In the past three or four weeks, we here in the environs of The District They Call Columbia have been freezing. No, seriously—temperatures have only once or twice risen above the freezing point, and that for only a few hours.
Saturday morning, I checked the weather before going on my
walk; Android said 17F, and I thought, "Okay--I've gone out in 12F, this’ll
be okay.”
And then I got outside and heard this roaring sound. Which
turned out to be the wind. I barely got 20 yards along before I realized I was
not going to make my full snow-curtailed circuit, because that wind was
absolutely shredding me. I checked Android again: Oh
As someone posted in the r/nova sub:
So I am filled with greater and abject awe and gratitude
for the people in Minneapolis who for months—come day, go day; in fact day and night—continue
to fill the sub-zero streets with whistles and jeers to protect and witness for
their neighbors, who are being targeted by our own government. They suit up (in
many layers), charge up their phones and put themselves in harm’s and cold’s
way as testament to decency and humanity.
God bless them all.
©2026 Bas Bleu
