal experience has been to see deer walk right into our campsites, so other anecdotes exists to offset those of Mr. Lamb.  In the end, the hunter desire, like that of Bob Lamb for more deer, not only means more deer-car crashes, but less regeneration of our woodlots.  Reduced regeneration will affect the forests of Wisconsin, and who knows, that northern deer camp in the woods, may be in a meadow in a hundred years.  Now if the deer would eat the young buckthorn, honeysuckle and invasives maybe they could do some good for the forest.

Photos by author at Willow River State Park Campground, August 2016.

The Past

History, that is our knowledge of the past, can inform or help us understand current events.  As bad as things may seem, there usually is a time in the past when things were worse.  Present time thinking has a way of fogging a long-term view, both past and future.  Technology and persons may change, but similarities between events exist.  Many communities like to have some slogan to describe and promote their city or village, many related to a historic event or the start of some event that made the community fairly well known.  Time, however, has a way of diluting this heritage and at some point the city or chamber motto may well lack any connection or relevance to current public recognition or reality outside of the host community.  Milwaukee and Detroit are not the beer and motor cities they were in forty or fifty years ago.  The City of Edmonton, in Canada, eh, last year removed its motto as they believed it no longer relevant.  Their motto was “City of Champions.”  

Man Mound Park, northeast of Baraboo, WI (author photo)

Some time was spent this past Saturday in Baraboo, WI.  Baraboo is an older community with a nice courthouse, as the county seat of Sauk County, and posseses a downtown with some well-kept buildings.  Some parts of the downtown are, however, getting tired looking, having become victim to the suburban shopping movement.   It is odd how we as a nation like to visit these small quaint downtown areas that are link to the past when a central business district was truly a central business district, but yet often visit the sprawl mall, making those historic downtowns less desirable.  Today, in Baraboo second hand stores and food and beverage places seem more prevalent nestled among the financial institutions.  Baraboo calls itself, the “Gem City” not because of diamonds, emeralds or sapphires, but due to attractions near and in the community.  Baraboo is just north of Devil’s Lake State Park, one of most visited parks in the state of Wisconsin.  It is south of the International Crane Foundation, and the large Man Mound Indian mound located on Man Mound Road, now almost too close to the city edge. Other than Devil’s Lake, iBaraboo is most defined by the Circus World Museum.  The museum is located on the former winter grounds of the Ringling Brothers Circus, along the banks of the Baraboo River, only  few blocks south of the courthouse. 

Sauk County Courthouse, Baraboo WI (author photo)

The problem is that circuses’ seem to be a thing of the past.  Attendance at the museum has been spotty in recent years.  Years ago, a circus would travel to destinations by wagon, then it was by train, and now by semi.  They would stake their tents on an open field, and parade through the town with their gleaming circus wagons to attract interest.  Today few do the tents, desiring the indoor arenas.   Perhps acknowlding the past, or looking for unspent stamps by collectors, the postal service this year has stamps out recognizing the Ringling Circus.  Years ago my wife and I took our children to Circus World Museum, the one and only time I was on to the grounds.  The former circus parade, consisting primarily of museum circus wagons used to be held annually in Milwaukee, has seen costs rise to the point it is no longer viable to stage.  It shifted to Baraboo, but it too is falling victim to costs.  Yet, as famous as the Ringling Brothers circus was, it may be coming a past memory, and may not be in the collective conscience of millennials, the i-generation and other young souls. 

Ringling Brothers (Google Images)

Five of seven Ringling brothers began performing acts in town halls across the state in 1882.  In 1884 they entered the big leagues when they founded the Ringling Brothers Circus.  Ringling Brothers bought out the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1907, hence giving the name most recognized today, and the moniker “The Greatest Show on Earth”.  The Gollmar Brothers Circus was also founded in Baraboo by cousins of the Ringling’s in 1891.  Beyond the Circus World Museum, Baraboo contains a few other gems related to its past circus heritage which had come to define the city, and the city now uses to define itself.  There is the Al Ringling home, built of dark red stone, which is now in the process of being restored and to become a Bed and Breakfast after years of use as the local Elk’s Club.  There is the Al Ringling Theater which was recently restored, and is a masterpiece for a small town.  For a few years I had the pleasure of working in the Baraboo Courthouse and the desk (really table) I occupied looked out over the theater.   There is a wood sided Ringling home along Hwy 33 a couple blocks from downtown, already a B&B.  But, there may be a growing disconnect.  On our visit to Baraboo one of the plans was to possibly tour the Al Ringling home. When mentioned to one of our children that we may be doing this, he confessed that he had never heard of Al Ringling, or the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.  The Greatest Show in Earth, is apparently no longer well known.  Other avenues and events have been opened and available to children today compared with children 100 years ago.  Our son was very young, about two, on our trip to the Circus World Museum.  With creepy clowns continuing to terrorize there will likely be even less interest in a circus since they did so much to popularize clowns.

