Okay. Three weeks ago, we entered into an early, pre-seasonal existence of Daylight Savings Time.
Daylight Savings. I’m not dancing about it this year!
This is the time of year when, presently, and up until June 21st, the days get longer. Depending on where you are on June 21st, it will get dark for us in the USA around 9:30 PM. When we are in France, it stays lighter until around 10:15 PM. And when I say this, I mean twilight hits at that time when the day falls into night.
It’s also that time when clocks that weren’t set to the correct time six months ago are now set correctly. I opened a drawer full of watches that were now, correctly set!
And after June 21st, the days become shorter until November, when the clocks are turned back and we say “hello darkness my old friend” once again.
One of my favorite songs during the shorter days: Simon and Garfunkels Sounds of Silence. It starts with “Hello darkness my old friend…..”
Not gonna lie. I used to live for daylight savings. Gleefully giddy, when the clocks were moved forward for an hour—during APRIL, usually around Easter, life was easier. Especially since I was a much younger mother and my children participated in sports and other extracurricular activities.
Being at a Little League/Pony League/Varsity/Jr. Varsity/Babe Ruth/American Legion ball games oftentimes went well after the 6:00 PM hour and during the longer days were a pleasure!
During Jake’s Babe Ruth days the sun would set later and it wasn’t annoying to have a game end after 9:00 PM when it got dark.
Driving to Oona’s Irish Dance lessons or picking her up from Field Hockey games were also a delight when the days were longer; living in Pennington, NJ meant you had better visibility of the deer that would be making a target of your vehicle.
From eight years old to a college senior at 20, I enjoyed driving her to dance classes while still light outside!
Running errands such as replacing the items that ran out for school lunches or eleventh-hour notebooks or items needed for school projects was no big deal during the longer days either.
Overall, as a mom, daylight savings time, for me, was a convenience and made mom’s taxi life much easier.
Add to that, being at the beach well after 5:00 PM was great because you got more beach time during the longer days!
It really was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the longer days back then!
Then the kids grew up. They went away to college. Relocated for jobs and my purpose ended.
My life is different now.
And might I add I’m pretty-much off -the- charts happy that I’m working!
Instead of being a stay-at-home-mom, I am a working woman. I’ve worked, until recently full-time—meaning that my working day could run from 7:00 AM until after 7:00 PM—depending on the workload. These days, luckily, my position with a different company is as a receptionist and facilities assistant working from Monday through Thursday until 3:30 in the afternoon. I love my job now. It’s fun and I get to interact with people.
And, my position allows me the pleasure of getting dressed!
But I’m starting to ramble, and I apologize. Back to the subject of Daylight Savings.
I don’t like this business of daylight savings beginning before Spring. And by that I mean, I do not like it before mid-or-end of April. It serves no purpose. Instilling the longer daylight hours should go hand-in-hand with warmer weather. It should be a segue into birds chirping, grass that needs to be mowed for the first time of the year, Mr. Sun shining down on you with such vitality that all heavy outerwear has been placed in storage, and daydreaming of the invigorating feeling of sitting at Ocean’s front, being lightly splashed with salt water as the waves break at your feet.
Yeah. I prefer my daylight savings time when I can go to the beach..
…or run around in sandals!
What Daylight savings shouldn’t be is the feeling of remorse and guilt for arriving home from work or anywhere else before 5:00 PM and wanting to take your clothing off to change into pajamas or any form of loungewear that is stained from cooking or has rips or just makes you look deliciously sloppy. After all, you are in the comfort of your own home!
My at-home uniform when I arrive back from work. Yes. I LOVE the comfort of old clothes–and I feel slightly guilty for wearing this ensemble whilst the sun is shining. There’s something very wrong with Daylight Savings this early in the year!
In being completely transparent with you, Daylight Savings time—this early in the year, wreaks havoc with my mental and physical body clock. The fact is, for the past three weeks I’ve been tired. Not the kind of tired where you can fall asleep at your work station nor is it the type of tired where you are emotionally exhausted. It’s that tired feeling you get after 6:00 PM in the evening. You’re not quite ready for a full-night’s slumber but you slowly inch your way into your bed giving yourself the excuse that it’s okay to be in bed whilst the sun is still shining because you have your books, journals, magazines and phone (to play Candy Crush) to while away time until that magic hour of darkness arrives.
True dat. I’m in bed way too early. But I’m being productive by playing Candy Crush!
And speaking of what Daylight Savings does to my mental frame of mind, is somewhat similar to what it does to my physical state. I’m just not ready for longer days yet.
This has been my prayer for the last few weeks. Early Daylight Savings wreaks havoc on me!
Look-I adore summer. It means less clothing to throw on. It means no outerwear. It’s more reasonable to walk around barefoot. And….it means less time spending on applying makeup because a natural (or fake) tan means less cosmetics time.
