Sunday, March 14, 2021

An Awkward Interlude in Seasons

We're in a strange space between the normal seasons, no snow  left but it's still cold, not getting above freezing today.  So it's not really spring yet, too cold for that, but winter is over.  And it's the muddy season on all the trails, a really messy time to be hiking.  As for me, until the grit gets swept off the streets, I'm still inside.

This our beautiful sunny  day today, a little deceiving because it's -4°C with a bitterly cold wind.

But I can't believe it was this just 5 days ago.  Most of it went in one warm night, but all the little bits were gone two days ago.  What a change!

This morning we enjoyed the pleasure of losing an hour's sleep, in favour of Daylight Savings Time (DST).  My brain farted briefly when I woke up and saw it was still dark out - what happened, did the earth stop spinning?  

This welcome small blast of sunshine has been lighting up my room early in the morning for the past few weeks, but now it's just dark again.  My caregiver drove to work and arrived in the dark unlike the pleasant sunny mornings of the past week.

Did you know that DST was proposed and championed nearly a century ago by two gentlemen who wanted more daylight in the evening so they could pursue their own personal hobbies?  One was a golfer who wanted to squeeze in more golf before dark and the other was an amateur entomologist who wanted to chase more butterflies.  What about all the other folks who have to get up early and go 'Pi' Day?to work in the dark?

Now that I'm constrained somewhat and dependent on caregivers morning and evening, I think  I'd prefer to have the extra morning sunlight.  And to have it getting dark when I get hauled into bed in the evening.  What about you?

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Did you know that today is 'Pi' Day?  Not pie, but 'Pi', that mathematical number representing the circumference of a circle, given the diameter, the number 3.14.  Today is March 14, or 3/14 so there you go!  Don't know who thought that a mathematical formula needed a holiday.  Maybe circles are allowed to be off-shape, relaxing a little, just for today!


14 comments:

  1. DST to me is magical science. I would, however, not mind if it was no longer required.

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  2. I think DST is a misnomer, as how can it be saved? Down here it was a problem for so many farmers who had to start milking earlier, and for me, I took weeks to adjust to getting up earlier to go to work. Those who benefited were the ones who enjoyed that extra hour of daylight at the end of their working day. I wonder how many left work even earlier to get in those extra games of tennis or rounds of golf. My friend in Alaska tells me it is -14.5 C this morning. Love your comparison photos, it gives me a much better idea of how you have snow so much of your winter.

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  3. Pi day is always an excuse for pie around here.

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  4. Yes, I did learn it was pi day from another blog. Didn't make a pie today though.
    I look forward to having the grit from the sidewalks and roads cleaned up too. It is actually slippery when walking down hill!!

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  5. I have never understood the concept of DST. Like extending the length of a blanket by cutting some off one end and tacking it onto the other. And today I saw a blackberry pie with the symbol "Pi" on the top, so I bought it, shared it with others, and enjoyed a piece myself. Delicious!

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  6. Not being a morning person I love the extra light in the evening but I sure hated getting up this morning! ;-)

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  7. Thanks for the history lesson about DST, I always thought it was a war-time development to conserve energy. I'm a real fan of DST since, before I retired, it gave me more time to do things outside after work. Now that I'm an old retired geezer it doesn't matter quite as much, but the idea of it getting light well before 5:00 am still doesn't sit well.

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  8. I prefer DST as is but have been told that standard time is better. I would probably also prefer that they would stick with one or t'other.

    I am a bit surprised to see no snow at all in that first photo. I think you are in more of a snowbelt than we are, but maybe it is also slightly warmer?

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  9. I want one or he other...all this switching around is for he birds! WE had a cold wind today also:)

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  10. We are experiencing those same icy winds as well and I think living beside large, cold, and partially frozen big bodies of water like we both do plays a factor in our colder temps this time of year. Sure is nice seeing open fields free of snow again. Let the blooming and blossoming soon begin:))

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  11. Saskatchewan quit going to DST in 1966. I wish the rest of the country would quit doing it because I can never remember the time difference elsewhere. First world problems.

    I'd be very annoyed to be waking up in the dark again...that's January. Take care, stay well.

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  12. We'd like it better if they left the time alone.
    Hopefully Spring will jump out at us next weekend.
    Be Safe and Enjoy the changing season.

    It's about time.

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  13. I would vastly prefer standard time only.

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  14. Yes, DST can mess with the mornings. It looks like a stormy morning with not light and then I remember we had a time change. I like how the sun is moving back and our house is getting light more in the living room.

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