Mid-Winter's Day

Here in Dunedin it is the shortest day of the year and the sun rose at at 8.20am and will set at 5pm.  Back in the Blue Mountains, where I use to live,  it rose at 7am and will set at 4.54pm which actually surprises me. I have had difficulty dealing with the sun in my eyes in the middle of the day here for a few weeks. Apparently even though the day is only a little over an hour shorter the sun must travel lower on the horizon.
Last Saturday was the Mid Winter Festival in the Blue Mountains. Next Saturday there is a Mid-Winter Lantern procession in the evening here in Dunedin.

Back in 1976, I spent December in England and January in France and Italy. I remember thinking it strange as the sun set about 4pm in London while in Paris it set later but did not come up until nearly 9am.
This morning was quite warm and driving home from a luncheon about 2pm the sun was in my eyes. However it  turned cold and wet about 3pm. They forecast snow tonight down to 500 metres but I am about 300 metres. A week ago they forecast snow down to 100 metres but the wind was from the south west instead of south and it was  beautiful blue sky.  I have seen snow falling twice since I moved here but not settling.
I did have thick frost a few weeks ago.