Once upon a time, time was simple. The location of the sun in the sky told one when to get up, when to eat, when to go to bed, and so on. This was solar time. But as people in regions and then around the world became more connected, time needed to be more standard.
This past weekend, we in the U.S. turned our clocks ahead one hour to be on Daylight Saving Time. I’m not a fan of Springing Forward in the spring nor Falling Back in the fall. I wish we would pick a time and stick with it.
When I was young, I used to think that time zones were simple. That the world was divided up into twenty-four equal one-hour sections with invisible lines. Not so. Since each country determines their own time zones and dividing lines, things have gotten a little messy. Not one single dividing line is straight. They look like this.
And feel like this.
Some time zones around the world don’t all differ by full hours. Some are by half hours and quarter hours. That would be confusing.
Confusing to say the least!
Australia has four time zones part of the year and six during Daylight Saving Time.
Russia should have eleven time zones but only has nine, and they aren’t even sequential.
But France wins with the most time zones of any country, a whopping twelve! This is mostly due to various territories around the world.
China, on the other hand, has ONE time zone. Yep. Just ONE across over three thousand miles. In 1912, the government announced there would be five time zones. In 1949, when the communist party came into power, the chairman decide to have one time zone across the country to strengthen national unity. This was call Beijing time. Can you imagine the whole of the United States was on Washington DC time? Places that have hours from 9-to-5 on the East coast would really be 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the West coast. That would really mess with Daylight Saving Time. There probably wouldn’t be a need for it, would be my guess.
Back to China. If you step over the boarder from the western most point of China into Afghanistan you will travel back in time three and a half hours in a few steps. Who said time travel wasn’t possible?
The International Date Line opposite Greenwich Mean Time is a whole lot of mess.
Between some of the Pacific islands changing hand to different countries or doing most of their trade with one country in the past and now doing most of their trade with another country now, this line has become seriously skewed. Instead of having time that falls between plus and minus twelve hours of Greenwich Mean Time, there are islands that are plus thirteen and plus fourteen. And instead of there being two days across the world, at some times during the day, there are three. So if you planned it right, I wonder if you could live three Fridays in a row? Or three Mondays? Yikes! You could celebrate Christmas Day more than once or ring in the new year for a second time.
Time can be so weird. Especially when people get involved and mess the lines. If given the option of a one-world time or what we currently have, I’d take the twisted lines of our current time zones.
UPDATE: I know I was missing for a couple of weeks. We were dealing with family crises. My mother-in-law was in the hospital not doing well, so my hubby flew out for a week and a half. While he was there, she passed away. I stayed back home to care for our geriatric cats who have medical issues and need daily care. Then his father fell and ended up in the hospital. He’s doing all right. And during all that, my mom was in the hospital. She out and doing well but has some issues. Hopefully all will settle down and things can get back to a little bit of normal.
THIMBLES AND THREADS: 4 Love Stories Are Quilted Into Broken Lives
Love Stitched into Four Women’s Lives
Enjoy four historical romances that celebrate the arts of sewing and quilting. When four women put needle and thread to fabric, will their talents lead to love? #thimblesandthreadscollection
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#thimblesandthreadscollection
“Bygones” by Mary Davis
Texas, 1884
Drawn to the new orphan boy in town, Tilly Rockford soon became the unfortunate victim of a lot of Orion Dunbar’s mischievous deeds in school. Can Tilly figure out how to truly forgive the one who made her childhood unbearable? Now she doesn’t even know she holds his heart. Can this deviant orphan-train boy turned man make up for the misdeeds of his youth and win Tilly’s heart before another man steals her away?
Other stories in this collection:
“The Bridal Shop” by Grace Hitchcock, “Mending Sarah’s Heart” by Suzanne Norquist, and “Binding Up Wounds” by Liz Tolsma
Can a patient love win her heart?
As Isabelle Atwood’s romance prospects are turning in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams. While making a quilt for her own hope chest, Isabelle’s half-sister becomes pregnant out of wedlock and Isabelle--always the unfavored daughter--becomes the family sacrifice to save face. Despite gaining the attention of a handsome rancher, her parents are pressuring her to marry a man of their choosing to rescue her sister’s reputation. A third suitor waits silently in the wings, hoping for his own chance at love. Isabelle ends up with three marriage proposals, but this only further confuses her decision.
A handsome rancher, a stranger, and an unseen suitor are all waiting for an answer. Isabelle loves her sister, but will she really allow herself to be manipulated into a marriage without love? Will Isabelle capitulate and marry the man her parents wish her to, or will she rebel and marry the man they don’t approve of? Or will the man leaving her secret love poems sweep her off her feet?
Coming June 2020! The Damsel's Intent book 3 in the Quilting Circle series.
A hermit comes down from the mountains to snag a husband.
HEARTBEATS IN TIME – 5 books of Old West Christian Romance (4 novels and
4 novellas) by 7 bestselling, award-winning authors, including my book, The Widow’s Plight. You'll love these 8 unique stories of love! Get it here: https://amzn.to/2VzRBoI
#HeartbeatsInTimeSet
FREE Preview
The Widow’s Plight (Book 1 in the Quilting Circle series) by Mary Davis
A single mother steps out of the shadows of abuse and into the sunshine. But will a secret clouding her past cost her the man she loves?
Finding Love In Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell
Dreams of My Heart by Barbara Scott
Hills of Nevermore by Janalyn Voigt
Heart of a Cowboy Novella Collection--four Old West romances by Susan Page Davis, Miralee Ferrell, Yvonne Lehman, and Vickie McDonough
The Widow’s Plight (Book 1 in the Quilting Circle series) by Mary Davis
A single mother steps out of the shadows of abuse and into the sunshine. But will a secret clouding her past cost her the man she loves?
Finding Love In Last Chance, California by Miralee Ferrell
Dreams of My Heart by Barbara Scott
Hills of Nevermore by Janalyn Voigt
Heart of a Cowboy Novella Collection--four Old West romances by Susan Page Davis, Miralee Ferrell, Yvonne Lehman, and Vickie McDonough
#ChristianRomance #HistoricalRomance #Romance
MARY DAVIS s a bestselling, award-winning novelist of over two dozen titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her 2018 titles include; "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, Courting Her Amish Heart, The Widow’s Plight, Courting Her Secret Heart , “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection , and Courting Her Prodigal Heart . 2019 titles include The Daughter's Predicament and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.
Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of over thirty-four years and two cats. She has three adult children and two incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at:
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