winter solstice

"In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
    earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
    snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
    in the bleak midwinter, long ago......"

yesterday, we made our way up north to my grandparents' house to spend the day with my mom's family....

it was quite a snowy, wintery day (road conditions weren't stellar) so we missed half the festivities--dog sledding and sleigh rides. Major bummer as I was looking forward to it....  But, I am thankful we made it safe and sound and still had time to see family...

it was a winter solstice celebration of sorts....

a little story told by my uncle about winter solstice....

a bonfire and winter picnic....

cookies, laughter, and good company as we said goodbye to the longest, darkest night of winter and celebrated the return of the light and sunshine's warmth...

a new tradition was created yesterday...I am already looking forward to next year!

Is there a moment quite as keen
Or memory as bright
As light and fire and music sweet
To warm the winter's night?

So the shortest day came, and the year died,


And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world


Came people singing, dancing,


To drive the dark away.


They lit candles in the winter trees;


They hung their homes with evergreen;


They burned beseeching fires all night long


To keep the year alive,


And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake


They shouted, reveling.


Through all the frosty ages you can hear them


Echoing behind us - Listen!!


All the long echoes sing the same delight,


This shortest day,


As promise wakens in the sleeping land:


They carol, fest, give thanks,


And dearly love their friends,


And hope for peace.


And so do we, here, now,


This year and every year.

~ Susan Cooper