Thinking About The Weather

This afternoon I spent some time gardening, and then sat on one of our garden benches to recover. It was such a lovely afternoon --mostly sunny, a really blue sky, and some white puffy clouds moving through. There was a breeze, and it was in the mid-50s. Sitting there and contemplating the gardens, listening to the birds, and feeling the breeze, made me think about how weather affects us.

I'm into weather. I always have been. If it weren't for the fact that I've always had trouble thinking in mathematical equations, I would have majored in meteorology. I'm fascinated by the physics of how our atmosphere works, and also fascinated by the experience of dramatic weather events, like thunderstorms.

Photo Credit: https://christophermartinphotography.com/tag/sky/page/3/

I'm also currently taking a MOOC, called Climate Change: The Science, through the University of British Columbia.  I find what I'm learning so interesting. With a science background, there are some concepts I'm already familiar with, but there is a lot about the way our climate works that is new to me. Our first essay assignment was to discuss an element of climate change that was affecting our local area, and this meant I had to do some basic research about what changes northern Illinois is experiencing. Since they aren't dramatic (we're not a submerging island, we don't experience hurricanes, etc.) I wasn't aware of the changes until I did the research.

However, I also think it's so interesting how people are influenced in more subtle ways by weather. I grew up in Ann Arbor, which is in the southwestern part of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The weather is milder than it is here in northern Illinois, and it has a lot of cloudy days. When I was 18 I moved to South Carolina for a few years. One day my boyfriend and I were walking somewhere, and I remarked on how it felt more like home than it had previously. He laughed and said it was because it was cloudy --and he was right! In South Carolina it's almost always sunny, and it tired me out. In Ann Arbor if it was sunny, you made the effort to get outside and do something active. But in South Carolina I felt that same push ALL THE TIME! It was exhausting. There was never a day where my pysche said "hey, it's a great day to sit on the couch and read a good book because it's not very nice outside".

I can't find an artist to credit for this one.

I'm sure people eventually adjust to these differences, and certainly if you live in an area with mostly nice weather, you likely end up more active and healthier. But I really like having a balance of days where the weather gives me permission to pursue my favorite more sedentary pursuits, like reading or artwork.

On the other hand, Rob and I both grew up in areas where the weather is influenced by the Great Lakes. This meant winters with a significant amount of snow, but temperatures that never spent significant stretches of days well below freezing. The snow was wet and messy, but you weren't in danger of frostbite when you filled the bird feeders in January. Lately we've been missing those warmer winters, and thinking about where we might relocate to after Emma has finished with college and we've both retired from teaching.  And while climate change is bringing slightly warmer winters to northern Illinois, I'm not sure it's happening fast enough to be significantly warmer in the next 10 years :-)

There are certain things I do like about living in higher latitudes. I like that there is a significant temperature change between summer and winter, although I would be okay with a less extreme temperature change. And I also really enjoy the very long days of summer that come with higher latitudes. It would seem strange to me, to live near the equator and never experience those long summer nights. What is your ideal place to live with respect to the weather and seasons? Do you find that the weather influences your activity in any subconscious way?