The solstice arrived this morning. At the very moment I posted this, in fact. While most of us, including me, were snug in our beds.
So celebrate the return of light, fellow denizens of the northern hemisphere. Be relieved that the sun has not abandoned us after all — even if it’s not giving us much warmth for a few months yet.
I celebrate with a feast, followed by silence and candlelight.
In the morning, there’s music to enjoy.
And an instrumental medley of other winter tunes, Celtic style:
Happy Winter Solstice, Claire, the time of year when we drive to work in the dark and drive back home in the dark, such fun! Fortunately, I don’t suffer from seasonal affective disorder and I keep my spirits up by keeping in mind that the days will start getting longer after today and also by listening to songs such as this. Enjoy! 🙂
https://youtu.be/6c8GlSb6XlA
Love that video and that version of the song, r_v! (And am very glad to have work that lets me see daylight this time of year. I used to want to live in Alaska, but now I can’t even imagine …)
My reflection on the winter solstice is here: http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/?p=10384
Speaking of logs, I’ve had this poem around for several years. Some of it is similar to the song. It’s not musical, but it is cheery to think about. I think it may be composed of excerpts (and alterations) from this version. http://www.minehead-online.co.uk/logpoem.htm
LOGS TO BURN (Traditional English Poem)
Beech-wood fires burn bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year;
Store your beech for Christmastide,
With new-cut holly laid beside.
Chestnut’s only good, they say,
If for years `tis stored away;
Birch and firwood burn too fast,
Blaze too bright and do not last;
Flames from larch will shoot up high,
Dangerously the sparks will fly.
But ashwood green and ashwood brown
Are fit for a queen with a golden crown.
Oaken logs, if dry and old,
Keep away the winter’s cold;
Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke;
Elm-wood burns like churchyard mold.
E’en the very flames are cold.
Hawthorne bakes the sweetest bread
So it is in Ireland said;
Apple-wood will scent the room,
Pear-wood smells like flowers in bloom.
But ashwood wet and ashwood dry,
A king will warm his slippers by.
And here’s hoping for a mild, or at least tolerable, winter for everyone…
Darn… only soft pine here available for firewood. Sure would love some of that ash wood. Best firewood I ever had was many years ago. My father in law cut down a massive black walnut that became diseased. We burned that for many years, and wept when the last log was put onto the fire.
Can’t have the solstice without Stonehenge.
Around here we have mesquite and “cedar.” (Which is actually a juniper.)
Hate to burn mesquite without smoking something over it.
Cedar coats your chimney with creosote and other nastiness. We’ve already had a local family burned out by a chimney fire. (“Already” because this week’s cold front was the first excuse to use a fireplace.)
My contribution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5q0KmjU0Qk
The Drifters, I believe, outdid Bing Crosby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ooc5eJc5SHA
One of my many weaknesses is I can’t listen to Chuck Berry without smirking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCTeXUkTFwQ
Just for clicks (do it on the deer sequentially). https://icq.com/img/friendship/static/card_7944_rs.swf
So as not to slight rednecks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQy2fHR7JHk
A complete PC failure. http://www.sbcusa.com/greeting/ebonics_xmas.html
And this, IMHO, is exactly what an angel sounds and possibly looks like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf16EBNTxGI