Today is the last day of 2017.

  Tomorrow will be the first day of 2018 and the beginning of a new year. 

I can’t recall that we had any days of below zero temperatures last winter.  Since this winter began, we’ve already had several days of below zero temperatures.

 It’s been a while since we’ve had actual temperatures colder than 10 below zero - wind chills yes, but actual temperatures, wow! 

 The weather service says today’s high will be zero and tomorrow’s will be minus-4 with nighttime lows of minus-15 and minus-16.
 
Where is global warming when you need it?  
                         
Most folks can’t think of anything good about this kind of cold but I’ll offer a couple of positive thoughts. 

If you’re a farmer, gardener or like to grow flowers you’llremember we were infested with what seemed like a plague of Japanese beetles this past summer that wanted to eat everything we planted and ate the leaves off many of our fruit trees and have possibly threatened to kill them. 

The agriculture experts say it was because we had such a mild winterthat it didn’t kill out their eggs in the ground. 

Well hopefully these extreme cold days will help exterminate some of them this winter
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If you’re an ice fisherman—guess what? We have ice now! 

Last week I mentioned there was a good possibility we might have ice thick enough to get out on and now there is ice on smaller lakes and ponds but—there are areas of open water on some of the larger lakes along with ice that will break through if you venture out onto it. 

Always remember: ‘THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SAFE ICE’! 

 I’ve heard reports of four inches of ice on some farm ponds and strip mine lakes. 
These cold temperatures we’re going through will firm up many of the larger lakes, too. 
We have more fun when we share the fun with friends. It’s a good idea to have a friend along when you go ice fishing. If you have a life jacket it’s a good idea to wear one when you’re checking out new ice. 
Have a throw rope with you when ice fishing in case your buddy goes through the ice - not you of course because you’re invulnerable!’
WRONG! 
Drill test holes from the shoreline out to check ice thickness.The ice is thickest next to the shore as ice forms and will be thinner the further out you go.    
Ice fishing can be a lot of fun and the fish you catch through the ice really taste good!

• • •  
There’s plenty of snow now and it won’t be going away anytime soon.
 
The below zero temperatures will require extra warm clothing, hat, boots, gloves or mittens and a face cover like a scarf for anyone to get out and play in the snow or just be outdoors for any length of time

 The snow depth is just about perfect for sledding, snowmobiling, and skiing,  A little time spent in the outdoors is good exercise—just don’t over do it in this extreme cold.

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The first weekend of the 2017-18 Illinois late-winter antlerless deer season began Dec. 28 and will end today a half-hour after sunset. The second weekend will be Jan. 12-14. 
All hunters and trappers in the field are required to wear blaze orange during this season.