Originally posted December 21, 2006
I had to write to-day because, my favourite day of the year – December 21 is at hand. It is the day set aside to mark the winter solstice- the day that the sun stops going south and turns around to head north again. I know the Earth really tilts on its axis, but at one time people believed that the sun might, one day, just keep on going and we would all live in an eternal winter – not bad for knitting, but the sheep need to be shorn. So when the sun began its return, there was great celebration – the feast of the Saturnalia!
Spring for me really starts with the Winter solstice. Generally we would still be trudging through winter and looking forward to another 3 months, at least, of bitter cold and December 21 would be that spark of hope that it would all end one day in April.
However, this year we have had nothing but Spring so far. Days have been around 10 degrees Celsius when they should be closer to -10 degrees. There is no snow. The ski hills are closed. No one needs to book an escape holiday to the Caribbean and we are all looking a little “sheepish” wondering if that awful, predicted global warming has really escalated on us and was it because we begged off on our re-cycling duties one day and here is our nemesis!
This situation has been made all the worse because western Canada is buried under snow. OK they have always been a little more protective of the environment out there – they’re younger- and now it seems that heaven is smiling err snowing on them.
It’s a frustrating yin and yang. We’ve had to cancel our ski trip after Christmas and yet I can’t help enjoying the fact that we don’t have to shovel snow, wear thick boots and climb over 2’ snowdrifts after sliding into an icy parking spot! The knitting is still good, though maybe not as justifiable, because we are not “snowed in” and in need of the extra comfort and mindless activity. I would pray for snow except that it may come in spades – so to speak and well you see what I mean.
Enjoy – I think – Carol