Happy Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice sunrise and sunset

Yesterdy, December 21st, was the Winter Solstice. We celebrate the Winter Solstice with a ritual derived from both Celtic paganism and Celtic Christianity. With smudge stick and bell, we bless Bean Hill and all living things on and around the property. Winter Solstice is a time for renewal and hope; on the longest night of the year, we look forward to the increasing light and the magic of the next growing season. Our ritual concludes with lighting the Yule Log, and toasting to the new year with a glass of mead. May your New Year be filled with light and love.

Ritual requirements:
Smudge stick, bell and mead

November--The Month of Winding Down

Nuthatch

November is the month when it begins to look like winter. The leaves finally fall, and everything becomes bare and drab; it's all kind of beige and brown out there. In terms of yard work, there's little left to be done by the time November rolls around. The main yard chore is gathering and stacking firewood; the Jersey Woods provide us with lots of fuel for the fire. The firewood chore usually only takes a day of work, leaving lots of time to indulge in the first of many hot chocolates of the season, as well as mulled cider. (Tip: A jigger of Templeton Rye makes a great addition to warm mulled cider.)

Red Belly Woodpecker

November is the month the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feederwatch begins. We've participated in this citizen-scientist project for several years now, and the start of a new year of bird counting is exciting. About twice a month, we choose a 48-hour period to observe the birds at our feeders, and record the species and numbers, as well as weather conditions. We can devote as much or as little time to watching as we want. The data we collect is sent to the Cornell Lab, and is used to track species populations and migratory patterns. If you enjoy watching birds and have at least one feeder. you might want to check out the guidelines here https://feederwatch.org/ 

Tufted Titmouse eating a peanut

Carolina wren

Downy woodpecker waits
her turn at the feeder

November was an interesting weather month this year. Temperatures were either way above or way below normal, and once again, that balanced out to a fairly "normal" monthly average. Historically, November's average high is 52 degrees, and this year the average was 52.46 degrees. Twelve days had high temperatures that were 6-20 degrees above normal, and nine had temperatures that were 6-20 degrees below normal. We had several very cold nights, making our average monthly low 2.4 degrees below the historic monthly average, which is 35 degrees. Twelve nights had temperatures 6-13 degrees below normal, and seven nights had temperatures that were 6-19 degrees above normal. 

Wide temperature fluctuations in November made the daily graph look like a roller coaster. Between November 2 and November 27, there were thirteen 24-hour periods when the daily high rose or fell drastically from one day to the next: Six times the temperature rose 10-16 degrees above the previous day's high; seven times the temperature fell 12-22 degrees from the previous day's high.  One day it was shirt-sleeves and the next the parka, or vice versa. There was never a chance to acclimate!