what season are you?

I see I will have to do my annual explanation again. As Elegran says, the further North you go the less hours of daylight in the Winter ( and more daylight in the Summer). No fiddling with official time of day will provide any extra daylight in the North, nor for that matter any less daylight in the South. The problem lies with the Greenwich Meridian, which by a historical accident was set in the far East of the UK. As we all know the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Hence a small sliver of England is to the East of the Meridian and the bulk of the country is to the West. Our official time is based on noon at Greenwich. So in say Norfolk, the sun will be overhead BEFORE noon and for everything to the West of London,natural noon will be after 12 noon on the clock, as the world turns and the sun stays still. The further West you go the more noticeable this effect becomes so Cornwall, Wales, western Scotland and in particular Northern Ireland, experience sunrise and sunset anything up to an hour later by the clock than places on the same latitude but to the East of Greenwich. In fact until we had railways and radio, which led to the synchronisation of clocks across the UK vast areas operated on local time based on true noon in that area (sundials).

The solution to all this is of course to set UK time at a midpoint (somewhere around the Welsh Border) so that none are more than half an hour out, all year round. This ain't gonna happen because all time zones across the world are based on the Greenwich Meridian. In the meantime we can educate people that the timing of natural noon, sunrise and sunset has to do with Longitude not Latitude and direct people to a proper map which shows the westward slant of the UK rather than the straight up and down version beloved of weather forecasters.

Here endeth the lesson.

BTW back on topic, I am also September born and September is easily my favourite month.

I see I will have to do my annual explanation again. As Elegran says, the further North you go the less hours of daylight in the Winter ( and more daylight in the Summer). No fiddling with official time of day will provide any extra daylight in the North, nor for that matter any less daylight in the South. The problem lies with the Greenwich Meridian, which by a historical accident was set in the far East of the UK. As we all know the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. Hence a small sliver of England is to the East of the Meridian and the bulk of the country is to the West. Our official time is based on noon at Greenwich. So in say Norfolk, the sun will be overhead BEFORE noon and for everything to the West of London,natural noon will be after 12 noon on the clock, as the world turns and the sun stays still. The further West you go the more noticeable this effect becomes so Cornwall, Wales, western Scotland and in particular Northern Ireland, experience sunrise and sunset anything up to an hour later by the clock than places on the same latitude but to the East of Greenwich. In fact until we had railways and radio, which led to the synchronisation of clocks across the UK vast areas operated on local time based on true noon in that area (sundials).

The solution to all this is of course to set UK time at a midpoint (somewhere around the Welsh Border) so that none are more than half an hour out, all year round. This ain't gonna happen because all time zones across the world are based on the Greenwich Meridian. In the meantime we can educate people that the timing of natural noon, sunrise and sunset has to do with Longitude not Latitude and direct people to a proper map which shows the westward slant of the UK rather than the straight up and down version beloved of weather forecasters.

Here endeth the lesson.

BTW back on topic, I am also September born and September is easily my favourite month.

All of the seasons have something going for them, but Autumn is my real favourite. Just love seeing the leaves gradually changing colour. There are lots of different trees around where I live and you can see the changes on a daily basis. Also the light can be a real golden colour in the afternoons.
Only weather condition I hate is ice, especially when walking. You don't have control and I'm always expecting to slip and fall.
March must be my least favourite month. Cold, wet and windy , not quite Winter, yet not quite Spring. Give me September any time.

I can't find the one I remember, but on here it says that on the shortest day of the year (Dec 21st)
Taunton has 7 hours 54 minutes of daylight (Sunrise: 8:14 am Sunset 4:08 pm)
Wick has 6 hours 20 minutes of daylight (Sunrise 9:00 AM Sunset 3:20 PM )
An hour and a half less a day, so starting later is like the tramp cutting a strip off the top of his blanket to use to cover his feet that are sticking out at the bottom.

While on the longest day of the year (June 21st)
Taunton has 16 hours 33 minutes of daylight (Sunrise 4:58 am Sunset 9:31 pm)
Wick has 18 hours 19 minutes of daylight (Sunrise 4:04 AM Sunset 10:23 PM

On length of day from another source - "If you are 50°N, say in southern Cornwall, you go from about 8 hours day length in the middle of winter up to about 16 in the middle of summer. If you are in Shetland, which is about 60°N, the daylength ranges from about 3 hours in the middle of winter up to about 21 hours in the middle of summer."

and on the quality of the sun's light over that day - "Within the UK, changes in latitude (50 to 60°N) can affect the daily extraterrestrial solar radiation receipt, particularly during the winter. In the summer it doesn??t really matter where you are in the UK in terms of the potential daily radiation because although the intensity may be less in the north, this is compensated by a longer daylength. It is when you come to the winter that it gets worse, if you are living in Shetland. In the winter, whereas we have got about 8 MJ/m2 of radiation at the edge of the atmosphere in Penzance, it decreases to about 2 in Shetland. So if you are suffering from SAD it could make a big difference where you live in the UK."

So in Shetland you could only get about a quarter of the sun's radiation that you would in Penzance.

PPP starting an hour later wouldn't help - it gets dark earlier up there as well as getting light later in the morning. Longer nights and shorter days the further north you go, until it is dark 24 hours a day at the Arctic Circle. Plus the sun hits the earth at a lower angle further north, so the light quality is worse.

Last time the clocks changed, I found a site where you could enter a location and get the sunrise, sunset and day length figures. I'll have a look for it and I will (possibly!) post it.

