Two Heads Are Better Than One

It is the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere, the shortest day of the year and it's very confusing to a simple soul like me. For a start it's not always on the 21st - next year it's on the 22nd.

As if that isn't difficult enough, although the daylight hours now start to lengthen, the time of sunrise continues to advance - in Pershore today it was at 08:13, on January 4th it will be 08:16 and only after that date will it start to recede. I went in search of an explanation and the BBC obliged - it befuddled me (and I hate befuddlement). The Times also tried to explain it a few weeks ago -they also lost me.

What I did glean from these two impeccable sources is that the Earth is a bit wonky (to put it scientifically). I could really do with someone explaining it to me over a pint or two. After all, two heads is supposed to be better than one and that is the most contrived link to a picture I've yet attempted.