Leading me to think about what it must be like to live in climates that stay just above or around freezing during the winter. As the climate has warmed MN has had a shift in winter temperatures. We used to have winters that separated the players from the tourists. We were proud that we could actually survive such helacious weather, it was a badge of honor, we relished in our misery. Now, we hang our heads in shame, as we are becoming , gasp, mild. The entire state goes into spasms now when the temperature hits anything under minus. I remember when we thought 20 below was a heat-wave and now it's a tragedy. But, I am getting off topic. Ice and mud are the worst thing I, as an owner of many horses, can deal with. Ice is a cause for concern over broken bones and mud pulls or bows tendons, as well as wears me out. I don't want the weather of Missouri, I want winter to stay below freezing until it melts and stays melted in the spring.
Of course the climate doesn't ask for my or anyone's opinion, but kvetching is part of my life and I want to keep it that way. I can't control the climate, but I can indeed whine with the best of them. I HATE MUD.
4 comments:
Oooohhh yes. Mud, especially clay mud, is awful. I grew up in Georgia and while we did not have to deal with the frozen part of mud (which sounds auful) we had plenty of Red Clay to contend with. It stains everything a lovely shade of muted orange and is oopey, gloopey and slimey after rain. My Mom was close to insanity when we moved to the 'country' and plowed out a yard. Our grass took a long time to establish itself and our mud caked shoes, mud stained clothes took a toll on her I can tell you : )
I hope all your horses survive the treacherous ground this winter and I hope you survive as well : )
I always had the idea that Northerners put up with their miserable climates because they developed 'survivor' pride. Do you know Garrison Keillor from The Prairie Home Companion? I think one his monologues summed up this cultural cold weather pride in the best way I have ever heard. I love his show by the way : )
Ash
In total agreement here too...
I "discovered" clay around 7th grade when I moved to the same "country", Ashley speaks of...GA!
I loved it there, but never had a truly white pair of socks, slacks,etc...again.
My husband is a proud New Englander, who was able to brave temps, I (FL born) could not when we first met. He now can flinch even with the really mild winters here in NC, and considers it a very sad thing. Like he's letting down some sort of New England code of honor.:):) I encourage him, that when we move back,his blood will thicken up and he'll be "tough" again. :)
I am truly in awe of the ability of northerners to put up with the weather related inconveniences of which you speak. May everyone stay safe this season!!
I used to live in Atlanta and I remember the red clay well. I has its own version of awful, as I remember. Slippery.
This stuff is what the farmers around here call 'gumbo'. When we moved out here we saw beautiful black dirt in the plowed fields, but we didn't know at the time that it is thick, boot-sucking, slimy misery.
I'm on this rant because once again the horses are stuck inside as water stands in the paddocks and pastures. With a better soil I wouldn't need to worry about it so much, but this stuff grabs hold and doesn't let go. I've been sucked in and then landed face down in muddy water. Now that is a sight and I will tell you the feint of heart would need to cover their ears. : )
When you live in a harsh climate you have very little, other than a pride in your ability to survive. We have had a shift in climate though and a true northerner like me doesn't like it. I have heard our climate is on the way to becoming like Kansas. We have had a series of hot, humid and drought-like summers, very wet fall and winters that have had too much thaw and freezing.
I can't take the southern summer, it nearly killed me when I lived in GA.
Ashley, I forgot to comment about Garrison Keillor. I used to live in the same St. Paul neighborhood as he does, but I never met him. This was during his period when he decided he didn't like St. Paul, so he moved to New York, keeping his home here. He came back after a time and seemed to put his ego to rest a bit!
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