Blackberry Winter?

May 21st, 2008

We’re now in the month of May and moving towards June at a seemingly quick pace (time always seems to fly for me). Karlyn tells me that usually this time of year they’re experiencing summer weather, when the mornings are warm, the afternoons hot and sunny, and it thunderstorms nearly every day.

But this year it is different. We’re not experiencing summer weather, and although it’s not cold outside it certainly isn’t hot either. These past couple of weeks have lingered in the 60′s-70′s mostly, always bright and sunny, and just the right amount of coolness for personal comfort. It’s pleasant enough, but summer is definitely not here! What’s going on then?

“It sure is a blackberry winter this year!” we heard a lady tell her friend at the local grocery store. “Very strange. I kind of miss my Virginia summer!”

Blackberry winter, eh? Would that happen to be a time when Spring never ends and I don’t know whether it’s safe to pack away my long pants and shirts?

Blackberry Winter: a (mainly Southern) term used to describe a brief period of cold weather that coincides with the time the blackberries are in bloom (typically in early to mid May).

Yep; that’s about the size of it!

As a New Yorker, I’m used to living winters from December to March, and after a short mud season, Spring lasts from mid March or April to May. We open up our pool around Mother’s Day, and June is pretty much summertime!

From what I’ve experienced so far in Virginia, winter lasted from January to February, and it’s been Spring ever since! (though I must add that locals have remarked on the mildness of this year’s winter) I don’t know how high the temperatures become in the summer “down south,” but in New York during July and August it could be pretty hot! I loved it and spent most of my days in and out of our pool. We don’t have a pool in Tennessee…

So as far as I’m concerned… this blackberry winter thing? I’m digging it.

-Kasie

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Posted in Odds and Ends | 7 Comments »

Here there be comments...

  • Esther

    May 21, 2008 at 11:13 am

    Ya well we have the Cortez’s pool now! Cant wait to go to their house! any way uh i think you all should get a pool down there Specially cause its usual so hot down there! You Willi NEED TO HAVE A POOL! lol I hope out summer warms up though its been TOOOO Springy up here! April is here in may again likes last year the rain came late stupid weather!

  • Justin

    May 21, 2008 at 1:56 pm

    I dig clouds and rain and not too cold and not too hot but cold is better than hot weather. Indeed, I like rain and not the sun and snow but I like rain more than snow and…

    Hmm. Let’s just say I’m not a summer person. Your Blackberry winter sound quite nice.

  • Mr. Darcy

    May 21, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    Right on Mr. Just, I dig it too. Allow me to make a point in favor of our case (the cold weather one). When it’s cold outside, what do you do? Why, you turn up the heat, light a fire, bundle up with blankets and hats and coats and whiskers on kittens and and warm woolen mittens etc. etc. But when it’s hot what do you do? Basically, all you can do is crank up the air conditioning (if you have it) and go swimming (if you have a place to swim). And even so, the sun keeps on baking, it keeps on getting warm inside, you can bundle up as much as you want, but you can only shed clothing so far before they come to pick you up and take you up river. Cold is superior. Amen.

  • Kasie

    May 21, 2008 at 7:06 pm

    I prefer warmer weather for the most part, but I don’t mind a bit of cold now and then. I am a fish when it comes to swimming however, which is one reason why I like the heat!
    In the defense of the Heat Mizer though, warmer weather is superior to cold because there’s so much more one can do; gardening, outdoor recreations, swimming, enjoying fresh air with ease (not having to bundle up, get a runny nose and frozen face), etc… I like my winters too though, but I think my favorite is this blackberry winter – it’s perfect for all sorts of things! I wonder how long it will last?

  • Aunt Frances

    May 22, 2008 at 12:03 pm

    I was totally off base when I thought ‘BlackBerry Winter” was a new line of white phones with Bluetooth technology. ;-)

    I’m glad you’re enjoying the weather there. I’ve already had my air conditioner running…in May!! :-O

  • Justin

    May 22, 2008 at 6:43 pm

    Amen, Tim, amen!!

    You can always put another comfy sweater on or wrap in a blanket or get some tea, but you can’t just keep stripping in hot weather, and seldom few of us have a pool.

    The only good thing about warm weather is wading in a stream. If you have one.

    But cold always beats warm no matter what. I won’t mention everything you can do in front of a fireplace or with a cup of tea or while wrapped up in a blanket or with a cat on your lap that has been happily purring for the last thirty mintues.

  • Kaysie

    May 23, 2008 at 12:57 pm

    Hey Kasie,
    My sisters love to swim too, and we don’t have a pool either. But there is always a good ole cow pond! :) They went swimming in ours a few days ago… it was freezing!

    Oh, I wanted to let you know that you’ve been awarded the “You make my day award”. Details at my blog. Thanks for making my day! :)


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