On 21 December, all over West Penwith, people will be marking midwinter by walking to stone circles and holy wells, to hill forts and ancient beacons…
Winter Solstice 2025
In keeping with today’s theme, here’s a gorgeous sunset photo from Jude at Cornwall in Colours. To see more of Jude’s beautiful photography, please click the link above.
As I’ve noted here before, Penticton is situated between two lakes – one at the south end and the other at the north – and is one of only two communities in the world that is so established. The other is Interlaken, Switzerland. For a change of pace I recently decided to take a walk along Skaha which is at the south end.
There was some serious wind coming out of the south causing choppy waters and lots of scudding cloud …
… but then I realised that we now officially have winter!
The solstice doesn’t just mean that we’re headed in the right (springy!) direction again, it also means that we first have to get through winter.
And then I remind myself that I’m no longer in Yellowknife where today’s high will be -31C (-24F). I don’t have to wear a parka, shovel snow, slog through snow banks, walk to work in the dark, dark, dark of winter or defrost my eyelashes when I step inside. We have about four to eight more weeks of very mild winter before we will again begin to see the first signs of spring, so what is there to complain about?
Really, not very much!
Happy Monday.
When the sun breaks through in winter …
… the clouds are constantly trying to …
… re-establish themselves.
This is our season, they adamantly say.
But the sun does try its best.
Happy Solstice. Our days are about to become longer. 🙂
… gave us this.
Some blue sky …
… a calm lake …
… and sleeping wine grape vines …
… before we got more of this. At least the white stuff was at the mountain top but in any case, in December it’s important to enjoy the weather breaks when you get them!
Happy Saturday.
Usually I post flower pictures on Fridays, but seeing as we’re only two days away from the official start of winter, the pickings are rather few and far between, to say the least. However, since we have a lot of this going on …
… I thought some of this would be welcome.
Or maybe a seasonal light tunnel …
… as well as illuminated trees …
… in seasonal fashion.
Always so enlightening to see …
… at this time of year!
Happy Friday.
… arrived!
It’s still very soggy – you can’t have all that rain and then dry out quickly – but it was so nice to see a little sun.
We’re supposed to get some more tomorrow – wow! – sun two days in a row!
I plan to enjoy it as much as I can, especially that I’m beginning to feel better, too.
Happy Thursday.
Not a huge pink fan Sunsets and sunrises shine With pink licks around Bernie
Pretty in Pink
Stunning pictures from Bernie at 3six5Snap2. I hope you visit her blog to see more of her gorgeous photography.
I’m not feeling well – nothing serious, just a bit under the weather – so am posting a few favourite ocean photos from my archive. Some have been posted before, others not.
Have a happy Wednesday.
We have seen a lot of rain this autumn, much more than usual, but because of that we are experiencing some beautiful blue hours.
First recognised in French artistic circles about 200 years ago as l’heure bleue, it is a period of twilight at dawn or dusk when the sun is far enough below the horizon – between about 4 and 8 degrees – so that its blue wavelengths dominate the sky while the red wavelengths are absorbed by the ozone in the atmosphere.
In overcast or partially overcast conditions the blue light is reflected and enhanced, leading to lovely blue photos, even if the day has been grey.
I enjoyed taking these of Penticton’s Okanagan Lake shoreline. I find that the artificial lights make a good counterpoint to the blue.
Many of the boat masts at the northern marina have been decorated with seasonal lights which I thought was another lovely visual counterpoint.
On additional note, I am experimenting with a new camera which has also been fun. These pictures are some of my results.
Happy Tuesday.
We have a lot more rain coming our way in the form of another water-logged front and while out walking it was clear to me that it was on its way. The occasional breeze ruffled the lake’s surface but it was otherwise very calm and smooth with the blue-grey overcast gathering quickly.
There are lots of warnings about heavy rainfalls with the possibility of landslides in the mountains, so I think I’m just going to stick around here where it might be soggy but it’s 12C (53.6F) and as long as I have rain gear I’m fine.
The ducks don’t mind this at all, though. Bring on the rain, they quack!
For them, rain is a terrifically good thing and they can’t understand why we humans would like things to be a little drier.
Nevertheless, wherever you are, I hope you have a very duckie Monday, rain or not.
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