Today’s post comes from Clyde of Mankato
A thunderstorm comes through rumbling and grumbling, trailing a fug of humidity.
Thunderstorms come through rumbling and grumbling. One after another. Humidity blankets us. The weather pattern of August, 2016. Except for that one loud clap, hitting the tall trees outside our apartment no doubt, which knocked a picture off a wall, we like thunderstorms, although enough is now enough. Rain falling off the roof outside our windows makes white noise for sleeping. Humidity we hate. We wilt.
My son and his then wife moved an adopted street dog from San Diego, land of very few thunderstorms, to Seattle, land of, well, need I explain? Oh, how that dog went wild over thunder! Rain confused him. He is safely back in San Diego. Our son loves the Seattle weather and his wife fell in love with it as well. Not the poor dog.
Three years ago the weather pattern day after day was brilliant sunsets. Often with lightening in them. Not one good sunset this year, that I have noticed.
Assuming you have the wherewithal to live in two places, what two places in what part of the year would you choose for the weather?
Rise and Shine Baboons!
Nice pastel, Clyde, which reminds me that I still want to purchase the one I saw here a long, long time ago.
I love summers in the Midwest–we were in Bayfiled, Wi (home of the Feingold political sign–they were way more noticeable than the fine weather) 2 weeks ago where we found the very best in a Midwest summer, absent the incessant nighttime rain. And on the lake one could out run the incessant mosquitoes. Then, on Friday, Sept 2 we attended the State Fair where we found even better weather.
I suppose I have combined this love of a Northern summer with a SW (Arizone) winter. The problem is that while I love the children and grandchildren who live in that particular place, I don’t LOVE the Phoenix area. Those who choose to live there full-time and are not Senior Citizen Snowbirds, think he or she is a cowboy. And they are not cowboys, they are just wanting to be forever young. I don’t like them much.
Northern Arizona is quite a separate story. Northern Arizona IS where the real cowboys live, complete with rodeos. I like those folks, but the grandchildren do not live there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is Jacque. I rue the MBO day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
But you are free now, aren’t you, Jacque?
LikeLike
Not yet–it looks like Nov. 1 is the day. I hope. It is slowly creaking forward to a contract which now exists. I hope. Maybe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is N. Arizona in some mountains, Jacque?
LikeLike
Many mountains.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, picture fell off the wall!
Yes about “Humidity blankets us… We wilt”. I am glad to see this summer behind us, mostly. I have read that we can blame the extreme humidity on the corn.
I would like to spend some winter weeks or months in Northern California, and be near stepson and grandkids, my sister, and several friends. Summers I’ll stay here, thank you, but I would drop the humidity a tad.
LikeLike
When I got married, I promised to love her “for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health.” Now I ask myself if I would choose to spend winter in the company of people who are in some perfect place so they can avoid a Minnesota winter or a Portland rainy season. The answer is no. Winter brings Minnesotans together in a community of suffering, which I now think might be a Good Thing. Garrison Keillor is right: seasons are good for our souls.
But if I must tell the truth, my second answer has to be: humidity sucks.
LikeLiked by 4 people
As Mark Twain said,
“Heaven for the climate, hell for the society.”
LikeLiked by 7 people
We were told that in Ireland it only varies in temperature between 40 and 80 degrees all year long. I think that would be ok for a while, and would make for great gardens, but might get a little tedious before long.
LikeLike
Northern Rockies in late spring and summer. Minnesota the rest of the year.
Chris in Owatonna
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cynthia of Mahtowa assured me there was no summer break nor had I been ostrasized….perhaps it was an e-mail glich. I’m very happy to have found you again…missed you!
This is our first year to be Snow Birds. We lived in Phoneix for a few years and laughed at ‘that’ change of season….and now we will be amoung them but in Tucson. It is a period of about 6 mo. to see how I do…arthritis. (low barometric change)
We have family in Scottsdale and dear friends in Phoenix so I’m considering this a vacation and a great adventure.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you’re back, slilyss.
LikeLike
Recovering from a.m. Of tests.
Bainbridge island in winter. Northern NM in winter, although maybe northern Nm in summer and southern NM in winter. Hard to leave Vermont/new hamp. Off the list
Actually I could name many options Alaska for be.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking Alaska too, for August, even though I’ve never been there (except via Northern Exposure).
