Winter Solstice

Tree ~ Rita Angus

Tonight, June 21st - 22nd, is the longest night of the year. 

I visualise all of you northern-hemisphere types, basking in the heat. 

You are swimming in an aqua pool; you are sitting under the cool shade of luxuriant trees. 

You wear light cotton tops and espadrilles, sunglasses and floppy straw hats. 

You are at picnics, enjoying baguettes and beautiful cheeses, strawberries and melon, 

chilled white wine....

Ah well. Outside my classroom it's bitterly cold, with heavy rain falling. 

We've had days on end of heavy frosts and clear blue days, bracketed by southerly storms sweeping over our small country; they bring wintry blasts and thundery storms. All of the ski fields are open already - it's unusually early in the winter for that, so their operators will be happy. 

My students have colds and coughs, and so do many of my colleagues. My cat only stirs from in front of the fire to eat and briefly dash outside to make a deposit in the garden before reclaiming her spot on the lambswool rug.

I hate the cold. 

And we always get our worst winter weather after the shortest day, in July and August.

But of course, there is a good side: from now on, we're heading towards summer!

“There are adventures of the spirit and one can travel in books and interest oneself in people and affairs. One need never be dull as long as one has friends to help, gardens to enjoy and books in the long winter evenings.”
~ D. E. Stevenson