I grew up in the lake effect towns south of Buffalo, NY, so I too know a bit about winters and snow and cold. I was there for the (in)famous blizzard of '77, the likes of which had never been seen before or since. Those hypothetical Floridian Boy Scouts would not last a night in the campout you propose. One needs to grow up with such winters to absorb the tough lessons it teaches. Like you, Mr. Keillor, I now live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and long for the snow that so seldom makes an appearance here anymore.
As for the Canada/Greenland/Gulf of Mexico thing, I wish people would learn that such things are intentional distractions for the really nefarious plans up this new administration's sleeve. While we are all either laughing our heads or getting our hair on fire over things that will never happen, the GOP are ready to bring bills to the floor that will be horrifying to the very people who voted for him. This from Heather Cox Richardson's column on 1/8/25:
"Behind all the offense, though, things that matter deeply to the American people are going largely unnoticed.
MAGA representatives have been introducing a slew of measures to the new Congress, many of which incorporate the plans of Project 2025 into legislation. They call for turning over immigration to the states, privatizing veterans’ healthcare, and repealing the 1993 National Voting Rights Act, the 2010 Affordable Care Act, and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Bills call for withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization; increasing oil and gas production on federal lands; abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); allowing states to spend federal education money on private school vouchers; and removing the protection of transgender rights from schools.
Other measures would revoke security clearances for “certain former members of the intelligence community,” introduce a constitutional amendment to cap the Supreme Court at nine justices, and cut off federal funding to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (the office that successfully charged Trump with election interference) and the Fulton County (GA) District Attorney’s Office (the office that has charged Trump with criminal conspiracy).
And MAGA Republicans have proposed a bill to impose a national abortion ban, along with a bill urging Congress to support a consortium of antiabortion doctors for women because, the bill says, “health care should emphasize the whole woman, including her physical, mental, and spiritual wellness,” and “health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities.”
Not to mention tariffs which are designed to raise money for tax cuts for the rich but would raise prices of everyday goods for the American consumer and like, most GOP proposals, hit low income workers the hardest. And during all of that Trump is already, before taking office, backing away on his promise to bring down grocery prices, saying that "once they are up, it's hard to bring them down."
All sorts of crazy bills get introduced in Congress, it's like writing with chalk on a brickwall, purely symbolic. Meanwhile, I'm just an elderly Communist Marxist out of the game.
I grew up in Iowa and while Minnesota is colder, the human body can't tell the difference as much as you say.Right now my boat is Annapolis is sitting in ice and I am wishing for some of that hot air you are enjoying. I'm six years your senior and live in Collington Life Care near D.C.Why don't you join us and then you would have a whole new bunch of strange social relationships to discuss? George Pauk (ret M.D.)
I am sure that nobody was going forward into 2025 thinking the Gulf of Mexico needed renaming . But perhaps that is an opportunity for a local radio station to host a contest . What new name do you think is appropriate ? How about the Gulf of Tom Brady ?
Having grown up and lived in many places that enjoy a winter season, I share similar memories with you Garrison. I'm grateful for the reminders this morning. Sadly, I now reside in the panhandle of Florida. Television and the internet provide my wintery white scenery nowadays. I really miss the hush of a walk outdoors after a heavy snowfall. For me, the best part of winter camping was the absence of pests like flies and mosquitos!
We were fortunate enough to catch your show in Pensacola several years ago. Please come back. (Matt Gaetz left if that helps.)
We have the worst of both worlds this January in central Michigan. It's cold, plenty cold for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, burrowing in snow drifts, etc. But the frozen ground is bare, forcing the snow snakes into their holes and winter sports lovers and cryoreptilogists into their cars to drive even further north. It's a nightmare.
This sane perspective is where we might all be if we were more circumspect or had grown up among the Bretheren.
You are so very good, sir, at seeing folly where others see The End.
Maybe my five years in St. Paul walking to school wearing snow pants that itched and a hat that was a complete embarrassment with its ear flaps and chin buckle, mittens knit by my grandmother with a string running through the back of my coat, maybe those years served me well and it has taken being rattled by the American people asking for another half decade of the former President running our big organization to activate my long-dormant sense of political irony.
Mr. Keillor is like the crossing guard who stood in the street in front of Groveland Park Elementary School on every 10 degree morning and smiled a genuine smile at me in the driving gale.
Thank you for your "Official Guide to Winter", I'm sure these hints will be helpful as I venture out into a rare North Texas winter wonderland. Your voice is distinctive and of course it is what these words sound like usually but today, David Attenborough crept in...
I hope that you enjoyed some good Mexican food in Tucson. I hope that the salsa was extra spicy. I wish we could have been there.
Snow snakes! What a thought. But Floridians are prepared for that, you know. They've had lots of practice with their now native python population.
But pythons don't like snow. Thank goodness!
Fortunately!
Snow snakes? I had to look that up - it looks like fun!
I grew up in the lake effect towns south of Buffalo, NY, so I too know a bit about winters and snow and cold. I was there for the (in)famous blizzard of '77, the likes of which had never been seen before or since. Those hypothetical Floridian Boy Scouts would not last a night in the campout you propose. One needs to grow up with such winters to absorb the tough lessons it teaches. Like you, Mr. Keillor, I now live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and long for the snow that so seldom makes an appearance here anymore.
