Another cold night.  My weather station registered a low of -12.8 degrees.  We have bright sunshine, so it is warming up gradually, although the old mercury thermometer outside my office window is showing -10 degrees still. 

Woody was raising ructions last night wanting to go outside.  He apparently thought he saw or heard something.  He rushed into the bedroom and onto the windowsill to peer out into the darkness, but of course we wouldn't let him out - even if it hadn't been below zero.  This morning he was anxious to go out, so I let him into the garage, but of course he only stayed a couple of minutes before knocking at the door to come in.  He has gone to bed now, resigned to another dull day inside with his humans.  It livens up his existence when we begin some project - even running the vacuum will get him up from a sound sleep; but fixing something or cleaning a closet is really interesting, and he's immediately in the middle of whatever it is, helping.

Fred found this article about an ancient Alaska mega flood which we thought was interesting, but in addition, Michael Wiedmer, who is our neighbor, Elizabeth's son, contributed much of the information.  Michael just spent some time here with his mother, and we very much enjoyed his stories about some of his experiences with bears while on scientific missions in Alaska.

We're getting close to town meeting time.  Cabot voters will find the articles in the Warning posted on the Cabot website,  www.cabotvt.us