“I will love the light for it shows me the way. Yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.”
Yes, I know it’s Wednesday, and this is my day off, but I decided to write just a bit this being the winter solstice and all.
It is warm today at 51°. We’re expecting rain so the sun is gone yet again. It’s actually been a while since it last appeared. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was on vacation in a sunnier clime.
The longest night of the year needs fireworks. The sky should be ablaze with color. Bon fires need to be lit. We ought to be outside around the fire singing carols and celebrating and having a glass or two of something warm.
Tonight I’m going to a friend’s house for dinner, and I will wear bright clothes to dispel the darkness on this the longest night.
“I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.
‘We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,’
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.”
– Oliver Herford, I Heard a Bird Sing
Tags: December, Oliver Herford, Winter solstice
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
December 21, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Hi Kat,
It’s pretty dark here already and it’s only 1PM. It is not as warm here as you but it hasn’t yet started to rain. I have to go out and I will wear bright colors. Thanks for the idea. This is definitely a yellow shoes kind of day. Maybe with a bright purple sweater as well. The two will be separated by blue jeans so how can they clash?
Enjoy your solstice evening.
December 21, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Hi Caryn,
It has started to rain here. I went out to the deck to find out why the lights there didn’t come on last night. I tried pushing the button on the outlets: nothing. Well, they were unplugged-how silly to have missed that.
The day is getting darker, far darker than this morning.
I love your yellow and purple!
December 21, 2011 at 2:36 pm
The sun went down 3:15 today and it will rise at 8:51 am, thank god it finally turns toward brighter days again 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
December 21, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Christer,
It may only be about a minute a day, but I’ll take the light!
December 21, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Hi Kat,
I am back from China. Although last night was almost the longest of the year, it went by very quickly in a Boeing 747 racing east across the Pacific Ocean towards San Francisco. Less than six of the twelve hours were in darkness. I left Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 and arrived in San Francisco at 10:00 AM the same morning. Going the other way across the international date line causes the loss of a day.
While in Mainland China I was unable to read your blog along with many other sites. The internet also runs slowly in China due to what my American colleague in Zhuhai calls, “The Great Firewall of China”.
I spent two days in Hong Kong to do some holiday shopping. Hong Kong is very crowded and bustling with both pedestrians and traffic. It seemed at times at most of the 1.3 billion Chinese were all rushing to get the shopping done at the same time in Hong Kong.
The weather yesterday in Hong Kong was cloudy and the high temperature was in the 70s. The weather there is similar to Florida. Here in North Texas it’s sunny and in the mid 50s.
There is nothing like being home after any long journey.
December 21, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Welcome home, Bob
I’ve wanted to do that: lose and gain a day but haven’t got to that side of thge world yet.
The paper and news magazines have often reported on the internet censors in China. I love the name, “The Great Firewall of China.”
The weather in Hong Kong sounds just perfect. I could live my whole life in the 70’s.
1.3 billion people male for a bust mall!
December 21, 2011 at 6:49 pm
I dunno, I read the surprise post today and thought the following :
It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold;
“Peace on the earth, good will to men,
From Heaven’s all gracious King.”
The world in solemn stillness lay,
To hear the angels sing.
December 21, 2011 at 10:10 pm
My Dear Hedley,
One of my favorite carols! I could always imagine how beautiful and still the night was and how beautifully the angels sang.
December 21, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Well what a surprise, Bob says Coffee isn’t banned in China. Kat, post some Chinese food recipes, you may break into a new target audience. Chop, Chop! By the way, I love free dinners. Probably because I’m the only one in the Hood that’s giving them. Love the song you reprinted.
December 21, 2011 at 7:51 pm
Happy Solstice!
December 21, 2011 at 10:10 pm
Thank you, Rown!
December 21, 2011 at 8:04 pm
You’re so right! Let’s plan on doing something next year. After all, we celebrate the 1st day of spring! Too bad fireworks are illegal in MA.
December 21, 2011 at 10:12 pm
Kat
It’s a date! Maybe we’ll have to settle for sparklers lighting up the night. We’ll use the chiminea for the fire and roast marshmallows!
December 22, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Great idea! Never thought of that or we could use our firepit! You’re on – Dec 21/12.
December 22, 2011 at 5:22 pm
I’m marking the date on my calendar!