Today, 21 December 2020, is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere. Solstice is one of the oldest winter celebrations in the world and one can understand why.  Early humans - hunters and gatherers - were keenly aware of their surroundings and the weather.  They knew when days were getting shorter or longer, and celebrated the time when there was more daylight. Solstice is comprised of the Latin words Sol or sun, and sistere, which means to stand still. It is the day with the least amount of daylight in the year, and every day thereafter, the amount of daylight increases until the summer solstice.  This, most assuredly, was a reason to celebrate.

Those of us in the American Southwest are admittedly spoiled by an abundance of sunshine.  There are many who dislike the longer nights and cannot wait for the longer days of spring and early summer.  2020 is a year in which we need a Solstice celebration, even if it is electronically presented. One thing about this time of year is that the sunsets can be magnificent.     

To take the chill off this Solstice day, I am including Fred's latest Navajo-Churro rug, #344, and calling it the Solstice Rug.  Connie Taylor hand-dyed the wool in coffee, buckskin, turquoise, Ganado, ochre, cobalt, and malachite, along with natural brown-black (not dyed).

In addition to being solstice, the planets Jupiter and Saturn will align after sunset tonight in the southwestern sky.  Auspicious?

Thanks to Terry T., Steve, Lisa, Kay, Debra, Wayne, Christina, Sara, Jean and Sam, Victoria, Geula, and Barbara for also brightening the season with your comments.

Happy Solstice everyone!  We are on our way into the holidays and 2021.  

until next Monday,

DB

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