I do love summer. I love my tan–whether natural or fake. And I love the longer days–IN THE SUMMER!!!!
And it’s true. I’m not mentally ready for more daylight yet. I prefer my autumns (after turning the clocks back) and winters to have shorter days and not one day before.
I think cities are spectacularly gorgeous when the sun goes down–especially when it sets earlier. More time to enjoy the night!
When days are shorter there’s more of a sense of time. When the sun begins it’s slow descent, the shadows are deeper. The sky takes on a deep blue, gray, purple hue with a touch of orange illumination. You become aware that evening is approaching. Your body clock is knowledgeable that you need to start dinner at a certain time. During longer days, the time of day becomes something you often forget about.
That approaching twilight time close to 5:00 PM during the winter just makes me feel cozy!
When days are shorter, they comply with the weather. There is a coziness that comes with darkening of days. Akin to a big hug, there is nothing more comfortable as being in your pajamas at 5:00, sitting on the cushioned loveseat, with a toasty blanket over your body and reading a good book accompanied by a soothing cup of tea—all while dinner is cooking. A hearty soup? A comfort-food bowl of pasta? A beefy stew? It all warms my soul and gives me a better mental outlook.
My favorite spot during shorter days–whether reading a novel or perusing through an old Dr. Seuss book or enjoying a cuppa. It’s such a great feeling of comfort.
It’s funny because during the shorter days, I enjoy my afternoon tea. During the summer, I just want iced tea.
And I’m more into desserts and cooking and baking in general when the days are shorter. I made Crepes Suzette the other night just after it got dark. Luckily I did NOT burn the house down with the flambe!
Like a rainy day. Some people despise rainy days. I happen to love them. As a child and well into my teens, rainy days meant I could complete a book in one read. Heading to my bedroom, getting under the covers or actually, never getting out of them, reaching for a classic novel and immersing myself into pages and pages of words to enhance my imagination, it was what I loved most—and reading now banned books makes me look back even more fondly!
From my youth up until now, I dig a seriously rainy day for reading–OMG and when it gets dark out earlier. I’m in heaven!
Shorter days bring me to my favorite time of year—Christmas!!! Who wants to listen to Christmas and Holiday music when it’s daylight at 7:00 PM? I want my Holiday music to blast as the sun sets in late afternoon! It’s more festive.
My favorite Holiday House of all time. Martell’s Winter Wonderland in Hamilton, New Jersey. In late afternoon, during Christmas season, around 4:45 Roman, Oona and I (Jake was too busy studying) would take the 15-minute drive from Pennington to see this delightful house. It was a happy place..
I don’t even think Oona was in middle school yet in this pic..
Maybe Roman was a freshman. Always taking movies with his camera. God, I miss those days!
Especially Halloween! Kids start trick-or-treating at the end of daylight savings—just a week or so before turning the clocks back. And the beauty of that is the sun is ready to set earlier. It’s tired of shining extended hours. Give the sun a freaking rest why dontja? Halloween is spookier when the sun goes into slumber.
Seriously. Who wants a Halloween evening in the daylight?
It’s more delightful in the dark!
I realize that I really should have written this blog post a few weeks ago but the fact is, I was pissed off with Daylight Savings being so early. And as I sit here on this early Saturday afternoon, it’s raining out. The sky is gray. It’s been raining on and off since Thursday. And I’m okay with that.
A truly gray day. I snapped this while in the car (my husband was driving) through Valley Forge Park. In a few weeks that tree will be sporting Crayola Crayon Spring Green colored leaves!
Earlier we went out shopping for tonight’s dinner. And I wore jeans, and a nice sweater and looked decent.
I made it a point to look decent enough as to not scare other people!
And I even wore Saturday makeup!
As I write this, I’m in Valentine’s Day pajama bottoms, an old Cincinnati hoodie sweatshirt , Christmas-themed slipper socks that are ripped on the soles but comfortable as all get out , but at least I have my hair and lipstick on. And that’s how I’ll be dressed for dinner!
Here I am, working on the blog on a gray, rainy day. I only wish the day was shorter!
And a rare moment of sharing these worn out slipper socks with you.
What’s your take? Are you a fan of shorter days or longer ones?
Or…have you switched as I have into enjoying the shorter days more as you’ve gotten older?
Hi Katherine, longer days win every time for me as long as an improvement in the weather.
Good to catch up with you again and hope all is well 💚☘️❤️
Hi Margaret. Hope all is well with you! LOL. I don’t see much improvement with the weather here……………….yet!~ XOXOXO
Not me, like 🥶 winter brrrrrr 😂
I liked day-light saving tome when I lived and worked in middle Europe. It allowed me to sit outside for dinner or a drink if weather permitted. However, since I live in Alaska, day-light saving times just disturbs my bio-rhythm. Who needs day-light saving time when the Sun is up almost all day, and there is day-light 24/7/84?.
