She is on her way back …

Finally she is turning round and starting the long journey back to us

c Jo Burt

Excellent.

Hope my hints of the book for Christmas have worked 🙂

🙂

Slowly slowly!!Thumbs up .

Opened STW to look for this thread, always like to see this picture.
Roll on end of March and BST

I knew what I’d see when I saw the topic title! I’ve been reading my book for a few minutes each night. I don’t know the earlier ones I’ve looked at yet, but they’re still a treat!

I’m here just to see this picture. Stw doesn’t disappoint.

First few days you can’t see any change, then by the end of January you notice a bit more daylight, it gains momentum through February and then “bang” the clocks change in March.

You’re a day early?

I’m here just to see this picture. Stw doesn’t disappoint.

same here

You’re a day early?

A couple of hours early. The December solstice will be at 9.20am

Love this annual thread

Can’t come soon enough. This month’s Mint in MBUK pretty much sums up my feeling towards mountain biking at the moment.

Love that pic, it really does lift your spirits in the winter gloom. I’ve wrapped the book up for my Son for Christmas. He’s with us for Christmas so I’ll be snatching it back off him the moment he puts it down! I managed a quick peruse before wrapping it but looking forward to a good read after he has read it.

Today madame and I went to the chambered cairn near our house to see if the sun really did come up in the entrance passage on the solstice. It was pouring with rain but at the allotted time the clouds actually parted for a few minutes and there she was, perfectly framed within the entrance and shing brightly. Amazing stuff, it’s being doing that for 5000 years.

Then the rain hammered down again and we ran away!

We get this every year on here. Boring.

Gary_C

Full Member

We get this every year on here. Boring.

At least we have your scintillating input to liven things up.

Thank you for your service.

@kormoran Newgrange cairn?

It’s nice to see that picture back.

*looks out window at horizontal rain*

*Sighs*

*Dreams*

Love this thread and the Steeleye Span vid.

*looks out window at horizontal rain*

*Sighs*

*Dreams*

Don’t worry, it’ll be exactly the same come “summer”.

Thank god this is the shortest day and things will only improve from here, I’ve really struggled with my SAD this autumn.

At 66 years of age, I can’t understand anyone wishing for time to pass.

Oh thank god for that. For a moment I thought Liz Truss was returning! 😉

At 66 years of age, I can’t understand anyone wishing for time to pass.

You do realise that you wouldn’t live any longer if it was cold and dark all year, dontcha? It would just feel longer.

If you want to replicate that feeling of time passing very slowly try watching paint dry, or listening to my mate Keith droning endlessly about things of no interest

At 66 years of age, I can’t understand anyone wishing for time to pass.

Shut up grandad, I’m only 56 and winter goes on foreva

If you want to replicate that feeling of time passing very slowly try

reading every post on some of the STW political threads, I suspect (no, I haven’t tried) that will do the trick 🙂

Rode at GT today in sideways wind and rain, it was magic.

Summer will be magic too.

Int weather brilliant!

It’s also the longest day for vampires.

https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2023/12/the-winter-solstice-in-scotland/

This is a really interesting short read about the solstice in Scotland and chambered Cairns. I did not realize some cairns point at the setting sun rather than rising.

@thelawman I’m north of Inverness, so no but I looked newgrange up it looks really interesting. Apparently solstice means sun still, ie not moving.

It feels like the end of the year, and that 1 January should be tomorrow. I suppose that when these Cairns were built, maybe solstice was the end of the year and start of a new one. Or something like that. Hmmm, think I’ll put the kettle on

Quite an interesting little read about passage tombs on the BBC  – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2nj1pgdj3o

Love this annual thread

I’ve come to expect it, if it didn’t happen then the world had clearly ended!

Gary_C

Full Member

We get this every year on here. Boring.

Yeah, funny how things like that happen in STW! But still you feel the need to bring the mood down. Bet you’re a shit-ton of fun on Christmas morning, which happens every year…

I discuss this with my mate every year, I tell him that it’s still gonna get darker in the mornings but lighter at night and he nods . This year he told me how he waits for me to tell him this stuff and the eternal optimism it brings , BUT usually it’s only me. This year some one else told him before I did , BASTID !  Thank **** it’s not boring because this eternal optimism keeps happening and long may it continue for not just us two but all mankind , a peaceful new year to one and all.

You do realise that you wouldn’t live any longer if it was cold and dark all year, dontcha? It would just feel longer.

I think the point was, (and I agree with SR) is that winter, although colder and darker, is still something to embrace and can provide experiences as just good as summer days. And not liking it makes eff all difference to it being cold and dark. So, if you can*, make the most of it regardless.

Winter, for me at least, doesnt feel any longer than summer, it’s just different. And routinely provides awesome experiences.

That said, SR lives in the UKs largest and snowiest national park, and I live about 90 minutes from the same park… which makes it easier, than say, living in Slough. But that’s probably awful in summer as well.

*those suffering from SAD have my sympathies

Winter, for me at least, doesnt feel any longer than summer, it’s just different. And routinely provides awesome experiences.

This Is how I look at it, try and embrace the change and the shutting down of nature.

But for a lot of people winter is something that can’t end soon enough. Summer of course is the complete opposite, and they wish it went on for ever

I think the point was, (and I agree with SR) is that winter, although colder and darker, is still something to embrace and can provide experiences as just good as summer days.

I am not sure about “just as good” as summer but winter isn’t my least favourite season, that is autumn.

A lot of people love autumn, apparently the trees are beautiful, but I hate it as the only thing to look forward to is winter and hours of darkness. Winter I don’t mind too much as it at least means that we have spring to look forward to, and spring is great….. it’s full of optimism!

I much prefer the little green shoots and darling buds of May than the sight of leaves dying and falling off trees. In spring every weekend bike ride is exciting because it reveals that nature has woken up a little bit more than the previous weekend. Winter is dull and boring, and thanks to climate change becoming even more dull and boring.

Maybe it is easier to cope with short days when you are retired and can still get out and do stuff in the daylight. I do find it being dark by 3.30 frustrating during the week.

One thing I like about winter are those “stolen rides” where the stars, wind, and sun align and you get a mostly dry, or hero-dirt ride.  Riding through leafless trees lit by a low sun is worth a few muddy rides. Also those – getting less frequent – hard frosty rides when you’re freezing cold at the start but then warm up to ‘summer from the axles’ down.

And those day long death marches ending in twighlight (or occasionally darkness) in a pub with a roaring fire.

I still much prefer spring and summer (and early autumn) but a ‘proper’ winter is not all bad.  Three months of rain, low cloud and 7 degrees tho is not what is needed!