Happy Solstice Everyone!

[DeCypher]

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. It's a Pagan/Celtic holiday where people (hundreds of years ago) would light all their candles and sing. The point of this was to light up the dark, and bring everyone together.
We don't celebrate Christmas, so we celebrate Solstice. We do light candles, but we have a solstice tree and gifts for one another.
Of course, my lovely Axolotls will be receiving some Solstice gifts very soon.

 

[dad of axle]

Hello Here in South Australia it is the last 50 minutes of the Summer Solstice, and i am looking forward to cooler weather for both my axolotl and me. it is currently 31 C in my flat.

I tend towards Buddhism, so Christmas is not a big event for me either.

 

[DeCypher]

Buddhism is very fascinating, I love it. I tend to lean towards Shamanism and various forms of Spirituality.
Summer Solstice in Australia now? Does that mean that in one side of the world, it's Winter Solstice, and on the other side, it's Summer Solstice?

 

[dad of axle]

Yes, it is Summer Solstice here in South Australia when you have winter solstice. I remember travelling to Europe from Australia as a child (many years ago) and looking out the plane window to see both the sun and the moon.

I too have a scents of Shamanism I have been considered by some to have reiki strengths/
I tend towards the traditional Buddhist view these days rather than the separate lineages. I think that plants have hormones (tropic reactions ) to their environment and therefor have feelings and don't differentiate between them and animals in terms of a hierachy of beings in the universe.

the fascinating place that it is.
p.s can you send some cool weather across to Australia from England.

 

[DeCypher]

Traditional Buddhist, I think is much more sacred and original. The separate lineages honestly confuse me very much!
Yes, plants are very much equal, if not higher. They give every animal on this beautiful planet life. Because of plants, something magical has been created: Humans.

How do you keep an Axolotl in Australia? It seems an Axolotl would be roasted alive!

 

[dad of axle]

I am saving up to buy a chiller, and am awake at 12 38 am in the morning watching over my axolotl in the heat -it is 29 degrees in my flat,

I had orginally thought I wouldnt get an axolotl despite wanting one, because of the heat, But at least I care about it, and I can take the time to be up at this hour of night taking measures to keep the tank cool.

I hope to have a chiller within the next few weeks.

 

[DeCypher]

That's cool! You must really love your Axie to be up at midnight just for him. :happy:
My iguana would absolutely love Australia. I have to keep him warm with 2 basking lights, 2 heating pads, and a humidifier. Electricity bills =

 

[dad of axle]

It sounds like you have a zoo at your home. I have one Axle (axolotl) and 3 fish. The fish are coping just fine with the warmer weather but I can tell Axle doesn't appreciate the climate. I have only had him for a few months and can think on a positive note that at least he is not still in the pet shop, because he would fry there.

 

[DeCypher]

A zoo indeed. A python, two Axolotls, an iguana, two dogs, two piranhas, and 100+ Axolotl babies. What species of fish do you keep?
Good job for saving the Axie from his guaranteed doom at the pet shop.

 

[dad of axle]

just two gold fish and a gumshink one. I named them after Doctor Seuss,
they are One, Two and Three.

You really do have a Zoo there,

 

[DeCypher]

Awesome names. :lol:
I love my zoo, it's what keeps me busy and happy. I hold it dear to my heart.

 

[GazerOfStars]

Whoo hoo, Longer days here we come

 

[Molch]

the sun is up for 4 hours a day here and in addition we get 1 hour of dawn/dusk on either end, so 6 hours total.

From now on, we'll gain about 7 minutes of daylight every day By Equinox, we'll have 14 hours of daylight and it'll feel like summer.

The Arctic, in contrast to popular opinion, receives more light year-round than lower latitudes. We get the same amount of sun-above-the-horizon as any other place on earth, but in addition, we get daylight when the sun is NOT above the horizon, because of the shallow angle in which it sets. Some places, because of light refraction, you can see the orb of the sun above the horizon even though it is officially already below the horizon. So you get sunlight even when the sun has already set. Yay!