LikeLike
Since I haven’t traveled much, and have lived in Minnesota all my life, I feel unqualified to give a good answer for this. But, hey, I can give a not-so-good answer.
The Olympic Peninsula sounds great for year-round living. Port Angeles for instance has mild winters so you don’t have the hassles of winter driving or snow shoveling, but if you want snow, you can go up in the mountains. The summers are cool and comfortable, which sounds especially wonderful to me – I’m listless when the dew point pushes 60 and as good as dead when it’s in the 70s. High temps also do me in, especially when coupled with high humidity.
But if I had to live in TWO places – let’s say a place like the north shore of Lake Superior April through January. February and March would find me in…I don’t know…New Zealand?
LikeLiked by 3 people
Norway in the summer and Tuscany in the winter?
LikeLiked by 3 people
With side trips to France.
LikeLiked by 1 person
By the way, Clyde, I love your artwork. This painting is very lovely and I like it very much.
LikeLike
Yes, me too.
LikeLike
Me three.
LikeLike
Me four!
LikeLike
I like Minnesota enough to forgive it for the occasional hot or cold spell. If I had money and didn’t have pets, I might consider spending March in someplace like New Mexico every year. I like winter, but by March I get a little weary of coats and boots and mittens and scarves. A little break would be welcome.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I also get that weariness in March or sometimes February, depending on the year. And the year of the Halloween Blizzard, I was weary of winter by the middle of November…
I also weary of the lack of color in winter here in the city. I live on a street where most of the houses are some variation of beige or gray and the snow turns gray a few days after it’s fallen. By March or April or whenever it starts to melt, it’s black. So I’m dying for color by the time the crocuses come up and things start to get green.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We are anticipating scattered frost tonight. I am hopeful none of the veggies will get touched since they are so close to the house.
It is rarely humid here, so when husband and I retire and move back Minnesota way, we will have to get used to humidity again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Noooooo, it’s too early for frost…
LikeLike
High dew temps are not my friend, either But despite that, I don’t think I would like to leave Minnesota during late spring through fall. Winter is usually OK through Christmas – by mid February I am ready to be done with it. That’s one of the reasons I take “big” trips in late winter and early spring. Like ljb, I weary of lack of color – another reason to head somewhere warmer and more colorful. If I had to pick two places to live, it would be MN from May to early January. The remainder of the time……someplace with mild temps, low humidity, no snow, and colorful. Maybe San Diego?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Speaking of warmer, I am off this morning to Austin TX for a week to visit relatives. My baby sis is going with me….will do some sightseeing in Houston and San Antonio as well. See you on the trail later…….
LikeLiked by 2 people
OT: I received this information in an email from a friend (who forward the message originally sent by Bill McKibben of 350.org ). Today, Sept. 13 is a day of action against the Dakota Access pipeline. I case anyone is interested in and can get to Lowertown St. Paul:
Twin Cities Stands with Standing Rock #NoDAPL September 13, 2016 • 5:00 PM Mears Park 221 5th St E St. Paul, MN 55101
LikeLike
One of son’s friends was a chef at a science station in Antarctica. He really liked it. I don’t know if he went outside much. The station was only open in the summer. I don’t know what summer is like in Antarctica. I don’t know where he went in the winter.
LikeLike
I’ll send in a post tomorrow.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As someone concerned about global warming, I feel differently about heat than many folks do. People in the northwest believe that this region is tragically deprived for sunshine. They grump about rain and celebrate sunny days. I see rain as life-sustaining. All our rainy days in winter are what gives this region its lush forests and salmon-filled rivers. What I fear are the sun-scorched periods of drought when rivers dry up and forest fires ravage large chunks of landscape.
The absence of jungle-like humidity is a major blessing here. For example, yesterday was spectacular in a way very few days are in the Midwest: crisp, bright and delightful to the skin.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Waited two plus weeks for mri of pancreas an liver. Two days later no report.ncalled. Too busy to get to it right now. Medical practice has failed me in several ways to he last month, much of it in simple communication.
LikeLike
Just read an article about that in the current AARP Bulletin. Sounds like you’re not alone. Hope it gets better soon.
LikeLike
Madrid, Spain in Autumn from September through October.
New York City in Spring from May through June.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mmmm, would love to try Madrid.
LikeLike
I also have a post in mind to submit on Friday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
hawaii and canadian rickies
LikeLike
kind of like a gin rickie
LikeLike