Thursday, December 22, 2011

RING OUT WILD SKY


Ring out wild bells to the wild sky
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night
Ring out wild bells and let him die.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Winter began today with the passing solstice, which, here in southwestern Ohio, occurred at 12:30 a.m. EST. Yes, I know you folks on the other side of the globe changed your seasons yesterday, or on your twenty-first day of December. That's because unlike, say, the celestial event of sunrise, which moves around the globe and is governed by the horizon, an astronomical happening such as the solstice takes place everywhere in the same hemisphere at once. For us riverbank denizens. that was half-past midnight this morning.


In looking at numerous headlines and bylined coverage from various publications around the country, I see the facts of this particular solstice have apparently confused journalists and nature writers by the dozens. This is one of my pet peeves. Sad to say, confusion is typically the case for many writers attempting to cover a solstice. But these are folks you think would either know better—or at least would know how to research well enough to avoid making such incompetent public mistakes. 


The rampant blunders and misunderstandings fall into two basic categories—the actual time of the event itself, and what happens to our days following the passing of the winter solstice.


For the record—the 2011 Winter Solstice occurred December 22 at 5:30 UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) which was 12:30 p.m. here on the Atlantic coast time zone of the U.S. and 9:30 p.m. yesterday (December 21) on our Pacific coast. So for you pseudo-druids in California, St. Louis, Cleveland, and New York who got up early yesterday to don your robes and dance and chant on some dawning hilltop…you'll not be pleased to learn you did it all a day early, and I'm guessing your ignorance went uncorrected, so you probably then missed out on a second larking-about try on the real first post-solstice sunrise today. Bummer, dude. Better check out the ol' almanac a bit closer next year. 


Now, here's a word to those who've recently published pieces about how the winter solstice ushers in the season of darkness…wrong-o, bongo! You've gotten it precisely bass-ackwards. Winter's start is the beginning of sunlight's increase—the days get longer and brighter from here on out; not shorter and darker. Again, a glance at the almanac's LENGTH OF DAYLIGHT tables would keep you from penning such drivel. 


Okay, I feel better now that I've had my little rant.             


Finally, allow me to say I'm delighted today because no photo I've made recently has so well fitted with a favorite bit of verse chosen to preface the day's post. I'd already planned on using the lines from Tennyson—figuring they could work as well for a passing season as a passing year—but the wild sky, as seen when looking west across the river from the cottage, was pure, perfect serendipity. As you can see, the river is up and muddy from yesterday's rains—though from the look of the stream level, it obviously rained a lot more somewhere upstream than it did here. And in case you're wondering, this isn't a worrisome height. Moreover, I think the brown water goes dramatically well with the brooding sky and hard crosslight.  
———————

18 comments:

Arija said...

A beautiful shot indeed Grizz and goes so well with Tennyson. I'm rather partial to a number of poets of that era.

It is astonishing how uninformed people can be. A number of people leave me comments of surprise and amazement when my pictures are of a season opposed to theirs. Since they are regular commenters one might expect them to get used to it u no such luck.

I like your rushing brown river making such a nice contrast to the sky.

Stay warm with your Ladylove and a mug of hot chocolate!

George said...

Love that photo with the lighted foreground against the wild, darkening sky. The photo is also beautifully paired with the Tennyson quote. I'm no expert on the timing of the winter solstice; I'm simply hoping to be right about Christmas day, all of which brings me to my main point: May you, your Ladylove, and Moon the Miracle Dog have a Merry, Merry Christmas. And thanks for bringing a little Christmas into my life throughout the year with your lovely postings about life on the riverbank in Ohio.

Grizz………… said...

Arija…

A fine poet never goes out of style. I have no doubt a century or two from now, there will be men and women who can look up, see such a wonderfully wild sky, and think of these lines from Tennyson.

I would say that at least half the writers whose pieces I read thought—shamefully!—that yesterday's sunrise was the new season's first! And you'll notice, in my post I added in that mention of hemisphere…since, of course—and I was thinking of you when I did it—this solstice did not start winter for you "down under" folks, but rather summer. The earth's tilt reached it's declination for both of us at the same time—from the prospective of earth, the moving sun "stood still." But while we experienced our Hibernal solstice, you enjoyed your Aestival solstice. Now, like the pendulum of a clock, the tilt direction reverses and six months from now we'll do it all again except we'll each experience the opposite event.

Grizz………… said...

