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Frosty forest, winter, trees, snow
Credit: Donna PalmlundHappy New Year! We hope January brings you good luck, good weather, good plantings, and good health. Have you made your new year's resolutions yet?
January is here,
With eyes that keenly glow—
A frost-mailed warrior striding
A shadowy steed of snow.
—Edgar Fawcett
Calendar
January is named for the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future. January was originally the eleventh month, not the first, until at least 153 B.C.
January 1st is New Year's Day. While you're still recuperating from last night's parties, read about some other new year's traditions you might not know about.
Twelfth Night, the eve of January 5, is in English folk custom the end of Christmas merrymaking, and in ancient Celtic tradition the end of the 12-day winter solstice celebration. On Twelfth Night, it was customary for the assembled company to toast each other from the wassail bowl.
Epiphany falls on January 6. According to the New Testament's Gospels, on this date the Magi, the three wise men or kings, venerated and brought gifts to the infant Jesus. Bake a traditional King Cake with a lucky bean inside!
January 16 is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday (observed) this year and honors the principles of this civil rights leader and Nobel Prize Winner dedicated to nonviolence.
On the 17th is Benjamin Franklin's birthday. He was not only was a world-renowned statesman, inventor, and scientist, but also was fascinated by agriculture. Here at the OFA, we consider him the father of almanacs. Thanks for everything Ben!
Recipes for the Season
To bring in the new year properly, try our New Year's Day Punch.
Also, stay warm with these delicious dishes:
Italian Vegetable Soup
Bonnie's Winter Stew
For more recipes, use our Recipe Search.
Gardening
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Late winter is a good time for pruning some trees and shrubs. See our chart on what plants to prune now.
In January, we dream about next year's garden. Start planning your landscape or see our list of annuals and perennials to start indoors so you can plan accordingly.
Everyday Advice
Relieve your dry skin with some homemade remedies.
See our tips on how to stay warm this winter.
Nature
For most of us, January's a month of snow. See our snowflake guide and find out if two snowflakes can be alike!
If you're planning on going ice fishing, check out our tips to make it a safe and enjoyable trip.
Know your winter weather terms to help keep you safe this winter.
Sky Watch
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January's full Moon falls on January 9. Learn more about the full Wolf Moon!
Dazzling Venus opens its amazing year. See January Sky Watch.
Folklore for the Season
- Fog in January brings a wet spring.
- A favorable January brings us a good year.
- If grass grows in January, it will grow badly the whole year.
- January's birthstone, the garnet, is thought to keep the wearer safe during travel.
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Comments
If inanimate objects are
If inanimate objects are immune to wind chill, then why do bridges freeze over easier than the pavement that is over earth
The bridge freezes before the
The bridge freezes before the road because of what is called thermal inertia. The ground under the road constitutes a large mass that does not cool as fast as the air surrounding the bridge.
Ok - here is what I was told
Ok - here is what I was told when I asked my geology prof in college that same question. Because while in the summer pavement is a source of radiant heat, in the winter when you get below the frost line the ground is still above freezing. It holds heat better than asphalt or concrete because it is thicker. That is also why the ground around culverts freezes quicker. (:
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