Happy The First Day of Winter!

[snuggleycutejc]

 Today, 12/21/2016, is the part of the winter solstice that is the shortest day of the year. It is winter time now... Hope all you fusioncash people stay safe. Do you have winter flowers, what kind of birds do you have where live? We have sparrows, turtle doves and *bleep* no hummingbirds that I see.  Here we do have outside flowering plants, mine are coming up but mine are blooming in the early spring. Have a Gre8 day 

[Penwoir]

I know. It's really odd isn't it. We've had snow on the ground for a few weeks now and we're getting down to 4 degrees at night time but Winter officially only started today. It's the same with summer. We get the odd really hot day in April and May but Summer doesn't start until 21st June. I think we should less rely on the calendar and more rely on what mother nature says. For instance, we should call it Spring when the seedlings start to emerge from the ground, Fall when the leaves start to fall, Winter when we start to get snow, and Summer when it starts to get hot!

[gsdoss]

I am happy that now the days will get longer

[lvstephanie]

Last week, we had temps. below -20 degrees (with wind-chills -40 to -50), plus half foot to close to a foot of snow. Now that winter has officially hit, the temps. are mid to upper 30's. Go figure!

This is why I've seen several calendars that have the winter months as Jan-March and summer months as July-September as this more closely aligns with the actual sunlight times. Eg 12/21 is closer to the beginning of Jan than it is to the beginning of Dec. (and likewise 6/21 is closer to the beginning of July than beginning of June).

[seesawing]

Last week, we had temps. below -20 degrees (with wind-chills -40 to -50), plus half foot to close to a foot of snow. Now that winter has officially hit, the temps. are mid to upper 30's. Go figure!

This is why I've seen several calendars that have the winter months as Jan-March and summer months as July-September as this more closely aligns with the actual sunlight times. Eg 12/21 is closer to the beginning of Jan than it is to the beginning of Dec. (and likewise 6/21 is closer to the beginning of July than beginning of June).

That is very interesting about having calendars that align with actual sunlight times.  From a gardening or farming perspective that really makes a lot more sense.  I'm in Texas and have seen a big shift in our "wintertime" weather the past 5 years.  Typically (and this fall/winter season is reflecting it) we don't get hit with ice or snow (maybe once).  We will have temps that plunge down into the teens when the arctic blasts push their way down, but it doesn't last but a day or two.  It averages in the 60s and upwards in the 70-degree range, which is why we jokingly refer to "summer" here as 10 out of 12 months a year.   

[JediJohnnie]

This is also my sister's birthday today! She was born on the first day of winter.

[themrs13]

1st day of winter started yesterday, lol and it's in the 70's where i live

[mrsmere]

Not my favorite season of the year, I don't like cold, ready for warm temps already.  We still have roses blooming and its been in the 30's.

[vickysue]

Now the days will start to get longer and it is my favorite nephews birthday,  always told him he was born to start us toward spring.  He is a wonderful  young man, no longer a boy. And i am very proud of him.

[alina6]

the days only get longer from here on out

[singletonb]

It is hard to believe that it is winter already.  It seems like the older I get, the faster time goes by

[marciaenglish]

Amen singletonbob!  Every year seems to go by faster and faster!

[cateyes1]

This is also my sister's birthday today! She was born on the first day of winter.

Happy birthday to your sister !

[pkrahmer]

Thankfully the shortest day of the year is over. Now the days will get longer.It is very cold not many birds except chickadees and blue jays. Not any flowers either. I can't wait for Spring!

[dbsaus1]

I say this every year but it is hard to believe that winter is here!