I'm going to write an entire post about the weather. How lame is that? I'm actually writing about the weather. But, I didn't realize how much I'm effected by the weather and even though Minnesota weather is far from perfect, it's what I'm used to. Being here in this strange climate makes me feel like a foreigner and I just need to get all these thought off my chest so I can move on.
I'll try to be to the point...
In Minnesota if you want to know what the weather is going to be like you look to the Western sky. If there's a storm rolling in, you'll see it. If you watch the weather you know whatever went on in the Dakotas is going to reach Minnesota a day later. In Minnesota the weather has a fairly predictable pattern....warm, then warmer, then the humidity builds, then a front comes via a storm and brings with it a cool down. Repeat the aforementioned process. In the Winter you know there are 2 weather options. It will either be a day with high's in the 30's and it will snow, or it will be too frigid and there will be no snow. In West Virginia looking to the West does little good. Storms just pop up and since we've been here it seems as if they just pop up almost daily. The weather doesn't seem very cyclical, instead it's just more of the same. Hot/humid/chance of storms. Everyday. I know Minnesota has HOT days. But I think the statistic is something like 10 days of 90 degree weather per year on average. Here, 90 is the norm. The weather people were so excited about a cool down last week. And so I got excited too. And then I figured out the said cool down was still a high of 85 degrees. Now, 85 degrees is leaps and bounds better than the 100 degrees it was. But, relatively speaking, 85 is still hot, at least in my world, and not worthy of being called a "cool down." :)
I've never run the AC for so many straight days in a row. It kind of feels like winter time because the house is so closed up and I have no desire to be outside. So, I kind of feel like I have Seasonal Affective Dissorder, but it's summer time. The neighbors have been running their AC since we arrived in late April. I don't think they bother to ever open their windows. They must just keep the temp in their house the same all year round. And maybe that is the West Virginia way. This morning was the coolest morning we have had in weeks. I turned off the air and opened all my doors. The cool down didn't last long and I was running the AC by noon, but it felt like freedom with a Summer breeze flowing through the house at least for a little while.
Lastly, Minnesota is reportedly a very educated state. I read that in a study once and now that I've left the great state of Minnesota I can tell it's true. The local news in Minnestoa was almost like Meteorology 101 because the weather people explain what's going on, they give names to the weather events, give scientific info etc. In Minnesota the weather people also report more than just the temperature. They report the dew point, year averages, patterns, etc. West Virginia is not a very educated state and it's apparent when you watch the news (and elsewhere). The weather people here only give the high and low and the rain chance. I'm not sure what the humidity level is here because it's not reported but I'm pretty convinced it's almost as humid here as it is in the Amazon.
Anyway, I feel like a fish out of water. I so desperately miss the cool mornings and cool evenings. I miss the Minnesota sky. I miss the wall to wall sunshine. Here it's cloudy so much. I know it sounds silly, but the sky isn't as blue here either. I usually wake up to fog every morning. I'm assuming it's because of the mountains and for whatever reason they just create a haze in the atmosphere. Coming up on labor day I always feel like there is a change in the air. While Summer will linger in Minnesota for many more weeks, the air gets a "back to school" feel and brings cooler evenings and motivation to start a new routine. We've started school here, not because I'm motivated, but because it's so hot. Starting now when we have nothing else to do seems smart so we can come home and visit and not bring school with us later this year.
I took a picture of the poor Hostas in my front yard. The lady that planted them told me they aren't getting enough water. However, that just can't be the case. It rains plenty for the hardy Hostas. I personally think these plants are sun scorched. They aren't shaded and I think they've just been beaten by the sun. As sad as it sounds, this is kind of how I feel. I feel like I'm a Hostas with sun burned leaves. I need some shade and I need to be in a zone farther North. While in Minnesota my skin got thick from the cold winters and now I'm down here sweating it out.
So, as I read between the lines it sounds like I'm lonely and homesick. And that's probably true. I am both of those things. But, I came across a truth the other day that I'm holding onto. When the Israelites were in the dessert God gave them Manna. Manna wasn't intended to be a feast. But it was intended to be daily provision and a sign of God's faithfulness. So, we aren't feasting down here in West Virginia. But, God is here and his faithfulness abounds. We were invited over for dinner last weekend by some people from church. They were very sweet and we are getting together this week so the kids can play. I think we've found a church. Tom really, really likes his job and his job is flexible enough that I can entertain the idea of taking on a doula client or two (if the opportunity presents itself) which has me excited. Our plan was never that we'd be here forever, but while we are here we need to make it our home away from home, so to speak. We're trying our best. I tell God everyday that I'm certainly not complaining about our life here or his generosity of faithfulness and provisions during this move. I'm not wanting to wonder in this dessert for 40 years. ;) But I came to the realization today that moving is hard even if you aren't complaining, and that's ok. And I suspect when the weather cools down and we get to experience an extended Fall season, I'll have a better outlook on life. When the cooler weather arrives I'll get to resume my evenings on the porch and that's a day I'm looking forward to.
