the Way of the Turtle

WELCOME WINTER SOLSTICE 2012!
Friday, December 21, 2012

No great surprise, the world didn't end this morning, despite the histrionics of fools mixing a misunderstanding of ancient Mayan calendar cycles with what one expert interviewed referred to as a need to periodically find something to freak out about. And since the world is still here we get one of my favorite days of the year, the winter solstice.

Astronomically, it's the day the Earth is closest to the Sun and, due to the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis, the day in the northern hemisphere which has the least number of hours of daylight. Historically it has been a day which is celebrated for a variety of reasons.

Me, I just like the fact that from here on out for the next six months we'll gain a couple minutes of daylight each day, so that in a month or two I'll actually be able to go outside after work and walk, run, snowshoe, ski, or ride using natural light rather than the light of a headlamp (or no light at all.)

Bring on the daylight!

JMH