Celebrate the Winter Solstice!

[bvar22]

"Today is the winter solstice and the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It's all due to Earth's tilt, which ensures that the shortest day of every year falls around December 21.

Since ancient times people have marked the winter solstice with countless cultural and religious traditions—it's no coincidence the modern holiday season surrounds the first day of winter.

During the winter solstice the sun hugs closer to the horizon than at any other time during the year, yielding the least amount of daylight annually. On the bright side, the day after the winter solstice marks the beginning of lengthening days leading up to the summer solstice.

"Solstice" is derived from the Latin phrase for "sun stands still."

That's because—after months of growing shorter and lower since the summer solstice—the sun's arc through the sky appears to stabilize, with the sun seeming to rise and set in the same two places for several days. Then the arc begins growing longer and higher in the sky, reaching its peak at the summer solstice."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/12/091221-winter-solstice-2009-first-day-winter-shortest-day-year.html

Each Day will be a little longer.

Each Night a little shorter.

The World keeps turning,

And soon we will be back to this.



My wife and I both suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
It is especially bad this year
We are delighted that this is the low point of the year.
Instead of moving away from the Growing Season,
we are NOW moving toward the NEW Growing Season.
The Seed Catalogs have begun arriving,
and we are planning the New Garden.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x2601

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=268x2747

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.


--- Max Ehrmann, 1927

[MuseRider]

1. The arrival of seed catalogs

has gone a long way into making us much happier here. I always celebrate this day because as a farmer/rancher/gardener type person the daylight never lasts long enough. It is nice to have that early rest in the winter but we desire those longer days here.

We have begun turning our two goats out into our garden to clean up and add a bit of the magic poop for next season. Getting ready...plotting out the next garden...evaluating what went right and wrong this last year. Much anticipation.

Happy Solstice to you and Starkraven.

[defendandprotect]

2. Happy Winter Solstice ... Happy Coming of the Light ... Happy New Year -- !!!

[roody]

3. Winter Solstice

Winter solstice
Return of the light.
Tomorrow the days grow longer.
Tomorrow the cold grows stronger.
Tonight---the longest night.

Probably last night was the longest because the declination of the Earth's axis changed at 9:47 a.m. Pacific Time.

[hippywife]

4. Happy Solstice, Bob!

I'm sorry to hear you and K suffer through the winter, too. It's so hard to maintain a decent mood at all through the winter.

There was one bit of good news today. When I went out to the hen house to collect the eggs today when I got home from work, there were 9 of them. That means all of the chickens are now laying. There was only one green egg so that lets me know that only one of them are laying those. We've been getting a green egg pretty much every day so we weren't sure if it was more than one or not.

I was thinking about that great pic of Elvis that you posted not too long ago. I think you need to enter that in the DU calendar contest for 2011. He's such a great specimen and it's a really nice shot, too.

Hold on to each other tight the next few months. Before we know it, tho, we'll be back out in the sunshine. :hug: