Life in a Northern Town

Indian Summer and Northern Lights

This week on NPR we learned the supposed origin of the term, "Indian Summer." They say that in colonial times, some authors used the term referring to the shift in the wind that comes to New England in October or November. Just as fall begins to chill, the wind begins to blow from the southwest, bring a current of warm air to delay winter's onset. The Indians believed it was a blessing from the God of the Southwest (--??--a name that began with a "K"), so the colonists started calling the warm period "Indian Summer."

Well, we are having one of those here in Livingston. The past 3 late-Octobers I have spent in Livingston have had daily highs in the teens or twenties. The past 2 weeks it has been 50's and 60's! I feel like I've died and gone to Arizona--er, I mean HEAVEN! I fully believe we are being blessed to finish our build! We worked from 8:30 til 5 pm on Saturday (I stained all the wood for our porch, Rich helped finish Angie & Davy's roof). Ahhh--warm-ish days and cold nights! Hey, it reminds me of a Dream Academy song:

"It was the time of year just after summer's gone
when August and September just become memories of songs
to be put away with the summer clothes and packed up in the attic for another year.
We had decided to stay on for a few weeks more
tho' the season was over, the days were still warm
And seemed reluctant to five up and hand over to winter for another year."

And tonight I saw the Northern Lights for the first time! It looked a little like a sunrise, but it was coming from the north west, with wavy rays of pale blue in the dark sky. No funky colors or anything, just a glow. I wish I could go out to the ranch and watch away from the town lights.

But it's late. We've had a nice Sunday--a good fast, a good church meeting, and a good breaking of our fast with lots of good Italian food and celebrating Angie's (my sis-in-law) 21st birthday at Mom Melin's. We even watched Shrek 2 after the bday party, and now I've got my whole family to bed. I think I shall join them!