Solstice

Our resident snowy owl flew overhead this morning not once but twice as we did chores, a sign, the kid and I thought, of the day's importance. We celebrated by helping pack food hampers and toy bags at the local Santa's Anonymous effort, and now the kids are stringing up some extra outdoor lights they found in one of our outbuildings. If it doesn't move, it has lights on it now.

Winter weather has been here for a couple of months already regardless of what the calendar says, but today is special because the daylight hours begin to lengthen, an event worthy of great merrymaking and celebration for those of us northerly types who spend a fair amount of time outdoors. Today, for example, the sun rose just before 9 am and set just after 4 pm.

I like this time of the season, when winter isn't a new flirtation, thrilling and exciting, but an old steady, cozy and comfortable. I'm used to putting on the extra layers, to driving on the ice and snow, and that first day of the first as unpleasant as it is unexpected chill is just a a memory. And winters with snow, unlike last winter when the first snow came just before spring, are an extra delight; I was reminded today by a radio commentator that this time last Christmas the temperature was around 15C/60F, thoroughly unChristmassy.

I posted this last year for the shortest day, and I'm posting it again, because the lyrics remains my favorite bit of solstice song and poetry:

Ring Out, Solstice Bells
by Jethro Tull

Now is the solstice of the year,
winter is the glad song that you hear.
Seven maids move in seven time.
Have the lads up ready in a line.

Ring out these bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.

Join together beneath the mistletoe.
by the holy oak whereon it grows.
Seven druids dance in seven time.
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.

Ring out these bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.

Praise be to the distant sister sun,
joyful as the silver planets run.
Seven maids move in seven time.
Sing the song the bells call, loudly chiming.
Ring out those bells.
Ring out, ring solstice bells.
Ring solstice bells.
Ring on, ring out.
Ring on, ring out.

Added later: Somehow forgot to mention that another one of our traditions on the first winter night is to read Happy Winter, written and illustrated by Karen Gundersheimer, which really, really should not be out of print (and would you believe our library discarded its copy several years ago, though their loss is our gain). A sweet winter story accompanied by charming illustrations and a crackerjack chocolate cake recipe (favored by Laurie Colwin, blessedly still in print, no less). And it closes with Mama's winter lullaby:

Hush and quiet, close your eyes,
The moon's a night-light for the sky,
Where sprinkled stars are twingling high
And far below, the deep drifts lie
'Til Northwind spins and flurries fly.
A snowy blanket's tucked in tight
And so are you, and now good night.
A happy winter day is done.
Now close your eyes and dreams will come.