Thursday, December 13, 2007

Life Beneath the Pervasive Stratus Uniformus



An unrelenting heavy gray overcast has cast a pall over the last few days of solar 2007, quite unusual for DC, even in winter. It's Connecticut weather, but at least without all the grimy leftover snow. I'm not a fan of Connecticut weather, no offense to the Connecticons I know.

Somehow it's just perfect that a serious gloom has settled over the city here in mid-December. It should be gloomy and damp, cold. Even so, or maybe in shamanic alignment with the weather, I feel exhausted, longing to hibernate, wilting away without sunshine, though I know after solstice next week, suddenly I'll be lighter on my feet - in attitude too, even if it's still cloudy and spitting rain. Sometimes turning the wheel of the year is an arduous task.

Eight years ago on December 21st, I arrived in Washington DC, still in shock over the fact that I'd actually left San Francisco behind. In some ways it seems like yesterday, but mostly, that day we zoomed into town after a drive across the country with a our stuff in boxes, stored somewhere, and Jake napping comfortably in the back of the truck, mostly that day seems like a million years ago. Crazy.

What a solstice! Let there be light, please? ... Just a few more days. All is well, I'm hanging in there. Hope you are, too.

12 comments:

Hammer said...

It's a mega-pall to be sure. I feel like I could quite happily curl up in my flannel sheets and heavy blankets, sleep for two weeks, and then hit the snooze bar and wake up again in 2008.

Barbara said...

The weather feels sad and gloomy to me. I can't imagine living where my ancestors came from in Norway where the daylight hours are so few this time of the year. I depend on the sun for much of my good humor and energy. I did a bunch of sun salutations tonight, so I hope it sees fit to return soon!

lettuce said...

hey reya, glad to hear you are hanging in there. Me too.
I hope you get some sunshine too.

xx

Reya Mellicker said...

I'm sure the sun salutations helped. Thanks Barbara.

If only our culture understood that this time of year is made for the snooze bar. If only!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

just to warn you more laden grey is on it's way - if fronts move from my location to yours!

grey skies are typical of cleveland winter not really connecticut - at least not comparatively speaking. before moving to cleveland we lived in connecticut for 15 years. I didn't know what winter grey was until I moved here. being in the shadow of a great lake is the contributing factor.

happy 8 year anniversary of living in dc - I hear you about how fast time flies by. this year marked 10 years of living in cleveland, and it seems like yesterday that we moved to the 'north coast'

hope you are feeling better - yes hang in there only a few more days until the sun returns. while you wait you'll have to light up some blazing fires - I find metaphorical ones work too ;) xx

hope you are feeling better. have loved the last few days of pictures, especially this post's dancing bare tree!

Lynne said...

Your tree looks like it's doing one of your shamanic dances! Love it!

We got snow and sleet yesterday. Frozen rivers coming out of the sky! UGH. I like snow but sleet is just plain nasty. We've had gray weather for a couple of weeks with a little sunshine peeking through once in a while. Today the sun is out. This weekend we have a Nor'easter to look forward to with more sleet. Wish it was going to be snow instead!

Maybe next week there'll be light. Hang in there!

Unknown said...

Keep hanging in there, Reya, the wheel will turn very soon - back to the light. Personally, I'm a little less keen on it - for me the days will grow shorter and the gloom will gradually start to descend. Still, here the sun shines during the wet and gray and it is always bearable.

Aileen said...

I agree with you Reya, the gloomiest of the days is taking its toll on my energy. AND my appetite for warm comfort food is insatiable! Not a good combination :)

Squirrel said...

I have no energy either.

Reya Mellicker said...

Lynne - In my perception, trees are always shamanically dancing - 24/7, year round (though definitely more quietly in winter).

To all the rest of us who are shamanically aligned with the waning solar year, I wish we could have a slumber party, do a dream induction in our jammies, then sleep long and lazily, report dreams over coffee the next day. Wouldn't that be a nice solstice ritual?

mouse (aka kimy) said...

"I wish we could have a slumber party, do a dream induction in our jammies, then sleep long and lazily, report dreams over coffee the next day. Wouldn't that be a nice solstice ritual?"
sounds divine!!!

Reya Mellicker said...

Maybe next year, Kim!

Sweet dreams!