Newcomers to the Cove: January

In 1872, the English poet Christina Rossetti published a famous poem which begins:

“In the bleak mid-winter

Frosty wind made moan

Earth stood hard as iron,

Water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow,

In the bleak mid-winter

Long ago.”

Gustav Holst later set her poem to music and most folks would still recognize his lyrical tune today. His song came to mind recently as I pondered what January is like in the Cove. I think Rossetti’s poem sums up January pretty well. January is not only the coldest but also the windiest month in Pennsylvania.

Before moving here, we lived in s...