Up All Night: A Technopagan Winter Solstice 2011

[Oaksworn]

I second those congratulations! I gave in at 2:30;

I only made it to 1am but I blame the irrational demands of work expecting me to be there at 8am for my early disembarkation.  I mean, seriously, how do they expect me to goof off if they continue with such heinous calls for over-developed responsibility?
 
Ah well, I'm happy to have a job to complain about

The morning dawned to a clear blue sky so I had a bit of concern that I wouldn't find much in the way of good images to bookend with last night's sunset captures.  Well, there was actually a bit of mist this morning and I discovered some great sun rays about half an hour after sunrise.  As before, the thumbnails are clickable.

[River]

Well, there was actually a bit of mist this morning and I discovered some great sun rays about half an hour after sunrise.  

Thank you for sharing your pictures! There is always something profound about a cemetery and the sun raising on the solstice over it is awesome.
Thanks all for the links and company!

I was fortunate that I did not need to go to work until the late afternoon. My plans were to do a hike to a place I consider sacred and read Celtic prayers, and come back to hang pinecone-peanut butter-sunflower seed feeders out for the birds. The pinecones had been gathered from near the site before, and I just took a handful to leave enough for wildlife needs.

It was a great hike where I mediated on the Holly and Oak Kings and darkness and light, and the bear-strength attributed to the solstice. At the site I was visited by a grumpy squirrel, but that was it and I had a great time reading! I will post some pics (hopefully, I am trying Oaksworn's method for first time). The last one is of a deer for anyone that has a stag/hind/deer as part of their totem and a reminder that often what is there is not easy to see.

OK, didn't work as expected so just posted link to photobucket album.

http://photobucket.com/wintersolstice2011hike

[Altair]

The bottom three, with the scattering light, are fantabulous!

[Altair]

The "icefall" effect is beautiful