On the Naneum Fan, the December solstice (winter solstice) arrived at 7:03 am on Sunday, December 21, 2025. Nothing happened. The time is simply the moment the sun’s rays are directly overhead at their most southern hemisphere point. Locally, the cold and fog seem more important.
From the 17th to the 24th, daylight is 8 hours, 34 minutes and a few seconds. The couple of days before and after are about the same. About January 9th the increasing daylight will become noticeable.
Meanwhile, the next ten days looks like this: 
Meanwhile, the next ten days looks like this:
There was 4 inches of snow on the Fan and a little less in EBRG. It is mostly gone there but has only sagged here. The forecast for the next week is “Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow”. Nothing changes through the first week of 2026.
It is interesting that we haven’t had a significant cold period so far this winter. Our air continues to come from over the Pacific Ocean, stalling the cold air over the ice and snow of Canada. Calgary is near 0° and Edmonton is at about -10°F.
With the somewhat cooperation of the weather, I have been building a woodshed. Materials are all being repurposed from dismantled projects. One of those was a 3-sided loafing shed for a young horse. He didn’t think much of it, so it went under used for many years. Then it became the home of an electric splitter and storage space for firewood.
The recently constructed frame will get a roof of maroon-colored metal – also repurposed. It needs to be cut to a shorter length and I need the special screws to hold it in place. The rubber gaskets that prevent leakage do not last through years of sun and winter cold.
I’ve been wonder how to re-use my headless Santa. About 50 years ago, in Troy, we had two fireplaces. On a piece of plywood, I created a front cover that had Santa backing out of the chimney and we had a decorated tree close by. Later a local shop crafted a set of C-shaped pipes and I attached a squirrel-cage type fan that pumped cold air from the basement to the upstairs fireplace and out into the room. With that, the Santa became superfluous. Thus, it has been hanging around for 40 years. Oh well, maybe I’ll have an insight.
It is hanging on 2x4s that indicate its size – about 30 inches wide.
Keeping Track
On the Naneum Fan
John H.