December In The Dark Valley
Rapid City sits in just the right part of a time zone to make for really long winter days. When you add the Hills on the west side, the afternoons get truncated a bit more, meaning that Mines students walking to dinner at 5:00 get to do so in the dark this time of year.
It was with a relatively clear head that I moved into this little valley, having had five semesters of dark dinners. But short of living in Alaska, I'm not sure I would have been totally prepared for our less-than-four-hours of direct sunlight all through December.
Now, it's just after ten when the sun peeks above the eastern hills, and just before two when it vanishes over the western ridge. When I go to work in the morning, I know the sun's come up but I can't see it. And by the time the day is over, it's dark enough to make me walk home a bit more quickly. (Blame the mountain lions. Because once that thought's in your head, you can't shake it.)
It also means that home feels just a little more cozy. It also seems to inspire cravings for hot chocolate and cheesy movies.
And so, as the shortest day of the year quickly approaches, I find myself hunkered down at home at the late hour of ... 6:30. Perhaps it's time to get some knitting done.
It was with a relatively clear head that I moved into this little valley, having had five semesters of dark dinners. But short of living in Alaska, I'm not sure I would have been totally prepared for our less-than-four-hours of direct sunlight all through December.Now, it's just after ten when the sun peeks above the eastern hills, and just before two when it vanishes over the western ridge. When I go to work in the morning, I know the sun's come up but I can't see it. And by the time the day is over, it's dark enough to make me walk home a bit more quickly. (Blame the mountain lions. Because once that thought's in your head, you can't shake it.)
It also means that home feels just a little more cozy. It also seems to inspire cravings for hot chocolate and cheesy movies.
And so, as the shortest day of the year quickly approaches, I find myself hunkered down at home at the late hour of ... 6:30. Perhaps it's time to get some knitting done.
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