[manian]

well i don't think we saw any daylight amid the fog today here in derbyshire

[doganjo]

I have this  "belief" that the blackbirds herald the start of the new year on the first day after solstice. It could be just my reticular activated system of course and it may be that the birds sing a chourus in the days before but that I dont notice as I am not looking for it. It could also be that if you sat on a twig all night in freezing conditions counting the hours from dusk till dawn that you would notice the slightest increase in daylight and sing with joy at the sight of it.

Either way I think animals, like people learn by association and recognise signs and patterns, be they pattens of behavior or the rhythm of the seasons.

I watched the eclipse and used the occasion to remind myself of what is important to me. Its easy for me to get so tired and bogged down by a full time job, a two hour commute, reccession, restructures and rising cost of living. Especially in the cold and gloomy depths of winter when I leave home in the dark and return in the dark. The shadow of the moon across the sun reminded me that sometimes all the good things in my life get obscured by all the rubbish in the world and I loose sight of them. It also made me ackowledge that as mighty as the sun may be it canot destroy the moon, mearly cast a shadow over it. That evening when the moon rose again, tinted orange by the remains of the setting sun in the evening sky it looked as big and radient as any sun and reminded me again that the joy in my life is always there, I just have to take a little time to look for it.

Buffy

What a beautiful way to look at life.

[Greenerlife]

my delivery man was wearing shorts the day after solstice, in the snow, minus 4 degrees.  When I questioned him on his attire, he said "the way I look at it, we have had the shortest day, summer is on it's way" and grinned crazily!  have to say, I admire his outlook, but can't give up on the thermals!