It’s 21 June, it’s Winter Solstice here in the Southern Hemisphere, and at just after 5pm in the afternoon in New Zealand, the shortest day of the year is already dwindling fast.
And what a winter solstice it has been for the country – some of the worst snow storms in recorded history covering much of the South Island in a thick white blanket, while other areas are bludgeoned by extreme tropical storms. Over the last two days, the capital Wellington has been one of the worst hit areas, with flooding and winds of up to 200km/h.

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Scary stuff, but then again, winter solstice does kind of give one that feeling that from here it can only get better – longer days, increasing temperatures, new growth, new life…
And if nothing else, crisp winter mornings are just the greatest for some amazing frosty photo opportunities all around us. That’s the joy of photography – no matter how cold, or how extreme the conditions, there’s always something amazing to photograph (often the more extreme, the better, in fact!).
To everyone in the southern hemisphere, enjoy the opportunities the cold bring. And for my northern friends, have a great summers day (hard to imagine down here, I have to admit)!
And aren’t those frosty photos so much more enjoyable to take when there is a roaring fire inside to retreat to when the fingers go numb! 😀
o yes, no doubt about that! and of course a steaming coffee to reward yourself for your efforts…
I’ll tell ya, Gerry – it’s days like today I wish us northerners and you southerners could get together to trade a few degrees here and there. Too hot here, but, then, it IS summer… Agreed, though, about the photo opportunities in the extremes.
It’s always so unbelievable, when you’re freezing your butt off, to think that people on the other side of the globe are basking in the summer sun (and vice versa).
Guess that’s life, right? 🙂