For a few days this week we were bathed in the February sun. As long as you were inside and looking through a window near a heater vent, it was easy to imagine basking in the warmth of the sun. Once you were outside, however, it became a different story.
Clear skies mean lower temperatures. High temperatures have been in the 30s, lows in the 20s, wind chill knocking off about 15 degrees.
Humans are warm-blooded animals, also 
known as homeotherms. We regulate our body temperature, to the extent we can, balancing heat production from our metabolic sources and heat loss from evaporative cooling (better known as perspiration). In a cold environment, our body heat is conserved by constriction of blood vessels near the body surface and by waves of muscle contractions, or shivering, which serve to increase metabolism. Another heat-conserving mechanism, goose bumps, raises the body hairs; not especially effective in humans, this works well in animals as it increases the thickness of the insulating fur or feather layer.
Cold, of course, is relative. It is much colder in other areas, not so cold in others. What is cold to Cindy isn't that cold to me. Cold is relative to age as well; what wasn't that cold to me in the past is now cold. The natural slowing of metabolism as we age means the body becomes less efficient at generating heat and maintaining our normal body temperature.
Staying warm is a priority. The cats still enjoy sunning themselves in the window, with or without a heater vent. I find socks and a long sleeve shirt are necessary, even with the heater vent.
Photographs. Images created by light on a light-sensitive surface, like photographic film or, more likely today, an electronic imager. The word "photograph" is based on the Greek words for "light" and "drawing", together meaning "drawing with light".
There is nothing quite like a photograph. It captures a moment in time, there to enjoy and relive at your leisure. Distances are shortened, memories are rekindled, common threads and found. Family photos span decades and generations, providing history lessons with personal meaning. We see our own images in the faces of relatives. When photos are passe
d from generation to generation, so are the stories behind the pictures, creating a link from present to past.
This week brought a gift to my family in the form of a picture of my paternal grandmother, her siblings and her parents. They arrived in Santa Barbara in December 1929, so the photograph was taken some time after that. My grandmother is the third from the left. Viewing this photograph is like traveling in time, looking at clothing, furniture and especially their faces and expressions, peering in from the view of the photographer.
Family faces are very much like magic mirrors: we see the past, present and future through people who belong to us. The images that represent the past speak to us in the present. They are the past recorded and, for as long as we wish, the past relived.
America is a true melting pot made up of people from all different parts of the world. We are all Americans but we identify each other by our backgrounds. Although we are proud to be Irish-American or whatever else we may be, we are most proud to be Americans first and foremost.
From 1876 to 1924, over four and a half million Italians arrived in the United States, established hundreds of mutual
aid societies and publish Italian-language newspapers that provided an news source for new immigrants who could not understand English. The Sons of Italy was founded in New York around 1905; through this and many other organizations, Italian-Americans acknowledged the cultural traditions of their homeland while celebrating their achievements in America.
All four of my grandparents immigrated from Italy to the Unites States. My blood, my heart, and my history was spawned by those who came here from faraway shores. I give thanks to America for giving me freedom and quality of life, but my foundation comes from the lands of my forefathers.
Super Bowl Sunday: the biggest game of the year, the culmination of another great season and played this year by two of the most legendary teams in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Parties will be held, countless people will venture out of their homes and head to their local water holes to enjoy the big game.
More than a billion people worldwide will watch the game; much of the United States wi
ll grind to a halt to witness history in the making, the bragging rights for another year.
This year, as with many past years, I will be trimming the roses.
Don't get me wrong. I like sports. The games entertain us, distract us from our day-to-day lives. Add in speed, a splash of rivalry and a dash of danger and you've got the makings of excitement. I've seen horse racing, roller derby, Formula 1 racing, ice hockey and many others up close and personal. I bleed Dodger blue. I know all the words to "Hail to the Redskins".
That last one is the reason I have not watched a Super Bowl since 1992. If the Redskins aren't playing, I'm not watching. I watched occasionally just for the commercials, but the Internet made that unnecessary.
Whenever I watch my favorite sports teams my adrenaline shoots and I am into the game. When they are not playing, I'm not interested. I have trouble moving my enthuiasm to the game as opposed to the teams involved.
Super Bowl Sunday is a great day to shop. One year we were the only people in an office supply store and had great service when we shopped for a laptop. Movie theaters tend to be sparsely populated, as does any location without a television.
Best of luck to the Steel Curtain and the Green and Gold. May your team play the game of the century. I'll be pruning the roses, wistfully thinking about next year.
known as homeotherms. We regulate our body temperature, to the extent we can, balancing heat production from our metabolic sources and heat loss from evaporative cooling (better known as perspiration). In a cold environment, our body heat is conserved by constriction of blood vessels near the body surface and by waves of muscle contractions, or shivering, which serve to increase metabolism. Another heat-conserving mechanism, goose bumps, raises the body hairs; not especially effective in humans, this works well in animals as it increases the thickness of the insulating fur or feather layer.
