Climate is what we expect,
weather is what we get.
Mark Twain

Dang. I guess I am a California girl, after all. Although I’ve lived in Seattle for more than 20 years, I confess, ice-boxy weather still makes me shiver. I admit it is refreshing to feel the bite of a chilly wind. Wakes me up and forces me to brace against a real weather element. Reminds me to prepare for changes. Bring out the winter clothes, and shove the summer ones deeper into the closet. Put the potted plants under cover, and wrap the hummingbird feeder up with a ski glove and towel to keep the frost away.

We never had “real” weather elements in Southern California. Mostly warm, sunny days. And more sunny days. One after another, until they just became a blur. We could plan a picnic and NEVER think about adding a rain date. Seasons would feel coolish, warmer, hot, and then finally week-long heat waves. On the rare occasion of rain, the day brought hours of drenching downpour. A gray, cloudy day was not popular, but a rainy day meant stay indoors…at all costs! A winter day at 60 degrees was considered heavy jacket weather. Before I moved to Seattle, I was clueless about the necessity of wool coats, recycled polyester fleece or Gore-Tex.

I have grown to like real weather. It’s totally unpredictable and out of my control. How refreshing for a change. And,  stunning examples of nature show up to play. The clearest, cleanest sky I’ve ever seen. The whitest, puffiest clouds with pinky-coral outlines glide across above me. The azure blue hue of the sky just before darkness drifts in. The sound of a breeze whispering through leaves. The feel of heavy winds whipping my hair into a frenzy. The striking of raindrops on my windshield with tiny rivers of liquid wavering downward. The whitecaps on wave tips crashing against the sound wall and splaying upwards. The stinging spray of salt water assaulting my face. The light, white nights of a snowfall.

Prepare for the frost. Winter is passing through.
Throw on a down jacket, a hat and gloves, warm socks and hearty boots.
You’ll survive, you weather wimp!