Troutbirder II

Troutbirder II
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Tuesday, December 19, 2017

The Winter Solstice Revealed

 



The Winter Solstice Revealed
 
The Winter Solstice (December 21) is literally and figuratively going to be the darkest day of the year, and it's all thanks to a rare cosmic incident that hasn't occurred in over 350 years.

 As if December hasn't been crazy enough, what with the erratic weather and Mercury and Washington D.C. going into retrogade, it is, according to astrologers, only going to get worse, with December 21 predicted to be the most horrendous day yet of 2017.

 

Neil Spencer, an astrologer and author, revealed that this year's Solstice is different from others in the past, because for the first time since 1664, the Sun will move into Capricorn, mere hours after Saturn makes the same exact shift; this will cause the sun and Saturn to actually line up, a phenomenon which is expected to have very uncomfortable consequences. Well, I have  had  unusual experiences related to the winter solstice as well.
It seems Mrs. T and our best friends, all teachers, took a long camping trip to Alaska in our new "POP UP CAMPER." Gary is checking it out below. We're on our way to Seward the next day.
 


The ladies had stopped in a supermarket in Anchorage to stock up on groceries. The checkouts there  informed that their will be a summer solstice "celebration" that night. This apparently is a big custom throughout Alaska and the world for that matter. It began with the Druids in very early England at a place call Stonehenge   (above)
Thus on the the Chugach mountain above Anchorage young people gather on the longest day of the year in wild revelry, according to our grocery shopping reporters. Mmmmm? Mary Jane and nude dancing? Naturally me and Gary wondered....:)




 
Later that evening, the campground had a lovely view and loons and wolves where  heard beyond the campfire. Since this is bear country, we were instructed by the ranger to leave the food and cosmetics in the SUV and not the camper. The summer solstice dinner consisted of shrimp and crackers for a first course, then Mrs. T comes up with tin-foil wrapped salmon grilled over the fire, corn, and cake for dessert. And champagne. Mmmm good.

It was at about this point that your two, somewhat staid, stick in the mud husbands, were informed that it was their duty to continue the festivities all night. It was an Alaskan custom, we were told. Plus, it would be light out all night long. Unfortunately, the two midwestern men, clinging to their conservative ways, rebelled and broke up the party by trudging off to bed, at the ungodly early hour of 2 a.m. in the morning.

 P.S. early the next day before heading off to the Kenai we talked to the local Ranger who informed us the ladies has jumped the gun by one day on the "solstice celebration".  Would you believe they wanted to do it again the next night.......:)
 
 

12 comments:

  1. Pretty fun, I just saw a sign up for the one I will join.It only lasts a couple hours.LOL

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  2. For the many years I lived in Minnesota I was part of a solstice celebration that I loved, either hiking or skiing at night, followed by wine, Christmas cookies of every kind imaginable, and story telling around a big fire. I have been missing it so this year we are planning a southern style solstice celebration on the beach, just the two of us. We'll see how it goes.

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  3. I will be sitting at home wishing I was out hiking, while recovering from the cataract surgery I had this morning. Tomorrow I will lose the patch and discover what my eyesight will be from now on! A little trepidation but a lot of hope :-)

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  4. I did three of those all nighters to celebrate the summer solstice above the Arctic circle.

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  5. It all sounds very interesting... cosmic life is dull where I live. However, we did see the extra large moon than only appears every xxxx number of years.

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  6. I do remember playing cards at 1:00 am. It was so light out we were surprised that it was so late. I was getting tired and thought sleep was more important then celebrating the solstice. Any way, there was the next day, but.........

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  7. That was so funny about the wrong day. I'm guessing you didn't do the repeat:) Like the longest day better than the shortest.

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  8. I hear that a lot of naughty things occurred at the summer solstice back in history -- not your history, of course. No no, ancient history.

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  9. Oh, I wish you'd done the all-night thing ... but, lots of fun just the same !

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  10. :) We will see about all the Astrology stuff...heck bad things have been happening and the whole world has been out of whack since that big earthquake in Japan that moved the world on it's axis...thats my observation :)

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  11. Winter solstice is not the ONLY bad day this year. Don't get me started! It sounds like you guys really are getting old and "stick in the mud husbands!" It must still be a might chilly in Alaska right now. Now the pop-up camper. Wish we still had ours!!

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  12. Hi Troutbirder - what fun ... sounds that life like this is made for good stories ... have a very happy Christmas and New Year - cheers Hilary

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