Winter Reading and Entertainment ~

"What shall we do, DD, dear . . .

to while away the time now that winter is here?"

"Oh, Elizabeth, here's a pleasant way . . .

to while away our time on this winter's day" ~

SOCIAL VIRTUES ~

"There is nothing more distant from all rule and natural climes,

than the reluctant feeling the backward sympathy ~

the forced smile ~

the checked conversation ~

the hesitating compliance, which the well off are

too apt to manifest to those a little lower down:

with whom, in comparison of intellect

and principles of virtue,

they frequently shrink into insignificance."

~ Unknown

Excerpt from The Illinois Farmer's Almanac

January ~ 1840

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JANUARY 1818

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Perhaps they reflected on past historic events . . .

ILLINOIS FARMER'S ALMANAC ~ 1840

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JANUARY ~ 1840

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Maybe, like today, they speculated about coming eclipses . . .

ECLIPSES ~ 1840

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"The Old Farmer's Almanack" you can zoom as large as you desire.

or the signs in the heavens above according to the . . .

ANATOMY OF THE ANCIENTS ~ 1840

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Next, we'll explore the 1918 Old Farmer's Almanack some seventy-eight years later . . .

FRONT AND BACK COVER ~ 1918

OLD FARMER'S ALMANACK

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"The Old Farmer's Almanack" you can zoom as large as you desire

ECLIPSES ~ 1918

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JANUARY ~ 1918

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"The Old Farmer's Almanack" you can zoom as large as you desire

"A soul conversation with virtue,

resembles a fountain,

for it is clever, gentle, sweet,

communicative, rich, harmless, and innocent "

~Unknown

from 1840 Illinois Farmer's Almanac

Riddle: Did you catch it? Are you aware? See if you can spot it, way up there. What's in a name that sounds the same, but in the east did remain long past 1840 in this word game?

Click here for the ANSWER.

Thanks to The Old Farmer's Almanac for making these old treasures of wisdom available to us today!