My online journal where I share my interests in photography, nature, coffee life, journaling, fountain pens, bicycling, spirituality and asking deep questions.
What a wonderful wedding for my granddaughter yesterday. The weather cooperated, lots of tears were shed, joy and love was experienced by family and friends, and food was a plenty. The wedding had to be postponed for a year due to the pandemic and our restrictions. I believe it was worth the wait. I pray for a blessed marriage of many years. Congratulations Madie and Brandon. I love you! ❤️
Today is not only our Winter Solstice but it is my youngest granddaughters birthday. I know its hard to imagine this 5 year old with a totally innocent expression in the above image is 21 today. Happy birthday, Madie! You have brought a lot of joy to so many people. I love you!
My youngest granddaughter graduated from high school this past week. Some consider it an alternative school but that is not an accurate name for it because I think it is a model of what school needs to look like. I am impressed with the school, the faculty and staff.
This graduation ceremony was a tear jerker for me and I’ve wiped my eyes a couple times writing this post. Rather than have a guest speaker attempt to urge these young people on to more success (however you define success: money, power, popularity, career, or just attaining enough credits to graduate), each graduate stepped to the podium with two white roses and offered those roses to two people who helped make their graduation possible.
Late yesterday afternoon a front moved into the area bringing light rain, some thunder and lightening and pea size hail. The foothills were covered with snow from the snowfall during the night. By mid-morning today we began to see snowflakes mixed with rain and temperatures hovering just above freezing in town. But a little snow and cold weather was not going to stop a special graduation for us folks from Colorado.
My youngest granddaughter, Madie, had her graduation today along with nine other students. All of these kids have come a long way to walk these stairs and receive their diplomas. It wasn’t easy an path. Each one of the students shared something personal about their experience at Centennial so there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Thank goodness for autofocus. Congratulations to Madie and her classmates. Madie now moves on to a junior college this fall with a full ride for her first year. She then plans to transfer to Colorado State University. Did ya notice her smiling in every image?
It’s amazing what grandkids will do for their grandpa. 🙂
The December solstice occurs when the sun reaches its most southerly declination of -23.5 degrees. In other words, it is when the North Pole is tilted 23.5 degrees away from the sun. Depending on the Gregorian calendar, the December solstice occurs annually on a day between December 20 and December 23. On this date, all places above a latitude of 66.5 degrees north are now in darkness, while locations below a latitude of 66.5 degrees south receive 24 hours of daylight. The sun is directly overhead on the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere during the December solstice. It also marks the longest day of the year in terms of daylight hours for those living south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Those living or travelling south from the Antarctic Circle towards the South Pole will see the midnight sun during this time of the year. On the contrary, for an observer in the northern hemisphere, the December solstice marks the day of the year with the least hours of daylight for those living north of the Tropic of Cancer. Those living or traveling north of the Arctic Circle towards the North Pole will not be able to see the sun during this time of the year.
But what makes today special is Madie’s birthday, my youngest granddaughter. This image is from the archives.
Happy Fourteenth Madie!
One of the things we look for as a frequent traveler is a good bed and a good pillow. Much needed rest will help us function better the next day. It’s sweet dreams we are looking for.
Today we acknowledge the winter solstice and I acknowledge my youngest granddaughter birthday. So Happy Birthday, Madie!