Way back in November, The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted that Winter 2005 would be colder and wetter than normal. After five months of cold, ice, and snow, we’ve got to give the old farmer some credit because he was right on with that prediction.

Not only did we totally miss our usual January thaw, it seems we’ve had nothing but below-freezing weather interspersed with six to eight inches of snow falling once a week since mid-January. Now it’s almost mid-March and despite Tuesday’s nasty surprise blizzette, we know spring has got to be on its way. Very soon now we’ll be collecting pussywillow branches and smelling the skunk cabbage. Can the first spring peeper be far behind? So while keeping your bird feeders filled and your snow shovel handy, don’t forget to keep the faith, too. Spring will come.

For those of you who want to know more about the habits and history of coyotes moving into our suburban Northeast backyards, I can recommend (as much as a cat can credibly recommend anything about canines) an illustrated, softcover book written by author, naturalist, and biologist Peter Trull. The name of the book is Coyotes In The Neighborhood, and you may order a signed copy by sending $14 to Peter Trull, c/o Wild Cape Cod, Box 748, Brewster, MA 02631. Since it seems we’ve got to live with coyotes, we might as well know as much about them as possible.

Marilyn Alexander is one of our readers who is happy that portions of The Newtown Bee are online each week. Last Sunday morning Marilyn said she was thrilled that her son, who is halfway around the world these days, saw the same picture online that many of our readers saw on the newsstands this week.

“My son in China was able to see his father, who is on the front page of The Bee this week,” she said. Marilyn’s husband, Paul, can be seen in a group photo of Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Company Life Members, who gathered recently to reminisce about some of the fire company and some of the largest fires it has knocked down. These recollections will become part of an updated history of the fire company being coordinated by NH&L member Mark DeWolfe.

Ed Osterman and several other members of the Rotary Club were at the World Help Foundation offices on South Main Street, packing up the water purification equipment for the move to a new location, when Tuesday’s snowstorm hit. The Rotarians were so busy that no one realized just how bad it was outside. Ed says that when he tried to leave at 9 pm, he found that his car doors were frozen shut. He finally got one open, however, and made it home safely.

Jim Ternan says the final Lenten fish fry will be held at the St Rose parish hall this Friday night “weather permitting.” Jim says that if the weather is bad, the fish fry will be postponed to a date that will be determined later. The event has been extremely popular — attracting 144 people to the first fish fry, 376 to the second. “We are expecting over 500 people at this one,” he said, “so the weather has us a bit concerned.”

When Bobbie Poeltl and Alice Baye were trying to figure out what kind of fundraiser to hold for their Relay for Life team, Flex Your Muscles, they knew they wanted to try something different. The answer popped quickly into Bobbie’s head — a one-time yoga class that would be great for people who have wanted to try it out, but also would be good for those who have experience. Bobbie just happens to have a sister, Lisa Liotta, who is an experienced yoga teacher and who agreed to volunteer her services. The class will be held at 9:30 am on March 22 at Edmond Town Hall. Suggested donations of $12 or more will go to the American Cancer Society. To sign up call Bobbie at 270-9738 or Alice at 270-7346.

Mandy Monaco and Cyndy DaSilva are getting worried. The co-presidents of Women Involved In Newtown say their group counts on donations of candy to fill Easter baskets for needy and ill children. This year the donations just haven’t been coming in. The baskets have to be assembled next week for distributions by area organizations. Anyone who can help should drop off candy at Prudential Connecticut Realty or Bob Tendler/Coldwell Banker, both on Church Hill Road, or at the Little Green Barn on Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook center.

The big snowstorm that took everyone else by surprise on Tuesday didn’t seem to faze Sandy Stockwell and Linda Bates in the least. With just five weeks to go until April 15 and hundreds of tax returns to prepare, the two accountants were busily plowing through tax forms in their Church Hill Road offices until 10 or 11 that night, well after the snow ceased to fall.

By the way, I believe the time you spend reading this column is deductible, so be sure to…

Read me again.