Friday was the 21st of the month, one month on from the December solstice. It is wonderful to see the days growing longer. On Friday, the sun rose here at 7.35 AM and set at 4.54 PM, bringing the length of the day to 9 hours, 18 minutes and 49 seconds. At this time of year, every second counts!
A month ago, the sun was setting at 4.23 PM. If I didn’t have the horses in the barn for the night by 5 o’clock, I was working in the dark. But now I have a bit more leeway. The photo above was taken at 5.20, and as you can see, it was still quite bright outside. How cheering, to know we are slowly, slowly, marching toward spring.
Willow House Chronicles 
Isn’t it great? I was noticing the lengthening of days a few days back. It’s all downhill, or up time, from here.
How much more light do we get each day…anyone know?
Yep, onward and upward, Louise!
Hi Jim! The shortest day was 8 hours and 42 minutes, so we have an additional 36 minutes of daylight over Dec 21st.
Yippee! Of course, we’ll know when time has truly marched on when the cat begins waking us at 04 30 again. š
Dark is beautiful in some austere way yet we seem to be drawn to the beauty of light. The night animals that creep through the weeds and trees have a different take on this whole subject of light and dark. To each his own I guess. I’ll stick with the light. — barbara
i just happened across your blog, amazing! how did you create this life?! so wonderful, i am not sure how to make a living and escape suburbia…congratulations and thank you for sharing.
It’s good to have a self-programming alarm clock, LB!
Barbara, the dark is beautiful. However, I enjoy it more when it’s warmer, like in the spring when the frogs start to sing.
CJ, thanks for dropping by. Good luck with your escape!
This is such a beautiful image! It reminds me of how the snow seems luminescent at night, as if it’s trying to make up for the days that still feel too short. I have often looked out the window in the winter, before dawn, and thought that the early blue light was the most beautiful time of day.
Thanks, Eyegillian. The deep blue shades are restful, aren’t they. I like that idea, of the brightness of the snow making up for the short day.