Cure for Loitering

Hey.......if there are any researchers out there trying to discover the cure for loitering.......here it is.......shown on this thermometer:

Yup, when the temperature is THAT cold, with a whipping wind to boot, the temptation to indulge in loitering completely disappears. There's no tarrying, lagging, dawdling to be found anywhere.......in the out-of-doors, anyway.

YA GOTTA KEEP MOVIN' OR YOU WILL FREEZE!

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Woof! Woof! Excuse me.......I was wrong........we did see a sun dog loitering in the sky this morning:

Here's a pageful of cool parhelion photos.

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My chore boots are constructed of materials that are supposed to keep feet warm in temperatures down to -20 degrees F., and they did seem to be doing their job this morning, in spite of the -35 degree wind chill factor. Though, if I'd foolishly indulged in loitering out in the windy cold, my feet would have quickly succombed to a freezing numbness.
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I would imagine that in extreme cold weather conditions like we have today, there is a drop in crimes, misdemeanors, and sins that involve being out-of-doors. What criminal in his right mind would loiter around on an icy cold night, stalking someone or waiting for the right moment to break in and steal something. Drug dealing, or adultery, or any number of disreputable activities that might depend on a clandestine meeting out-of-doors, would need to be rethought or the plan nixed altogether. Just think.......what an improved society we might have if we were reined in by extreme cold more often!!
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Not surprisingly, our rural church cancelled Sunday services today. After morning chores, we enjoyed family bantering and a pancake breakfast, followed by more frosting of cookies and watching of football games and a movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I enjoy the slow-paced, almost-buried humor in that odd story, with the interspersed old movie clips connecting the two seemingly unrelated story-lines. Perfect for a cold winter afternoon's entertainment.
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And, finally......here's something that gave me a chuckle today: This morning, as I was stirring pancake batter, Husband was perusing an Iowa history and trivia book......he suddenly said, "Hey, did you guys know Iowa has a song?" To which Daughter replied, "Yeah......its Fight, Fight, Fight for Iowa-a-a!" I shook my head and said, "No, no......that's the U of Iowa Fight Song, not the state of Iowa's song." We peered over Husband's shoulder to view the lyrics of the Iowa song. Here's my reason for chuckling......the song is sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum" (the carol "O Christmas Tree"), which was the subject of my blogpost this morning! None of the family knew that. Heehee......go ahead and belt it out:
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You asked what land I love the best,
Iowa, tis Iowa.
The fairest State of all the west,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
From yonder Mississippi's stream
To where Missouri's waters gleam
O! fair it is as poet's dream,
Iowa, in Iowa.
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See yonders fields of tasseled corn,
Iowa in Iowa.
Where plenty fills her golden horn,
Iowa in Iowa.
See how her wonderous prairies shine.
To yonder sunset’s purpling line,
O! happy land, O! land of mine,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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And she has maids whose laughing eyes,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
To him whose loves were Paradise,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
O! happiest fate that e’er was known.
Such eyes to shine for one alone,
To call such beauty all his own.
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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Go read the story of thy past,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
What glorious deeds, what fame thou hast!
Iowa, O! Iowa.
So long as time’s great cycle runs,
Or nations weep their fallen ones,
Thou’lt not forget thy patriot sons,
Iowa, O! Iowa.
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Oh, yeah.......one would soon tire of singing "Iowa, O! Iowa" over and over again!
Here is info about how the song came to be written. And, here's a site which would lead you to all 50 state songs, should you be loitering there at your computer with lots of free time on your hands. If you're from Iowa and are sitting there perplexed because you're thinking that Iowa's song surely must be, "The Iowa Corn Song"........Oh, we're from Ioway, Ioway.......that's where the tall corn grows!.......well, you were mistaken, as was I.
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Stay WARM........and, if you abide in a warmer clime, then stay COOL!
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[P.S. - Here's a link to another Iowa song, shown on YouTube: The Iowa Waltz. I had not heard of it before someone kindly mentioned it in a comment on this post.]

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