So soft has this European winter been, so wet and warm, that one could be forgiven for believing that the cold, dark and brutal winters of yesteryear are gone forever. In the December weeks leading to Christmastide there was a introductory nip of minus degree weather and it was commonly accepted that the icy claws of the north were extended ready to rake in field and town. But this cold snap, which lasted short of 14 days, was hurriedly buffeted away by the current warm spell that appears to be here to stay. Even today above the Czesky Republiky is a beautiful blue sky and the bright sun has early begun its chase of the night's wispy fog across the open, empty fields.
Hedgehogs have emerged to feast on cold wriggly worms in the mud and the hopeful twig-end buds on the sycamores are preparing to burst. Just what on earth's going on round here?
North Americans are currently in no doubt about winter as they perceive with horror just how bad a -60˚F (-51˚C) polar vortex can be. The poor Brits have also welcomed in the New Year with poor weather – flooding, winter storm surges and torrential rain may just be an annual occurance.
With all of this in mind, possibly the oldest earworm tune in history merrily played itself over the first cup of tea of the day, Sumer is Icumen In. This mid-13th century polyphony, written on beautiful parchment, is on display at the British Museum. It holds an innocent medieval charm that tenderly describes the signs of late summer in typical jocular English humour – in particular, the line 'the bullock prances, the buck farts'. Attempts to bawdlerise this line in particular have always made it funnier than it really is.
You've also probably heard it under different guise when the mice on Bagpuss's Marvellous Mechanical Mouse Organ sing the tune with alternative words as they clean and repair the object of the episode. I include it below simply to enforce this earworm and offer no apology: it is a nice thing to have running around your head all day. And maybe –just maybe– it will help maintain the nice weather here and hasten the return to warmer weather wherever you are (Australia excluded).
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