Why we prefer summer in May.
Opening up the cottage in springtime is usually a chilly business which can involve wearing your hat in bed. When we walk in for the first time after a long, cold winter the inside temperature is normally suitable for storing meat, even if the sun is shining outside. May is not usually that warm in the Laurentians (an hour north of Montreal).
Somehow rhubarb survives a Canadian winter |
Outdoor living on the porch |
No neighbours. It may sound anti-social but before summer is in full flow, before the kids are on holiday, it is beautifully quiet around here. No screams can be heard from the water, no dogs are barking at their new summer surroundings and no lawnmowers punctuate your peace. Having said that, I was taking a nap the other day when my husband asked, would it disturb you if I used the chainsaw, so you can't rely on quiet all the time.
Reconstructing the allotment after winter. |
No grass to cut. In May the ground is recovering from winter and it takes a while for it to green up. As I write the lilac trees are in full bloom in the city but flowers only just appeared here in the woods. So the low hum of lawnmowers around the lake has not yet begun. Bliss.
Wild trillium in the woods. |
No humidity. I didn't really know humidity, coming from North Shields as I do. It saps the life out of you and makes you crave air-conditioning. But in the shoulder seasons (May, June and September) here in the mountains the nights can be cool and even the shade can be delightful. The best kind of weather.
Actually now I think about it this kind of weather is very similar to a good summer's day in England.
Have we got enough wood? I am a fireside cat after all. |
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