Picture Postcard Update

In hyperlocal news, the tree I brought home from Frank’s in December…

….that graced our home through the holidays…

…and stared wistfully out the window afterwards…

…has gone to a new home in the country, thanks to a good friend who came to the rescue.

I hope the transition to wintry weather hasn’t been too much of a shock to its system. I already miss the little guy.

Speaking of weather, I’ve enjoyed seeing people’s snow days pics on social media. Here’s mine.

It’s a lovely peaceful view until you realize one thing. The art project I had intended to do while snowed in?

It’s in that cute little red car. On the far side of the parking lot. Oh well.

Finally, I’ve noticed a new visual approach from local meteorologists lately. From the Capital Weather Service:

Sleet vs Freezing Rain courtesy of Capital Weather Service

And this from Justin Berk:

Freezing rain, sleet, plus winter precipitation from Justin Berk

You may recall that local weather folks have been on a kick of using various food items to teach meteorological concepts. Crab cakes, for instance.

Needless to say, I appreciate the opportunity to remind my readers that you have until noon today to enter my completely frivolous but also ecologically-friendly Doughnut Contest. See Friday’s post for details.

I’ve had some great entries so far and you can make my day by submitting yours* so that I will be awash in creativity (and sprinkles.)

Village Green/Town² Comments

*All entries must be received by noon on Monday, January 26th. Winners will be announced on Tuesday’s blog.

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Teacher Gifts

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They Can Wait

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Separate and Unequal

Remember “Separate but equal”? Remember how that really meant that Black schools languished in broken-down buildings without adequate heat or toilet facilities, with cast-off, ragged learning materials, underfunded and largely ignored? The Supreme Court struck that down in 1954. The evidence was clear that separate was not equal. Plessy v Ferguson had led to - - no, endorsed - - deeply unequal schooling and opportunities. We tend to think of Brown v Board as being purely about racial integration. It was not. It was about the logical consequences of segregation. And they were not, not, not equal. The ruling in 1954 didn’t transform public education for non-whites into a land of milk and honey by any means. But it articulated some essential truths in a way that made including everyone a legal precedent which could be relied upon and built upon. It was better than what came before it but it rested upon unsteady ground. It did not necessarily change the hearts or minds ...

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