Originally published December 3, 2012
It’s been a lifelong challenge to look forward to shorter days in winter, where I awake before the sun is up and see its waning rays before dinner. I much prefer the long, leisurely sunsets of July.
However, I have no control over the various solstices or when Daylight Savings Time begins or ends. So a couple years ago, I decided I had to do something about my winter malaise.
I started categorizing my activities into a summer/winter dichotomy. In summer I garden, walk outside, bike, and sit on our patio. In winter, I read more, do crochet projects, and stay inside. I also appreciate that I don’t have to garden year-round.
But what does this have to do with “grey”?
Grey is the predominant color for winter in our neck of the US woods. It’s different from dark descending earlier, since it pervades and invades from dawn to dusk. The past two days, for instance, have been exemplary in their greyness. Which means that even during the eight or so hours of “sunlight” in the deep of December, it’s all grey.
This is my next challenge: to pretend I don’t notice, that it doesn’t matter if the sun shines, that I can be productive and not whiney under the circumstances. I’m working on it.
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