I feel so fortunate to have discovered your writing. I've never had this experience of having beauty waiting for me to just click on it. I learned of you though my Google Alert for
Atlas Shrugged. I've been an Objectivist since 1959. I shared your "Chimney swifts on Labour Day" with about 70 friends and many thanked me. I often share your pieces. Beside your graceful use of language I enjoy your perspective on America.
You have written with a wonderful way with words. Very enjoyable! The weather extremes you mention make me remember my grandfather who trudged out at 4 am every day regardless of the weather to see to his crops and the animals on his farm.
Here in Chicagoland, it hasn't gotten above freezing for over two weeks, but thank God no ice storm, only good old-fashioned snow. Poor Easterners and Southerners, dealing with their towns being turned into skating rinks. Oh well, February starts tomorrow and spring can't be far away!
"Whether the weather shapes the American character, or selected Americans who could persist with its extremities—the heat, the mosquitoes, the hurricanes, the floods, the fires, the earthquakes: this is a land of the unbearable and unimaginable, constantly being overcome. There is a national character of endurance, arising from the fact that people opted to live in these conditions. They came to lands of extremity and they became people of substance."
I kind of felt that way about English weather last year when I had an extended stay at Oxford. (And I felt similarly about Seattle and Iceland.) How can anyone put up with that much rain? There must be a national character of endurance, a willingness to live indoors or be constantly wet and cold. They have come to a land of damp and have become people who like to stay inside reading and sitting by a fire.
As the celebrated novelist Lawrence Durrell remarked on English rain, and the effect of English weather on his family (according to his brother Gerald):
"'Why do we stand this bloody climate?' [Lawrence] asked suddenly, making a gesture towards the rain-distorted window. 'Look at it! And, if it comes to that, look at us …[]our family looks like a series of illustrations from a medical encyclopedia.'”
[From My Family and Other Animals, by Gerald Durrell.]
Great read and liked the photos. I don't even own winter clothes, living in Auckland, New Zealand. But I have lived in Holland and ice skated on canals. An aunt and uncle lived on a houseboat on tje opposite side to the road and in summer we had to be picked up in a row boat. In winter we could safely walk across. I feel for those who have been, and those who are still without electricity. I'm sure the novelty wore off after a few hours...
The great exception is of course coastal California, which continues to be exceptional. Hardly any rain in the last month (thus hardly any new snow in the mountains, which makes us worry about drought and fire to come-- perhaps those make us the exception that proves the rule?), 60 degrees F and sunny, fine weather for long walks-- protest marches included, we have it so much easier than the Minneapolitans-- and farmer's markets and the like.
Even Northeast Tennessee is cold this morning. We’ve had winter storms two weekends in a row. It is 9 degrees and we have a below zero wind chill. Nevertheless, I must take the dog out for a short time. I did that even when we lived in the harsher climate of northern Illinois. You do what you have to do. People have endured and flourished here for centuries. Thankfully, we have central heating,and heated seats and steering wheels in our cars.
"Someone pushed along a little machine that sucked snow up from the ground and hoofed it out of a pipe, like a vacuum."
It had never occurred to me before today that the English would typically have no acquaintance with the snowblower.
Lovely piece!
Do you know the traditional American song Shenandoah? Here’s a great instrumental version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnEsR55srlk
Thanks!
I often think of the Ingalls Family in this season- so many images from that book are embedded in my mind.
I feel so fortunate to have discovered your writing. I've never had this experience of having beauty waiting for me to just click on it. I learned of you though my Google Alert for
Atlas Shrugged. I've been an Objectivist since 1959. I shared your "Chimney swifts on Labour Day" with about 70 friends and many thanked me. I often share your pieces. Beside your graceful use of language I enjoy your perspective on America.
What a delightful comment I am so glad to read this!
You have written with a wonderful way with words. Very enjoyable! The weather extremes you mention make me remember my grandfather who trudged out at 4 am every day regardless of the weather to see to his crops and the animals on his farm.
Great read, especially amusing considering we live in the same region! Always nice to run into a local writer with great wit.
That storm has certainly been something.
Vivid writing!
Thanks!
lovely!
Here in Chicagoland, it hasn't gotten above freezing for over two weeks, but thank God no ice storm, only good old-fashioned snow. Poor Easterners and Southerners, dealing with their towns being turned into skating rinks. Oh well, February starts tomorrow and spring can't be far away!
Love this! I'm laughing out loud at
"Whether the weather shapes the American character, or selected Americans who could persist with its extremities—the heat, the mosquitoes, the hurricanes, the floods, the fires, the earthquakes: this is a land of the unbearable and unimaginable, constantly being overcome. There is a national character of endurance, arising from the fact that people opted to live in these conditions. They came to lands of extremity and they became people of substance."
I kind of felt that way about English weather last year when I had an extended stay at Oxford. (And I felt similarly about Seattle and Iceland.) How can anyone put up with that much rain? There must be a national character of endurance, a willingness to live indoors or be constantly wet and cold. They have come to a land of damp and have become people who like to stay inside reading and sitting by a fire.
As the celebrated novelist Lawrence Durrell remarked on English rain, and the effect of English weather on his family (according to his brother Gerald):
"'Why do we stand this bloody climate?' [Lawrence] asked suddenly, making a gesture towards the rain-distorted window. 'Look at it! And, if it comes to that, look at us …[]our family looks like a series of illustrations from a medical encyclopedia.'”
[From My Family and Other Animals, by Gerald Durrell.]
Great read and liked the photos. I don't even own winter clothes, living in Auckland, New Zealand. But I have lived in Holland and ice skated on canals. An aunt and uncle lived on a houseboat on tje opposite side to the road and in summer we had to be picked up in a row boat. In winter we could safely walk across. I feel for those who have been, and those who are still without electricity. I'm sure the novelty wore off after a few hours...
' The American climate is intense' .The whole of America?.
.
The great exception is of course coastal California, which continues to be exceptional. Hardly any rain in the last month (thus hardly any new snow in the mountains, which makes us worry about drought and fire to come-- perhaps those make us the exception that proves the rule?), 60 degrees F and sunny, fine weather for long walks-- protest marches included, we have it so much easier than the Minneapolitans-- and farmer's markets and the like.
I love your post on this cold morning.
Even Northeast Tennessee is cold this morning. We’ve had winter storms two weekends in a row. It is 9 degrees and we have a below zero wind chill. Nevertheless, I must take the dog out for a short time. I did that even when we lived in the harsher climate of northern Illinois. You do what you have to do. People have endured and flourished here for centuries. Thankfully, we have central heating,and heated seats and steering wheels in our cars.
Do you mean Fahrenheit? I didn’t think it got that cold there…
We’ve had -12C feeling like -18