SHADOWS LENGTHEN - As our Earth spins on its journey around the Sun, this is the time that the northern hemisphere is tilted away from Sol, bringing winter. When that tilt is at its most extreme is when we have our shortest day and longest night - the Winter Solstice (Dec.21). Throughout human history this darkest time has always inspired festivals of Light. The Roman’s Saturnalia is one example, in which they paid homage to Mithra, the ancient Persian God of Light. Among the

Northwest winds sweep through the hills, bringing their cold message of winter, transporting snow from Lake Ontario all the way down here to the southeast Catskills. Swirling snow-devils dance their white dervish dance, tearing reluctant leaves, themselves remnants of this season past, from branch and bough. Only the brazen small-birds - Cardinals, Chickadees, Bluejays, Sparrows, Titmice, Juncos and the like - venture forth, hardy creatures bred through the millennia to perse