Saturday, March 24, 2007

The coming of the light

Soon, there will be a huge grin on my face, a healthy glow to my skin and I will have thighs like Xena Onatopp. For the last few weeks, I have been like a child waiting for Christmas or a farmer praying for rain during a drought. As of Monday, the nights will be light enough to ride my horse after work.

When I was living in cities, the change in the time didn’t mean much to me other than an hour more or less in bed on a Sunday morning. It’s not that important in a world ruled by artificial light, where even the midnight sky is polluted with man-made rays. In a land of giant skies, where the day-time light has myriad qualities and the night-time velvet darkness is absolute, you feel closer to the turning of the year and the rhythm of life.

From a purely selfish point of view, I would be happy to stay in British Summer Time all year round. I dread the dying days of October, when it will suddenly be dark at 5pm. I wouldn’t mind giving up an hour of daylight in the morning and eking out the evening light as long as possible.

The animals, whose lives aren’t governed by clocks, only realise that the days are becoming warmer and lasting for longer, or growing shorter with a whisper of winter on the wind. But I’m not going to think about winter right now, I’m going to bask in the glory of springtime in the most tranquil place in England.

16 comments:

Gone said...

Yes this time of year I chase the sunset on my drive home, all the time knowing that soon it will be light enough to start work in the garden when I get back:)

Anonymous said...

But eminem, I thought it was you 'oop north' and those in Scotland who are against having BST in the winter and BST + 1 in the Summer ??

Mind you I guess it makes no odds to you getting up in the dark if it means you can go riding after work..

Gill said...

I hate getting up in the dark! But never mind, soon it will be light by day and by night!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE it when the clocks go forward. I think they should go forward at the end of Feb though.

However, I disagree that we should stay on +1 all year round.

I remember, as a child, in the late 60s when the Govt experimented with not turning the clocks back.

All we children (well in London anyway) were issued with reflective armbands because, of course, it was dark on our way to school.

It was also dark on our way back.

Thing is - in winter it's dark. Not putting the clocks back at the end of October doesn't really help. We still have the same number of hours of "light".

Personally, I HATE getting up in the dark. I would rather it was lighter in the mornings (in the winter) than the evenings.

P.S. Good comment btw on WITN blog (re bullies etc).

Brom said...

I like it when the clocks go forward, except for the first i.e tomorrow, Monday morning. Especially when I have to get up really early, i.e like tomorrow!

Brom said...

I remember those armbands as well

Gill said...

Winter is dark and at first I love it because I can light the fire and be cosy, but by february I get somewhat pissed off by it! I love the changing seasons but autumn is my favourite.
It was horrible when we went onto that experiment in the 60's, it seemed to be dark ALL the time, even with our lovely glowy armbands. If Scotland changes time zones it will be a bit confusing for those of us who live in the borders but I expect we will get used to it.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

I don't know what the answer is for everyone, but I think for me, it would be winning the Lottery so I didn't have to worry about working and not having enough time to ride after work. Just imagine - being rich enough not to work and have all day free to mess around with horses. That would be utter heaven!

Gill said...

well maybe you could get a job working with horses?

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Unfortunately, working with horses pays peanuts.

Pig in the Kitchen said...

Just go easy on that poor horse if you DO get thighs like Onatopp...it would be a nasty way for a horse to go, and i'm sure it's a crime? You might enjoy it though??!!

Gill said...

If you don't win the lottery you'll have to find a dashing rich and horsey husband then, like that Flyford Favell. Get your green and yellow courting hat on and go to ascot!

Karen said...

I like the evenings drawing in in the winter. I just don't like walking home from work in the dark and getting up in the dark! SAD is a bugger, although I don't suffer too badly.

I think it would be confusing if we had different time zones in one country but people in America and other massive countries cope with it so I guess we will too.

I generally dislike the clocks going forward as I need that hour in bed, but I do like the lighter evenings.

I think things should just stay as they are and we'll just have to keep complaining about the light levels.

Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Pig, having a weapon and using it are two different things ... ;)

Anonymous said...

By February most people are fed up (with winter). We've gone through it for months; the evenings are getting discernably lighter but - it seems to get colder.

March was wonderful until that cold snap last week - how dare it get cold and wintry after days of glorious sunshine and temps in low 60s had fooled us all into thinking that winter was over?

Karen said...

Oh and there was a similar article in our local paper about how tranquil Cumbria is - see it here http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=474730