Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Countdown Begins

Last year at the winter solstice, I began a countdown to the spring equinox on with a Facebook notation every day.  My friends requested I do it again this winter.  It gives us all a sense of hope in the darkest days of winter.

December 22  is the shortest day here in Seymour.  The sun didn't come up until 7:28 and will leave us at 4:17 pm.  That means we only have 8 hours and 49 minutes of daylight.  It's not enough for me.  I got up at midnight to watch the almost full moon reflecting on the snow.  I could pretend it was sunlight, at least until the clouds came back with more snow.  Earth moves slowly as she changes her direction.  Our day will be a minute longer tomorrow, but then there will no be additional daylight time until the 28th.

The day after the 2010 spring equinox, Gary and I put our canoe in the Wolf River for our first cruise of the year.  A few days earlier, the swans had returned.  They are better forecasters of spring than any robins.

Eighty nine days to go!

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