I may never do this, but I would love to know enough about stonework to do a big arch like this into the yard. At least on the youtube videos I have watched, there is a process. And certainly we have enough stones out here to probably do the entire thing without having to buy any extra.
Getting stuff together for the winter solstice season, notably cooking a lot of treats for the family. I have a list of pecan brittle, homemade marshmallows, homemade caramel, and cookies.
Here is info on the 2023 December solstice from Earth and Sky, a science site.
What is it? The December solstice marks the sun’s southernmost point in the sky for the Northern Hemisphere this year. And it marks this year’s northernmost point in the sky for the Southern Hemisphere.
When is it? The December solstice is on December 22, 2023, at 3:27 UTC (that is December 21, 9:27 p.m. in central North America).
Note: On this solstice, the sun will be overhead at noon as viewed from the Tropic of Capricorn. For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice will mark the longest nights and shortest days of the year. For the Southern Hemisphere, it will mark the shortest nights and longest days. After this solstice, the sun will move north again.
Through the years, Christmas has evolved past its religious traditions and origins. But no matter how you ring in the holiday, Christmas always falls on the same date every year: Dec. 25.
So, if you’ve already hung up your stockings and are eager for Santa Claus to come to town, here’s what you need to know about Christmas, including its day of the week this year. …While the exact birth date of Jesus Christ is unclear, Pope Julius I chose December 25 to be the official date of the Feast of the Nativity, according to the History Channel. It is believed it was chosen in “an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions” of the pagan festival Saturnalia, which took place near the winter solstice.
That’s one main reason why this federal holiday in the US is celebrated as a secular holiday, with Santa Claus taking the starring role. I personally feel that the holiday is much too commercial and prefer Thanksgiving.
