Ken Lassman has been keeping this almanac for over a decade, He invites you to share your observations and photos in the comments section. You can find his book Wild Douglas County at The Raven Bookstore and The Community Mercantile in Lawrence.
Frost on Inside of Lodge Moon: January
Another name for this moon according to the Osage Indians of the area is Moon Stands Alone, which considering how cold it can be, makes sense as well. This is an excellent time of year to observe wildlife, though–because of the lack of leaves, the presence of snow or mud for leaving tracks in, and the tendency of many animals to move around in flocks and packs, Overwintering birds of many species gather into winter flocks, perched raptors looking for food, and the sound if not the sight of geese are regular sights if you spend much time outside.
This month is also a good time to learn different tree species by their buds, limb patterns and bark. It is also a good time to learn about the local geology using books like Rex Buchanan’s Roadside Kansas to determine the ages and names of various shales, sandstones and limestone outcrops along area highway road cuts.
The days are finally starting to lengthen, and winter sunsets are legendary in our part of the country, with the low angle of the sun lighting up the underside of clouds, setting the sky on fire at times. Cirrus clouds can create conditions perfect for sun dogs and other rainbow-like optical effects during the day due to the ice crystals. Blowing snow and clouds from snow showers can also create sun pillars near sunrise and sunset, where the sun becomes encased in a pillar of light caused by the light scattering action of millions of ice crystals.
Kaw Valley Almanac 
We skated on less than 6 inches. Lighter then. Some of the best times I can remember. Hardly felt cold until it came time to unlace the skates, then the fingers didn’t work properly.
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My folks would always have us cut a hole in the ice to make sure it was that thick before they turned us loose and I believe that there were times 6 inches were not measured with a ruler. When it snowed on the ice, we would shovel a spoked circle and play goose and fox, a kind of game of tag where the fox would tag the geese and send them to the middle space where they could be freed by other geese–unless the fox tagged them first. Great fun until you could no longer feel the toes on your feet!
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Hi Ken, I can hardly believe the healthy stand of bittersweet in your photo. Our stand (a well-guarded secret) was just a smidgeon of what it was last year. The entire vine that usually trails up into a tall tree was completely dead. We had to satisfy ourselves with a sparse gangly showing along the side of the road. Thanks for nourishing my connection to Kansas on a weekly basis with your observations for the Kaw Valley Almanac!
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Someone else said that their bittersweet was scragglier this year, too. I don’t know what to account for it being so healthy here, other than around here, almost all plants look so much better than they were doing the last couple of years. The drought might have knocked back some bittersweet and killed others outright, just as it did with some trees which survived the dry spells only to die this year. As an aside, my stands are American bittersweet; there is a chinese variety that has been introduced and is much more aggressive than the native version.
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