Shortest Day and Longest Night

Sun through trees and clouds, Winter Solstice 2024
Photo by Sharon Vardatira, North Amherst MA

𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓; 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕’𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒅𝒂𝒑𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒆𝒙𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉. 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒎𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒛𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕; 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒔𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔. 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒄𝒚𝒄𝒍𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆. ~ 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘆, 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴

Now winter solstice is upon us. Today will be both the shortest day and longest night of 2024. In this season of introspection and renewal, may you find strength in stillness, wisdom among the trees and rivers, and the inspiration to transform like the ever-changing skies above.

Last Chance Calendar!

 

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗚𝗶𝗳𝘁!

Need a special present? Our 2025 Head in the Clouds Amherst wall calendar is still available!

Why it's special: • 12 stunning seasonal photos of the Pioneer Valley and Western MA • Over 240 daily entries of local historical, weather, and astronomical events • NEW: Guide to Cloudspotting • 17" X 11" when open - a beautiful display piece!

Order by 1 pm and get it mailed same-day, or by next day if you miss the cut-off. Plus, Etsy orders now come with a free upgrade to priority mail through Dec 23rd.

Get yours:

• 𝗢𝗻 𝗘𝘁𝘀𝘆: https://etsy.me/3BfnDzU

• 𝗔𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 (8 Main St, Amherst)

• 𝗢𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝘂𝗽: DM me!

In addition to our many Western Mass fans, we have repeat customers from California to Florida – our unique calendar is not just for locals!