Time to FALL BACK. Oh yes, it’s that time again to set our clocks back an hour. We will now be back in Standard Time. Be aware, if you don’t. You’ll be the only one sitting out in the parking lot waiting an hour for everybody else to show up and unlock the door on Monday. I say this because, in my youth, I found myself in that position. Seems crazy for that to happen today. With all of the electronic gadgets in hand.
Daylight Savings Time has been around for one hundred years! The first DST occurred in Germany 1916. The United States didn’t observe DST until 1918. Congress was opposed, so it stopped and was observed only on a local basis if desired. Not until World Was II was DST readopted. It was called “WarTime.” From February 1942 until September 1945, DST was observed. At that point only states east of the Mississippi observed DST. From 1945 to 1966 DST wasn’t observed across the entire United States. California and Nevada started observing DST in 1954. By 1962, the railroad industry was having issues with timing of schedules all across the nation. In 1962 the Uniform Time Act passed and started in 1967. This developed nine different time zones that the United States enforced. What is really amazing that for many years BillyBob went outside and said, “Hey the sun’s up, time to get up.” Then when the sun had set, good old BillyBob went outside and said, “O.K., sun has set, everybody go to bed.” And how do suppose they determined it was noon? BillyBob went outside again and said, “Sun’s directly overhead. SUPPER!” They called that, “Mean Solar Time.”
I don’t know how you all feel about this confusion of time twice a year. I sort of like the idea of Mean Solar Time. Out here on Long’s Achers, there is a sun dial that I try to set as the season’s pass. And yes, I’m BillyBob out there looking up to see just where the sun is located. Then I set my sun dial. Try this sometime. Once you have the time marks set. Each day you just walk out and see where the time marks and the sundial arch is located. I bet you’ll find it to be very accurate. But be aware, the noon center needs adjustment every few days.
Generally, out here on Long’s Achers, we are up long before the chickens during the summer time when the clocks have been set forward to DST. Eat, then outside to get sometime done with the tractor. Or clear an area from downed trees from winter storms. Then by noon, the temperature has increased to a point that the outdoor garden shower is turned on. When you’re on well water, ice cubes start coming out of the shower head. Yikes it gets cold! But when it is 101+ degrees. There is nothing more pleasant. Lunch with a beer and a nap. Then the temperature outside is then pleasant enough to go back out and finish all the jobs that were started in the morning shift. Put all the tools away where they were found and the day is done. Time for supper a hot shower and then the rack. To soon start all over again. Up before dawn.
During my day, weather it be summer or winter, time just seems to tick away. Now more than ever I have noticed that time seems to move faster than it can be kept track of. As a youngster, all I wanted was to be 21 years old. At 21 years I would dream of being 50 years old. I wasn’t in a hurry to become 50 years old. But until I was 50 years old, time just slugged along. Since becoming 50 years old, my hair is always blowing back from time going so fast.
I did want to mention that if you live in Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands or Guam disregard all of the above. Moving your clocks forward or back, does not apply. So no matter what, keep on picking, on time.
Thanks for Listening
Bruce Long
