Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is here, and I keep thinking about what a friend went through, years ago - he was working in the north of England, and said he had taken up beer-making as a hobby. His reason? Well, what else is there to do, when the sun goes down at 3:30? Yeah, it was a little shocking at the time!

We don't have it quite as extreme here in southern France, but we still lose more light than anywhere else I've lived. I got curious, and went looking for approximate sunrise/sunset times.

Sète, France - Sunrise at 8:15, Sunset at 5:10. That's six and a half hours less sunlight than in Summer!

Sacramento, California - Sunrise at 7:20, Sunset at 4:50. That's an earlier sunset, but half an hour more sunlight than Sète.

Albuquerque, New Mexico - similar to Sacramento, but with 15 more sunlight minutes.

Costa Rica - of course, sunrise and sunset times don't vary much at all! Winter daylight hours are only half an hour less than at the equinox!

What's interesting to me is the quality of the winter light here in France - even at noon, it feels like late afternoon; the light is all from the south. It's just weird...

At least an early sunset means the birds swarm early 🙂

(Even the lonesome bird is out) 

I am looking forward to getting this all back in June! Sunrise at 6:00, Sunset at 9:30, for fifteen and a half hours of sun!