Weather

 

I live in England. One of the things that people in England are well know for is talking about the weather. Very often it's complaining about the weather -'It's too hot/Where is the summer?/Will it ever stop raining? It seems that the English are never happy weather wise. 

My Mum was not a typical Englishwoman. She loved the weather here and she taught me to love it too. She would say that the variety of weather was what made this such a great place to live. She would tell me that, much as she loved warm weather, she would hate to live somewhere where it was hot all the time. She loved the variety of weather that we have and that's something that I continue to share with her to this day. 

As a child if it poured with rain, and I would sulk because it meant that I couldn't play out with my friends, she would remind me that my Dad always said the reason our fields and gardens were so lush and green here was because we had plenty of rain and that rainy days were as important as sunny ones. I eventually learned to enjoy rain, the sound of it pattering down the windows, the smell of petrichor, the way it makes everywhere shine and I had plenty to do indoors anyway. It was time for more reading, colouring in, maybe try a new jigsaw puzzle, play board games with my Mum. One rainy day my Mum taught me to knit. A skill for which I am eternally grateful.

Now as an adult. I love all weathers - apart from gales. I have never learned to appreciate gales. Winds are fine. We used to go kite flying in good winds but gales, no, to me they are just scary and destructive.

In my 20s I went on a few hot beach holidays abroad. I have to say they were not for me. I'm not one for lying in the sun. I later enjoyed exploring the history and architecture of hot countries and those holidays were enjoyable but, by the middle of the second week, I was always ready to come home to our cooler temperatures.

Walking in the rain has always been a favourite pastime. I can remember in my late teens calling a friend to ask if she wanted to go for a walk and she replied "But it's pouring down" Bless her she came anyway, and she grew to love it too and when she met her husband started taking him for walks in the rain, despite his initial protestation of 'But it's pouring down.'

What of cloudy, cool summer's days that aren't as hot and sunny as we hope? Well, my mother would tell you that there is no such thing as the wrong weather, you're just wearing the wrong clothes. Those days are best for donning cardigans or coats and going walking or getting those outside jobs done that you get too uncomfortable doing in hot weather.

I struggle with winter. It's not the weather, it's the lack of light. I suffer from SAD. If I go out for a good long walk each day and soak up what daylight there is I am much happier than if I stay home. Unfortunately my SAD often works against me and tells me that it's not nice out there and I should stay home, then I get sadder about the gloomy weather. During Covid lockdown when my daughter was living at home she took me out walking every day and my spirits did not sink like they usually do. Making the effort to enjoy the weather, whatever comes, is good for both our physical and mental health. I aim to try much harder to do that again come next winter.

What I do love about winter is the frost on the ground and the leaves making beautiful patterns and glistening in the morning daylight. Snow is also one of my favourite weathers. Building snowmen, making snow angels and having a snowball fight with friends. I love the silence and stillness the snow leaves outside and I love just looking out over our garden covered with a beautiful white carpet. 

Please don't complain too much about our lovely weather. If it is cold dig out an extra jumper, wear a hat, scarf and gloves outside. Sometimes it's so nice walking when everyone else is staying indoors. If it rains don waterproofs and wellies and go anyway - we once sat through an outside Shakespeare performance in heavy rain. Bless the actors for carrying on. If it is very hot wear cotton, a sunhat and sunglasses. Remember, as my mother always said, that there is no such thing as the wrong weather, just the wrong clothes for it!