When my granddaughter was in elementary school, I took her outside during a visit on one cold, clear Christmas night. Mother Nature was really strutting her stuff. The moon was full, the firmament ablaze with stars that peppered the inky sky. Mars and Venus were clearly visible to the naked eye.

March is National Women’s Month. Being one myself, I am mindful of the courageous women who laid it all on the line so that we would have the same rights as men. It took a century, but our rights aren’t guaranteed.

In a recent column, I mentioned a film, “Finding Forrester” starring Sean Connery. A gifted actor, Connery is best known for his depiction of “Bond, James Bond” in a blockbuster series of iconic suspense movies.

While doing Christmas cleaning, I ran across my DVD of the film, which I consider his best work.

Once again, Christmas ads morphed into Valentine’s Day commercials with lightning speed. Like those aggravating Medicare ads, these sales pitches have become part of the annual marketing rotation.

After a late December snowstorm, it seemed like we were going to have a much-needed “normal” winter in the Northwoods. Owners and employees of businesses I visit as part of my long-standing commitment to “shop local” had on a happy face as winter sports enthusiasts flocked to northern Oconto County.