I'll try to be to the point...
In Minnesota if you want to know what the weather is going to be like you look to the Western sky. If there's a storm rolling in, you'll see it. If you watch the weather you know whatever went on in the Dakotas is going to reach Minnesota a day later. In Minnesota the weather has a fairly predictable pattern....warm, then warmer, then the humidity builds, then a front comes via a storm and brings with it a cool down. Repeat the aforementioned process. In the Winter you know there are 2 weather options. It will either be a day with high's in the 30's and it will snow, or it will be too frigid and there will be no snow. In West Virginia looking to the West does little good. Storms just pop up and since we've been here it seems as if they just pop up almost daily. The weather doesn't seem very cyclical, instead it's just more of the same. Hot/humid/chance of storms. Everyday. I know Minnesota has HOT days. But I think the statistic is something like 10 days of 90 degree weather per year on average. Here, 90 is the norm. The weather people were so excited about a cool down last week. And so I got excited too. And then I figured out the said cool down was still a high of 85 degrees. Now, 85 degrees is leaps and bounds better than the 100 degrees it was. But, relatively speaking, 85 is still hot, at least in my world, and not worthy of being called a "cool down." :)
I've never run the AC for so many straight days in a row. It kind of feels like winter time because the house is so closed up and I have no desire to be outside. So, I kind of feel like I have Seasonal Affective Dissorder, but it's summer time. The neighbors have been running their AC since we arrived in late April. I don't think they bother to ever open their windows. They must just keep the temp in their house the same all year round. And maybe that is the West Virginia way. This morning was the coolest morning we have had in weeks. I turned off the air and opened all my doors. The cool down didn't last long and I was running the AC by noon, but it felt like freedom with a Summer breeze flowing through the house at least for a little while.
Lastly, Minnesota is reportedly a very educated state. I read that in a study once and now that I've left the great state of Minnesota I can tell it's true. The local news in Minnestoa was almost like Meteorology 101 because the weather people explain what's going on, they give names to the weather events, give scientific info etc. In Minnesota the weather people also report more than just the temperature. They report the dew point, year averages, patterns, etc. West Virginia is not a very educated state and it's apparent when you watch the news (and elsewhere). The weather people here only give the high and low and the rain chance. I'm not sure what the humidity level is here because it's not reported but I'm pretty convinced it's almost as humid here as it is in the Amazon.
Anyway, I feel like a fish out of water. I so desperately miss the cool mornings and cool evenings. I miss the Minnesota sky. I miss the wall to wall sunshine. Here it's cloudy so much. I know it sounds silly, but the sky isn't as blue here either. I usually wake up to fog every morning. I'm assuming it's because of the mountains and for whatever reason they just create a haze in the atmosphere. Coming up on labor day I always feel like there is a change in the air. While Summer will linger in Minnesota for many more weeks, the air gets a "back to school" feel and brings cooler evenings and motivation to start a new routine. We've started school here, not because I'm motivated, but because it's so hot. Starting now when we have nothing else to do seems smart so we can come home and visit and not bring school with us later this year.
I took a picture of the poor Hostas in my front yard. The lady that planted them told me they aren't getting enough water. However, that just can't be the case. It rains plenty for the hardy Hostas. I personally think these plants are sun scorched. They aren't shaded and I think they've just been beaten by the sun. As sad as it sounds, this is kind of how I feel. I feel like I'm a Hostas with sun burned leaves. I need some shade and I need to be in a zone farther North. While in Minnesota my skin got thick from the cold winters and now I'm down here sweating it out.
So, as I read between the lines it sounds like I'm lonely and homesick. And that's probably true. I am both of those things. But, I came across a truth the other day that I'm holding onto. When the Israelites were in the dessert God gave them Manna. Manna wasn't intended to be a feast. But it was intended to be daily provision and a sign of God's faithfulness. So, we aren't feasting down here in West Virginia. But, God is here and his faithfulness abounds. We were invited over for dinner last weekend by some people from church. They were very sweet and we are getting together this week so the kids can play. I think we've found a church. Tom really, really likes his job and his job is flexible enough that I can entertain the idea of taking on a doula client or two (if the opportunity presents itself) which has me excited. Our plan was never that we'd be here forever, but while we are here we need to make it our home away from home, so to speak. We're trying our best. I tell God everyday that I'm certainly not complaining about our life here or his generosity of faithfulness and provisions during this move. I'm not wanting to wonder in this dessert for 40 years. ;) But I came to the realization today that moving is hard even if you aren't complaining, and that's ok. And I suspect when the weather cools down and we get to experience an extended Fall season, I'll have a better outlook on life. When the cooler weather arrives I'll get to resume my evenings on the porch and that's a day I'm looking forward to.
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