Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Winter Solstice

O Winter! ruler of the inverted year, . . . . I crown thee king of intimate delights, Fireside enjoyments, home-born happiness, And all the comforts that the lowly roof Of undisturb'd Retirement, and the hours Of long uninterrupted evening, know.

William Cowper


Sunrise this Solstice Morning

My internal alarm clock (which never seems to fail me) awakened me before 3am. The glow of the full moon shone in our bedroom window and earlier in the evening indeed gave "the lustre of midday to objects below."
I went downstairs. I was eagerly anticipating the sight of the lunar eclipse on this December full moon. I drew the blinds on several windows and although the yard was warmly illuminated, there was a fog present that did not allow a good view.

But this morning... as is always the case after a fog, the hoar frost was just beautiful in the brilliant morning sun. That is the beauty of living in 'the land of the living skies'. We have cold weather, to be sure, but the sun dogs, the twinkle of the snow and the clear blue skies are beyond compare.

Happy Solstice everyone!

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