Friday, February 12, 2010

4-minute day!

I never really thought about the fact that we gain/lose time each day as we go through the celestial cycle. And up North - we can gain or lose FOUR MINUTES per day! Pretty astounding. So today is the first four minute day that I've noticed so far this season - that's four extra minutes of daylight.

And today was one of those stunningly beautiful winter days that are picture postcards, ending with huge floofy snow flakes. Just gorgeous.

Plus - it's the beginning of the Olympics! The torch lighting is tonight - and from my out-of-country vantage, the buzz in Canada seems to be "Who will light the torch?" Whoever it will be - what an honor!

And if it's the beginning of the Olympics - it's also the beginning of the Knitting Olympics. I will knit a pair of Oh Canada mittens - and finish the data collection and entering for my dissertation. Plenty to do in the next few weeks.

Citius Altius Fortius !

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Winter morning


Winter morning
Originally uploaded by fiberbrarian
Beautiful beautiful morning. Cold (-9F), but it's February. Unofficially the last month of winter. Unofficially because it's my definition of winter, but here's the logic: March can be all over the board. March could bring blizzards or unseasonably warm temperatures. February? It's going to be cold. Very very sunny but cold and wintery.

The Olympics start this week - and life will be perfect for a few weeks! One of the many nice things about living up North is being able to get both US and Canada's TV stations. So I'll be watching the big ceremonies on NBC (US) and the actual events on CBC (Canada). Curling! Skeleton! Luge! Speed skating! Snowboarding! Downhill - moguls - and what's that one where you ski forever then shoot at targets then ski some more?! What a sport!

And the Winter Olympics means The Knitting Olympics. I cannot believe it was only four years ago that I first heard of The Yarn Harlot. Her crazy idea of getting knitters around the world to knit together during the Olympic games - it'll never catch on! HA! Life has changed wildly since then so it's a nice moment to slow down and reflect on the great power of working together, of having a common purpose and common activity.

It's winter - the sun is blindingly beautiful and brilliant. What a day.