It is another of those hot days that seem to sap the energy
from your bones. We are meant to reach 29
degrees C later this afternoon, and it would not surprise me if it goes over
that. I think I am beginning to look
forward to the arrival of autumn!
On the lunchtime news bulletin it was announced that the
whole of the North Island and some of the South Island are now under a total
fire ban. Even the use of lawnmowers and
other outdoor machinery is being discouraged as the fire risk has climbed so
high.
It seems to me that I moan a lot when the weather gets hot –
and moan a lot when it gets cold. Is
there no pleasing me? I love the mellow
warmth of autumn but it never lasts very long, and the crisp coolness of spring
is refreshing but too often remains sprinkled with winter cold.
Perhaps I need to learn to appreciate the different seasons
more. So, what can I celebrate about summer?
Well, in summer the skies become a beautiful blue colour, often
with fluffy white clouds.
It is warm enough to go swimming in the ocean.
Or camping by the beach.
Summer brings a profusion of flowers into the garden.
Washing always dries quickly, sometimes within a couple of
hours.
Meals are light and it is a great time for outdoor picnics.
Not so many clothes need to be worn – but I won’t show you
the old photo I have of me in a bikini!!
February is late summer, always our hottest month. It is the time to rise early in the morning
and get things done, and then to retreat to somewhere comfortable and
cool.
A time to read or sketch or snooze.
A time for tall glasses of chilled water.
A time to nibble on luscious ripe peaches and juicy
plums.
Maybe summer is not that bad after all.
Our summers sound much the same just six months apart,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad our winter is not the same as yours though! :)
DeleteI love your post, our weaather of course is the opposite of yours. Your temps in C are ours in F.
ReplyDeleteI love your header photo also. All those black and white cows and two cows that look like Herefords as what used to be popular here before the fad for low fat beef took over.
Low fat beef just does not have the same flavour. If I remember right, the black and whites were Hereford - Friesian cross, a great meat combination.
DeleteIt looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank-you :)
DeleteHa, I know all about hot summers. Glad you found all those pluses. I'd be hard pushed to find so many.
ReplyDeleteMy brother who is a surfer, and lives in the Bay of Plenty, told me yesterday what a wonderful summer he was having, surfing almost every day.
Each to his own!
I used to love watching the surfers out from the Mount, although sometimes I thought they were a bit daredevil when they went out in stormy weather. Surfers seem to get addicted to their sport. I've known grown men to skip work because the surf was up. But, as you say, each to his own!
DeleteI love summer time, my garden is at it's best, I love to sit in the shade reading, glancing up now and then watching the birds and bees. BUT it has to be a real book, just completes the perfection.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds idyllic :) I miss this place having a large shady tree to sit under.
DeleteOn the coldest day in a Canadian winter I can dress up and stay warm. Oppressive heat is inescapable. I am convinced that people who live in hot climates spend more time indoors than those who live in cold climates.
ReplyDeleteI am inclined to agree with you. I wilt in this heat, but when it is cold one can dress up warmly and enjoy the fresh air outside. There seems to be more oxygen in the air when it is colder.
DeleteWe've had a fire ban here since December. As for wearing a bikini lol, I found one of my wearing one last week when I was about 14, it would be the only time in my life I think.
ReplyDeleteI only ever owned one bikini, I think I was about 16 or 17 years old.
DeleteI love the white fluffy clouds, and camping on the beach looks wonderful. During the end of summer, I'm always looking forward to the end of hot weather.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to get things done in hot weather so it is always rather a relief when the worst of summer is over.
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ReplyDeleteLovely garden, Margaret. I do miss that, now I'm a renter. This post reminded me of happy summer days with my kids when they were young. I sent the exercises again, please let me know any queries.
ReplyDeleteThank-you for the exercises. I still could not download them, but have managed to print them off this time.
DeleteI used to miss the garden when we rented as well. Much more pleasant to have your own place.
Fun to see someplace warm! We have a bitter wind today. I like 72 degrees year round, and winter seems to be the least favorite for me...no sitting outside today it is 15 degrees F (-9 C )for a high today.:(
ReplyDeleteBrrrr, that sounds cold! Stay warm :)
DeleteI’m like you; love every season but like variety too. Mid twenties is about right temperature wise above that it’s too hot. Your garden looks lovely. B x
ReplyDeleteConfession: it is not my garden, but the garden built by a distant relation. She was an amazing gardener with a great sense of design.
DeleteHello Margaret! I recently moved to Hamilton from Cambridge, before that Auckland a few other places. You have a lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris and welcome! We should get together sometime.
DeleteIf only we could have moderate temps in winter or summer we'd love it. Unfortunately that's not the way of it. I like your list of reasons for appreciating summer more. Fall is my favourite season but as you say, it doesn't last long.
ReplyDeleteI used to think an even temperature all year round would be fantastic, and then I met a lady who lived in the tropics and told me how much she missed having a cold winter. Having different seasons is probably good for us, which is why I am trying to appreciate them!!!
DeleteI always say we are never happy with the weather...though I am in the fall. I just wish we could have fall for 6 months of the year. I always look forward to summer, but have gotten till the heat really bothers me. It was 0ºF here today till up in the morn...I think the high was 17ºF....and our furnace/heater started blowing cold air. We called the heating guy...he came and looked at it. Will be monday before he can get the part that is needed. Thankfully we have some electric space heaters.
ReplyDeleteJust the sort of problem you need when you have a bad cold - Not! I hope you both manage to keep warm with your space heaters until the furnace can be mended.
DeleteI do love summer! Enjoy the rest of it. In the midst of winter, summer cannot arrive fast enough! But that's because I'm in such a cold climate.
ReplyDeleteYour cold mountains have a beauty all of their own, quite different to most other places. I look forward to seeing what your summers are like.
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