A winter quiz for chilly days

(Answers next month- JG)
By Felice Prager / December 7, 2006 in the Christian Science Monitor (Dec. 7. 2006)
Brrr, it's cold outside in many parts of the country. Here's a quiz to warm you up. Fill in the blanks with words that have something to do with winter.

1. This is another name for the event held every four years that includes competitions in winter sports such as skiing, ice skating, and bobsledding. The last one was in Turin, Italy, in 2006. (2 words)
Winter _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

2. This is a period of recess or vacation during the winter term at school, which usually includes the winter holidays. Hint: Some schools also have one in the spring. (2 words)
winter _ _ _ _ _

3. Some people say that this Life Savers flavor gives off a small blue spark when crunched between a person's teeth.
winter _ _ _ _ _

4. Finish this holiday song lyric:
"Sleigh bells ring, are you listening
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight," (5 words)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ winter _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

5. This might be done to a car or house, to prepare it for winter weather.
winter _ _ _

6. In the Northern Hemisphere, this occurs on or about Dec. 22. It is technically the shortest day of the year, when the sun appears in the southernmost part of the sky. (2 words)
winter _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

7. This building in St. Petersburg, Russia, was built between 1754 and 1762 as the winter residence of Russian czars. (2 words)
Winter _ _ _ _ _ _

8. This is another name for an outer garment worn during the cold months of the year to keep a person warm. (2 words)
winter _ _ _ _

Some sayings for you to also take away from this blog:

The way down and the way up are one and the same.- herakleitos

Easy is right. Begin rightAnd you are easy.Continue easy and you are right.The right way to go easyIs to forget the right wayAnd forget that the going is easy. -Chuang-tzu

There was never mystery, But ’tis figured in the flowers;Was never secret history, But birds tell it in the bowers. -ralph waldo emerson

To deny the reality of things is to miss their reality.To assert the emptiness of things is to miss their reality. -zen saying