Downtown Baraboo (Google Images)

With this disconnect, how long can Baraboo and its nod to the circus heritage continue?  It is already 98 when the Ringlings ceased using Baraboo as their winter quarters.   Yet, signs of the circus are well prevalent in the community.  Bike racks are in the shape of a wagon wheel, the water tower is painted like a big top tents of old, and even the new Highway 12 bypass contains circus images, as artwork, on its over/under passes.  The old winter grounds, and hometown of the Ringling’s still defines Baraboo to a large degree.  As years go by, and the circus history of the community moves out of memory, the Al Ringling home and theater will be less known for its circus history than as landmarks in a town from a once wealthy citizen.  One may not know if he was a brewer, financier, or industrialist of a once past industry during the gilded age.  What remains, and hopefully will continue to remain, is the link these buildings provide to a national past that is long fading into the sunset of our collective memory.  

Interior of Al Ringling Theater (Google Images)

November 8

This year on November 8 the United States will be electing the 45th person to hold the office of the presidency. Politics, is not new, nor are elections with dirty tricks, or personal attacks on the opposition candidate. Politics have probably been around as long as the human race has been able to communicate. Aristotle (384 BC to 322 BC) once wrote that human beings by nature are political animals. Our political nature, according to Aristotle, primarily comes from our ability to communicate certain moral concepts such as justice. To say that this presidential election has tested the national patience would be a vast understatement. To adjust from Thomas Paine: these are the times that try our souls. This makes me recall the famous beginning statement of Cicero's first attack on Catiline in 63 BC: "When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience?" The purpose of this piece is to not discuss the current election cycle, rather it is to discuss the events and circumstances surrounding what historians call the Catiline Conspiracy, and a few of the many similarities to current events.

Catiline

In the year 63 BC both Cicero and Catiline were near the top of the political hierarchy.  Cicero had some tremendous skills as an orator, which to his advantage that early November day in 63 BC.  Cicero was born into a wealthy landed family, not in Rome, but in a community about 70 miles north, Arpinum.  Even though born to wealth, Cicero's roots were surpassed in the amount of blue-blood by Catiline who counted among his ancestors one of the ancient mythical founders of the Eternal City.  In addition, Catiline's great grandfather was a hero of the wars against the man with the elephants--Hannibal.  However, from a political stand point Cicero was Counsel, at the time the highest position within the republic of Rome.  Showing that the favored blue-blood line, often thought to be a high advantage in Roman politics, had its limits Catiline had twice run for Counsel, but had been denied, most recently in that year of 63BC.

Cicero

The Counsel election between the two was testy, and even though Cicero was a "new man", that is not of the blue-blood stock that Catiline possessed. Catiline was hampered by his past which included an acquittal of violating a Vestal Virgin.  Cicero would go on to win the election with the backing of the rich and the powerful.  According to classical historian Mary Beard, the "Roman electoral system openly and unashamedly gave extra weight to the votes of the rich."  In the end, the powerful rich elites of Rome would see to the election of the new man. Control of a political system by the rich and the elites is not new, they put their interests first, as observed by Julian Assange.  The US system is less openly, but just as unashamedly, interested in promoting the political elites.  All Bernie Sanders desired was a level playing field, but interplay between the national media and the DNC would not provide such.  Democracy depends upon a free and independent media, (a fourth check and balance, if you will) but such exists in name only and certainly not in practice. 

