Winter solstice caterpillar

Photos by Sarah Phelan

Winter solstice arrived at 9:30 p.m last night, marking the longest night of the year. It was beautiful clear weather in Oakland and another halcyon day in the public gardens at Lake Merritt. We saw Monarch Butterfly caterpillars on milkweed, bumble bees on trailing rosemary and indigo spire sage, a gray and white cat (who we unofficially named Shogun) near the Torii Gate, dried thistles against the  cobalt sky, and stones artfully piled up into cairns. Happy solstice! Here's looking forward to the return of sun light.