October is my favorite month. However, winter isn’t so bad and tends to get a bad rap
October is my favorite month.
Harvest moons. Orange foliage. Pumpkin weather. Sports overload.
Pumpkin spice is overrated, though. Give me an old-fashioned hot chocolate, please.
Enjoy the best month of them all, but it’s not too early to start thinking warm thoughts about a cold winter ahead.
Put the calendar aside. For me, winter starts with the end of Daylight Saving Time. That’s 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 7. Spring forward, fall back. Instantly, it feels colder, wetter, wintery.
I think winter gets a bad rap.
There is good in winter.
No bugs. No sweat bees. No stink bugs. No mosquitoes. Fewer birds leaving messes on the patio furniture and cars. Allergies fade. No sunburns in winter. But it can happen with my Irish skin tone. Shine a flashlight at me. I’ll get a few new freckles.
In winter, there is St. Louis Blues hockey. Saturday nights are meant for Blues hockey. And memories of the old Blues-Blackhawks games at the old Arena, where the best fights were not on the ice.
I miss baseball in winter, but I enjoy the hot stove league and following trade rumors and free agent signings.
And of course, there’s the holiday season. I look forward to my first holiday season with my new grandson, Reed. Grandparenthood. That’s a future column. For now, I just like holding and talking goofy to the little bundle of Mackin.
And in winter, I can dress in layers.
Love them layers.
My first step is putting away summer shirts and shorts. I hope they fit when I retrieve them next spring. On the flip side, it’s time to pull out the comfortable baggy sweatshirts, fleece pullovers, hoodies and sweatpants.
Winter preparation is not time to put away the golf clubs. I keep mine out all year. When it’s 40 degrees and sunny, well, we’ve played in worse weather, right?
I leave my bike rack on the back of my Honda Pilot until ice and snow are in the forecast.
Weather-wise, all indications are we’re going to have a typical winter. Illinois is in for an “icy and flaky” 2021-22 winter, according to the Farmers’ Almanac. That almanac talk for “cold and snowy.”
The forecast suggests harsh winter weather will start in January and could carry on past St. Patrick’s Day and into late March. The publication expects January to start out mild and become colder toward the middle or latter part of the month.
The Farmers’ Almanac, established in 1818, uses a special formula to concoct weather forecasts. The formula was allegedly created by scientists in 1818 and uses a concoction of mathematics and astronomy.
Winter predictions
Here are few of my own winter predictions that have nothing to do with math or astronomy:
- First hint of snow will cause a big run on bread and milk at the local Schnucks. Amazing. In my world, I could go an extra month or two without milk and bread.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be in the Super Bowl 55 as long as Tom Brady is healthy.
- COVID or not, toy shortage or not, Santa Claus will come through. Believe!
And likely, I will mention, at least once, the following five subjects in a Sunday column this winter:
- A winter coat or Easter suit bought at the old Robert Hall store on State Street in East St. Louis.
- The fond, warm childhood memory of a “snow day” in grade school.
- I look goofy in stocking hats, or how I can’t find a beanie hat top fit on my big head.
- Pickleball. OK. Time for a new name.
- It’s always dark and cold in winter. I can’t wait for spring, baseball and the return of Daylight Saving Time.
