Giant Backyard Annual Sundial

I took this photo of our backyard today around 9 am. What interests me is the line where the snow decided to melt instead of sticking to the brick walkway. Although there has not been sun since Friday, the northern (far) section of walk still has more warmth than the part of the path closest to the house, which remains in perpetual winter shade. There is a definite line where the snow is melting on only the bricks that have had the luxury of sun in recent days.

On our old concrete sidewalk, replaced about five years ago by brick, I had painted two lines showing where the sun reached over our roof on the shortest and longest days of the year at high noon. The difference between those two marks was around 50 feet. I will have to remember to draw those lines again on the upcoming summer and winter solstices, capturing a sort of seasonal clock with the sun and the roof of our house. I love this stuff.