Roman Curia Building.  Last rebuilt in 283 AD
1990 photo by author

What was different for Catiline?  Why did a blue-blood son of Rome fall?  While born into money, the economic times just prior to 63 BC left him with a great deal of debt, almost bankrupt. A Roman version of our great recession.  Perhaps he overextended on loans unable to pay them back due to economic rough times.  More likely, as reported, his two runs for Counsel would have required significant resources leaving him near bankrupt.  To reclaim his funds, and his honor, Catiline took on a very populist agenda, one that would seal his fate.  Not only did he promote cancellation of debt, but he wanted to put forth proscription of wealthy citizens into military service, and other items to champion the oppressed and the poor.  This would appeal to a wide arrange of Romans, but the vote of the underclass was not enough to overcome the extra weight given the rich.  As Beard says: "claiming that he was a down-and-out standing up for other down-and-outs could hardly have endeared him to the elite voters." Rich Romans were beginning to raise eye brows with their plush private houses, fitted with Greek sculpture and paintings.  They would not wish to their lifestyle challenged.  Less than one year ago former President Bill Clinton said in a speech that  lower income whites don't have anything to look forward to when they get up in the morning."  Catiline understood this about ancient Rome, and it would lead him to make a decision which in our 21st century mind we would find abhorrent, but was not uncommon, and would become more common in the years of the empire, rebellion and possibly murder.

Famous painting of Cicero's Oration.  Catiiline  sits alone.
It lacks historical accuracy in a number of ways.

Cicero, was one of two counsels, and believed a rebellion would lead to his death.  Cicero would find out about Catiline's potential adventure and with the oration provided by his experience as a lawyer, he would take to the Temple Jupiter before a crowd of 600 senators to lay out a case against Catiline.  Mixing fact, with fiction and innuendo, and adding theatrics, such as wearing a breast plate and entering with an armed guard, Cicero would make an argument against Catiline.  As a Rome slumlord, Cicero knew his fortunes would falter if Catiline were successful with his proposed reforms.  Catiline, who was in attendance as a senator, attempted to defend himself.  Realizing his fate, he would leave town that evening.  Catiline was not alone, he had garnered support not just among the poor and indigent, but also among others of the ruling class that had seen their fortunes decline.

Part of Roman Forum
1990 photo by author

Cicero would formulate a brilliant plot to weed these men out.  As Counsel, Cicero obtained from the senate powers to do what was necessary to protect the republic.  Today we would call these emergency powers.  In his methods, Cicero's actions would bring to the fore the question of what level of civil rights should be sacrificed for the good of the republic.  Over 2000 years later there is still not an answer as western democracies still struggle with this issue.  A number of Catiline's supporters were captured and within a month Cicero discussed what should be done with the men in custody.  Relying on the decree of emergency powers, and with support of some senators, Cicero had the men executed. Julius Caesar, would suggest that the men simply be imprisoned, a rather novel idea at the time since prisons were likely viewed only holding cells for an upcoming execution. Catiline would meet death leading forces against the Roman army in 62 BC.

The phrase has entered the popular lexicon

Typical of members of ruling class and their ever increasing levels of hubris, Cicero had the men executed without trial. In first century BC Rome the people made the laws, and elected (well sort of) the Counsels.  In 58 BC opponents of Cicero would argue that whatever the emergency powers granted to him, the executions of Catiline's followers deprived Roman citizens of a fundamental right--that being a fair trial. One could say it was Cicero's version of a drone strike.  Resentment to his actions peaked and Cicero was exiled for a year, and his main home destroyed.  The decline of his career would parallel the decline of the Roman Republic.  Cicero had supported Julius Caesar's rival Pompey, and after Caesar's assassination, he supported Brutus for Governor.   Within 20 years the Roman Republic would end, and following Caesar's assassination, leading to the rise of Augustus (Gaius Octavius).  Republics are fragile institutions dependant upon moral concepts of justice and right and wrong.  Whatever the outcome of this election, we can expect something similar to that by Cicero in 63 BC: "Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra".

Falling Leaves

Fall, is the season before winter, and is the only one of the four to have two names--fall and autumn.  Many commentators say that in the English speaking world most persons, up until the late 18th century at least, only recognized the seasons as summer and winter.  The season we know as fall was first known as harvest.  Autumn is an English version of a French word that likely not only had its origins in Latin, but also in Etruscan.  Fall likely got its name from what happens to leaves this time of year.  While the English may have chosen not to discuss much about spring and fall (autumn) until the late 18th century, famed Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi had already written the work for which he is most famous--"The Four Seasons." This work was written about 1723.  Vivaldi obviously wanted to recognize the four seasons.

