Once Upon a Time the Sun Gave Off Warmth

Spring officially arrived yesterday at 13:44 local time. Nothing could be more welcomed. The gladiolas are in gorgeous full bloom – note to self: plant more of these next fall – and the wisteria is budding, meaning more gorgeousness is on the way. We are blessed with brilliant, sunny days. The only thing missing is warmth.

I happen to think that global warming would be excellent news if it were true. I mean, here I am in this Mediterranean paradise in late March and it’s still too cold to open a window. This would have been magnificent weather in January, but now we deserve better. With the forecast promising no real improvement for the foreseeable future I can’t escape the feeling that something is not right.

We seem to be experiencing seasonal drift. Summer hung around until November. Winter arrived in February. And now with Pesach fast approaching it should be spring. Yes, it looks like it. It even smells like it, that glorious, sweet fragrance of citrus blossom. But it’s too, too cold. So, waiter, I’d like to order up an extra-large, super-size portion of global warming, and don’t hold the ozone.

Summer's End

It rained yesterday for the first time since April. Summer is gone and no amount of wishing can bring it back. Those hot, steamy, sunny days – all gone. Sensible people here pray for rain. We depend on it since our benighted government can't seem to manage sufficient desalination. So the water has to come from the heavens.

I don't like rain. It's wet, nasty stuff. It gets under your collar and runs down your neck. It's cold. And just when you think it's over, a great big drop hits you smack in the eye. But, and I realize this might seem like a contradiction, I love water. I love the look of it and relish every glimpse of the sea. When I have enough money for a water feature in the garden, I plan to spend every free minute just sitting and looking at it.

What I don't like is being attacked by those cold little drops from the sky that leave sludgy spots on the windows. This could be because I come from a place where it rained all the time, except when it snowed. We saw the sun once a decade if we were lucky. So Israel's glorious heat and relentless sunshine is a miracle to me.

It rained yesterday and again this morning. As I look out into the garden, the plants look wonderful. They've all been washed of their summer grunge and seem to be grateful for the extra water. I'll try to find comfort in this.