#52Ancestors, Week 49, Winter

Winter in this hemisphere is at a different time of year. Strangely though, even 200 or so years after emigrating many of us cling to the images of snowy frosty rural scenes at Christmas, red breasted Robins on fenceposts, branches or spade handles in snowy gardens. All the while we plan Christmas dinners which don’t involve standing in a hot kitchen for too long – salads, cold meats (if any), barbecue, pavlova and look forward to afternoons in the shade, at the beach or by the pool.

How topsy turvy it must have been for those early immigrants to celebrate Christmas in the heat of summer and Easter in autumn rather than spring. (interestingly we still celebrate Easter with spring-like symbols too – baby chicks, baskets of flowers and other baby animals). What about birthdays? How did it feel celebrating your mid-summer birthday in midwinter and vice versa? Was seasonal affective disorder a thing then? Did the change affect people at all or was it just a “Oh that’s right, I live HERE now” type of realisation. I wonder did anyone even consider or realise that these moments in their lives would be forever changed after emigrating to the southern hemisphere.

Winter itself is not in the same realm in the southern hemisphere as those in the north which we perpetuate in our imagination. It does get cold, there are storms, we wear warmer clothes and heat our homes. But we don’t have snow, apart from on high mountain ranges (normally), or days where the darkness of evening begins mid-afternoon. We all say we are cold, but in reality, most of us have no idea what it must be like to live and work in temperatures of -15 or more; just as many of or northern hemisphere cousins cannot comprehend living in 30+ or even 40+ temperatures through summer.

I like winter. The one great thing about it, compared to summer, is that you can dress for the occasion. Put on more layers to keep the chill out, take them off when you have thawed out or reached an agreeable Temperature. Summer doesn't have that advantage, it is just hot so you wear minimal clothes to begin with.

Perhaps in 2019 a white Christmas might be on the horizon.

#52Stories, Week 51, What do you look forward to as each new season approaches ?

Spring

I’ll start here since I have a spring birthday. Blue skies, trees and shrubs bursting into leaf, blossom buds appearing – sometimes even before the leaves, spring showers and soft breezes. Slowly lengthening daylight hours. Cool nights. Birdsong. Baby animals and birds.

Summer

Sunshine, dappled shade, trips to the beach, lake, river. Barbecues. Warmth. Water play. Christmas, holidays, salads. Blue skies and sudden downpours. Stone fruit and berries – picked fresh if possible. Crickets and cicadas singing. Gentle breezes.

Autumn

Cooler mornings. Changing leaves, red, green, orange, yellow, brown. Dew lingering on leaves and flowers, first frosts. Clear skies. Indian summers. Cool breezes, surprise showers.

 Winter

Shorter days, longer nights, cosy evenings, comfort food. Stormy days, stormy nights, rain, frosty air, maybe snow ? Woolly hats and scarves. Camellia, Magnolia, Rhododendron, Daffodil braving the chilly air, a sign of what is to follow.

Indecisive weather

I know that last time I was here I was predicting the arrival of winter, but I have to say despite the temperatures being a smidge cooler this past week, I'm struggling to believe my own prediction.

Look at these gorgeous flowers which brighten my days at work from the garden outside the window. They don't seem to think it is going to be winter anytime soon.

And then look at this !! 

Pohutukawa in flower in late May - what has happened to our native Christmas tree ? Isn't December "the time" to bloom ? Has anyone told the jolly fellow in red ?

We need to cool our wee planet down  I reckon !