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Sunset over a wintry County Grounds in Wauwatosa

Photo essay: Celebrating the Winter Solstice!

December 17, 2024  |  Topics: Stories

By Eddee Daniel

The sun is never far above the horizon on the shortest day of the year. If it appears at all. An overcast sky can add a pall of gloom to the already dim day. If we’re lucky, some snow cover adds a little brightness to the landscape. That kind of luck doesn’t come as often these days; the changing climate has brought us milder winters. All day long, shadows fall deeply into the hollows, the black trunks of trees grovel against the sky. The swift gleam of sunset, if it comes, is muted, tame. And then it is night. The longest night of the year.

But, imperceptibly, the earth pivots. The sun rises again in the morning. To a slightly longer day.

Do you mark the solstice? Ancient peoples created elaborate ceremonies to celebrate the turning and returning of the sun. (Some say they were trying to influence the heavenly sphere, but wouldn’t they have known in their animal bones about the cycle of seasons?) Perhaps you light a candle to dispel the darkness. Or illuminate the whole house with electric lights. Call them Christmas decorations if you wish, but I suspect the impulse to light up the darkness goes deeper than holiday cheer.

Passing winter storm. Wirth Park, Brookfield.
Passing winter storm. Wirth Park, Brookfield.

We can, of course, embrace the darkness. Night is the flip side of day, yin and yang. Each is necessary; they complete each other. Winter, like nighttime, is a time for rejuvenation. A time, also, of mystery, reflection, and creativity. But, although we are mammals, it is not a time for us to hibernate. Don’t hesitate to venture outdoors on the shortest day; dispel the gloom with the light of your presence. Make it a celebration!

Where will you go to celebrate the solstice? This photo essay offers a few suggestions. Some of them will be familiar, others probably not. (The link in each caption will take you to a page with more information about the park.) I could easily have included two or three times as many lovely parks and preserves in the Milwaukee metropolitan region, so don’t hesitate to check out our Find-a-Park map for additional options.

Sunrise over the tamarack bog at Seno Woodland Education Center, Burlington.
Sunrise over the tamarack bog at Seno Woodland Education Center, Burlington.
This monumental stone arch marks the entrance to the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum in the Milwaukee River Greenway, which has nearly nine hundred acres of parkland to explore in the heart of the city.
This monumental stone arch marks the entrance to the Milwaukee Rotary Centennial Arboretum in the Milwaukee River Greenway, which has nearly nine hundred acres of parkland to explore in the heart of the city.
Hiking the Esker Trail at Lac Lawrann Conservancy, West Bend.
Hiking the Esker Trail at Lac Lawrann Conservancy, West Bend.
How about sledding without a crowd? Calhoun Park, New Berlin.
If you're lucky, winter can be a good time to spot wildlife! Menomonee River Parkway, Wauwatosa.
If you’re lucky, winter can be a good time to spot wildlife! Menomonee River Parkway, Wauwatosa.
The midday sun around the time of the solstice. Cudahy Nature Preserve, Oak Creek.
The midday sun around the time of the solstice. Cudahy Nature Preserve, Oak Creek.
A stand of pines in remote Mayhew Preserve, Farmington.
A stand of pines in remote Mayhew Preserve, Farmington.
Snowbound trading post at the Muskego Historical Society Park, Muskego.
Snowbound trading post at the Muskego Historical Society Park, Muskego.
How about fishing? This pond at Paradise Springs Nature Trail rarely freezes over because it is continually refreshed by warm water gushing from the spring inside the spring house in the background.
How about fishing? This pond at Paradise Springs Nature Trail rarely freezes over completely because it is continually refreshed by relatively warm water gushing from the spring inside the spring house in the background.
Deepening afternoon shadows in a kettle at the Lapham Peak Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Delafield.
Winter is the best time to visit this hidden gem since the under-used trails often are overgrown in the summer. Pewaukee River Greenway, Pewaukee.
Winter is the best time to visit this hidden gem since the under-used trails often are overgrown in the summer. Pewaukee River Greenway, Pewaukee.
Solitude amongst the pines at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha.
Solitude amongst the pines at Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha.
In the gloom of the season. Root River Parkway, Greendale.
In the gloom of the season. Root River Parkway, Greendale.
A snowbound pine plantation at Thoma Preserve near West Bend.
A snowbound pine plantation at Thoma Preserve near West Bend.
Disc golf doesn’t stop for the winter at Sandy Knoll County Park in West Bend.
A mini kettle moraine with a rugged ridge trail between kettles. Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve, Burlington.
Frosty makes an appearance at Estabrook Park. Milwaukee River Greenway.
Frosty makes an appearance at Estabrook Park. Milwaukee River Greenway.
A snowmobile trail without snow, still suitable for hiking. Vernon State Wildlife Area, Mukwonago.
A snowmobile trail without snow, still suitable for winter hiking. Vernon State Wildlife Area, Mukwonago.
Hiking under the low midday sun at Fellenz Woods Preserve, West Bend.
This is a hidden gem, almost literally. The Ten Chimneys Nature Trail has signage and a parking lot, right next to the historic estate and museum in Genesee Depot, but it is not listed on our Find-a-Park map by request, so that doesn't become well known.
This is a hidden gem, almost literally. The Ten Chimneys Nature Trail has signage and a parking lot, right next to the historic estate and museum in Genesee Depot. But it is not listed on our Find-a-Park map by request, so that it doesn’t become well known. It is open to the public, however, and free of charge.
“Who is that tramping through my domain?!” A long-eared owl at Sanctuary Woods in the Milwaukee County Grounds, Wauwatosa.
A flaming sunset reflected in the frozen lagoon at Greenfield Park, West Allis.
A flaming sunset reflected in the frozen lagoon at Greenfield Park, West Allis.

If you want to celebrate in a more traditional setting, I invite you to join me for the Earth-centered, ritual-oriented winter solstice service at my church, Unitarian Universalist Church West in Brookfield. The service begins at sunset (4:00 pm) on Saturday, 12/21. Location and more info on the UUCW website.

Related stories:

Finding Hope in a Wintry Fog

Searching for snow and serenity

Christmas Day in the park

Winter Solstice: A true story (from my Urban Wilderness blog)

The featured photo at the top is a sunset on the Milwaukee County Grounds in Wauwatosa. Eddee Daniel is a board member of Preserve Our Parks and a member of Unitarian Universalist Church West.

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