Before the shovels or snow blowers come out when dawn is just awakening, it’s nice to stand outside and experience a certain kind of peace you never feel except at this time in winter.

We're now just past the midpoint of astronomical winter — that moment marking the midway point between December's winter solstice and March's vernal equinox. That moment took place at 4:11 p.m.

Call it the “Art of the Deadline.” President Trump has in his first few weeks of his second term shown a tendency to set a ...