I received a humorous response to the essay on winter. It is worth sharing as a reminder that half the world in now enjoying summer and they see things a little differently <grin>. Fwd .... . From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Subject: Re: Winter . Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 19:36:14 GMT But Jeff! It's 8.30 am and I'm sitting here in my T-shirts and shorts; the day is already gearing up to be a boomer, everyone with their sunhats and sunscreen on, prepared for their day in Romantic Russell. The sky (when I got up) was blue as a jacaranda, not a cloud, still - thanks heavens, because the wind has been playing havoc with menus and serviettes as people enjoy the outdoor cafes over the past few days. The jacaranda flowers have been exquisite this year -- I have never seenso many tourists stopping to take the one opposite me's photograph. The pohutukawa, with their crimson flowers, came out at all different times of December - some are at their peak right now - and underneath the footpaths are scarlet too from their fallen "petals". I use the inverted commas because they are more like a feijoa or bottlebrush flower close up, and you can hardly call those "petals". The sun is already heating up - lighting up the scene. The ocean too is adding to the intense colour, and then the beach and the tide with the huge variety, shapes and sizes of people and costumes, beach umbrellas and cars parked on the foreshore. Although we have never had snow and ice here in the winter, I'd still prefer not to be thinking in terms of winter at present!!!
