going with the flow

Sunshine, 32℉, 3.5 inches of snow already cleared from the drive and living about 40 miles north of where  the snowfall was 20 inches. For some of us, Christmas came early, leaving the question of whether or not we’ll have a white Christmas. Odds are in favor of it according to the MNDNR.

Harry the beagle has very short legs and even just several inches of snow comes uncomfortably close to his tummy. He’s having trouble adjusting to snow covering the ground where he’s expected to “do his business.” He’ll be pleased, at least for awhile, about next week’s December thaw.

The snow cover in the back yard holds deer tracks going up and  down the hill near the pear tree under which we left this year’s spent pumpkins. If we do get the melt forecast for the coming week, we’ll go take a peek and see if there are any remnants of pumpkins remaining. We expect none but have to admit that it is nice to see tracks in the snow confirming night time visitors.

As you know, melted snow becomes water. That’s a segue to something we recently read, that the federal government, particularly the Environmental Protection Agency and  the Army  Corps of Engineers, is once again revising its definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS). Fifty years after enactment of the Clean Water Act Amendments of 1972 the legal-political-regulatory systems are still wrangling about what they cover. Don’t be surprised if you see more and more opinions expressed here about WOTUS since we sort of have a dog in this fight. We were involved in pilot programs to help clarify land use -- water quality relationships back before the 1972 amendments were passed. Maybe this circle has gone around only  to come around again.

River

by Joni Mitchell

It's coming on Christmas 
They're cutting down trees 
They're putting up reindeer 
And singing songs of joy and peace 
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

But it don't snow here 
It stays pretty green 
I'm going to make a lot of money 
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene 
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

I wish I had a river so long 
I would teach my feet to fly 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on 
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me 
You know, he put me at ease 
And he loved me so naughty 
Made me weak in the knees 
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on

I'm so hard to handle 
I'm selfish and I'm sad 
Now I've gone and lost the best baby 
That I ever had 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on 

Oh, I wish I had a river so long 
I would teach my feet to fly 
I wish I had a river 
I could skate away on 
I made my baby say goodbye 

It's coming on Christmas 
They're cutting down trees 
They're putting up reindeer 
And singing songs of joy and peace 
I wish I had a river I could skate away on

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