Now that summer weather is finally here, I’m having a little fun with my social media friends. Particularly, the ones who flooded their feeds with pictures of snow six months ago — snow on the ground, snow on trees, snow and ice on the roads, and snow piling up to the windowsills.
The commentary posted along with their wintery snapshots expressed their sentiments. Snow is so beautiful; snow is why they live here; and there’s nothing like putting on layers and layers (and layers) of heavy winter clothing to hike in new fallen snow.
By March (and well into April) even new fallen snow starts getting pretty old, especially for those of us who like it hot, even here in the northern digs. Now that the heat and humidity is on, I’m sharing all my photos of summer fun in the sun on all my social media accounts.
Of course, everybody has their personal preferences and comfort zones. The hubs doesn’t necessarily like the snow and winter cold, but he does prefer cooler weather, around 65 degrees.
Me? I like it hot as heck. Anything below 75 degrees is cold, as far as I’m concerned. It makes our living arrangements interesting to say the least; thank goodness for zone heating and cooling. Nanook of the North can sit in one room with frostbite on his eyebrows and I can lounge in another with beads of dew glistening on my forehead.
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I’m not saying for a minute that those who love winter as much as I love summer shouldn’t express it, or share their experience (and photos) of it. There’s no denying the beauty of nature throughout every season here in the Northland and there’s always something to love about living here. To each their own and to each in turn.
However, to those who told me there’s no such thing as being cold if you dress properly, I say getting hot under the collar when the summer heat hits is hardly helpful. Just try lounging around in your unmentionables, sipping a tall, cool drink and you’ll feel better.
If that doesn’t do it for you, try taking a cold shower, or go for a dip Lake Superior to cool off — it’s right there, for gosh sakes. I mean, isn’t Lake Superior in the summer why we live here?
And then there was the Facebook meme that declared the sun and heat worshippers would feel better, or maybe even be better people, if we’d only find the joy in snow. Let’s just say I had a few colorful words for the anonymous author of that platitude.
To those who said if I didn’t like the cold I should move out of Wisconsin, I have kinder and gentler advice. Winter gets six months of the year, while the other three seasons have to divvy up the other half. If you can’t stand the heat — just wait two months.
Or, maybe you can try walking a mile in my flip flops. I mean, you can be miserable in the heat, or you can find the joy in it. Either way, it’s still hot.
For everyone who said I could stay inside where it’s warm, I say they can stay inside where it’s air-conditioned.
Judith Liebaert writes for Positively Superior and the Duluthian. She is the author of “Sins Of The Fathers,” a crime novel set in Superior and inspired by a true cold case. Find her online at judithliebaert.com.
