The title Winter’s Bone, an acclaimed film based on Daniel Woodrell’s country noir novel, is an idiom the author created by personifying the season, which throws the main character a bone. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
Is it time to replace the expression “the mentally ill”? Some argue the term unfairly stigmatizes a broad range of people. Also, the winter sport of… skitching, which involves snowy roads, leather shoes — and car bumpers...
The weeks on either side of the winter solstice have a special place in Greek mythology. In the story of Alcyone, the daughter of Aeolus, she marries Ceyx, who arrogantly dares to compare their relationship to that of Zeus and Hera. Such hubris is...
open winter n.— «This was partly because Leavenworth was enjoying an “open winter”—meaning the severe weather had relented often enough on weekends to grant safe passage to tourists traveling east from Seattle.» —“In the Ruins of a...
q school n.— «After graduating from Yale, Lee spent the next two years playing on the Futures Tour—the equivalent of baseball’s minor leagues. Lee was then invited this past winter to enter qualifying school—or “Q School” as it is known...
hoarding n.— «The platform in question was partially draped by a large orange tarp, a technique known as “hoarding,” Hauser said. It’s a common and accepted way to shelter workers from the elements when working in winter...

