Winter's Harbinger This Morning...And Rocket On My Mind

20 degrees F. this morning, early morning, here in North Central Connecticut. I live in the woods. Not the deep, "help, get me out of here" woods, but amongst the trees in the middle of a golf course. My place is located in the Farmington river valley...the ever lowering in angle sun barely sheds its golden light through the trees. An hour or so of direct slanted sunlight is all we can expect here, until March, with its lion beginning and its lamblike finish. That lack of sunlight combined with being in a river valley, and remember, cold air, without wind, sinks. To the lowest level. And that explains the head-shakingly cold low temperatures that we experience all winter long. No clouds, no wind, no direct sunlight...it's called radiational cooling. And that's why so many of the cold clear windless nights result in low temperatures that are 5-8 degrees lower than those you see on the weather during the local news. And being on ground level encases my place in a tomb of frigidity. Oh, you can go upstairs and feel the 5 degree difference in indoor temperature. But when the snow falls, and I'm sitting here in the living room with a roaring fire in the fireplace, maybe on the computer writing to you, I always smile when I look outside and see that the snow has crept up on the outside of the glass door slider. 3 inches, 6. 9.... until my feet on the soft rug are lower than the white stuff's level. Cozy? Heck yeah! And at a few minutes before 9am on this crystal clear frosty morn, it's still just 28.3 degrees F.

I told you that to tell you this. From the Globe today, and then the comment you should come to expect from me, the guy with the words. Most of the time......

"A no-decision for Roger Clemens. Clemens will file for free agency, but the seven-time Cy Young Award winner insists he hasn't decided whether he will pitch for the Houston Astros or anyone.....
Full season, half season or at all, I haven't even thought about it," Clemens said Thursday. "I just think it's too early to think about it. ... Right now, I don't have any thoughts of playing or not playing."
The 44-year-old Clemens didn't say when he will make up his mind about a 23rd season in the majors.
If Clemens does come back, it will likely to be for Houston, the New York Yankees, Boston or Texas. Any team outside that quartet is unlikely."

Peter here, ready for your comments on this always polarizing issue. To Rocket or not to Rocket? Or as the Three Stooges put it, "Have Rocket Will Travel" in one of the late in their career full length feature films. I think the Red Sox would do well with Roger as one of their starting five. His ERA with the Astros has been microscopic.....his team just doesn't score runs for him. How fitting would it be for him to end his career right where he started it...inside the cozy green-walled Fenway Park. The place of dreams. Enjoy your Saturday, and I will be here, waiting, breathless (OK, maybe NOT so breathless), for your comments. Jenny, no tomatoes, please. Or if you must, please make sure they're ripe.