IS IT SUMMER YET????

I woke up to the sound of a lawnmower this morning. Those of you in the states are thinking, “Big deal!”, but really, here in Italy, lawns and lawnmowers are not that common! The sound of a lawnmower on a Sunday morning was familiar, yet out of place. I guess the unusually mild weather we’ve had necessitated it’s use, probably across the street at the nursing home.

The weather here has been strange, but I think that’s something anyone can say anytime and anywhere in the world. There just isn’t ‘normal’ weather anymore!

One of the big changes for us has been enjoying dry summers, as compared to the steam bath Louisville becomes in the summer. Clothes dry on the line in record time….even overnight! With the great breezes we’ve been having, I want to hang clothes on the line every day, just for the sweet smell.

As a trade-off for dry summers we have to endure wet winters here in Umbria. Winters can be cold, dark and damp….but this past winter was unusually mild. I don’t think we had fog more than a few times, and it never lasted for days on end like it usually does. We also didn’t have much rain this winter, and while it was nice to have a relatively dry winter, now we worry about the crops in the summer. Hopefully the rains we received in May will help replenish the moisture we so desperately need.

Summer has teased us with it’s arrival more than once this year. Each time the temperature starts to go up I think “Uh oh, this is it! Summer’s finally here!”, then a cool breeze blows in and things cool off again. The pattern seems to be warm, sometimes HOT days with clear blue skies during, then in late afternoon the wind starts to blow. Someone somewhere must be getting rain, but we haven’t had any here for several weeks. Anyway, the winds bring in a nice blast of cool air, making it perfect for sleeping.

Last night I even had to drag out a sweatshirt! Yes, it was that cold…and the wind was blowing! There was a concert in the Bar Centrale with a live band (our friend Erika and her accordion), and once the sun went down and the breeze picked up, it was almost cold! No complaints from us….we may yet swelter through July and August, but for now it’s perfect…..hot days, cool nights!

I hope there’s enough moisture in the ground to sustain the sunflower fields, which I think will start blooming en masse within the next two weeks. Can’t wait!