The sun will rise this morning at 8:57, and set at 5:14 for 8 hr 16 min with the sun above the horizon — 6 min 49 seconds more than yesterday. The daily increase is almost constant now, as is the gain in noon altitude — .3° a day. The sun will be almost 12°, 24 times the solar diameter, above the horizon today.

It’s warmed up almost too fast, and there’s been a little dripping water. We don’t need that this time of year! Water just freezes into ice, and a thaw produces roads like glass. Warm weather is fine once it’s late enough in the season it will stay warm, but right now it’s more of a nuisance. Not that I mind the +20’s forecast for next week; I just don’t want it getting any warmer until March.

It’s staying light long enough I can attend afternoon seminars and drive home in daylight. That means I don’t have as much time for writing, and I’ll have even less when OLLI (adult learning) classes start at the end of the month. But right now I’m just enjoying the freedom to get out of the house without counting every precious minute of daylight.

Indoors, the Christmas cactus is blooming, and most of the citrus plants have put out new leaves. Haven’t started anything for the garden yet, but it’s time I begin getting my orders in to those luscious seed catalogs. Rocdor and Gina beans from Park’s definitely — this year the raised beds will be ready and I think I’ll go back to starting the beans indoors.