The Seasons They Are A-Changin’
Seasons - or in Bob Dylan’s words, “The Times” - are changing quickly now. Or at least, I feel it. After a long, hot, dry summer in Europe where river levels fell to record lows, green grass became an illusion - unless you played golf, and glaciers in Switzerland were covered by white tarpaulins to stem them from melting into thin air, I’m now writing this wearing a body warmer and hearing the rain outside my window.
Having spent quite a bit of the summer in a mountain cabin in Italy, where I savoured the relative coolness of the area - compared to much of southern and central Europe where forest fires seemed commonplace, I have to say I’m now enjoying the change of clothes where I can once again wear my jeans and put on my pair of ageing Red Wing boots without feeling in any way overdressed for the occasion.
However Autumn can be short-lived and I may well not feel nearly as positive in a few months time when Dutch drizzle and darkness threaten to overwhelm…
The image above, of the Parrocchia dei Santi Michele e Grato in Piedicavallo, Italy, was taken during one of those days that you would be forgiven in reminding yourself that the sun was indeed 93 million miles away… (it’s not always sunshine in Italy!) Southern Hemisphere readers will of course be looking at Spring flowers and savouring the summer to come!
I’ve been blessed with the opportunities to drive over the Grand St Bernard pass, to/from Italy and The Netherlands a few times this year. Readers of this blog will know that of course, having read earlier articles on Napoleon, monks, cheese and wine…
One of the best times to visit, in my view, is early morning when the first lights shine across the tops onto the Italian summits.
This is a view from the statue of St Bernard himself looking over to the the Tête de Crevacol 2610m and the Leopoldo Deffeyes bivouac with lovely Autumnal colours - aided of course by the early morning light.
Looking to the changing of seasons, the author, educator, and activist Parker Palmer writes in his book Let your Life Speak, “we want light without darkness, the glories of spring and summer without the demands of autumn and winter…” I could say that applies to the permanently sun-hunting campervan community but that would be remiss. Instead, I remind myself that whatever season in life I find myself, things will change.
There will be dark days - and there will be sun-filled days as well. Even when those dark days seem never-ending, David Attenborough’s Frozen Planet series reminds us how the Emperor Penguins survive months of cold, dark and sub-zero temperatures. They survive by being in community. By sharing the load - and then letting others take the brunt of the storms.
I need to remind myself of that too. Enjoy the Autumn.
