Happy new week and happy solstice!
Last week's Chat Thread is here.
For most of us, today is the Winter Solstice. Welcome back to the Sun! With the return of the light, I'd like to wish all of my dear friends on this thread a happy holiday season and a new year blessed with joy, abundance, good health, serenity, and love!
The solstice occurs on 21 December at:
2303 GMT11:03 p.m. in the U.K.6:03 p.m. in the eastern U.S.3:03 p.m. in CaliforniaAnd for AQ: Happy Summer Solstice on 22 December at 9:33 a.m.This solstice is special because it happens within 2 and a half hours of the New Moon. I'm seeing this cosmic event as a fresh start and a new beginning. Woo hoo!The photo is of the Sun in the midst of a powerful and spreading coronal mass ejection. The photo was taken by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, a partnership of the European Space Agency and NASA. The image is free for non-commercial use. SOHO (ESA & NASA)
ALAN: Really good to see you! Lovely cards there. Please don't be a stranger. Have a lovely Christmas.
Hi to everyone else. Daughter up before crack of dawn and much bustling as she prepared for the 6:30 train. Lovely sunrise for her on the way down the coast. Me? Off to Costco (keep postponing it) the minute the doors open, then home for low-key day (I hope).
Trousers finished - not really daylight, so have to hope the stiches are okay! Also sewed up buttonholes on cuffs of two tops which don't actually need to be undone but kept undoing themselves. Made more mince pies this morning as we were down to three, but mostly quiet day here. OH has a cold; he and J went to the tip this afternoon. Now making soup for tea.
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
Well done in getting your sewing done in this dark awful weather, OG!! Sorry to hear that E.Eye has a cold, hope its short lived. There seem to be an awful lot of them about, my sis-in-law is suffering badly at the moment. Been to the tip! - such exciting lives!! My OH has been to the allotment to pick his sprouts. but sadly this year they are not fit for Christmas Day so we have bought a stalk of them from the local market. We will eat our own tomorrow.
Lots of presents wrapped today, good job I bought a lot of paper for children, as I seem to have gone overboard with their "extra bits" - we offered to give the little boys some money for their savings accounts this year as they have so many toys already, but of course I couldn't resist getting them some extra treats as well..... just won't tell my OH what I paid for it all LOL!!
Good news from Denmark, our old friend seems to be making a good recovery. It is a bit like Sheana,up and down and surprising us all with their resilience.
Heather so pleased to read your friend's health has improved.
So glad to hear that, Heather. Alan, lovely pictures, thank you.
MARGO trying to reply to your email but it seems to be stuck in outbox. I will be home tomorrow from about 3.30pm, shopping in morning, going to see Sheana at 2pm x
For anyone interested there is a good article about the Winter Solstice at www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30549149. Quite a few surprising little facts.
Thanks Rita for reminding me to add shortbread to my ever-growing list. This morn I have been tracking down cutlery & tablecloths. The gremlins have hidden them in the strangest places. Unpleasant weather – overcast and humid.
Tis the season to be merry . . .Grandpa decided that shopping for Christmas presents had become too difficult. All his grandchildren had everything they needed, so he decided to send them each a cheque. On each card he wrote: “Happy Christmas Grandpa PS Buy your own present!”Now, while Grandpa enjoyed the family festivities, he thought that his grandchildren were just slightly distant. It preyed on his mind into the New Year. Then one day he was sorting out his study and under a pile of magazines, he found a little pile of cheques for his grandchildren. He had completely forgotten to put them in with the Christmas cards.
Good morning, all. How nice it is to think that the days are now getting longer and our beautiful EJ will be back in just three months!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.