(A post from Cecile's Facebook)
One often hears about winter depression, tips to beat the dark cold winter blues.
Why do you never get advice about the summer blues?
I currently live in a place with a Mediterranean climate – mild, wet winters, and dry hot summers. I grew up in a harsh desert like climate – scorching summers and dry icy winters.
Since moving to our current place, I have fallen totally in love with the winters. The air is soft, the storms infrequent, the rain soaks the earth, the indigenous flowers bloom, the wheat fields are green, the clouds tell stories. The wind howls softly around corners while soup bubbles, cats cuddle, fireplaces glow softly and you wear soft turtlenecks, warm socks and boots and feel the rain on your cheeks when you go out. The rain on your windscreen focusses the mind, and waterfalls on the mountain mesmerizes.
You can wrap soft scarves while eating warm stews, and a hot bath and warm socks are so comforting. The rain and wind muffles all the grating sounds of civilisation and you can wear soft jerseys and warm coats, the restaurants have fireplaces and rainbows are a given.
The cats grow thick furs and sleep on your bed at night, the dust gets washed away, everything smells fresh, the dams fill up, the ground water swells. Spiders come out to hunt and their beautiful prey are out there to admire, the veld explodes with life.
You feel alive.
And then all this starts to fade away. The sun gets harsher, the wheat fields turn yellow, gets harvested, turn into dusty deserts. The wind brings dust and discomfort, the cats stop cuddling, hot baths grow uncomfortable, the stoeps burn your bare feet, the garden wilt, you sweat, the sun is an unforgiving globe burning down on hot cars and sweaty bodies, and the clouds have long gone to entertain other lucky souls.
And you are surrounded by people who are so glad to be rid of the cold!
