Mukilteo Musings

Dim and Dreary

We are approaching the shortest and darkest day of the year. It is noticeable. At 3:30 in the afternoon the cars have on their headlights. Add to this our absence of any sun duirng the day because of our heavy cloud cover. Living closer to the water than we did for the first 24 years has helped tremendously. Water reflects light.

I did a little comparison this morning. In Mukilteo, the sun rises at 7:55 AM and sets at 4:18 PM on this date. We have 9 hours and 35 minutes of visible light---that is if the sun is even shining which it is not. In Denver, where they have sunlight to begin with, the sun rises at 7:17 AM and sets at 4:38 PM giving them 10 hours and 21 minutes of visible light. New York is similar with a sunrise at 7:15 and sunset at 4:31 with 10 hours and 17 minutes of light. Los Angeles has sunrise at 6:53 AM, sunset at 4:47 with a whopping 10 hours and 49 minutes of visible light.

We are dark here but it could be worse. In Juneau, they only have 8 hours 7 minutes of light with sunrise at 8:44 AM and sunset at 3:06 in the afternoon. Barrow, Alaska doesn't even list a sunsrise or sunset because it never does. They have a mere 2 hours and 52 minutes of dim light. I am glad we do not live in Alaska. I would go stark raving mad this time of year.


Reflection of my Christmas tree in my living room window. Taken at around 8:15 this morning.


Mist on the water. Taken at about 8:15, too.

I must say, the darkness makes it worthwhile to have the Christmas lights on a good share of the day.