Here we are on the eve of Yule Solstice (Dec. 22 this year in the U.S.). The winter solstice is the moment when the northern hemisphere is most inclined away from the sun, causing the shortest day.
The Better Homes and Gardens healthy Christmas countdown task today is to make our homes as bright as possible using extra candles and Christmas lights. The diminished sun can trigger gloomy thoughts and we need to cheer ourselves up a bit.
They also suggest a walk outside at noon when the sun is at its peak. So we’re planning a walk to the park tomorrow to have a solstice picnic.
Last night we attended the holiday show "Tis the Season" at the Flandrau Planetarium at the University of Arizona Science Center. We learned about winter solstice and the astronomical history of this holiday season. Afterwards we were able to look through the UA Observatory’s 16-inch telescope—the night sky is truly amazing.
Here are the shining lights emanating from my Bavarian Christmas village to brighten the dark.
Junie,
ReplyDeleteThis time of year I have lots and lots of candles burning day and night. I'm one of those people who must have light each day so every afternoon I am out walking -- cold, snow, sleet, rain, wind or sun -- I must have my daily dose of sunshine (even if it's cloudy). That's good advice!
Happy picnicking!
~Jody (who's enjoying the snow fall)
Oh, love your village! I'm a sucker for these and yours is especially wonderful! I'd love to collect as nice a set as this ~ ours is just homemade at this point.
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