Each year, I look forward to the winter solstice because despite the fact that it marks the first day of winter, it is also the shortest day of the year, and it means that when the sun rises on the new day, the days will once again be getting longer, and I marked the day this year by making a solstice goat.

From the time state fair season ends, I work feverishly to get something done in time to be photographed for my blog posts. I am never done early, so as the days grow shorter, it becomes more and more of a challenge to get a photo by daylight.

Today, I failed completely.

This was the weekend that we had back to back holiday performances to attend. Saturday we sent to see the Carolina Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, and today we went to the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) and enjoyed Theatre in The Park’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Here was the view as we left the Performing Arts Center:

By the time we got home, there was no daylight left, so after I had finished adding the features to my solstice goat, I got this photo of him on the mantle:

and this second photo of the solstice goat and the Christmas goat hanging out together on the mantle:

A few minutes later, I caught them scampering across the living room floor:

Now that I have started making goats, I don’t want to stop, and when the sun rises on tomorrow, I will take hook to yarn, and see what new goats await me.