On Our Cover
Princess Hyacinth, by Alphonse Mucha,
1911, here pointing the way to Main Street’s Indulgence Day (see January 3, 8 Days a Week — no doubt perfected her form imitating herons at tai chi.)

Toy Story
As giants close, Be Beep nominated for toy Oscar
by Louis Llovio
Out With the Old, In With the New
Busy week at the dump
by Louis Llovio
2003 Was Tough on Trees
Nature’s at work recycling toppled trees
by Kathryn Reshetiloff

Way Downstream

• In Virginia, strange bedfellows — from home builders to Chesapeake Bay foundation — lie down together to increase the state’s capital spending on the environment…
• In San Diego zoo, a new panda is born in the U.S.A.…
• This week’s Creature Feature: In Australia, some say we’ll skip the lamb and beef in favor of “indigenous eating”: kangaroo, crocodile and emu plus wilder witchetty grubs, bogong moths and honey ants.
  

The Future Can Keep Its Secrets — I Like Surprises 2004: A Beaming Beginning Electoral Thinking

by C.D. Dollar Allure of the Flats’ Flights Happy New Year! by Martha Blume We Survive Phenomenon to Phenomenon by Gary Pendleton