Weren’t we all JUST giddy for summer…
It’s mid August Trees have begun dropping their yellowed leaves (heat stress I say) These golden leaves are NOT an announcement of Fall. Not yet. Am I really the only one not ready to give up the lovely mornings, the great evenings? Ok Afternoons have been a bit brutal lately… but common’
Someone recently pointed out that our current heat wave, the Canicule = Cani = Dog… are Dog Days of Summer. Gotta love Latin.
“Hot Butchers” just reopened after their 3 week summer holiday. “Welcome back” says I (in French bien sûr) all cheery and American like. He could have growled “J'ai hâte qu'il fasse froid” (I can’t wait until it’s cold) Apparently he & his family go to an ancient family home in a mountain village in the Pyrenees where it’s cooler by nature. The walls are thick stone, and it is chilly inside no matter the temperatures outside. Wine cellar temperature. All year round. Just how he likes it.
The day before yesterday, while walking around the Marais after lunch, my friend Elizabeth said “I can’t wait for sweater weather”! Ok. I get that… but now I’m all itchy at the thought of it.
And now, everywhere I go, there are sweaters in the windows (I’m sorry: it’s 32°/90° - YUCK).
Ok. I get the appeal of cooler weather, especially these days when mid day temperatures average 30°/87°. And Fall IS a fabulous time of year in Paris… I think what I’m digging my heels in about is, what feels like: let’s skip this uncomfortable part and go right to the next perceived ideal moment. And I just don’t want to.
I want to appreciate the short lived sweaty, sticky afternoons in front of an oscillating fan, the cool evening showers, the diaphanous summer clothes moving in the late day breeze that picks up around 5pm. The ice cubes clinking in my drink and the condensation on my glass. Yup. I want to be fully present for that. Until it’s over.
I never want summer to end, no matter where I am!
Thanks for your post. I live in the east coast of Canada. I’m 77 and can no longer handle over 27C. I get serious heat stroke. 🥵 since Paris and Vancouver have similar weather we all complain about the heat.. at the same time our summers are short and miss it once fall is over. One benefit of living in Paris, and France is the much more varied climate. The country has where you have easy access to the very best food raised, and grown in the country. We only get a few weeks of terrific produce, and then we rely on California Mexico, South America, the rest of the world.