Dec. 7, Monday: Saint Nicholas. Microwave oven patented, 1945.
Dec. 8, Tuesday: John Lennon killed, 1980. U.S. declares war on Japan, 1941.Dec. 9, Wednesday: White House wedding, Lynda Bird Johnson and Charles Robb, 1967.
Dec. 10, Thursday: Emily Dickinson born, 1830. Alfred Nobel died, 1896. First Nobel prizes awarded, 1901. 70 degrees Fahrenheit, New York City, 1946.
Dec. 11, Friday: Big Ben clock stopped by cold, London, 12:27 p.m., 1981.
Dec. 12, Saturday: Golf tee patented, 1899. Dr. Joel Poinsett died, 1851.
Dec. 13, Sunday: Third Sunday in Advent. "Mona Lisa" returned to Louvre, 1913.
Ask the Old Farmer's Almanac: Does the term "nickname" have anything to do with Saint Nicholas? -- C.N., Annapolis, Md.
Answer: No. The phrase comes from "an eke name" which, over time, was written as "a neke name" and pronounced in the modern-day fashion. An eke is the bottom tier on a beehive, added after the fact to enlarge the size of the hive. Eke comes from the Old English for additional. Nick, of course, also means to graze or cut short.
As for Saint Nicholas, the patron of children (some say boys, with St. Catherine looking after the girls), he's the one reputed to bring sweetmeats to good children on Dec. 6, the eve of St. Nicholas. The treats may be distributed to the children before bedtime, or the children may lay out their shoes or stockings at night and find them mysteriously filled with goodies in the morning.
The original St. Nicholas was a bishop who resided in Asia Minor (now Turkey) in the 4th century. Dutch settlers, celebrating St. Nicholas in America, called him "Sinterklass" which led to the modern-day Santa Claus. This same St. Nicholas was also reputed to have saved the honor of three poverty-stricken sisters whose father could not make their dowries. Nicholas threw three sacks of gold coins into their house, on three separate occasions, allowing the girls to marry well.
Ask the Old Farmer's Almanac: What's a Northeast gardener to do in December? -- F.P., Deerfield, Mass.
Answer: Now's the time for planting those indoor bulbs, both for yourself and for others. The promise of forced blooms makes a beautiful Christmas or solstice gift, welcomed for its indoor color and fresh scent. The gift recipient will know you've thought ahead if the bulbs are well-rooted and beginning to show their green leaves. But even a last-minute arrangement of a handful of bulbs in a simple clay pot, circled with a colorful bow, can make a thoughtful and inexpensive hostess gift for the holidays. If you're fortunate enough to have a pot of daffodils about to come into bloom when a friend goes into the hospital or a relative needs cheering up on a particularly gray day in January, you'll bring cheer beyond measure. Avid gardeners with roomy root cellars or cold (but not freezing) rooms can pot several containers of bulbs for a "timed-release" effect, assuring many blooms over the dark months.
Paperwhites are traditional for this time of year, but experiment with amaryllis, freesia or hyacinth, as well. If you choose the somewhat more finicky tulips, select a short variety so the stems won't flop before they bloom. Hyacinths, amaryllis, daffodils, and narcissus are potted with their tips showing above the soil or stones. Other varieties are generally buried below the soil. Be sure they have good drainage and aren't allowed to dry out.
Ask the Old Farmer's Almanac: I discovered this fall that I have an abundance of witch hazel in my woods. How can I make the bottled witch hazel extracts you see? -- B.R., Francestown, N.H.
Answer: First prune your witch hazel with an eye toward stripping off the bark you want. Discard any leaves or wood. Use only as much bark as you can completely submerge in a glass, enamel or other non-reactive pan holding five cups of water. (Recipe size can be doubled, or divided.) Bring the bark to a good rolling boil, then cover and simmer for at least half an hour. The longer you "decoct" the bark, the stronger your extract will be. Strain the bark out and bottle the liquid in well-sterilized glass containers, then use as desired.
Witch hazel is often mixed with other herbal infusions such as chamomile, rosemary, lavender, or sage to make fragrant and cleansing astringent waters for facial steams, aftershaves, or hair rinses. Commercial witch hazel often contains some alcohol (about 10 percent, usually) to prolong its shelf life. If there are teenagers in your life who are concerned about blemishes, or anyone feeling stressed or fatigued, treat them to a home facial using a handful of lavender flowers or rosemary leaves in a cup or two of witch hazel. Add enough boiling water to the bowl to make steam, and have them cover their head with a soft towel to make a tent over the bowl, keeping their face about 10 inches above the bowl. Five or ten minutes will do it.
Send your questions to: Ask the Almanac, The Old Farmer's Almanac, Main St., Dublin, NH 03444. Every day the editors of The Old Farmer's Almanac answer a question on the Internet. All questions are archived there as well. On the World Wide Web, the address is http://www.almanac.com. (C) Yankee Publishing Inc. Dist. by United Feature Syndicate Inc.