winter sunshine

Here we are, nearing winter solstice (tomorrow), daydreaming about longer hours of sunshine. And yet...

This day is actually as short as tomorrow's. December 20th -- Madison sunrise: 7:25, sunset: 4:25. December 21st -- Madison sunrise: 7:26, sunset: 4:26. In other words, by tomorrow evening, we will be gaining light.

Too, take it from us chicken people: darkness is relative. Though today's sunset comes at the earliest point in all the year (see times above), it actually feels fabulously bright out there because of the radiant sunshine we have on this day. Normally Ed locks up the coop between 4:15 and 4:30. Today he can push it a little further because dusk comes later. Tomorrow -- I may remind him to start locking things up by 4 and on Thursday -- the day of the anticipated big storm -- even earlier.

Did I say "big storm?" Yes, you will have heard, I'm sure, that we are in for a blizzard: heavy snow, fierce winds and wind chills easily hitting -25F (or -32C). Slated to pound us Thursday through Friday. I mean, the high on Friday will be -2F (-19C). Power outages expected. Travel coming to a grinding halt. I feel so terribly bad for people who are so eager to get in the car or catch a flight to be with family! Happy winter indeed!

But hey, today is gorgeous!

Morning walk -- peaceful, pretty...

Breakfast -- warm and cosy...

More holiday preparations -- aiming for grocery delivery tomorrow so that I can beat the storm. This means foods for the week, including for three holiday family dinners, have to be put on the list now.

And by early afternoon, the sun is out, full blast, and we are ready to go skiing. 

(on the way to the park: guys, you need to fly out before it gets crazy here!)

I haven't words to describe the prettiness of the landscape now, particularly along the woodland path. 

The snow is getting crusty from the cold, but it's still good for skiing. And breathtakingly beautiful to look at as we silently glide along the narrow trail.

We go to the portion of the park that is rarely visited. The trails aren't groomed. We're okay with that. The peace and quiet here is perfect. You are among your friends in nature. You come out a better person than when you first went in.

In the evening, I continue with all that I do before the holidays: wrap, clean, plan, and read. I watch the sun go down and I think -- what a beautiful place this is! No, not bleak at all. Utterly beautiful.