George…

Thank you re. photo…though you know it was just a matter of luck. In point of fact, I shot, fairly quickly, maybe 25 frames of this scene—and while all rendered the dark sky, on only this single one (about the middle of the set) caught the quick flash of crosslight which significantly brightened the sycamores and upped the overall contrast.

I'm not a solstice expert, either—not by a long shot. But I can read, and I'd like to believe I have at least a modicum of logic and common sense. It seems obvious to me that you can't have a solstice-day sunrise until AFTER you've had your solstice—and no matter how natty you think you look in your druid costume, you gotta wait. Poking fun aside, if you're going to write about these things, you ought to learn at least a little. A glance at any almanac, or gaining the most rudimentary understanding of the event, should tell you that, though the winter solstice might serve up the shortest day of the year, with each successive day until the summer solstice, light increases. One columnist writing for a major newspaper even said, at the time of the winter solstice, the northern half of the earth is pointing "directly away" from the sun! If so, then how does he explain us having any daylight at all? I loath this sort of incompetence. Worse, I fear it points to a population perilously dissociated from nature and the natural cycles. How can we ever make good decisions about things we fail to understand?

Ahhh, be that as it may, my friend—thank you so much for your well wishes. They are much appreciated. I hope you and yours have an equally fine and merry and fulfilling Christmas. May the power of this glorious season wash over your heart, fill your soul, and bless you with its gift of joy. And may the true spirit of Christmas stay with you throughout the coming year.

~Heather said...

I saw that sky yesterday and loved reading the poem today--perfect fit indeed! I love the phrase "The year is dying in the night." I'm ready for this year to die and the new one to arise! I enjoy reading your blog.

Robin said...

Beautiful blend of you and Tennyson. Thank you!

Grizz………… said...

Heather…

You'll get your wish of the year "dying in the night," as that's when they take their leave of us. In my neighborhood, that also means amid much gunfire, firecrackers, and what sounds like midsize explosives! If I'm not too sleepy, I wrap up in a quilt and stand out on the deck and listen.

Hey, that was some sky, huh? Didn't last long but was spectacular.

BTW, whether you're a first-time visitor to the riverbank, or have been reading and looking silently, thank you for your comment. I hope you continue to stop by and jump right into the conversations.

Grizz………… said...

Robin…

I think the photo and Tennyson made the post…I just grumbled. All this run-up to Christmas is about to put me in a humbug mood. Gotta get over that!

Bernie said...

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year Grizz.....:-)Hugs

Grizz………… said...

Bernie…

Thank you…and the very same to you. May you have a safe and joyous Christmas that carries you through the coming year.

The Solitary Walker said...

Wild sky, wild river — a lovely, dramatic photo, Grizz. Thanks for your comment just now on my blog. It was very much appreciated. And a very merry Christmas to you and your Ladylove, my riverbank friend! From the time I read your very first post, your blog has continued to delight, entertain and inspire me, and I'm sure will go on doing so for a long time to come.

Grizz………… said...

Solitary…

Thank you. I've enjoyed and been influence by your blog since the day I found and read it—in fact, it was one of the two or three blogs that inspired me to begin Riverdaze. And I've never lost my admiration and enthusiasm. I look forward to the coming year, your walks and adventures, and the posts which I fervently hope will follow…and who know, maybe you'll even manage to attend another Dylan gig along the way!

Merry Christmas!

AfromTo said...

Okay I would pay to see photos of you dancing in your cloak at dawn(you know you should be naked underneath)lol-now that photo and sky were a painting-it doesn't look too wintery though-more fall like.

Grizz………… said...

AfromTO…

Trust me…I could make more money from those who would pay to NOT see me dancing among the scared groves come the winter solstice—robed or otherwise. Besides, from what I know of my old druid kin, they were a ghastly serious lot when it came to their ceremonies—one misplaced smirk or giggle and they might hand you your own still-beating heart. Kinda puts the damper on frivolity.

Hey, that was a neat sky, huh? And you're right, not too wintery at all. Quite mild, in fact; my lilacs are thinking about blooming…I think.

AfromTO said...

Ah the serious naked solstice type not the fun dancing naked type.
Anyway candles+naked+dancing+flying robes could be dangerous.

Grizz………… said...

AfromTO…

I said my "old druid kin" were serious…I'm laugh and tease and find joy in everything Irish, hard-pressed to not have fun at whatever I do.

giggles said...

Merry Christmas!!!!

Grizz………… said...

Giggles…

Merry Christmas to you! And Merry Christmas Eve!