Winter darkness

[DLM]

This will give you an idea of how much we look forward to Dec 21. It's not quite this bad in Fairbanks cuz we have 3 hours that the sun is barely above the horizon. The good thing is that by Feb. we have as much daylight as the South 48 and from then on it goes to where we have 24 hours of daylight by June 21. You can sympathize with our pioneers having go in service in the dark but this is true all around the globe at high latitudes. As we start out in the morning, we look for houses with lights on. If it's dark the householder is still in bed or gone to work. Saves time !!!

http://www.adn.com/article/20151216/pit-winter-darkness-alaskas-north-slope-where-sun-doesnt-rise

 

I don't know if this will work but the article to look up is Outdoors

 

"Into the pit of winter darkness on Alaska's North Slope, where the sun doesn't rise"

Edited December 17, 2015 by Musky
Fixed link

[Miss Bea]

Just gives us an idea of the world wide scope of our work. Thanks

[Peanuts]

Does it depress you? We've had a really bleak winter so far. Not especially cold, but every day grey and dark and I can feel my mood lowering each day!

[DLM]

Yes, we do suffer with depression, some worse than others and some not at all. One thing that helps some of us is light therapy. I have a light that is 10,000 lux and if one sits in front of it for 45 min a day, it helps some but we just need sun! Some  that live here have to go to where it is not dark so long and/or take anti depression medication. The thing that helps most is to realize that it is that dark for 6 weeks or so.

[Miss Mouse]

We are into our rainy dreary season . I find about 3-4 drops of "Liquid Sunshine" does wonders for me. Give it a try along with the light might just give you a boost Anna and Dorothy . My NP Doc actually got me on it and now my husband is on board finds it gives him a real boost. Liquid under the tongue is best.

[trottigy]

Yes, we do suffer with depression, some worse than others and some not at all. One thing that helps some of us is light therapy. I have a light that is 10,000 lux and if one sits in front of it for 45 min a day, it helps some but we just need sun! Some  that live here have to go to where it is not dark so long and/or take anti depression medication. The thing that helps most is to realize that it is that dark for 6 weeks or so.

 

Hey Dorothy  

 

Your and your lovely husband are welcome to Vegas anytime!!!!! Much love to you guys    

[Friends just call me Ross]

Have you seen the strange clouds yet?  

 

http://www.spaceweather.com/

 

 

 

 

 

POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS: This week, sky watchers are reporting an outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) around the Arctic Circle. Unlike normal grey-white clouds, which hug Earth's surface at altitudes of only 5 to 10 km, PSCs float through the stratosphere (25 km) and they are fantastically colorful. Truls Tiller photographed these over Tromsø, Norway, on Dec. 16th:

 

[Miss Mouse]

Hey Dorothy  

 

Your and your lovely husband are welcome to Vegas anytime!!!!! Much love to you guys  

Ummmm where's my invite Jerry LOL can I bring Mr. Magoo ?

[CHecker]

This is one of my  favorite subjects. I count down to the 21st every year. We had a wonderful summer and fall and you'd think I'd be "full of sunshine" and ready for the winter but I'm struggling this winter. Not visibly so but am fighting the blah's. Stepped up service, cooking different, eating more fruit- oranges are really good right now- getting projects done I didn't finish in summer (finally have a shower in my room, have used hubby's for 4 years!). But I think I'd like to take Wendy up on her suggestion. 

Dorothy, I don't know how you folks up North do it. It's daylight here at 8ish and dark here at 4:45, I turn on all the ceiling lights to fight the dark. Ugh

I long for the day when I can move further South. I love the winter sky in the South. Vegas, Tuscon- wonderful places.

[Raindrop]

Hi Dorothy,

 

I have used the light for two years when living further North and 15 mn a day worked wonder but like you say, there is nothing like the sun. Even now, if the sun is out, I take my class out to enjoy it - no matter the weather outside hot/cold just because it does us good.

 

I feel for you! May the warmth and love here somehow help!

[DLM]

I appreciate the sentiments from all of you here on JWTalk. It really helps keep my spirits from going totally down the tube.     We are now getting enough more sun to make a difference. The days are lighter and longer. The sun comes back very slowly  by just seconds for the first week  after  Dec. 21. Then it speeds up to 5 min. 6 min and even 7 minutes a day. That gets to be nearly an hour a week more sun until by June 21st. it's light all night. By that time, when we come out of midweek meeting at 9:30- 10:00 PM the sun is still high in the sky. In summer we have to go by the clock, not the sun. When it gets to be bedtime, we just pull down the room darkening shades and go to bed. During the darkest part of winter, a person just feels like hibernating. We have lived here more than 40 years, we are so used to it, that  when we used to travel, we just couldn't get used to it being WARM and DARK. We never experience that unless we do travel south. Just thought I would give you an idea of our life in the far North. We are the fartherest North congregation in the US. In Fairbanks we have  3 cong.-- 2 english and 1 spanish and 13 miles south of us in the town of North Pole, they have 1 english song.  So there are about 400 of us wandering around in the dark.    

Edited January 10, 2016 by Agent MOM

[tekmantwo]

"So there are about 400 of us wandering around in the dark.     :yawning:"

 

guided by 'increasing light'....lol.