Chris Hardie

If below-zero temperatures had a sound, it would be this: the clang of an iron maul striking the frozen apron of a manure spreader.

It’s always this time of winter with the cold and snow that the prospect of hibernation seems pretty darned attractive.

Apparently, there’s nothing like a cold-weather story to warm up memories from folks in Wisconsin.

Old memories become blurry with the passage of time, but A particularly cold Sunday 45 years ago, when temperatures hit 60 below zero, was memorable across western and northern Wisconsin.

Much of the history and the people who lived and worked in the general stores are gone, but here is what I could piece together on these once thriving centers of commerce.

Many are still recovering from a rare December severe weather event on Dec. 15 that brought more than a dozen tornadoes and strong winds across parts of Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

One Norwegian holiday tradition that I never took part in is julebukking. What started as a pagan holiday tradition evolved into what may best be described as a Norwegian Halloween party in December.

Just as I finished working on some Christmas lights, a gust of wind came through that was strong enough to shift the aluminum ladder I had used to reach the roof. Before you could say St. Nick, the ladder fell all the way to the ground, leaving me stranded.

I was thrilled with getting a nice buck, but time spent with my son was by far the best part of the day.

The garden harvest season is long over, but we’re still enjoying the bounties. Sort of. Can squash be the main entree at holiday dinners?