MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas waves a magic wand over the world, and behold,
everything is soft, peaceful and bright.

May the good times and treasures of the present,
become the golden memories that carry you through 2012.

Wishing you a season of love, joy and happiness.

Merry Christmas

December 20/21 - Winter Solstice

(Photo by Marilyn Jarrett)

Cardinal Duet - Both male and female cardinals sing all year long, and sometimes they will sing together. The female's song is slightly softer than the male, and they have countless song variations.

Solstice (Northern) - Although December 21 is considered the 'First Day of Winter', the precise time the solstice occurs will be at 5:30 UTC as the sun passes directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.

December 9/10 - Full Lunar Eclipse

Full Lunar Eclipse - A lunar eclipse will peak early on December 10 at 2:32 UTC. It coincides with the December Full Moon for a total lunar eclipse that should be quite spectacular. The full white moon will slowly fade to black, and then at the peak of the eclipse, the moon will begin to glow a reddish-orange color. Then slowly slivers of the moons white glow will appear once again.

December 2 - Lean Wolf

Lean Wolf - Wolves hunt in packs, which enables them to trap and kill larger prey. However, their success rate averages only about 14-25 percent, so they usually go for long periods of time without eating.