Winter Sucks

[Prairie Dog]

I would have thought that winter solstice was far behind us but last Sunday along Hwy 93 near Lake Louise, it certainly didn’t feel like that for some where they got walloped with 15-25 cm of snow.

 

[peterh_nz]

No specific name. However the Māori new year, Matariki, is celebrated during this period but not specifically coinciding with the winter solstice.

Matariki is the Māori name for a group of seven stars known as the Pleiades star cluster.

Cheers

 

[Art Deco]

I looked this up from a Celtic site...sol = sun and stice = stop so solstice. But I know of Eatain ? The white woman on a white horse in myths, and the Catholic church used John the Baptist saints Day. The real bard off course, wrote "A Midsummer Night Dream "

But it and the winter solstice are the oldest "Holiday Seasons " we know of. Stonehenge and Newgrange.

 

[Art Deco]

The Druids also calculate Midsummer and Midwinter by the stars, but somehow the lightbox on Newgrange on the longest night and the healstone of Stonehenge on the longest day. Both light up today or midwinter.
BTW Both are apparently older than the Pyramids of Egypt.

 

[Art Deco]

I would have thought that winter solstice was far behind us but last Sunday along Hwy 93 near Lake Louise, it certainly didn’t feel like that for some where they got walloped with 15-25 cm of snow.

View attachment 156410

I didn't expect to be able to use the new word so soon. Happy June-uary to you!

 

[gromike]

It's always June-uary in the Pacific Northwest, or at least we hope.

 

[Art Deco]

Who says you can't learn anything on EBR anymore?

 

[Art Deco]

No specific name. However the Māori new year, Matariki, is celebrated during this period but not specifically coinciding with the winter solstice.

Matariki is the Māori name for a group of seven stars known as the Pleiades star cluster.

Cheers

So the Māori calculate solstices by a star cluster as did the ancient Celts on the extreme northern tip of Europe as far apart as possible and very old cultures in both cases? Coincidence?

 

[peterh_nz]

B

So the Māori calculate solstices by a star cluster as did the ancient Celts on the extreme northern tip of Europe as far apart as possible and very old cultures in both cases? Coincidence?

Both cultures were very observant and noticed the repeating patterns of the stars.

NZ's antipode is west of Spain so not as far south as the northern tip of Europe is north! But I get your drift.

 

[Art Deco]

Do you know if they were marine coast or inland? The Celts were all sailors in the North Atlantic I think. Maybe they had to know stars to fish or hunt. And the Pleiades have some special seasonal meaning in Ancient China for your next trivia contest.
Anyway , a happy solstice to all and to all a good night.

 

[peterh_nz]

Do you know if they were marine coast or inland? The Celts were all sailors in the North Atlantic I think. Maybe they had to know stars to fish or hunt. And the Pleiades have some special seasonal meaning in Ancient China for your next trivia contest.
Anyway , a happy solstice to all and to all a good night.

The Māori are Polynesian. Polynesians navigated throughout much of the Pacific Ocean colonising many islands, including Hawaii and NZ. They settled in Aotearoa (NZ) about the middle of the 14th century, or earlier.

Cheers

 

[Art Deco]

The Māori are Polynesian. Polynesians navigated throughout much of the Pacific Ocean colonising many islands, including Hawaii and NZ. They settled in Aotearoa (NZ) about the middle of the 14th century, or earlier.

Cheers

From the BBC, a video (of course) of yesterday's celebration at Stonehenge.

Thousands welcome summer solstice at Stonehenge

Some 10,000 people gather at the ancient site to mark the start of the longest day of the year.

www.bbc.com

 

[Stefan Mikes]

From the BBC, a video (of course) of yesterday's celebration at Stonehenge.

Thousands welcome summer solstice at Stonehenge

Some 10,000 people gather at the ancient site to mark the start of the longest day of the year.

www.bbc.com

I was at the Winter Solstice in Stonehenge last year and welcomed the Summer Solstice in Helsinki Finland. White nights etc

 

[PedalUma]

Here in the Norther Hemisphere we have already started the decline into shorter days.

 

[Art Deco]

Yes last night Northern Ireland and Scotland had 4 hours of darkness. A very long day.

 

[Art Deco]

I was at the Winter Solstice in Stonehenge last year and welcomed the Summer Solstice in Helsinki Finland. White nights etc

Summer Solstice is usually ignored here in the states...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Summer Solstice is usually ignored here in the states...

Trust me it is Incredible to have the daylight for the whole night! You need to close heavy curtains to pretend it is the night and be able to sleep!

The Finnish go for a holiday during the summer solstice.

 

[Rexlion]

... of pink fingered Dawn.

Methinks you've soaked your hands too long in the dishwater.

 

[PedalUma]

This morning I am in three layers, one of which is wool. If I ride I will need a windbreaker too. But it looks like the cold is about to snap this afternoon.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I realize that some of us are still several months away from the big chill but I decided to pull the trigger on these puppies. 45 North Wolvhammer BOA boots and OR Crocodile gaiters that should see me through the cold and snowy winter months ahead. I thought that the boots were a decent score as they were marked down 30%. My Merrell boots just weren’t cutting it on colder days and will be exclusively tasked to snow shoveling duties.