Which do you prefer, summer or winter? If I had to choose I would pick winter. I don’t like go out in sub-freezing weather, but we don’t get many days of that here. And the sun does come out a lot even when it is cold.
I agree with the woman in the cartoon. One of the best parts of winter is having gone out and now being home for the night…and sleeping under my down comforter knowing how cold it is outside. I sleep better in winter and have more energy.
That said, I realize it makes a big difference where one lives. I’m now watching the Teaching Company course on the Vikings. The midieval Scandinavians couldn’t understand the Christian view of hell. Even when they converted to that faith they couldn’t picture the devil as red and hell as hot. Their devil was blue and hell was frigid. They had too much experience with the perils of northern winters to be able to conceive of anything else.
What about you? Which do you prefer, summer or winter?
Which do I prefer? Right now I’m cold so I’d say summer. On a hot day in summer I’d say winter.
I laugh when I think of Don Liska (world mountain climber) saying he wants to live in Alaska, “It’s so darn hot here” (in Los Alamos). That’s such a joke. Except for a few hot days the end of June, our weather is almost perfect.
My daughter in Sweden says in winter when they come inside they run a tub of hot water to the neck & soak.
bikehikebabe,
We’ve heard that Alaska gets fairly hot in the summer, except maybe on the coast. I agree with you about our weather here. Having lived in Ithaca, NY for over 8 years we really appreciate it. There winter started around the end of October and ended the end of May/beginning of June. Then it got hot and sticky. There was no spring but a few weeks of great weather in autumn. In winter the sun came about maybe 6 times. One of our jokes when it gets overcast here is, “If we wanted weather like this we would have stayed in Ithaca!”
My two brothers went to Cornell in Ithaca. I remember a gorge or two where students jumped off. Must have been the weather.
bikehikebabe,
I read an article a few months ago saying the suicide rate at Cornell is about the same as at other universities. They do get more publicity because of the gorges. Then there’s the story of the student who did a handstand on the stone wall of a bridge. He was showing off for his girl friend and accidentally toppled to his death. That happened years ago.
I occasionally see a bumper sticker around town: “Ithaca is gorges.” It brings back warm memories… I was happy there in spite of the weather.
This reminds me of the Mark Twain quote: “France has neither winter nor summer nor morals–apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.”
I do like France, but I also like Spring and Fall, especially in Tennessee where I grew up.
Each season to me has different ideals of good, bad or great, terrible…depends a lot on what I like or not like.
How’s that for sitting on the fence!
In the winter, I get to wear woollies. Most of my current ones are bright and colourful
In the summer, I don’t even have to think woollies but rather think about how cool I could be outside (least amount of clothes)
Autumn (your Fall) the lovely coloured leaves everywhere even if they do block up drains..
Spring new growth, summer bulbs i.e. daffodills and snowdrops…
Although at any one time, during a season I might wish for the next one or the one before – just as bikehikebabe has said!
In any season but particularily winter – bad stormy days when I have no choice but to be out there in it…with my long raincoat on – feeling yucky often wet – on parts not covered by coat etc..
Looney,
We lived in the Paris area for 13 months once. France does indeed have winter and summer. I still remember how cold I was sometimes in winter. The absolute temperature wasn’t nearly as low as we get here, but it was humid and very effective for sucking the heat out of our bodies. I also remember it raining most of the month of April. Andy looked out at the rain on May 1st and said, “Well, we tried April in Paris. Now let’s try May.”
Summer was hot and humid. Everyone leaves the month of August to escape the heat. Don’t forget 15,000 people died in France from a heat wave in 2003. But that was because it was so unusual that people weren’t prepared, and because so many able-bodied people were on their August vacations. The elderly living by themselves were affected the most. The ones in nursing facilities and hospitals fared better.
I’m with you, spring and autumn are my favorites.
Cathy,
I agree about winter when we have to be out in it. I can appreciate it more now because I don’t have to get up early in the morning to scrape the snow and ice off the windshields. Or have to drive on icy roads. It reminds me of a coworker. I said, “You don’t like snow, do you Tai-Sen?” He laughed and pointed to a picture of a snow-covered mountain on my wall. “I love snow,” he said. “Up there on the mountains. But not down here on the roads.” Well put. 🙂
I prefer the summers… so long as I can escape to someplace cooler (which probably won’t happen this year).
Generally speaking, the perils of winter extremes are more lethal than those of summer.
