Happy New Year

Today is December 31, 2011, and tomorrow will once again bring a new year unto all mankind.  Father time marches on, while the worn old 2011 disappears giving way to the youthful 2012.  I suppose it is a time of reflection. It shall be a moment of truth in a year of trials and tribulations.  This will be the 74^th time a new year has come about since I was born in 1938.

As all leap years are divisible by four, this must be one.  My daughter, born on leap day (February 29^th) 1964 finally has her 12^th birthday.  I’d like to say she was sweet sixteen and never been kissed, but she has four wonderful children, is a grandmother, and I suspect the statement would be untrue.

This has been the year of the usurpations in many Arab countries, known as the Arab Spring as they began in that season, Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya have all succumbed to citizen uprisings and are in some sort of process of attempting more democratic societies.  Yemen and Syria are rather following in their footsteps at present.

I wonder why we celebrate the New Year, and further why on this date?  What is there to celebrate about the fact we have completed a trip around the sun.  What makes us think that our trip around the sun, or a year, started and completed on this date?  Personally a better date would be closer to the Vernal Equinox.  Our year should begin with the budding of spring, continue through the growing season, the harvesting season, and the resting period before another strenuous year begins.

For your information this visit from you is one of about 3,000 to this site this year.  During those 3,000 visits about 4,500 pages were scanned.  I’ve no idea why, but if you enjoy, then I’m happy.  I’ve touched on a goodly number of subjects during the year.  I hope you found something of interest.

This photo is of the abode of Bucky and Eager Beaver taken on today’s date.  It is located at 44, 40’ 56.62” N and 75, 22’ 16.11” W if anyone wants to Google Earth their position.  You can’t see it though.  They have been mentioned many times throughout the year.