Starting new holiday tradition?
Last Sunday afternoon was nearly perfect...in terms of the weather...and the little adventure your writer experienced in the bright February sunshine. All in all, it wasn’t a bad way to spend some time on an unofficial national holiday.
National holiday? Sure. Unless you were hiding in, or under, some rocks, like the amphibian I encountered while walking through a creek bed last Sunday afternoon, you probably know that Super Bowl number something or another was played last Sunday night.
The Big Game has indeed become something of a national holiday. And a holiday means traditions, like eating too much and watching the commercials and maybe even paying attention to the game that is being played on the field.
Speaking of the commercials, the one about Binky Dad was my favorite. Moms and Dads know about binkies. Sometimes, a kid just has to have a binky. The right binky.
The game itself was pretty exciting this year, which was a good thing. Sometimes, Super Bowl games are, well, boring snooze fests. Kansas City and Philadelphia put on a good show last Sunday. I think Kansas City won.
Anyway, about those holiday traditions and the Super Bowl. In keeping with tradition, the Other Half and yours truly had a “feast” of sorts, with some yummy leftovers from Saturday night’s dinner (pork roast, if you must know), and other goodies.
Sunday afternoon, hours before the Big Game kicked off, I may have started a new tradition. We shall see...
As you may recall from reading this column more than once or twice a year, your writer has had a Christmas Eve tradition of motoring to the Trail of Tears State Forest. Sometimes, I am accompanied by The Other Half, or maybe even some special visitors who have made their way to God’s Country for the holiday.
Back in December, I had to forego the tradition on the day before Christmas. Simply put, it was way too cold. Even for me. I’ve been to the state forest on Christmas Eve when the temperatures were somewhere in the range of freezing and snowflakes were flurrying in the December sky.
In case you have already forgotten (which would probably be a good thing), on the day before Christmas in 2022, the weather outside was frightful. The high temperature that day was 25, which was practically balmy after a morning low of 5. That’s why I just stayed home. So much for tradition.
I guess that was why when Super Bowl Sunday rolled around last weekend, I thought maybe it would be a good time to think about starting another tradition.
So I headed for the state forest. The weather was wonderful. Sunshine. Clear blue sky. Temperature somewhere in the 50s, maybe even close to 60. Not a snowflake flurrying anywhere.
The state forest turned out to be a popular place last Sunday afternoon. A local school’s track team was even out practicing.
On the way back home, it crossed my mind that I had not seen anything interesting up in the sky. I had just turned on to the Mountain Glen Road turnpike, and just happened to look up, to the north. High overhead, a bald eagle was soaring through the sky. Not a bad way to end a perfect afternoon...and maybe even start a new tradition.
Oh, by the way, I am keeping one other tradition this week. Once again, I used the words “Super Bowl” without the express written consent of the National Football League.