Tagged: Weather
San Francisco (Holiday!)
We went West for Christmas. It was good, for us both. Although the weather was not all that California weather is meant to be (read pissing rain for many of the days we were there) the enforced inside time and relaxation was a blessing.
Due to the terrible weather we spent the first day in the California Academy of Sciences. They had an amazing coral reef aquarium with the most beautiful array of fish. I could have watched it for hours.
Of course there is the bridge, which is as spectacular in real life as it is in your imagination. And it really was that grey for many of the days… Although there’s something about dull, low grey and mizzle which makes me feel so cosy.
Our friends took us in search of sunshine and find it we did. We even found some Elk. Who knew there were Elks in Northern California, certainly not I. Speaking of Elk we also saw Elephant Seals and hummingbirds (so very amazing).
And then the last day spent in a blaze of sunshine, seeing the city on foot and enjoying the colours and contrasts that this city provide, old vs new, green space vs urban sprawl, poor vs rich.
I’m sure we’ll be back.
Hurricane Sandy
21:40, things have got worse as the day has gone on. The lights are flickering, the streets are quiet and still the rain comes. I’m constantly checking Twitter to see what’s happening. Which is also making me think I should perhaps ease off the Twitter checks to reduce anxiety. We’ll be okay, somehow. Now to watch TV while we have power, enjoy a glass of wine and truly appreciate being at home safe with my husband.
It’s 13:30 and I’m sat on my sofa working from home. Work is closed today because of what is potentially going to be the biggest storm the East Coast of the US has seen for 100 years.
It is an odd feeling, sitting in a warm house, electricity working, water running and seeming calm outside, yet knowing that the worst is yet to come.
When everyone at work started worrying about the Hurricane on Friday I was to be honest a little flippant. Assuming it would be fine, comparing it to Hurricane Irene which was a bit of a non-event in DC last summer, not though for Vermont and Massachusetts Irene left lasting damage which is still being repaired. However as the time passes and the weather reports flow in I am more aware that this one is big.
Time will tell what the effects will be, for now I am just praying that as many as possible stay safe and that Sandy doesn’t wreak as much havoc as expected.
Washington DC Cherry Blossom 2012
Springtime in Washington, D.C. really is glorious. This year especially. We’ve had about six days in a row with temperatures in the twenties (Celcius that is), which has meant that the cherry blossoms are out early. They were due at the end of March but we went down to see them this weekend and they were already looking wonderful.
Below is a new type of cherry tree for me, the weeping cherry tree, it has the most beautiful branches fir to bursting with blossom which dust down to the ground and sway gently in the wind.
And finally, some gentle pink amongst the white. It would seem that the pinker blossomed trees flower later than the white blossom ones as when we were out and about most of the trees were white. This one though was tinged pink and looked ever so pretty.
Hot summer nights (and days)
Right now the East Coast of America is experiencing a heatwave, and right now I am beginning to understand what people mean when they say DC in the summertime is a whole other place. The heat is all encompassing, the humidity high and the force of it all relentless. It is an experience which I would not wish on many.
We stepped out today and my eyeballs felt like they do when you open an oven. Immediately you start sweating, no matter if in the shade or otherwise and you have to walk at least twice as slowly as normal.
In some ways this is summer, right? In other ways this is torture, no break, even overnight the temperatures are still about 28C – 30C (80 – 85F). Today I am praying for the one thing which I love about this weather, the spectacular thunderstorms. The huge flashes of lightning followed by deep rolls of thunder.
Only another month and a half to go before this punishing heat might ease off. Until then my quietness may be due to my proneness somewhere with air conditioning…
Life in the city (almost) 