Winter is harsh, and it is harsh here as well; record lows for this region. Banana trees appear to be dying. Orange trees are a bit more hardy, but we have draped our little ones in holiday lights and plastic to keep them warm and frost-free through the night. Winter seems to have more mystique here. Real cold is largely an unknown phenomenon here. However people jump at the opportunity to put on warm snuggly clothing. I guess people need winter whether they have it or not.
The holiday lighting around here is quite interesting. Some of it quite lurid, like the huge inflatable snow globes with, what look like carcasses, hanging in them, swaying back and forth as the wind blows. ...and some of it quite pretty, like the blue plastic imitation icicles which people hang from their gutters, or the zillions of sparkly lights of all colors that twinkle all over some neighborhoods. I've only seen a single religious display, and nothing of the garishness commonly seen in New Haven.
There is a certain magic in winter, in the drama of the darkest coldest season. Atomic and molecular vibration slows, and the snow muffles any sound. The eerie cold stillness dominates. Yet life continues, in subterfuge, hidden away. It's our warm little secret. Tomorrow evening is the winter solstice. After that the days will get longer. The warmth of the Sun will increase, and the joy of life will once again burst into dominance. That drama is so apparent in New Haven, as the town is shuttered and nearly dead when the university closes for winter break. Here in Sacramento, people struggle to create that drama. They long for that magic. It gives meaning to the abundant sun.
I'd like to end this holiday navel gazing with best wishes to everyone, big and small, for a joyous and magical winter solstice season.
