Another week of dark mornings

The sun was just starting to rise at 6:50ish a couple of weeks ago.

Last week it was only just getting light at 7:15ish.

We’ve got another week until the clocks go back.

Sigh mutter, mumble.

Daylight saving starts to early and finishes too late.

Mutter mumble #%$**&^%$!

It’s that time of year again.

It was getting light around 6am until this morning. Now we’ve lost an hour ant it’s dark until nearly 7am.

It wouldn’t be so bad if there was both sufficient light and warmth in the evening. But we’ve only just passed the spring equinox, there was fresh snow on the Kakanuis a few days ago and it’s still too cool and dark too early at the end of the day.

Another cool night expected about central and eastern parts of the North Island, and inland parts of the South Island https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^PL pic.twitter.com/mw0Js8VMKz

— MetService (@MetService) September 29, 2018

In another few weeks when the sun has moved further south it will be lighter, and hopefully warmer, at both ends of the day.

Until then I will resent the lost hour in the morning – and those getting up earlier to milk, shear, muster, nurse or any of the other worst hat requires early starts will lament the cold, dark, later dawn even more.

Sun comes up at the perfect time to get the cows in, nothing highlights the urban/rural divide like daylightfknsaving. pic.twitter.com/4b6MqCcqcf

— Paul Singh (@Saarbo1) September 28, 2018

365 days of gratitude

In Hawes Bay yesterday spring had sprung.

Daffodils were in full bloom and rhododendrons were in flower.

Back home spring is a bit later but the grass has started growing again and the first of the daffodils are blooming.

Today I’m grateful for signs of spring.

 

Clocks forward permanently

The scheduled return to standard New Zealand time tomorrow morning has been cancelled and clocks will stay one-hour ahead permanently.

A spokesman for the Department of Infernal Affairs, Ms Sunny Disposition said that putting clocks back signalled the start of winter to many people and since summer weather had been so disappointing, few if any were ready for it.

“Most people agree daylight saving is good and if some is good then ipso facto more must be better,” she said.

“We can’t change the weather, but we can keep the clocks forward and allow people more daylight. The sun comes out in the day and after the sorry excuse for summer over much of the country that’s what we need to cheer us all up – more day and less night.

“We’ll all get more vitamin D and save power with less need for electric lights.”

A reporter who pointed out that whether or not clocks stayed forward an hour, there would be less daylight as the sun moved north, was told that wasn’t in the Department’s brief.

“Clocks and time are our preserve, if you have a question about the sun you’d be better talking to Met Service or NIWA,” Miss Disposition said.

“I understand someone from one or other of them will be available to talk around mid day.”

 

 

366 days of gratitude

The trees are still bare but daffodil leaves are poking through the ground, snow drops are flowering and the daphne is in bloom.

Daphne’s scent always evokes memories of my mother’s garden.

Would it smell as sweet if it wasn’t for those memories and the knowledge that the flowers are fleeting?

Possibly not, but I’m enjoying it while it’s here and am grateful for it.

366 days of gratitude

We’ve had an unusually warm winter but the last few days have reminded us which season it is.

Sunday was showery, yesterday was one of those cloudy days with a southerly straight from Antarctica and we woke to a heavy frost this morning.

But the sky was cloudless, the sun shone all day and at last we’re getting more daylight hours for which I’m very grateful.

366 days of gratitude

Today is the winter solstice when the sun reaches it’s northern most point.

We often get the coldest and stormiest weather after the solstice, but today is the day with the shortest time between sunrise and sunset.

Now each day we can look forward to more light, if only by minutes, as the sun makes its way south again and I’m very grateful for that.