The Month of December

"I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

'We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,'
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December." 

- Oliver Herford, I Heard a Bird Sing -

December is the 12th and last month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with the length of 31 days. In the Northern half of the world, Winter begins in December, but winter does not begin until the solstice on December 21 or 22, and most of December is usually warmer than other winter months. It takes its name from the Latin word decem, meaning ten for at one time, December was the tenth month according to the oldest Roman calendar. Eventually, in later Roman calendars it became the 12th month. 

This month the Wheel of the Year is turned toward Yuletide at the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is the shortest day of the year, but in the Southern Hemisphere, it is the longest day. The term Yuletide stems from the Norse tradition of cutting and burning a huge tree on December 21st to symbolize the Winter Solstice, bring good luck and burn throughout the 12 day winter festival...which we now call 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. 

On the old Tibetan calendar, December 1st  was the beginning of the new year.  For me, it is the beginning of a new stage of my life.  Today, December 1st, I get the keys to my new home.  For the past few days I have been running color schemes through my head.  In my present home, I really had not much interest.  With no windows, there was not much light, and colors did not much matter.  In fact, the lighting in my home is so poor that I looked down at my feet one day as I was traveling to work and discovered I had one blue shoe on and one black.  I've gone out with a light mauve sweater to discover the necklace I chose was orange. But now, with a houseful of windows, that's a thing of the past. 

And, with that being said, I'll be taking vacation for the next two weeks; hence, my blogging will probably be a bit sporadic.  Today and tomorrow I am trying to complete things here at work.  I dislike going on vacation leaving things undone.  My feeling always has been that if you leave work before you go away, you'll only find double waiting for you upon your return...especially in a job that calls for so much paperwork.     I really do have to knuckle down here at home.  On the 15th I will have to be out of here, and there is still lots of sorting and packing to be done, curtains to buy, accessories.  Oh, so much to do!!!  There is a living room set to be purchased, and  I do have my heart set an old wooden rocker like the one my grandma used to have. I can close my eyes and visualize myself sitting there, next to the windows, rocking back and forth, on a cold winter's night with the snow falling all about. 


Life, indeed, is looking good. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful weekend...just in case I don't get to post tomorrow.  I so appreciate all your support.