As for the Canada/Greenland/Gulf of Mexico thing, I wish people would learn that such things are intentional distractions for the really nefarious plans up this new administration's sleeve. While we are all either laughing our heads or getting our hair on fire over things that will never happen, the GOP are ready to bring bills to the floor that will be horrifying to the very people who voted for him. This from Heather Cox Richardson's column on 1/8/25:
"Behind all the offense, though, things that matter deeply to the American people are going largely unnoticed.
MAGA representatives have been introducing a slew of measures to the new Congress, many of which incorporate the plans of Project 2025 into legislation. They call for turning over immigration to the states, privatizing veterans’ healthcare, and repealing the 1993 National Voting Rights Act, the 2010 Affordable Care Act, and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Bills call for withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization; increasing oil and gas production on federal lands; abolishing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); allowing states to spend federal education money on private school vouchers; and removing the protection of transgender rights from schools.
Other measures would revoke security clearances for “certain former members of the intelligence community,” introduce a constitutional amendment to cap the Supreme Court at nine justices, and cut off federal funding to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (the office that successfully charged Trump with election interference) and the Fulton County (GA) District Attorney’s Office (the office that has charged Trump with criminal conspiracy).
And MAGA Republicans have proposed a bill to impose a national abortion ban, along with a bill urging Congress to support a consortium of antiabortion doctors for women because, the bill says, “health care should emphasize the whole woman, including her physical, mental, and spiritual wellness,” and “health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities.”
Not to mention tariffs which are designed to raise money for tax cuts for the rich but would raise prices of everyday goods for the American consumer and like, most GOP proposals, hit low income workers the hardest. And during all of that Trump is already, before taking office, backing away on his promise to bring down grocery prices, saying that "once they are up, it's hard to bring them down."
Anybody listen to the BBC? While US media is not covering it, there might be something substantive to the Canada Greenland/Arctic Ocean thing.
Buffalo girl here too! Now in West Michigan. Home!
All sorts of crazy bills get introduced in Congress, it's like writing with chalk on a brickwall, purely symbolic. Meanwhile, I'm just an elderly Communist Marxist out of the game.
drinking my morning ginger/tumeric tea and laughing. thank you
I grew up in Iowa and while Minnesota is colder, the human body can't tell the difference as much as you say.Right now my boat is Annapolis is sitting in ice and I am wishing for some of that hot air you are enjoying. I'm six years your senior and live in Collington Life Care near D.C.Why don't you join us and then you would have a whole new bunch of strange social relationships to discuss? George Pauk (ret M.D.)
Garrison,
You captured growing up in winter perfectly!!!! And everything you say is the honest truth!!
And I have to add that what you describe, as experience by a young girl, builds a strong-charactered woman!!
Please travel safe and tell us the stories of the interesting, and different, people you meet along the way.
I am sure that nobody was going forward into 2025 thinking the Gulf of Mexico needed renaming . But perhaps that is an opportunity for a local radio station to host a contest . What new name do you think is appropriate ? How about the Gulf of Tom Brady ?
Snow snakes
They are related to the Hoop Snakes that roll down hills to save time.
Instead of the Gulf of America, how about the Grift of America.
Having grown up and lived in many places that enjoy a winter season, I share similar memories with you Garrison. I'm grateful for the reminders this morning. Sadly, I now reside in the panhandle of Florida. Television and the internet provide my wintery white scenery nowadays. I really miss the hush of a walk outdoors after a heavy snowfall. For me, the best part of winter camping was the absence of pests like flies and mosquitos!
We were fortunate enough to catch your show in Pensacola several years ago. Please come back. (Matt Gaetz left if that helps.)
We have the worst of both worlds this January in central Michigan. It's cold, plenty cold for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, burrowing in snow drifts, etc. But the frozen ground is bare, forcing the snow snakes into their holes and winter sports lovers and cryoreptilogists into their cars to drive even further north. It's a nightmare.
Thank you for your regular tonic of Midwestern good sense and humor.
Mar-a-lago is a long way from an igloo...I would urge caution as well. :)
I like Mar-an-Igloo!
At the risk of being overly snarky this early in the morning, perhaps “Moron-Igloo”?
This sane perspective is where we might all be if we were more circumspect or had grown up among the Bretheren.
You are so very good, sir, at seeing folly where others see The End.
Maybe my five years in St. Paul walking to school wearing snow pants that itched and a hat that was a complete embarrassment with its ear flaps and chin buckle, mittens knit by my grandmother with a string running through the back of my coat, maybe those years served me well and it has taken being rattled by the American people asking for another half decade of the former President running our big organization to activate my long-dormant sense of political irony.
Mr. Keillor is like the crossing guard who stood in the street in front of Groveland Park Elementary School on every 10 degree morning and smiled a genuine smile at me in the driving gale.
Thank you for your "Official Guide to Winter", I'm sure these hints will be helpful as I venture out into a rare North Texas winter wonderland. Your voice is distinctive and of course it is what these words sound like usually but today, David Attenborough crept in...