Happy Winter Solstice

One down side to working twelve hour days is you roll out of bed before most.  During the summer it's not too bad, but once fall rolls around it becomes VERY hard to get out of bed (especially when you are not a morning person).  Once December rolls around, I leave for work in the dark and leave the hospital in the dark.  Thankfully today marks the day where the days get longer and although it will still be some time before my commute no longer needs bike lights, it gives a girl some hope!!

Here are some facts and figures for any upcoming cocktail parties you may be attending:

• Sunrise is at 7:23 am and sunset is 4:49 pm meaning we have only 9 hours and 26 minutes of daylight.  WAY better than Fairbanks, AK who will only see the sun for 3hours and 42 minutes.  
• If you go outside either today and tomorrow, your shadow at noon will be the longest of the year.  
• The winter solstice does not mark the latest sunrise and/or the earliest sunset (we have solar time to blame for this).
• The coldest days of winter usually happen after the Winter Solstus because the Earth still continues to lose more heat than it gains