Sandy Supposes....

Currently Minus 11 Celsius in Canada

         PROMPT: Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1701, Anders Celsius was born in Sweden, ( he was the inventor of the Celsius thermometer). Are you a cold weather person, or a warm weather person? What do you do to combat temperatures that are not to your liking?

         Here in Canada, there are basically two temperatures; the polar extremes of cold or hot. One minute it seems we're bundling up and the next we're stripping down. Snowshoes or sandals, woollies or wet towels, parkas or pinafores, frostbite or sunburn; all Canadian. I'm forced to be adaptable.

         I'm not particularly fond of hot or cold, or more precisely, the extremes of the two. Layering and swaddling for minus forty degrees Celsius is time-consuming and uncomfortable. A foray outside has to be planned.Winter wear can be bulky and heavy. Some days, the air is so frosty it not only freezes exposed body parts, it hurts to breathe outdoors. Sensitive eyes and noses drip. The pain of fingers and toes thawing is excruciating and second to none. Snow shovelling seems like a thankless chore; it's repeated over and over. Vehicles may refuse to start and are difficult to free of snow and ice.

         For all its harshness, winter is beautiful. It's a welcome relief from the heat and insects of summer. Snow and ice create light-capturing sculptures. The blue of a dazzlingly sunny winter sky is brilliant. Sledding, skating, and skiing are uniquely enjoyable cold-weather sports. Christmas is a wonderful family holiday.

          Don't get me wrong, I also like summer and its warm weather. After a long winter, it feels great to shed heavy clothing and feel the warmth of the sun on my pale skin. I'm not a fan of sun-worship; I don't want brown, leathery skin thank you, and a sunburn is painful. I like to head outdoors without donning several layers first. I love to be barefoot. The longer days of summer are gorgeous. Anything that involves water is fantastic; swimming, diving, boating. Gardening, and nurturing plants and flowers to thrive is a passion of mine. In the warmer weather, I retreat to my seasonal campsite where my days are relaxing.          

I suppose I'm accepting of cold or warm temperatures, just as I stated, not the extremes. Very hot, humid temps. are more intolerable. There's nothing more than naked, and when I've bared all and I'm still perspiring, I tend to be cranky and miserable.

         This is my Canada, eh. Our temperatures plunge to minus forty Celsius and possibly soar to plus forty Celsius. I believe we have bigger closets to hold all the contrasting clothing we require.