Five Things You Need To Know Today, Feb. 21

"Five Things You Need to Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

Today is Monday, Feb. 21. Here are five things you need to know:

1. Back to reality: After Friday’s nice weather, the cold weekend shot us back into winter reality. That continues today as the National Weather Service is forecasting the possibility of snow showers during the day and a low of 24 degrees. When is spring again? 
2. Give blood, life: A second American Red Cross Blood Drive at Spence Farm will be held today from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the last drive, volunteers collected 55 units of blood. All participants in today’s drive will receive a Boston Bruins/American Red Cross T-shirt. The Woburn Lions Leo Club will be on hand, serving refreshments. 
3. Skate away: With the Boston Bruins making some big trades on Friday, hockey and ice has been on Woburn Patch’s mind. On yours, too? Head on over to the between 1:10 and 2:10 p.m. today for a public skating session. Cost is $3 per skater, with a $3 skate rental fee, if you need them.
4. In case you missed it: Our columnist Raquelle Matos brought a taste of to our homes this weekend with her terrific wheat nut pancakes recipe. After having these delicious pancakes at Bickford’s, Matos found a way to recreate them at home. Yummy!   
5. En vogue: On this day in 1842, John Greenough patented the first sewing machine in the United States. The machine was first invented by Walter Hunt in 1833, but he lost interest in the machine and sold it without patenting it. A few years later, Elias Howe would create his own sewing machine that was similar, but allowed for fabric to be held vertically. Companies like Singer began producing sewing machines for the public.

To find out what is going on today in Woburn, check out our events listings.