"I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother-in-law"
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)

Weather Watch: Windy, cold, and flurries (1,2); cloudy and cool (3,4,5). Snow and stormy (6,7,8) turning windy and colder with more flurries (9,10,11). Fair and cool (12,13,14,15) with colder temperatures and snow showers (16,17,18). Fair again but very cold (19,20,21); cloudy and cool 22,23,24,26) with possible Nor'easter with heavy snow and high winds (27,28,29). Fair, windy and very cold(30,31).

Full Moon: January's Full Moon will occur on the 10th at 10:27PM. Native Americans called it the Hunger Moon because finding food during this winter month was very difficult. It has also been referred to as the WOLF MOON because at this time, wolf packs tended to approach wander to villages looking for food

Special Notes: This is our 213th year of continuous publication! Thanks to all of our readers who have remained loyal over the years and have counted on The Almanack for everyday useful information, spiritual and artistic inspiration, and those dead-on-accurate weather forecasts! It has been our honor to be part of a tradition that has become such a vital part of so many lives.

Winter Allergy Self-defense: To minimize effects of winter allergies, keep humidity below 50%. The less water vapor that is in the air, the less likely dust mites will be able to survive. Also, limit the amount of dry firewood in the house. Remember to change heat system filters every month.

Holidays: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. In 2009, the official day set aside for his remembrance (the third Monday of January) falls on January 21st. Remember to honor him on his day and reflect on the great movement he began to bring about social change in this country. The results of movement continued well beyond his passing and a result, 2009 will see for the first time, an African-American take the oath of the highest office in the land! All can feel proud that we have moved forward to overcome our differences and build a better society.

The Garden: Begin planning your gardening now. Reference gardening books and magazines and make note of the layouts and concepts that appeal to you. Then sketch out your garden and incorporate them into your plan. Do this before ordering any seeds or plants. Be sure to order early to get the best selection and to avoid backordering (this will surely impact your planting schedule!). Try to time all your gardening and lawn activities with anticipated sales at local merchants. Determine your area's hardiness zones by visiting www.usna.gov/Hardzone and then plant accordingly.

John Grubers' Thought for Today's Living:

"Resolutions are only as good as the intent to keep them"