Carpe Diem

The sunshine came blasting through my windows this morning. Our star has transited its massive arc across our sky, or rather we have made the 10 month journey around the sun to where it's arc now shines directly into my window once again. This arc will continue for another month, at which point it will reverse its eternal march across the heavens, eventually going far enough south so that my window, once again, is out of direct reach.

My apartment is warm. It's position against the sun means the windows are almost always bathed in its warmth. I have neighbours on all sides, providing more heat and insulation. The thermostat in my apartment is almost never turned up. Perhaps there were two or three days in the darkest, deepest cold of this winter where the radiators were radiating. Beyond that, I need the windows open most days to keep it cool in here.

It always amazes me how quickly winter turns to spring, and spring to summer, here in Calgary. Of course the truth is that winter can make a snap appearance almost anytime. This is the only place I know of where they talk about a late summer snow storm, or where spring snow is not only expected, but surprising in its absence. Still, it was winter a couple of weeks ago. There was snow on the ground; the trees still barren; the grass still shrouded in the dusty brown of winter. Then, a couple of days back, it started to change. Trees began to bud. Grass greened. Snow melted.

The warmth of summer won't last long. In less than 120 days we will be well into September, possibly seeing the first of the autumn snows. We will have a month of spring, two months of summer, a month or so of autumn, then the chill winds of winter will once again blow down from the mountain slopes.

While summer is here, I will revel in it. I'm already planning an excursion out in my power chair today, for nothing other than some time in the sun. I'll do some mindless shopping; swiss cheese, bell peppers, watermelon, cucumbers. I'll go to the shop furthest away, so I can spend more time outside. I might head over to Tim Horton's for a coffee to go, then sit in the sun, sipping, and basking in the warmth. I will seize the day.