The Shortest Day of the Year

For most of you, 21 December comes and goes without much thought other than that you only have 3 more shopping days until Christmas. In Alaska, 21 December is one of the most anticipated days of December - almost more so than Christmas or New Year - because it's the shortest day of the year, the Winter Equinox. After 21 December instead of losing light we gain it - in huge leaps of 5-6 minutes at a time. We are on the way back to spring.

According to the Anchorage Daily News the sun doesn't officially rise in Anchorage until 10.15 am. It sets a mere 5 1/2 hours later at 3.43 pm.

This morning when I woke up at 10 am at the cabin it was grey and low light (a balmy 22 degrees). I lay in bed under my down comforter and stared out the big picture window at the snow covered trees and the mountain across the lake and thought, I could do with another 20 minutes, surely it can't be time to get up YET. But it was. Don't let the light fool ya.

Needless to say, I've been sleeping extraordinary amounts since I got here. I've been averaging 10 -12 hours for the last 3 nights in a row. Call it the combination of quiet, dark, and the fact that I am totally stress free these days and have no need to be anywhere before noon.

It's a nice way to start the sabbatical.

I hope this Christmas Eve finds you all well and happy and spending time with those you love and that tonight you get to sleep as long as like. That's my simple Christmas wish for all of you.

Now, I must dash - there is a glass of egg nog calling my name...