Don Sutherland's articles with the keyword: summer

One moment in early March, the ground was covered by snow. Despite lengthening days, the late-starting winter of 2015-16 struggled to hang on. But seemingly the next moment, all the snow was gone. Where snow and ice had once hugged the earth, the landscape blushed in the growing colors of spring. Each passing day, the mild breezes of a rising spring kissed new life into the once-barren landscape. Soon, the ground was covered in an extraordinary explosion of daffodils. Everywhere one looke…

Summer’s heat lingered well into September this year. The mercury soared to 97°F (36.1°C) on the 8th day of the month and 87°F (30.6°C) on the 18th. Yet, despite the sometimes furnace-like breath of stubborn summer, the days were growing steadily shorter. Each morning, the sun seemed to sleep a little longer. Each evening, the sun departed a little earlier. Each minute of daylight became a little more precious. Each hour of darkness seemed to stretch beyond what should have been allotted. Th…

In “The Four Seasons,” Vay-Hah-Ess wrote: Ernest went with his parents and several playmates to the nearest village, on a warm summer day; and they remained there the entire day. All around them they saw green cornfields and meadows, decorated with thousand fold flowers; also pastures in which young lambs were dancing, and wanton foals were skipping about.—They ate cherries and other summer fruit, and enjoyed themselves right well during the whole day. “Is it not true,” asked his father, on…

The calendar has now moved into October. Canadians will soon be celebrating Thanksgiving Day and Americans Columbus Day. Leaves have turned across Ontario, Quebec, parts of Upstate New York and across northern New England. Farther south, some yellows and reds can already be glimpsed, but the best of autumn’s annual fireworks show still lies ahead. Some have already begun to pick pumpkins. Children’s dreams of an abundant bounty of Halloween candy are moving closer to fruition, though far slo…

The days are growing shorter now. Each morning, the sun rises a little later. Each evening, the sun sets a little earlier. In a matter of weeks, the Autumnal Equinox will be upon us. With summer now drawing to a close, it is a good time to reflect on the season that was. Whether one is in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, or elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, one is sure to have one’s own unique memories. Long after the seemingly endless days of…