Spring?

One week ago today, New Zealand entered Spring. And since then, it’s rained at least part of every single day, apart from today, and it’s also been cooler—even colder—than it was in the last few weeks of winter. This is, of course, typical.

The early part of any season is a lot like the season that preceded it, and this is no different. But there IS a kind of let down when, after a long winter, Spring arrives and it’s more wintry than Winter had been at the end.

October is often (but not always) kind of hot, while November—the last month of Spring—can be cool again, as can the first part of December, when Summer starts. All of this I’m used to, and, nevertheless, every year when September rolls around, I sigh at how cool (or cold…) and rainy it is.

Last year at this time we were nearing the end of the NZ election campaign, and I was going out on cold mornings to wave signs. Sometimes it rained, and sometimes it rained a lot. On the last day of the campaign, September 19, we waved signs in a torrential downpour with the then-Leader of the Labour Party. It was hard to be happy/peppy campaigners when cold rain is soaking your pants legs, shoes and socks, and the arm holding the sign. By comparison, this year is MUCH more bearable!

Today was absolutely brilliant, for the most part: It was cool, yes, and cold in the morning, but it was also sunny until the afternoon, when it clouded over. But, it didn’t rain! This is progress!

So, I’m not thrilled with the weather at the moment, and I’m anxious to get outside and start tidying the gardens, as well as to again hang the washing out to dry. While I’d like sunshine and warmer temperatures for both, I’d settle for cloudy but dry days to tidy the gardens.

I’ll have to wait a bit longer, probably: Spring’s only just beginning.

Update: There's an update to this post (fourth item).