Are You Even British If You Haven't Mentioned The Weather?
I seem to have mentioned unseasonal weather more than a few times since I started this blog. This post will, I have to admit, be along similar lines.
The comfort of writing about what you know.
It is, of course, a very British thing to do, commenting on the weather. A cultural obsession that seems to cross the generations with ease.
Indeed, I saw a comment on social media last week questioning whether you were even British if you hadn’t yet mentioned the recent good weather.
So, we have just experienced the warmest February day in over 170 years here in the UK. It appears that we seem to break records on a regular basis these days. And whatever your views may be on global warming, it is clear that our world is changing.
Although few would argue that it is changing for the better.
However, at the risk of flippantly disregarding something of major significance to the future of the world, we have had over a week of beautiful and warm weather here in the South East and I wanted to recognise that fact. Just 12 months previously, almost to the week, we were hiding from the “Beast from the East” and battling snow storms and freezing temperatures across the country. This year, the end of February has had parks full of people taking in the sunshine rather than sledging or building snowmen.
I had reason to head to work early a couple of times in the last few days. As I drove down through the Surrey Hills I was lucky enough to witness one or two beautiful, understated sun-rises that this weather had given us. Subtle colours in a pale and almost cloud free sky, glimpsed through woodland engulfed in early morning mist.
I managed to stop and take a few photographs but I fear that they do not do the scene justice. Which is a shame. But idyllic moments they were, at a time when many would have been oblivious to what was happening outside of their beds, cars or train carriages.
I have no agenda here about the importance of being up early to see the best that nature can offer. I am just as bad as most when it comes to getting out of bed in the morning. But I close this post with a few images of the unexpectedly beautiful sun-rises which were appreciated by those that were fortunate enough to be up and about and able to see them.
