The sun rose a few moments ago, at 7:43. It will set this evening at 5:59, which will give us ten hours and six minutes of daylight today. At this time of year we lose about five minutes of light every day, so that during the week between December 18 and Christmas Day, we’ll get no more than seven hours and twenty-three minutes of light per day. I’ve always felt a little depressed during those very short days, even when we lived at the fortieth parallel. But up here at the fifty-fourth, it’s much more noticeable. I have less energy, and I eat more than I should. It feels as if my body is trying to hibernate. At the moment, it’s kind of an attractive idea. Wouldn’t it be nice to snuggle under the covers for a long nap just after Christmas and wake up as the crocuses are beginning to bloom?
Hmm, not to mention dropping 15-30% of your body weight during that time. Or giving birth to a <1 pound baby while you sleep - yeah, all things considered, I'd rather be a bear.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of that. I wonder what the Buddhists believe you have to do to be reincarnated as a bear.
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