Autumn Purple Ash, Oct 1, 2013

Many people like fall, not for having to rake leaves, but for the cooler temperatures, and sometimes brisk days.  One can enjoy a hot beverage, or comfort foods such as soup and chili and let them do what they do best--warm you up inside.  Of course, every year sees its variety of weather, and this year the wet and cloudy days did not for fall color viewing make.  On October 20 my wife and I took our first excursion to New Glarus Woods State Park hoping to see what we may of the fall colors.  But, we were too late as the colors were well past their peak.  The weekend prior to October 20 was dull and gray, and it was during the intermediate week that the wind and rain took their toll on many trees.

Autumn Purple Ash, Oct. 1, 2016

Last week Friday (October 28), my wife and I both took off work to celebrate our anniversary which was on Thursday.  We of course did what most couples would do on their anniversary--we took a hike. This hike was undertaken at Lapham Peak unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.  The area is full of hiking trails, and the Ice Age trail runs through the park.  The fall colors at this location were also past peak, but not to the same degree as at New Glarus Woods five days earlier. The park also contains the highest point in Waukesha County--Lapham Peak, which had been known as Government Hill, until renamed by initiative of the Waukesha County Historical Society to recognize the efforts of famed UW Scientist Increase Lapham.  At this location his efforts mainly focused on weather forecasting.  One wonders what Increase would make of the climate and change Wisconsin and world face today.

Neighbor's street tree looking as viewed from the south

Nature, like weather, is variable.  Some trees are now just at their peak, and a maple in our yard has yet to show signs of turning.  Unfortunately, this maple lacks any of the expressive red and yellows of the street tree in our neighbor's yard.  Saturday, October 29, was a nice warm day but as the wind picked up over the course of the day this maple street tree was losing its leaves at an abundant rate.  Later in the afternoon the brisk breeze was on its last legs and the neighbor on whose property the tree sits started to rack up the leaves, even though many more have yet to fall.  With Wisconsin weather, one never knows what the next day will bring, so perhaps she thought it best to do what she could.  Her young toddler son was enjoying an activity that most kids enjoy--playing in the leaf pile.  Even as an adult leaf piles can be fun to jump into.  As I was outside, the youngest son of the neighbors on the other side of us started running over to the house with the maple.  After yelling, Hi Tom!, he was off with arms wide open.  The toddler got out of the leaf pile and was toddling toward him with arms wide open as well, but the older boy just kept going and jumped  into the leaf pile.  I thought they were to give each other a hug, and the toddler's mom, by the comment given, thought the same.  The leaf pile was too much of a distraction.  After all, we are talking about boys, for who a leaf pile will not remain a leaf pile for long. (I did not notice the toddler's six year old sister playing in the leaf pile.)  I know this from past experience.  The joy of the child is just another work activity for the adult, but on a nice day like last Saturday raking is accomplished with a measure of love.    Leaves and love perhaps an odd combination, but it is a way to enjoy the season as is a warm cup of hot cider.

Neighbor's street as viewed from north

What is also interesting about the maple tree in that one neighbor's yard is that the leaves facing northerly tended to appear more yellow than red, while the leaves facing southerly tended to be appear more red.  Photos do not justice do to what the eye can see, but perhaps the color change is also related in part to the sun received.  My own autumn purple ash, saw an abrupt end to its color extravaganza, and the cloudy, rainy days this fall left little to be enjoyed by its unique color so different than most of the earth tone colors of the leaves of other neighboring trees.  The autumn purple ash and Increase Lapham have at least one thing in common--do you know what it is?

Lapham Peak, Oct. 28, 2016

As I was viewing the tree canopy at Lapham Peak from the 45 foot observation tower which sits atop the glacial knoll, I could look over all the tree tops.  One child could not help but keep saying "I can see for miles."  The joys of a young child of this sight may only be surpassed by his ability to jump in a leaf pile.  If the day was less hazy the miles would have increased.  What struck me as I looked across the forest of deciduous and evergreens, was that I was looking at nature's carpet.  A thick plush carpet that will soon be all gone as the lability of fall is overtaken by the cold dark days of winter.  Fall certainly matches its name, but this year the colors, likely due to the cloudy, damp, and varied temperatures lacked the vibrancy of past years.