Come the revolution PPP, we'll be able to keep British Summer Time all year and change our watches as we go through passport control to go over the border into Scotland!

Summer every time- the hotter the better. A quiet beach on a Greek island with a good supply of books on the Kindle & I'm happy. Or a sun bed in the back garden & the Kindle- with a fan blowing on my face. Just have to be careful not to trip over extension lead when I get up. Lying reading in the sun is the best feeling in the world .Perfect peace
I get very low when the clocks go back & I loathe the cold wet days.
Roll on next June.
Even Christmas in the middle cannot cheer up the winter.
Summer stopped dead here this year although I do see sun poking through now so as the sunbed has not yet made it to the garage... where's that Kindle!!
Sod the ironing!

I hate winter, too. Especially the dark evenings. Why do the clocks have to go back? If it is to help those up in northern Scotland ( a small proportion of the population), why can't they start school/work an hour later?!

Can I have three seasons please?! I'm a Not Winter person. Hate winter, hate the dreary dark winter. But I just live our other seasons. All three. Revel in them.

I do always love seeing the combine harvesters bringing the harvest in on a drive across the Fens from here to Norfolk or back Greyduster. I always point them out to the DC who either ignore me continue with other convo, or if I'm lucky I get a "Yes, mum"

I like spring best with all the blossom and spring flowers and summer ahead. Also DD was born in the spring-time so it will always be extra special to me now because of that.
Having said that we enjoyed the summer hols a lot with time away with friends and family - such as a hostel trip to the Lakes. And summer always seems filled with various adventures and expeditions
And the other evening DS was snuggling up under a rug on the sofa saying he liked the autumn and winter because you can snuggle up and soon it's his B'day and then Christmas and he likes snow , and said we did loads in the summer hols didn't we? Bless him he's such a sweetie at 13.
I need more of his attitude!

Since we moved here to what is essentially a farming area, we now take great pleasure in watching the farming year develop. Ploughing will start soon and sowing, the first greening of the crops and then watching their progress as we walk the field borders, through to harvesting and baling. The whole process never fails to fascinate.

Like Monica I love Autumn first and then winter as I just don't like it being very hot. We are very lucky in having a wood burning stove so after being out for a lovely long walk when it is cool enough to be able to walk properly, to come home to get a good blaze going and to draw the curtains gives a feeling of security. Having worked in education until retirement September being the start of the academic year always seemed like a new beginning. However I can appreciate for those who cannot afford enough heating to keep warm or those who have to get up early on cold dark mornings spring and summer are better. Just sorry I will miss being able to appreciate Autumn properly this year as I am going into hospital on Monday for my first hip replacement.

It would seem that we autumnal types are in the minority here. September is definitely my favourite with its distinctive light and clean air - especially in the mornings and evenings. It's a time of new beginnings - the French call it "La rentrée" but it's far more than just the kids going back to school.

For adults it's also the start of evening classes, and the theatre and concert season begins anew. In the restaurants there are lovely seasonal dishes to eat.

As much as I like strawberries, asparagus and lamb, nothing can beat the feel-good atmosphere of chestnuts, game, apples, grapes, plums, etc., and when you've finished eating, it's already dark and you can sit by the fire and watch a film or read a book.

Born in November, I also like the run-up to Christmas, which is not quite so commercial here, and which can, with care, be avoided somewhat. Anyway, I sing in the church choir, so the preparations for the Christmas services make for a nostalgic, but joyful time.

Autumn for me. I love the colours & the smells

Spring and summer for me. Hate dark and gloomy days.... Reflected in my mood. Loving this September though as we are having a lot of bright mild days.

According to one of those 'what colour are you?' style/makeover/fashion thingies after a friend's coffee-morning - I've just checked the little folder, I am 'muted cool' and, yes, this season's browns and greens suit me to a 'T' Despite that, I'll still cheer up with a spot of red - a rose or the like in my hat for my sister-in-law's wedding on Thursday, methinks

I'm spring and summer. I love being in my garden, planting out seedlings, watching the trees leaf up and being able to wear lighter clothes. I now find the winters very difficult and hate the struggle and expense of keeping warm. Summer days are spent outside as much as possible. Walking along the beach nearby or going into the forest. I especially enjoy the long bright summer evenings.

matella.

Gosh Bellanonna! Don't you think we are lot of budding poets! Wonderful descriptions everyone.

Matella, that could well be true. I'm a September baby and that certainly resonates with me.

That was well described anno , and just how I feel. It is the autumnal mists and the mellow fruitfulness, that tingle in the air, the beauty of the golden chestnut trees that seem to die off first, the berries, the leaves underfoot - though be careful - just as long as the sun is shining to enhance the scene. I also love spring with all the wild flowers she brings with her, amazing hedgerows, carpets of bluebells and wild garlic in the woods, birds with nesting material in their bills busily making preparations, catkins, buds, and that wonderful feeling in the air of life returning again. Summer can be unpleasantly hot, and winter, although beautiful, has too few hours of daylight and if it's frosty I worry about driving and about my DDs driving with the GC. Each season does have something special, and I would hate to live where there is no marked seasonal change.

I have heard it said that your favourite time of year, or the time you are most likely to make changes will be the time around which you were born. True for me but how true for anyone else? Interesting.

Late Spring, early summer.

May is usually my favourite month; however, last May was dire, more like winter!

I love the smell of Autumn - that hint of frost and the aroma of bonfires, as long as I don't have washing on the line! I like the feel of crisp leaves underfoot, and kicking them up like a toddler as I walk along.