I gaze out over dark brown fields, nestled in borders of green grass. A deep grey sky hovers above, threatening to pour out its heavy burden upon unsuspecting blossoms and newly planted gardens. We've been scampering around all day in coats and sweatshirts, wondering if an unseen wrinkle in time has stolen our summer and slipped us back into November. The weather man tells us to expect snow overnight. He's kidding, right?
Newborn foals huddle against their dams, and goat kids likewise stay closer than usual to their mothers.
A neighbor stops in to tell us that back in the 1800's, the temperatures stayed low all summer long and folks starved to death on the east coast.** That sparks my interest, and as soon as I finish covering up the tomato plants and take the axe down to break up the ice in the water tubs so the animals can drink tonight, I'm going to go look that up. Okay, so maybe I won't need the axe, well, at least not until tomorrow morning.
Please come back, spring. We miss your warm sunshine and blue skies. Stay tuned for more Rainbow Gate Farm updates very soon!
** The summer in question was 1816 -- the year without a summer in New England. It followed the Tambora volcanic eruption in 1815 and caused winter-like summers in the United States and Europe. Killing frosts were recorded on June 10th, July 9th, and August 13th.
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