I love this time of year. Not that I could take it for a long time, but the short dark days really appeal to me. To see candles in windows, Christmas lights on houses, all the bits of light that people use to enhance the long nights. I don’t mind having the sun set before 4 p.m. It means a ride home on the 3:30 mailboat is likely to be accompanied by some spectacular sky.
Jason Pickering might not share my love of shorter days, but the lights he used, to extend his work day, were a treat to see on an afternoon walk.
This might be the real reason I like the longer hours of darkness: Battery powered LED lighted branches. When it looked like high winds were going to knock out our power a few nights ago, I moved these to the upstairs bathroom for an emergency night light. They looked so pretty there, I might have to order another set to use every night as a night light. I smile literally every time I look at them.
This is a beautiful time of year, but lest you think I should move to the North Pole, the solstice arrives just in time for me, too.
Barbara S Fernald Jewelry 
We just love lighted branches, too! We found ours in a garden store in Berkley, California and keep them lit year round. I even have little ones in the bathroom that I can hang my jewelry on. So many people have asked us where we got them…now we will have a website to refer them to! Ours are the plug in type…but maybe we should get some battery-operated ones, too! We could take them camping, a little ambiance at the campsite right?… put them in the backyard…the possibilities are endless!!! And yes, isn’t this time of year great….looking forward to retreat time, good books, and watching the fire….mmmm…love the long nights!
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