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
January is a Roman reference to the god Janus, the god of gates. This god has two faces, one looking forward and the other looking back, as we do at the beginning of a new year. While this sets the tone for this season, the vivid image of frost on the inside of the lodge is equally appropriate, particularly if you notice frost on the inside of your car or house windows on a cold morning. The Osage also called this month Moon that Stands Alone, which speaks for itself if you decide to take a brisk walk in the countryside this time of year.
This is the month when you can see bald eagles flying in the Kaw Valley as well as deer and other wildlife more easily due to the lack of leaves. Listen to the rustle of wind through the tallgrass prairie grasses, and look for rodent trails in the thatch, which become tunnels when it snows. A dry year means that water becomes a wildlife concentrator, with more species taking visibility risks to grab a drink in drought-lowered ponds, creeks and rivers that are made even more inaccessible by the presence of ice. Putting out water next to the bird feeders is more important this winter than most for this reason.
Enjoy the deep blues of the sky this time of year, whether it is duplicated in the subtle blues found in freshly fallen snow or not. While admiring the sky and looking for eagles and migratory waterfowl, keep an eye out for sun dogs and other daytime optical treats caused by the presence of ice crystals in the sky that refract and reflect the sun (and moon) light into circles, spots and other geometric forms. After dark, bundle up and enjoy the striking winter star constellations that can take your breath away especially if you know where to look with a pair of binoculars or a telescope.
I hadn’t really considered soil temps and burrowing as Dawn and I were talking about how the ‘bunnies’ survive the cold last night. I have realized that the earth keeps the bottom of my little garden pond ‘warm.’ Amazing to me that the soil can insulate at even such shallow depths. I presume that the burrowing takes place before frost makes the ground hard?
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Yep, I think most animals are pretty hard wired to have a place ready to get into by the time extreme cold comes around, unless their strategy like grasshoppers and annual plants is to “plant the seed” in the fall and leave continuation of the species to the next generation. Birds have been known to burrow into snow drifts at night, using the igloo approach to insulation as well…. ________________________________________
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We are lucky to have a snow “blanket” during this bitterly cold spell. This is why we need some good hard freezes during the winter to kill off some of those grasshoppers.
Thanks for your almanac. I’ve really been enjoying reading it. I’ve noticed the lengthening daylight in the evenings. But as my Dad used to say (one of his many weather sayings): As the days begin to lengthen, the weather begins to strengthen.
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