Mike,
Will you not be going on a trip this summer? Or will the places you go not be cooler?
“…the perils of winter extremes are more lethal than those of summer.” It depends. For older folks going not having to go out much, and with heating in winter, a heat wave can be more devastating. Of course some older folks have been known to get hypothermia when the ambient temperature is 70 degrees F. My husband keeps telling me that when he thinks the thermostat is set too low. It is a scientific fact. It would be interesting to find out at how low a temperature heat stroke can strike. 🙂
My current contract goes into September at a minimum so any long trip will be in the fall.
Mike,
Autumn is our favorite time of year to travel, because it’s not too hot.
Yes, it does make a difference where one lives. Where I do, all the seasons are bearable. There are of course people who complain about whatever the season currently operating!
Jean, diving into your white hot snowball for light relief.
On the whole I prefer summer, mainly because fewer clothes are involved and the garden being such a joy. Am momentarily startled finding myself in the midst of Southampton minus a garden. How did that happen? Not that I mind. Firstly it’ll give me perfect excuse to visit other people’ gardens come spring; secondly, can you imagine my joy once I have my own again? Apple of my Eye said the other day that – in my old age – he envisages me so happy with my books and a garden.
I love winter too. Had such wonderful ones as a child. My grandfather built me igloos; there were huge snowmen; a fire indoors, and a hot water bottle at night.
Never too tired or exhausted to recreate that which brings back memories to me and makes others happy,
U
rummuser,
Well, the weather is usually a safe topic of conversation. There’s a lot to be said for that sometimes. 😉
Ursula,
My Christmas hyacinth and amaryllis are long past, but I do have some more hyacinths and Lilies of the Valley blooming right now. Just because we live in an apartment doesn’t mean we can’t have flowers growing in pots. For some reason I really wanted that this winter, don’t know why. I can understand why you love a garden.
Do you mind telling us how you happened to move?
No, Jean, I don’t mind telling you anything. It’s a long story. In the scheme of my life not that remarkable. That I managed to live in one location (Bournemouth) for more than twenty years – until last summer – so much more noteworthy.
I am happy here – not least because it’s a complete change of scenery; and mostly because my son is happy. Just round the corner from the Titanic’s shipping office “Canute Chambers’. Of significance to me. And there are parks with lots of trees, just as I remember from Hamburg and Berlin, even, on a smaller scale, Duesseldorf and Cologne. Once my parents got married (I was about four) I lived quite a nomadic life – due to my father’s occupation. Hello and good bye; friends, schools. Helped me to make it easy for me to make contact in an instant. Sometimes that’s all I had – an instant. Never left anyone behind; letters served before email was invented. I used to joke that I’d feel at home on the moon. Home being wherever I happened to be.
Then I married an Englishman and acquired a mortgage – that most important point of conversation at any English dinner party you attend. For the last three years – after selling the house – I have been renting. Such a refreshing short cut when going to an official function (Can’t compare property prices; being made a middle class outcast into the bargain). So, yes, Southampton and our delightful den. Apple of my Eye needs to decide what to do after his gap year. So, currently, our set up is perfect providing it stays as it is. Unsettling for me because unlike the rest of Europe English landlords will not commit to any more than six months max. As off end of March I’ll be on a month to month. If you suffer from nerves not made from steel it’s not the route I’d recommend. In fact it’s shit. Doesn’t matter. I do have nerves of steel. What I do mind – big time – is when circumstances conspire to unsettle my son. I hate it. All I ever wanted is for him to feel secure. Managed to do precisely that for 17 years. The last two years – let’s say they have been an education to him and – therefore – a source of grief to me.
U
From this week’s episode of Parenthood (TV):
You can be there for ‘Apple of my Eye’ but you can’t protect him. It’s his live & learn.
Wonderful to read about your life, U.
Ursula,
I don’t know how it is in England, but we’ve been living month-to-month in this apartment for years now. In the beginning we had leases, can’t remember if a year at a time or just six months, but then the landlord wanted everyone to sign leases saying if he converted the apartments to condos we would pay for the conversion…which involved separating and monitoring our water and gas, which now is included in the rent. We said no and I started looking for another place to rent or buy. He came to his senses and decided it was crazy to let us go. We’ve lived here for about 34 years now and ask for as little as possible.
Hopefully your rental will be just as uneventful. Thanks for telling us a bit more about your life.
You’re lucky you have friends who write letters. I used to love to do that but my friends didn’t. Now I’m in hog heaven with the internet.