To Eclipse (in Vermont) or not to Eclipse.

To Eclipse (in Vermont) or not to Eclipse, that is the question.

For years a portion of Vermont’s population has escaped winter by seeking solace and perhaps solstice by traveling to Florida. I say escaped winter, not to say Florida does not recognize the term winter, but hey, what is winter without snow? 

Vermont falls below all but two states in yearly absorbable sunlight for generating energy and apparently for holding onto its population count from January through April. 

The latter will change on April 8 of this year.  News reports project tens of thousands of folks will visit Vermont for the April 8 eclipse. Note the full eclipse will last about 3 minutes and 26 seconds. 

And what of all those special eye protection glasses - perhaps the shortest-lived single-use product since plastic utensils and cell phones. Well you say, couldn’t they be used in Vermont after April 8, on days of full sunshine? News flash, Vermont on average has only 58 days of full sunshine each year. 

The glasses might be useful on the slopes with the sun shining on the crystals of snow - but you would need to be in Vermont in the winter, or remember to bring the glasses with you to Florida. One caveat. If you are looking up at the Florida sun in whatever season they call winter, you risk getting your foot chomped on by an unseen alligator. Frostbite in Vermont or alligator foot removal - your choice. 

The bottom line, we keep trying to get more people to come to Vermont, preferably folks young enough to shovel snow. We promote the snow and slopes but quietly dismiss the fact that summer and sun arrive in Vermont about as quickly as they depart, sometimes in the same month. 

We have our promotion focus in all the wrong places. Tens of thousands of folks are coming to Vermont to witness, on a single day, for a few minutes, the sky going DARK. No Sun. They are even willing to accept the risk that the eclipse will be partially or fully clouded over. 

Florida is well entrenched as the sunshine state. It's time for Vermont to pull some of Florida's population to Vermont for a few months out of the year - it's only fair. Vermont should promote what it has besides snow, particularly since we may need to revise our definition of winter soon enough. Vermont does have about 200 days of cloudy skies each year. 

Let's do the math. A few thousand people coming to Vermont for under 4 minutes of no sun times 200 days of cloudy skies. Well let's just say, we could get a lot more use out of those special glasses that let you see the sun when it is hidden from view. 

PS As an avid inverter, on April 8, I will be looking down not up, to see what the insects think of all this fuss. My guess is they will all be packing their bags to head to Florida. 

I am the Bug-eyed Bernie

Sitting in a Vermont garden waiting for the sun

See other ways to view the sun in Vermont below.

Beatles sing of the SUN

Here Comes the Sun (written by George Harrison) It's been a long cold winter, it feels like years since it's been here. Here comes the sun...

I'll Follow The Sun Tomorrow may rain so I'll follow the sun.

Good Day Sunshine - When the sun is out I got something to laugh about, I feel good...Good Day Sunshine

The Beatles - Yellow Submarine So we sailed up to the sun till we found the sea of green. (Have we arrived in Vermont?)

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds  Look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone