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Published: February 22nd 2005
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Snow
It is snow. It is not dust on the lens. I have learned that we can blame the Russians for the cold air we are having and the Italians for the moisture that is falling as snow. Cold air has streamed into Central Europe the last few days from Russia and a low pressure system is pumping moist air up from the south. The result, the two air masses are colliding over Central Europe and the moisture is falling as snow. And today, indeed, it did snow and snow and snow. The weatherman says colder air is headed this way and the lows for the rest of the week will be in the teens.
There are wild pigs in the Sarka Valley. By wild pigs I do not mean domestic pigs that are free and wild in the woods, I mean the wild boar that have always been wild and free and mean, the ones nobility liked to hunt for trophy heads on the walls of their castles. One of the students told Nancy and me that he saw several last fall when he was walking the trail in the valley. His belief is they are not particularly dangerous unless you happen to get between a mother and one of her off spring. Perhaps the wild boar see so many people here that they are not alarmed at the presence of humans most of the time. I would like to see one .... at a safe distance. Ticks are the other danger here in the spring and summer. The Czech Republic is full of those little black ticks, those pin point size black ticks that carry lime disease and encephalitis. Perhaps on our walks Nancy and I had best stay on the wider trail and not wander off onto the narrow side trails that go up into the surrounding hills. I disagree. The wider trails are ones we can do with this snow and ice on the ground. I want to set off up the hills when there is no snow. I read that the local health department will advise the seminary when it is time for all of us to head off for encephalitis shots in time for the tick season. I plan to cover up and hike. Last summer I got zero ticks and Bill ended up with 3 or 4 while we were hiking in the Czech countryside. I think the difference was our clothing. He wore shorts and I wore long slacks. When you are covered up, the ticks sort of have a harder time getting on your skin. I really enjoyed watching the snow yesterday. I went outside several times with either a broom or a shovel and tried to clear a path between the library and other buildings. I love to clear snow. Unfortunately, each time a student saw me and rushed to finish the work. They didn’t seem to think I was the person responsible for snow removal. They don’t know how much I love an excuse to be outside in the snow. My two sisters have just returned from vacations in Costa Rica. My brother is on St. Johns. I am in snow covered CZ. You can tell who enjoys winter and who longs for summer in our family can’t you?
Has Bill explained to you how often we are tempted with sweets here? At breakfast we have cereal (including chocolate puffs of some sort) and yogurt and cheese and meats and juices. But we also have hot chocolate available and often some sort of baked ‘danish’ or other sweet bread. Then at 10:30 there is coffee, tea, juice and cake, cookies, hot cross buns, chocolate candy, etc. It seems to go on incessantly. Coffee, tea and sweets after church on Sunday, the same today after the Eucharist which we celebrate each Wednesday. I need to report I am only tempted about once every other day. But I feel like I have consumed a lifetime of sweets in one month.
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