December’s Great Conjunction
The Celestial Sphere by Matthew Johnson We begin the month of December with long nights reaching a maximum on the evening of the winter solstice, Dec. 21, with 14 hours and 55 minutes of darkness. After the 21st, the days begin to grow a few minutes longer each day, a time of year acknowledged throughout […]
Norfolk’s October 2020 Weather
Fourth Snowiest October on Record By Russell Russ It was a warm, pleasant and colorful October in Norfolk – until the end of the month. On Oct. 30, this month became Norfolk’s fourth snowiest October over the last 89 years. After a long, warm and dry fall it was quite a shock for many to […]
November, A Room With a View
Through the Garden Gate Text and Illustration by Leslie Watkins In the nature loving-town we live in, enjoying the surrounding natural beauty doesn’t pause in winter. The sparkling landscape exposed by absent foliage affords a better view of the underlying design. Spending more time inside looking out encourages us to improve on the views we […]
Adventures in Community-Supported Agriculture
Notes From a French Kitchen Text and Photo by Marie-Christine Perry Early last spring, since my partner Cheryl was going to be working from home because of the pandemic and there would be two of us living full-time here in Norfolk, we decided that to make sure we had access to fresh vegetables and fruits, […]
Sights in the November Sky
The Celestial Sphere by Matthew Johnson Daylight Saving Time ends on Nov. 1 at 2 a.m. With the Sun now setting more than an hour earlier and rising an hour later than in June, additional hours of darkness extend the length of time in which one can observe. Astronomers look forward to the late fall […]
Norfolk’s September 2020 Weather
Surprisingly About Average by Russell Russ September temperatures were about normal throughout the month. It even felt seasonably chilly by the end of the second week. Autumn was finally arriving. Precipitation for most of the month was well below normal, and Norfolk was under moderate to near severe drought conditions for all of September. Picking […]
Covid-19 Vaccines in Clinical Trials
The Body Scientific by Richard Kessin On January 10, 2020, Chinese scientists published the genome sequence of a novel virus by depositing a file in Genbank, a digital resource for DNA sequences at the National Institutes of Health. People at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease used that sequence to make a vaccine, […]
October, Not Just for Plants
Text and illustration by Leslie Watkins When we think of gardens we think of plants, shrubs, trees, etc., but that’s just the beginning. What we’re really doing is setting the stage for what’s to come. When the stage is set, the actors enter: insects, birds and animals move in, filling the garden with life, music […]
Warm and Dry Once Again
Norfolk’s August 2020 Weather by Russell Russ August’s weather for Norfolk was highlighted by a couple of severe events during the first four days of the month. A small tornado went through North Norfolk on Aug. 2, causing some tree and powerline damage. It was a localized event caused by one small, but strong, storm […]
September, Think Spring
Text and Illustration by Leslie Watkins This is the best time of year to get your new gardens started and to improve the gardens you already have. As the days cool down it’s easier to work outside, and there’s plenty to do. Catch the weed seeds now before they get away. Doing a thorough weeding […]
