The Sun's Return

Winter in the Midwest means short, dark days.  Typically one rises before the sun is out and returns home in the dark. The cold winter weather wears on the soul.  Going anywhere involves bundling up in layers, covering up the skin to protect if from subzero temperatures.  Driving becomes a contact sport where one must be wary of various forms of ice that can send you careening into the ditch at any moment. It can get to the point where you feel like you haven't seen the sun in ages and you actually long for those miserably hot, humid summer days if only to escape those miserably cold, bleak winter days.

 This morning I was up earlier than normal and on my drive into work, I was thinking about the lyrics of one of my songs, "Turn the Wheel" and the upcoming Solstice.  In particular one phrase of the song was stuck in my head:  "a red feathered cardinal lands on a birch, calling for the sun's rebirth".  And this is what I saw moments later in the east...

It's probably the brightest Sun dog I have ever witnessed and given the synchronicity of my thoughts about mid-winter and the returning sun, I stopped to enjoy the sight.  Sun Dogs don't last long--mainly because so many factors (the sun's angle in the sky, the temperature, precipitation in the air) have to be perfect for one to occur.  We tend to see more of them here in the winter on the really cold days and seeing them typically means more cold days to come.  (if you are curious today's temperature measured in at -18C or -2F and the next ten days are slated to be a repeat of these ungodly temps). However, it was worth the cold nipping at my fingers as I tried to catch some photographs of the event and take a few moments to enjoy the sight of a beautiful winter sun reminding me that even the cold and dark is part of the cycle.  The sun will return.  And even on a cold day, inspiration can be found, seeds can be planted, preparations can be made.  

Blessed Winter Solstice to all...

/|\

Turn the Wheel

Chorus:  

Turn the Wheel on Solstice night

Before we lie in slumber too long

Stir now and waken the land from its dream

All is waiting for the dawn

Verses:

Diamond white snowflakes blanket the ground

grey and white days rule the land

a red feathered cardinal lands on a birch 

calling for the sun's rebirth

Soft crunch of footsteps, tracks in the snow

breath that catches in the air

Evergreen whispers to the starry sky

The Oak King will triumph tonight

Frost covered windows like crystallized leaves

twinkling light are hanging high

Yule log is burning all through the night

Keeping the light til dawn