Winter Sun
31 January 2022
Photos
In winter, the sun hangs low in the sky – you can see it come up, traverse its course, and go to bed – all in front of you, to the South, not overhead. The rays shine all the way into the house, reaching the very back of the room and warming it up. There is a distinctive quality to winter sunlight, something I was entirely unfamiliar with in my childhood. It’s subtle, and if you don’t pay attention – like all the most wonderful things in the world – you may miss it. Here where I live, I am always amazed at the festive display of the clouds. Our location means that all kinds of interesting clouds and cloud combinations travel overhead. And then the winter sun combines with them – breaking through and creating splashes of light on a canvas weaved with earth and sea. It was a beautiful winter – it was good for my soul. In the month ahead, there will be some cold snaps, to be sure. But this is the end of winter… the seasons change… and there is a promise in the air, a promise of something vibrant and different. Still though, I must confess, there is a soft spot in my heart for the winter sun. It comes up late and goes to bed early, but while it is up, there is no denying its light.

Peter van der Walt is a fiction author, although you may find some non-fiction and the odd essay out there. Fans can find his newsletter, posts, updates and developments at petervanderwalt.com. Currently, he is hard at work on his next story. When not writing, he has far too many interests to reasonably keep up with. He lives with his partner in Devon, England.