(Valentine Cameron Prinsep, 1897)
I’ve found few pieces of art that describe my feelings about the coming of winter as well as this one. The young lass Summer is still tossing the sweet petals and buds of the few months given to her, and then the Cold One first touches her to remind her that her time is nearly up. Is that the last rose of summer in her hand?
It’s called the first touch of winter because it usually takes a few more nudges before Summer finally gives in and leaves the scene. If we’re lucky she may leave us with an Indian Summer, a short reprise of warmth and clear skies, as one last farewell.
I know there are many who look forward to the cold and snow of winter, with dreams of hitting the slopes, and enjoying the celebrations of mid-winter, but I for one would rather be wearing shorts and a tee shirt than boots and too many layers of wool. If it weren’t for those holidays of Thanks and Yuletide a lot of us probably wouldn’t get through the wintry times without severe damage to our psyches. Getting up while it’s still dark has never been one of my special powers either, though I’ve had to do it enough times so that it should be rote by now. I’m so much more at home in the 80s and 90s, and even enjoy the roasting warmth of those days over 100 degrees.
And yes, Autumn is a fair lass as well, but I think her real job is simply to prepare us for that black robed cold heart of Winter. I think too that’s why so many people will put up with so much just to be able to live somewhere where the winters are attenuated and bring more rain than snow.
But I’m not complaining; I know we’ll soon be stepping out into a new world of leaves and buds, welcoming back her glorious sister Spring as she again prepares us for the first touch of Summer.
(You can share this beautiful work of art by clicking here for its note card.)
New Old Photo of the Week
I’m now working on Australia and beyond, looking for old gems in the archives of yesteryear. Let’s see what I find . . .
The 2-Sentence Novel
© David Ryan 2023
La Copa de Leche, Mexico City, 1969
Dave figured out early on how to do selfies.
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