Winter Skies

Our days are very short at this time of year with a late sunrise and early sunset meaning not a whole lot of prime daylight in between. In fact, the recent storms and daily rain has seen us under constant heavy grey clouds of late, and often it has felt like we've been living in a weird kind of continuous twilight. I am counting down the days (twelve) until Winter Solstice on the 21st, I do really enjoy celebrating the shortest day of the year as it's all uphill from that day forward in terms of daylight minutes. Bring it on, it can't come soon enough for me.

Walking to school at 3pm to collect Little B and the sun is almost down already. There is beauty in the light at this time of day, but it is so very fleeting.

I've enjoyed being reunited with my daily walks along the canal this week, it has been good to see Little B recovered and back to school. Last week was quite hard going, I had so many days one after the other without setting foot out of the house that I think a little bit of cabin fever set in at one point. This week I have appreciated the simple pleasure of walking one way and then back again, a short commute on foot from home to school and back. This is my routine and I missed it last week. Missed breathing in the damp, chilly air.

Wintertime is here, although it has been mild, stormy, wet, grey, and soggy so far. I can't wait for a good hard Winter frost to land on us, bring us some proper seasonal weather.

I know there are folk who absolutely love bare branches and winter trees (Gillian, I am looking at you here), well I am simply not one of them. I am such a Summer soul, I look at the winter trees and try really hard to love their pared down beauty, but truthfully I really, really miss the greenery up there.

We had some rare blue sky yesterday, oh it did feel good! There was even some teensy patches of sun too for a while, I wanted to plug myself in to those golden rays and recharge my flattened batteries. Top me up, sunshine.

I realise I do write about the weather and the sky an awful lot here on my blog, I even have a well used Weather category for those posts that contain sky and clouds, sunshine, rain, frost, snow, fog etc. I don't know if that makes me  a bit of a weirdo but I will continue to sky gaze and photograph up above my head. It makes me happy, especially when there is blue up there.

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Comments

[Gillian Roe]

It's true, I do adore those bare trees, especially against a blue sky. I am dreaming about a cold and frosty morning, which there have been precious few of down here. I hope you're ok and haven't been affected by the awful flooding? xxx

[Beth]

"Top me up, sunshine", indeed. :)
I always drag an office mate or two outside when the sun breaks through here. Just so we can stand in it for a moment and drink it in. No sun today... :(

[Michelle]

I love winter. I especially love a dark winters night with a slight mist and a full moon framed by the silloette of bare trees. I love to breathe in the cold, crisp air and watch my breath fog in front of me. I love being all snuggled up in a cosy blanket with a warm drink and a good book, especially when there's snow outside. I love the late sunrise and early sunset, I've never been afraid of the dark even as a child, finding quiet, still darkness a balm after a busy day.

Strangely, I'm not a huge fan of summer or bright sunlight. Summer is too hot and the bright sun is blinding. I don't use the lights much at night unless I'm working on something, I can see quite well in low light, it's bright sunshine that everyone else loves that I struggle with. My family all reckon I'm one of the undead but im just a nocturnal winter baby.

I do love seeing your photos of sunny days though and I love the way you use bright colours.

[Caroline]

Lovely photos. Sometimes in the big cities we forget to up.

[Zoe]

I love in the Seattle, Washington area, and definitely agree about the winters and the Solstice. I need more light, badly. Too dark and rainy and cloudy this fall for me. Love photos! I am like you, I soak up the sunshine any chance I can get.

[rachel]

Did you know that whilst the 21st is the shortest day it is neither the earliest sunset or the latest sunrise? The earliest sunset is the 13th (this Sunday) and the latest sun rise is the 31st. I shall be glad when the evenings start getting lighter next week, and shall celebrate Sunday (St Lucy's day-the patron saint of light) with many candles. It's a big tradition in Scandinavia, I believe.

[Carol]

Why is it? - or HOW is it, Lucy, that you can take such gorgeous pictures - ones that make me want to be there by your side on your walks through the countryside, by the sea, etc?
Surely you have studied photography and color theory. I know your upbringing had something to do with your incredible sense of color...but you take it to whole new levels!
It's now come to this: If I see an Attic 24 picture or crochet design somewhere online - I know right away that regardless of who did the crochet that it is a "Lucy" design...I can 'get it' right away and have not been wrong once!

Would love to be able to travel to your parts of England when I'm there in February...IF I know how to find you...I may even extend my trip a day or two if necessary to do so. How far from London or Lyme Regis are you? I would SO LOVE to be able to visit your Attic 24 Studio...it's so inspiring!
Thank you so very much for all you do - and all you give to the greater crochet community online. You've given us so many beautiful designs! and so much COLOR! and your tutorials are great for even beginning crocheters - who can easily increase their own abilities by following your tutorials...
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. Wishing you and your beautiful family a Blessed and Beautiful Christmas Season - and a Glorious and Blessed 2016!

