Solstice...

It's the longest night of the year. I am up, canning homemade mustard for people for Christmas gifts. (Yes, canned homemade mustard. It's good. Don't look at me like that.)

The darkness has been hard on me this year. It hasn't been too cold, but the sun starts to go down within a half an hour of my getting home from work. All I want to do is get in bed and forget it all. But if I do that, I then feel bad that I didn't get any housework done, or art, or whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing. All I know is that I haven't had mood swings like this in years, and I don't like it, no, not at all. Hopefully, it will pass soon. Maybe tonight will be sort of a light at the end of the tunnel sort of thing.


It could be worse. I could live in Alaska.




Come to think of it, maybe sunlight deprivation can explain a lot about Alaska...


I don't really know why winter has affected me this way this year. Usually, I'm pretty okay with it, and I try to enjoy the dark for what it is. We haven't had much yet, but snow is usually fun for both me and for Peanut. But this year, it's just been cold enough not to want to go out, and rainy. Maybe I've been in bad moods because I was out on my bike so much more this summer and fall that I miss it. Maybe. But I also feel like by whole body thermostat has changed. Over the summer, I was able to be outside even on the hottest days and barely feel it. And now, a cool day has me bummed out and staying inside. I've had to make myself go out and take in whatever little sunlight I can get. I read somewhere that if your mood is altered by the weather, you need to be outside for a while even if it's cloudy and cold, and you will get some benefit from that sunlight. I guess it helped.

Tonight is also the second night of Hanukkah. It's always happy for me when Hanukkah and Christmas overlap. This year, they overlap almost perfectly. I'm such a big hippie when it comes to people from different backgrounds getting along. It upsets me to see so many people who have always enjoyed being in the majority whining about holidays other than their own being recognized. I don't have a lot of patience for people who insist on feeling persecuted. Get over it already. There is no "War on Christmas". Like everything else this time of year, it's a marketing ploy. A gimmick to sell books and get people to watch Fox 'News'. Christians are not being denied the right to practice their religion. Anyone who believes that is truly kidding themselves. So let's get together, love each other, quit hatin!



One thing I like about pagan beliefs is the way they are so in tune with the Earth and the sky. So I always try to at least take note of solstices. It's a cool tradition, you gotta admit.

Okay well I don't really have an ending. Good night and have a joyful solstice.