Oh Nicole. Daylight 24/7 would destroy my bio rhythm as well. But I do agree with you on the Europe thing. It’s nice to be in France during those longer summer days. Our dinners on the terrace last for hours. XOXOXOXO
I have to start by saying that Jake in his Babe Ruth uniform is your twin – holy moly, what a resemblance!
Second, I hear your comments about losing purpose as children grow. I believe that heaven for mothers is being with our young children again. Mine are adults and doing very well but how I miss their younger selves. My niece has a young daughter who ran to give me a hug the last time I saw her and I nearly cried – a child running to give me a hug again! Running!
Third, and to your question. I don’t even know which I prefer any more. I do like cozy and dark winter evenings. Because our winter was so rainy this year however, the gloomy days seemed to drag on and on. So, this year I am happy for more brightness and sunshine. But check with me again next year and I might feel differently!
Hi Maryellen. Yeah. Jake is definitely my side of the family. Oh how I miss those days. I think as we get older we miss them more. And you are so correct about heaven being with the young children. I don’t get to see them often due to how far away we are from each other but my happiness is seeing my grandsons. OMG. I wish I lived in Cincinnati just to see them every day (although Oona would beg to differ) When Owen says “Hi Gam Gam” on Facetime. I melt! I literally melt! XOXOXOXO
Totally agree, I think “Can I go to bed now?” As soon as it gets dark out, lol. Always waiting hours though. Love receiving a new blog post by you!
Team shorter days for me. Every year I give a sigh of relief when I notice the heat lessening and the nights cooling and the coziness of darkness at dinner time (I like candles with my meals!). And I (a Californian) just LOVE rain – always have.
I am definitely a shorter rainy day kind of person. I think it’s because, like you, I could snuggle in with a good book and not worry about the outside world. When the days are longer, I feel like I’m supposed to be outside. I hate that supposed to be feeling. But, I do miss those long days of summer when my kids swam, and I missed most of their swims because I was the scorer for the team.
I have been wondering why I’ve been so exhausted lately. I didn’t even think to equate it with the change in time. I hate the changes period! Let’s just pick a time and leave it there.
I agree with dumping daylight savings time. Changing it in March? That is just crazy making. When I was working it was nice to come home in daylight (especially if I didn’t get home until 6) but eating dinner at 7 while looking at three feet of snow ( and under that at least a foot of dog poop) is very depressing..my Christmas lights are on light timers so the dang things come on later but are on at 2 am, time to take them down…if I can get to them…this has been an epic winter for snow in these parts .A friend and I were mulling over ‘purpose’ the other day. It seems the kids and work were our purpose for years and now we are unmotivated old ladies. I am lucky to have three grands not a mile away who are always up for a sleep over which is messed up by daylight savings time because they don’t want to go to bed when it’s light out.
My nephew lives in Pennington NJ! West Shore Dr…It’s so beautiful there but those deer are the worst! One was grazing by the house and nearly scared the crap out of me when I came around the corner. For sure NJ gets the award for biggest road kill, never saw so many dead deer thank goodness they’re not as big as we have here.
Totally agree with you Catherine! I love the shorter days when i don’t feel obligated to do anything productive in the evening.
Also loved being outside doing some yard cleanup as the days got just a bit longer, but before the time change. Now, as you say the time changes in the winter…nothing gradual about the light in the evening!
I am glad there are a few of us who feel this way!
That blonde wig on your is utterly darling, how cute do you look! – We are the same hair shade – I call my hair colour “wisdom blonde” by the way, it makes the husband snort for some reason… I’m OK with daylight savings, once I adjust – either way, I have about a week of wondering if it is food time and why am I awake at “this hour” before I ping into the right time and stop eating cheese and napping. What I do find hard like you, is when daylight savings doesn’t mesh with my expectations of appropriate weather – spring means sunshine and being able to sit outside in my pyjamas (we have high brick walls around our tiny UK garden – think “The secret garden by Frances Hodgkin Burnett… so no one sees me) and then I can eat my dinner, or dig things… in my pyjamas and bare feet. it messes my teeny, tiny mind to be outside eating my dinner or digging my garden in pyjamas and big woolly pully, it’s just plain out of sync. same when daylight savings ends – I expect to hibernate, I expect a nice chill bedroom and crisp sheets and a gradual warming of my bed-nest, if the weather especially in the evening is too warm I am deeply disappointed there isn’t the pleasure of gradually making the nest just right.
I hear you about the lack of purpose, I work from home and that doesn’t always lend itself to feeling motivated enough to look smart and glammed up – I make myself lists of projects, painting walls or skirting boards, digging and tidying parts of the teeny, tiny garden, making quilts or knitting. Not sure what the answer is as empty nest is weird isn’t it…