[EL]

Maybe you could make a Sky Blanket, with all the colors, like the "knit the sky" scarf. There's a new book about it -- Knit the Sky by Lea Redmond (see Amazon). To go with your Ripple Coast blanket? ;-)

[Rae]

When we are in the depths of a grey Winter's day it's hard to imagine a lovely Summer day and visa versa. I'm with you Lucy give me spring/summer any time but you do have to have those in-between grey days to appreciate the sunny ones.

[Penny]

So happy Little B has healed well and is getting back to normal. I am with you too. I love the rejuvenating effects of sunshine and warmth. I too am looking forward to the solstice as I can count the minutes each day and watch them increase. That tells me I am getting closer to spring and sunshine again. No more depressing grey skies and bare trees. It always amazes me how much color and light can affect ones emotional well being.

[piglettos]

I so love your little town, what a beautiful place in life and photographed x

[Heather]

Aah, my sunshine-loving kindred spirit. I'm totally with you. Roll on the 21st. If there were clear skies and frost underfoot, it'd be a little more bearable but this dull, wet and windy business is just grotty.

That there Gillian and her bonkers penchant for skeletal trees … ;-)

Poor Little B. I've just been reading about trigger thumb via your link. It's not something I'd heard of. So pleased he's recovering well.

Hang on in there my lovely, it'll soon be Spring!!!

xxx

[CJ]

I'm wondering if I should add a "Weather" category as well, I do spend a lot of time gazing at the sky and waxing lyrical over the light. I've just added a "River" category and written a post about how grey everything is. You'd hate it! I'm afraid I'm a lover of bare trees against the sky as well. But you have to admit, it makes the summer all the more delicious. CJ xx

[Sarah]

I always love the season we're in, but even so my heart lifts when we reach the shortest day and I know it's downhill until midsummer.

[Jan Doling]

I loved seeing your lovely photos of your home town. Since visiting for the first time this year for Yarndale and loving the area so much your photos bring back such happy memories of a wonderful weekend. Cannot wait until next year when we plan to make a return visit. xx

[Susan Smith]

I love all seasons, and although I don't mind leafless trees in winter, I miss the green hills here in summer. In Oz, if it's a very hot summer with little rain, everything turns golden, then brown, then quite often dry, bare earth. The blue sky photo was gorgeous and I really appreciate the photos of your lovely town. Take care.

[DebW]

I like green on the trees too, but winter, with it's stark bareness outside always makes me happy about the cozy closeness inside and the hooky projects that I work on somehow seem more apropos in the winter. I feel like I'm coming down the home stretch with my Christmas gifts. Still would like to make a few needle keeper scissor fobs, and I'm holding out hope that your tut comes out before I have to jump in and make a mess of it on my own. ;) Not sure what it is about that project that has me cowed. I've had the supplies waiting there for weeks and all I do is look at them and go all stiff and blank. lol

[Linda]

Lovely photos. English people always talk about the weather and cups of tea...it's so lovely :)

[Mireille van Steeg]

Hello, it could be me, writing this blog. I only love a wintersday when it is crisp blue sky and mr. Frost is there. Good luck with little B's hands.
Best regards from Holland.

[One-oh-four]

Lovely pictures! I have to drive eastwards every morning and at the moment the sunrise is blinding! I actually prefer driving home again in the dark. Roll on the longer days. I love that you post about the weather; it feels like such a British concern. My Dad used to be obsessed with the weather - he even kept a calendar on which he described the weather every day and he used to look back over them to try to spot patterns. Pre-Internet days of course! Hope Little B continues to make a good recovery :)

[Cintia - Sol de Noche {deco crochet}]

Gorgeous pictures ☺
http://soldenochedecocrochet.blogspot.com.ar

[Ari Desarro]

It is some what of an adjustment for me who has lived in the States most of my life, living here in Mid West Ireland. The shortness of the days and the frequent wet, windy, and wild weather truly does dampen my spirits! It has been excessively wetter this year all around us with more flooding certainly. I crave the sun and blue skies like I do chocolate! Really enjoy your photography and your lovely prose. Huge fan of your creativity in colour and fiber. I adore your new colour scheme and look forward to working with it in the future. Thank you for all you do!

[TracyBzz]

I love your weather posts and anything outdoor related to your side of the world. I should have been a meteorologist. Our winters have lots of sunshine but we have frost in September and snow from Oct/Nov till April. I'm not sure where you live exactly but was curious how much daylight you had in comparison to myself. So I Googled where Yarndale is located and found the daylight hours there. Yup you're the same amount of hours as me, except we rise an hour later and set an hour later than you. December 21st can never come fast enough can it? Merry Christmas from Alberta Canada.

[Jenny]

Lovely photos Lucy thank you love Jenny xx

[Karen Ness]

Good to see blue skies and sunshine. Here in North West England it has been non stop rain, floods and power cuts. You have also inspired me to think about knitting socks. That will my new year project.