Friday, January 06, 2012

Darkened times

Pinchot Lakte, drained
Sometimes I wonder what the point is of looking forward to the weekend. They are over in the blink of an eye. That seems especially true in winter when the days are so short.

One of the reasons I like to rise early, whatever the day, is so that I don’t waste what is already precious little time. I confess that rising before dawn’s light can be more difficult in winter. Climbing out of a warm bed is never easy and is only made worse by darkness. In winter, I try to time it so that by the time I’m dressed, the animals fed and me with coffee in hand, light is already beginning to seep through the darkened woods.

This time of year, the only time I get to see the birds that come to my feeders is on the weekends. It is starting to be light enough in the mornings that it won’t be long before I can enjoy breakfast and the birds at the same time. Maybe even next week if it’s not cloudy in the mornings. At least I hope it will be next week.

Weeks will pass before the evenings are light enough for me to enjoy them. These days, I couldn’t live without my headlamp, and I run through batteries like water. Every now and again I remind myself that if I’d lived 100 years ago, I’d be doing the same things I do today but it would take twice as long to accomplish them since one hand would be carrying a lantern. That’s cold comfort.

The lack of daylight is winter’s cruelest twist, I feel. Cold weather has never bothered me. I prefer the cold to the heat. It’s the short days that rub, that make time slip away even faster than it usually does.

7 comments:

Granny Sue said...

One of the joys of retirement is getting to really enjoy these winter days. It used to be dark when I left and dark when I got home. I hated that. Now I get to see ALL the daylight. No money, but plenty of time :)

Deb said...

It is so hard to leave that cozy bed when it's dark outside! And I know what you mean about weekends. But the days are getting longer!

Cicero Sings said...

Yes, the worst thing about winter is the lack of light.

Carolyn H said...

Granny Sue: I look forward to retirement for a couple of reasons. I'm looking forward to being snowed in without needing to shovel and get to work. Maybe I'll just let the snow melt without shoveling at all. Sleeping in during winter, at least a little bit, is another.

Carolyn H said...

Deb: My day grows one minute longer today. The sunset is one minute later than yesterday. Progress!

Carolyn H said...

Cicero: I'd get a lot more accomplished in the winter if I had another hour (or two) of daylight. Once the sun sets in winter, I retreat to inside the cabin!

ramblingwoods said...

Yes..it is the short dark days that get to me...