Winter Solstice week!

Longer days definitely top my list right now :-) I leave for work in the dark in the morning, and get home in the dark in the evening. Although I could also have chosen "It doesn't feel like winter - at least not yet". It was +10 C here yesterday - way above normal.

I'm with you Ginny - love long days so I can spend more time outdoors.

High here today is 76...so if this is winter then something is seriously wrong...

Might set a record today for my part of Pa.. It is 58 here now and that is past the predicted high. I love it!!!!

I like that the days start to lengthen(slowly). It seems the low point is between Halloween and Thanksgiving. After that you are busy with the holidays and not as depressed(until the bills)

Cold and dreary one day, cold and clear the next, fog the next, 78* temp. the next, wind, wind, wind the next but in the 60's, wind, wind, wind but in the low 40's the next. This is winter. Definitely, at least in Houston. Short days? Oh, yes and most of those you can't tell if it's morning or evening. Normal. I checked "Other".

Ann

I am delighted that the Winter Solstice is upon us. I suffer horribly from Seasonal Affective Disorder. In about 3 weeks, I'll start to wake up.

7:22 pm EST on the 21st, can't happen soon enough for me!

X

It'll be around 76-78 here today as well. I seem to remember last Christmas being warm like this too. I think it'll get colder by the end of the week though, back to around average.

Still messes with you... it feels like Spring already. And the more of a plant person I've become, the more I dislike the winter months.

First really heavy frost last night, and another beautiful clear day predicted but it's too cold for me - 52º LOL. I can't wait for summer to come back, I don't like winter unless it's snowing.

I am glad that winter is starting because now maybe we will finally get some rain. We don't get a real winter. It's not always toasty warm but it rarely ever freezes. Summer is the brutal season here.

I love winter! I can't wait till it actually starts to feel like winter and our ice road goes in. I have to admit that longer days will be nice too. Having the sun set at 4:15 just seems a little too early.

It was 60 degrees F yesterday here in Northeast Ohio - no snow of course - we put up Christmas lights with short sleeve shirts and jeans, not coats and boots.

I miss winter.

Winter's been here since late October, so we're thinking it's the turning point and winter's on the way out...longer days will certainly add to that feeling..sunrise today 10:13am, sets at 3:32pm.
kiska
alaska

Looks like the majority -like me - are anxious for the return of LIGHT!! Can't complain bout the temps tho. 10* above normal, which means 76* today!

Yuck. I hate the winter.

The past several days have been in the 70's so it sure doesn't feel like winter for me, but that is a good thing as I hate the cold weather! The only thing that has me excited about winter now is Wintersowing! Can't wait to get started!

JoAnn

Winter is a nice place to visit but dont want to live there.

After a summer in Albuquerque that almost drowned us all with record rainfall, winter has started out very mild, with temps in the 50s or higher much of the time. Perfect weather for me and I'd be happy if it stays that way, with just a few rainfalls to keep things alive. Some snow predicted tomorrow and that's fine if it's just a light one. Driving here is challenging enough without trying to drive in snow.

The plants here take naps in the shorter days...and since I have a nursery business, I wait until January to start propagating! That's the good news. The bad news is that we spend hours untangling the new growth!!!! Definitely love the days getting longer...

I love living in a four season climate. When we had the chance to move anywhere, when DH retired, we decided to stay on Long Island because of the four seasons. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow........but first I'd like to finish my Christmas shopping.

Looks like I'm part of the club that is looking forward to longer days. We have had a very mild fall so far. I hate the cold, but understand its purpose. So, Old Man Winter, bring on the snow and freezing temps already and then we can get it over with! Where's that plane ticket to Florida?

Doesn't feel like winter yet...no snow to brighten up the drearyness. If it doesn't snow soon my perennials will begin to suffer, they need that nice cozy snow blanket. LA

We had a week or so of 'winter' in October, but we've had relatively warm days and nights for Wisconsin this time of year.
No snow on the ground, either....in fact, no snow since mid-November!

Must be summer solstice here then, lovely sunny morning, no wind and the weeds are loving it too! They are keeping me busy pulling them out.

In SE Texas, we take what we can get! The few days it's cold, I try to enjoy it. But I guess a brutal winter, like some of you get, might be worse than the brutal summer that we get. Plus, I knit and I hardly ever get to wear a sweater! Ice and snow down here paralyze the entire region -- you just hope that if you get stuck somewhere, it's home and not the office!

I am glad the days will lengthen, but I do love winter. After a walk in the snow, I love to hunker down in front of a wood fire all cuddled up in a down puff, with piles of new garden catalogues and a good pot of tea. I spent a year in Hawaii and like Pirl, I missed the seasons terribly. We spend as much time as we can in Vermont in the winter. I just returned from a nice 10 day trip to Florida, but actually I was happy to return to New England for some good brisk air ( but see if I am still singing the same tune in March) . Patti

Patti - I'm glad you enjoy the brisk air up north and I'm even happier that I don't ever have to endure it again LOL.
We moved to Florida 18 months ago from England and there is NO WAY they would be able to drag me back. I love the fact that I'm in shorts the week before Christmas, and I am very much looking forward to LONGER GARDENING HOURS!!
Happy Holidays everyone

n------e------e------d

m-------o------r-------e

d-------a------y------l--------i--------g-------h-------t

=)

It has been in the mid 70's here for over a week....so It doesn't feel like winter!!!

This message was edited Dec 18, 2006 3:48 PM

93 days till Spring begins !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm looking forward to spring...90 days to part-time spring.!.!

I'm movin in with Pirl :)~

Too darn warm here still! This is really messing with the plants, birds, and animals. My Summer Snowflakes are up again ------ which means just about no flowers from them this Spring. Rats!

I love winter!!! I love all the seasons. I get bored with one season. We have already had a big snow and I hope we get another one before winter is over so I can go sledding and start snowball fights. After that, BRING ON SPRING!!!!

I think everyone else's winter has landed here in northern CA--it's been getting down into the 20's at night and all our plants are dying! Please, please take your winter back!!! We don't want it!

More daylight.
Absolutely.
Can add, remove or modify clothing for snow, rain, and temperature, but I can't change the color of the sky or the brightness of the sun.

Winter means the occasional very light freeze, mostly clear blue skies, and best of all RAIN. Take away Dec 22-Mar31 and we get what would seem less than an inch of rain per year.

I took a few minutes to sit in the front yard today, on my bench by my birdbath, where I planted azaleas I hope will bloom this spring. It was in the mid 70's, with a light east wind, and it was so soothing to just sit with the sun on my face and a tiny breeze blowing, rustling the leaves behind me in my little wooded area. There wasn't a sound except for the occasional bird jumping around in the leaves and someone using a chainsaw far off. I could have sat there for hours, and then my stupid cell phone rang.

I long for long days to spend outside getting my hands dirty. Winter in GA is not much of a winter, so I guess it's right where I belong!

I'll just be glad to quit chasing the sun with my millions of pots in my north facing backyard (gets little sun in winter almost no shade in summer). Then in the summer its the opposite action--move the millions of pots into what little shade there is. I spend a lot of time arranging and rearranging. =)