Winter Solstice

We achieved a high temperature of 25 degrees yesterday - quite a difference from the 67 degrees on Wednesday...  Woke to a heavy frost and a temperature of 15 this morning.  The kits ran outside, then ran right back inside - decided that their litter boxes were better than frozen ground, I suppose.  Have another bunch of mixed nuts out for the squirrels this morning - and they are ravenously partaking of the feast.  Lovey is curled up in my recliner, and Nedi has made a nest at the foot of my bed, and I'm here, at my desk.
  This afternoon, I'll be joining my sister and Grandma Anne at the Rocky Mountain Revels in the Boulder Theater.  This year the program is "Christmas Spirits and the Ghosts of Bartow-Pell House," set in 1926 in a mysterious mansion to celebrate the Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Yule.  We always have a blast at the Revels - the audience participates in several songs, and there are also dances in the aisles, where one can choose to (or not to) join in.  Each year, there is a different theme and no two shows are exactly alike.  It's a great way to celebrate the holidays.
  Hopefully, brother-in-law Jim will be with us this afternoon - he's planned to be there, but he might be heading for South Dakota to stay for a short while with his younger brother, Kent.  All of the family plans are up in the air right now - Jim might drive or fly up, so we might, or might not, have a car over Christmas.  I'll be house-sitting for Charlie and Tinkerbelle, four houses west of Kathy and Jim's, but without a vehicle.  On Friday, the 29th, I'll have access to transportation when I move over to Rosie's (directly behind Charlie and Tinkerbelle's).  Bea is supposed to eat Christmas dinner with us, but might have to come and go by either bus or taxi....  and I'll be coming home each day by bus to spend a couple hours with my kits...  It's a weird feeling, not knowing any logistics.  -   Right now, I don't know whether I'll need to bus or walk to the theater for the Revels this afternoon, or if I'll be picked up...
   The Winter Solstice itself (the Summer Solstice in the southern hemisphere) will happen at 12:11 p.m. EDT today.  At that point in time, the sun will be shining directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, and the North Pole will be pointed about 23 degrees away from the sun.  My Scandinavian ancestors celebrated the Winter Solstice, and called it "jul" time - and, yes, that's now Yule time.  A lot of cultures and religions celebrated the winter and summer solstice, and while many Biblical scholars believe that the birth of Jesus happened during the late spring or early summer, it is believed that the Christian church adopted the pagan winter celebrations of Yule, the Winter Solstice, and Saturnalia as the birthday celebration of the Christ child - hence, Christmas.....
   Got Jul!  (Good Yule!)

Two Days Before Christmas...

I had a wonderful time last night - we (my sister, brother-in-law, and me) went to The Cheesecake Factory for supper; then around the corner and two doors down to the Boulder Theater. This is the third or fourth year in a row that we have attended the Rocky Mountain Revels (this was their twelfth year) for their Christmas Revels show. In the past, we saw an Edwardian Christmas in northern England and a Renaissance Christmas in Italy; this year it was an Appalachian Christmas from around 1850. As always, the music was fantastic, the singing was magnificent, and the dancing this year was absolutely stupendous! We had a magical time, and Jim was taken into the beginning of the dance line for the beginning of the Intermission, when everyone in the building was singing "The King of the Dance." Jim looked quite handsome, with his Santa hat, sparkling blue eyes and white beard and mustache; he was also wearing a green chamois shirt over a scarlet turtleneck, and slate grey trousers (with Crocs). Kathy and I declined to join in the dance line, but we sang heartily while the lines wound around and up and down through the theater. The usual spokesman was away on business, so Kathy and Jim's lawyer was the Master of Ceremonies - and I was very happy when the usual man stopped by and spoke with us at Intermission; he had just returned from Germany. After the show was over - it was the last presentation for this year - the participants came out, still in costume, and chatted with the crowd. It was grand. And I had a very good time.
  We're in the upper 40s already this morning, the sun is shining and I have the patio door open. Lovey is being regal in the reading chair, while Nedi is outside chasing squirrels and ravens. Nedi really wanted out when I returned home last night, so I opened the door and let him go. I have no idea where he went, but he didn't return for 45 minutes, and I couldn't find him in the back yard. I guess he decided to drop in on a party that I wasn't invited to. Lovey stepped out once, and then wanted me to go to bed with her. Three football games that I'd like to see start at 11 this morning - I guess I'll be playing clicker tag with three channels; then the Broncos play at 2:05 this afternoon. It should be a good game.
  The weather folks are now saying that we'll get snow Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning; two to four inches in Boulder. I start caring for Sasquatch and Tugger during the afternoon of Christmas Eve. 'Twill be interesting to see how much snow actually arrives and when... the NWS hasn't been very accurate for Boulder recently. On the 27th, I move in with Rosie and Remy and stay with them for ten days. On the 29th, we'll have the Snow family get-together in Niwot, at Tracey and Dave's home. And I've been told that Grandma Anne will attend. That will be my most powerful reason for going - to spend time with a lady in her 80s. Anne Snow is a true treasure for the entire family. I am so very happy to have the pleasure of knowing her.
  I hope this holiday season is full of peace, love, happiness and tranquility for you and your family.