Dec 20th 2019

Snowmen were a phenomenon in the Middle Ages, built with great skill and thought. At a time of limited means of expression, snow was like free art supplies dropped from the sky. It was a popular activity for couples to stroll through town to view them. Some were created by famous artists, including a 19-year-old Michelangelo, who in 1494 was commissioned by the ruler of Florence, Italy, to sculpt a snowman in his mansion’s courtyard. The Miracle of 1511 took place during six weeks of subzero temperatures called the Winter of Death. The city of Brussels was covered in snowmen—a spectacular tableaux that told stories on every street corner. Some were political in nature, angry swipes at the church and government. Some were downright pornographic. For the people of Brussels, this was their Woodstock, a defining moment of artistic freedom. Snowmen also played a part in the Schenectady Massacre of 1690. At Fort Schenectady (now upstate New York), a remote Dutch settlement under constant threat of attack. But the soldiers guarding the gates, which were frozen open, left a pair of snowmen at their post to protect the town when they left to get out of a blizzard. A contingent of 210 French Canadian soldiers and Native Americans were approached having traveled over three weeks in knee-deep, slushy snow, were unfazed by the snowmen and invaded the fort, killing 60 villagers.

Much like our groundhog day, every year since 1818, the people of Zurich, Switzerland, celebrate the beginning of spring by blowing up a snowman. On the third Monday of April, the holiday Sechseläuten is kicked off when a cotton snowman called the Böögg is stuffed with dynamite and paraded through town by bakers, blacksmiths, and other tradesmen who throw bread and sausages to the crowds. The parade ends with the Böögg being placed on a 40-foot pile of scrap wood. After the bells of the Church of St. Peter have chimed six times, representing the passing of winter, the pile is lit. When the snowman explodes, winter is considered officially over—the shorter the combustion, the longer summer is said to be!

I was so tired last night

And slept! I slept till after 10am.

Too bad I was being picked up at 10:30!!

We were off to LDO christmas tea

Being hosted in Sparta.

It was lovely.

I went home again and right back

To my bed after setting an alarm

For 3pm because BELL was finally

Coming to figure out what was wrong.

Unfortunately

That meant they found it necessary

To not only text me but call

Not once, not twice but 3 times

Before I gave up

And got up again.

Right on time at 3pm

He figured it out and I am all good again.

I sat down and have proceeded

To eat all of the leftovers we had.

Not just tired today but starving.

I binge watched a bunch of my

Unfinished programs.

John finally got up at 8pm.

So I made hom some smoked pork goulash

And we started watching

A Christmas movie together.

The only accomplishment I managed

Was to clean up the kitchen,

And wash and fold some laundry.

Yup not a day for the books.

Now I am going to go to bed,

Get a fantastic night's sleep...

And get to it tomorrow.

Good night from John Street