Almost Missed the Winter Solstice...
12-21-22, 09:07 AM
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Almost Missed the Winter Solstice...
As a 30-year bike commuter, I like to mark the winter solstice, which is today. But with my new job of 5 months, the pervasive holiday season, and a recent family challenge, I almost missed it.
Over the decades, the yearly dates that most impact my commute are the start and finish of daylight savings time. This artificial construct has the most immediate and profound effect, suddenly plunging my ride home into darkness in November...and filling it with light once again in March. This may become a thing of the past as it may be phased out here in Colorado, as it has in some other states and areas, which would leave only the more softly significant winter and summer solstices and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
From today until June 21st, the daylight portion of the day will grow, achieving parity with the night-time around March 21st until grabbing the lion's share of the day three months later. Then sunset will come sooner each day until November when the end of daylight savings yanks the daylight rug out from under my evening commute once again.
So happy winter solstice, and may your days be filled with ever increasing light!... at least for the next 6 months.
Over the decades, the yearly dates that most impact my commute are the start and finish of daylight savings time. This artificial construct has the most immediate and profound effect, suddenly plunging my ride home into darkness in November...and filling it with light once again in March. This may become a thing of the past as it may be phased out here in Colorado, as it has in some other states and areas, which would leave only the more softly significant winter and summer solstices and the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
From today until June 21st, the daylight portion of the day will grow, achieving parity with the night-time around March 21st until grabbing the lion's share of the day three months later. Then sunset will come sooner each day until November when the end of daylight savings yanks the daylight rug out from under my evening commute once again.
So happy winter solstice, and may your days be filled with ever increasing light!... at least for the next 6 months.
12-21-22, 10:00 AM
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after all these years.......
somethings never change.
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12-21-22, 10:10 AM
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From 1991
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...-024227c8419f/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archi...-024227c8419f/
"The way that North America and Europe are separating from each other does not involve very much rotation of a line that was once aligned north," is how Walter Alvarez, a geologist at the University of California, explained it to us.What has thrown Stonehenge out of line is the change in the tilt of the Earth's axis and other wobbles in the planet's orbit around the sun. These are much more dramatic than continental drift. The Earth is a bit more tilted now than it was when Stonehenge was built -- a change in the "obliquity of the ecliptic," to speak fancifully.
We called the authority on Stonehenge -- THE authority -- Richard John Copland Atkinson, professor emeritus of archaeology at University College in Cardiff, Wales, and he told us that, from a perspective within the center of Stonehenge, the position of the summer solstice sunrise has moved east by about two diameters of the sun. It was aligned originally in about 2100 B.C., he said.
We called the authority on Stonehenge -- THE authority -- Richard John Copland Atkinson, professor emeritus of archaeology at University College in Cardiff, Wales, and he told us that, from a perspective within the center of Stonehenge, the position of the summer solstice sunrise has moved east by about two diameters of the sun. It was aligned originally in about 2100 B.C., he said.
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Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
12-21-22, 10:13 AM
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Meanwhile.
My family celebrates Yule with a yule log. Usually this has been last year's Christmas tree carved up and in the fire pit. In 2021 some well meaning fence contractors hauled it off but we have it again once this year. For the lack of it last year I made a Yule log cake, which was fun but a lot of work. Not sure if I'm going to today. It's a work from home day and I could.
My family celebrates Yule with a yule log. Usually this has been last year's Christmas tree carved up and in the fire pit. In 2021 some well meaning fence contractors hauled it off but we have it again once this year. For the lack of it last year I made a Yule log cake, which was fun but a lot of work. Not sure if I'm going to today. It's a work from home day and I could.
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Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
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12-22-22, 06:28 PM
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We did do the buche de noel. spice cake with cream cheese frosting and espresso liquer whipped cream filling
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Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
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12-22-22, 08:02 PM
#7
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2 seconds more daylight today. Lighting candles and stringing lights on trees worked again!
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