18 December 2014

Winter Dark-Thirty

I don’t mind getting up early.  In fact, if I had my druthers, I would get up at sunrise most days.  In the summer, it’s easy.  The sun brilliant and the sky bright, birds singing, the dawn calls to me.  In the winter, I would also like to get up at sunrise, except that sunrise is late.  Late for the workers, anyway.  Today it was at 7:46.  I wouldn’t mind lazing in bed until 7:46!

In my region, in winter (who am I kidding; fall, winter and spring) the sky is often cloudy.  The cloud cover sits like a bowl inverted over the city.  Sometimes it is a monotone of gray, but most of the time there is texture to the clouds. 

Frequently, the cloud cover does not reach all the way to the horizon.  It hovers above us, allowing a thin band of clear sky to be seen if one is not surrounded by buildings or forests.  At dawn and sunset there may be bold diagonal beams of light lancing across the city.  It is spectacular.  It only lasts a few minutes, and then the sun is hidden again and the light dims to the normal setting.

Some years ago I was given a dawn simulator alarm clock.  What a wonderful device!  I’ve written about it before.  I haven’t been using it lately because I am sleeping in a different bedroom and haven’t bothered to move it.  Instead, I have an irritating beepbeepbeep electronic alarm clock that I can’t stand.  I think I will switch these out this weekend.  I need my cheerful light.  The lamp is key to getting up in the winter and not feeling a dragging depression.


What about you?  Are you an early riser by nature or more of a night owl?


4 comments:

earthandink said...

If left to my own devices (no noisy roommates, no necessary appointments) I am a night owl.

I think better after the noon hour, and write best anywhere between 9 or 10 to 2 am.

I want one of those dawn simulator/soft gong alarm clocks. So. Much.

8thday said...

What a lovely picture you paint of your gray, textured skies. I can almost close my eyes and imagine it.

I am an early riser and have never needed an alarm clock. I usually wake with the natural light, and in winter that does move forward. But I live on a busy road and if the sun doesn't wake me first, the building sound of traffic does. In fact, I can generally tell what time it is just by how much traffic I hear. I think I might like one of those dawn clocks though, just for the winter months. I do like to wake gently, not to the blare of an alarm.

Middle Girl said...

For one to wake, one has to sleep.

I exaggerate. I sleep, just not at long-ish stretches of time.

A variety of elements exist to keep me awake or awaken me early in the morning or very late at night, depending on your perspective.

I must be out the door by 7:30 every weekday morning and so usually rise by 5--5:15. I shower, dress, walk the dog, feed all the furballs, make and eat my own breakfast, read blogs or fb, wrap things up, layer up and get out the door.

The alarm is only needed if the night was particuarly rough and a jolt is required.

I am almost always awake and up before the first chime.

On the weekends I wake, but don't always rise. Unless the pooch insists. ;-)

Secret Agent Woman said...

I think I naturally sleep until 7-7:30. Unfortunately, on work days I have to get up at 5:45!