A poem and winter weather through the years

100 years ago

Jan. 6, 1916

Youth’s Vanquished Joys

We hear it asked, “What has become

Of olden-time co’n pone;

Of Mammy’s beaten biscuits with

The flavor all their own;

But would they taste as good again

If they were served tonight?

Would memory make up, perchance,

For jaded appetite?

That chicken Maryland we knew

In golden bygone days

Seems to have lost its flavor now.

The pies that mother used to make

So flaky and so light,

Go well in verse–but would they tempt

The jaded appetite?

And thus in reminiscent vein,

One might ask “What’s become”

Of this and that and t’other thing,

Of doughnuts–and then some;

They live but in the memory

As visions of delight;

We couldn’t eat them now because

We lack the appetite.

75 years ago

Dec. 26, 1940

Skating pond is ready for freezing weather

The skating pond on the State Park has been partly filled with water, and it is expected it will be in shape for skating within a few days, depending somewhat on the weather.

A few cold nights would put the ice in good shape, but with continued mild weather a longer time will be required. The headgate, and the pipe-line at the outlet are now in proper shape for control of the water supply and the ice will be built up as rapidly as possible.

50 years ago

Dec. 30, 1965

Weather

Weatherwise, somebody is all mixed up!

One would almost think this is March, and that March can’t decide whether to be a lion or a lamb. Temperatures here the past week have ranged from a cold three degrees below zero for the low both the 24th and the 27th to a near-balmy 47 the 28th and 29th. Even the minimum temperature reading for the 29th was only 40 degrees.

Four inches of snow containing .29 inches of moisture fell the 23rd with traces of precipitation reported again the 29th.

And then the winds came! Unofficial reports from the Shively airport gauges showed an average of about 42 mph Wednesday with gusts of up to 50, with this morning’s average down to 35-40 mph. Wondering residents, though, estimate wind velocity early this morning as past gale force and still going.

25 years ago

Dec. 26, 1990

Winter arrives with a vengeance

Doors and windows of many Saratoga businesses looked as if someone had spent a great deal of time trying to achieve just the right frosted look in preparation for the holidays.

The culprit was the real Jack Frost, however, as outside temperatures plummeted when an arctic front arrived. The mercury dipped to 30 degrees below zero on Friday, according to Saratoga’s longtime temperature recorder Jim Kennaday.

Temperatures plummeted to 41 degrees below zero Thursday night in the Beaver Creek area, Wayne Platt, who keeps official records for the National Weather Service said. The high on Thursday was three degrees above zero with temperatures recorded at 26 below zero by 6 p.m. Friday. Platt reported about three inches of snow had fallen as part of the storm system.

The National Weather Services predicted a slight warming trend Sunday with temperatures rising above zero on Christmas Day.