| The Hidden Almanac for Friday December 11th, 2015 |
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| Episode 346 |
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| Previous episode: 2015-12-09 |
| Next episode: 2015-12-14 |
Summary[]
Today is the great Crimson Burrowing crawfish migration. It is the Feast Day of Small Stones, and in the garden, there are lizards.
Be Safe, and Stay Out of Trouble,
Transcription[]
Welcome to the Hidden Almanac, I’m Reverend Mord.
Today is December 11, 2015.
It is on this day every year, in the valley of du Lac, in the southern hemisphere, that the Crimson Burrowing crayfish begin to migrate. They prefer the extreme humidity of the spring rains, as it allows them to move without their gills drying out. They walk a variety of routes, but generally stay within the valley. Depending on where they end up, they may stay for weeks to a month, then migrate back. As the Crimson Burrower is a strikingly red crawfish, highly endangered, and has poor vision, the small city of du Lac has a volunteer crawfish force that goes out during this period and shepherds the crustaceans along, stopping traffic, and keeping away predators until they get where they are going.
It is the Feast Day of Very Small Stones. No one observes this, except stonemasons and geologists. And it is strongly suspected that the geologists invented it as an excuse to drink before noon.
In the garden, a warm snap has brought many things briefly back to life. Ground skinks are active in the fallen leaves. These small, delicate lizards eat a variety of garden pests and should be valued by any gardener, though from a distance as they will drop their tails to escape predators, and one hates to cause the skinks such undue distress. Among the weeds, Henbit has joined Chickweed and Ponyfoot in covering large patches of ground. Henbit is not to be confused with Henbane. Henbane is a highly toxic plant, historically used to poison one's enemies and, oddly enough, to flavor beer, because medieval people were not always skilled at risk assessment. Henbit is a member of the mint family, edible to humans, if not to livestock in great quantity, and the flowers can be candied with sugar if you are bound and determined to find something to do with this weed other than pull it.
The Hidden Almanac is brought to you by Red Wombat Tea Company, purveyors of fine and inaccessible teas. Red Wombat --- “We Dig Tea.”
Also brought to you by Galactic Public Radio. GPR would like to remind you that is it pledge drive season, so if you enjoy such quality GPR programs such as "This Beetlejuician Life," "Wait, Wait, Don't, Just Don't," "This History of Screaming," and "The Voice of Free Planet X," please consider donating. I am told you get a tote bag. GPR: Radio is fleeting, but pledge drives are forever.
That's the Hidden Almanac for December 11, 2015. Be safe, and stay out of trouble.
Outro[]
Out of Character
The Hidden Almanac is a production of Dark Canvas Media, written by Ursula Vernon and performed and produced by Kevin Sonney. Our theme music is Moon Valley and our exit music is Red in Black, both by Kosta T. You can hear more from Kosta T at the Free Music Archive. All other content is copyright 2013 through 2015, Ursula Vernon.