The Longer Day

The Winter Solstice has come and gone. Today, the day after, is the day I celebrate. It's the first day that has been longer than the day before ever since the long slide toward Winter began.
We've had dark, chilly, wet days around here for the past week. The snow we had in the valley quickly melted away under a drizzling rain.
Then today the wind picked up from the north and blew the clouds away. As I write the temperature is under freezing for the first time in awhile, and the crescent moon is settling down behind the western ridge while the Dippers and Orion glitter brightly in the frosty sky.
The light is coming back. The long rise toward Spring has begun.
Merry Christmas, indeed.