Monday 7 November 2016

Hibernation.

I wonder if in the far, far distant past homo sapiens used to hibernate in the winter.   If not then how did he manage to stay alive, living in caves and before the invention of fire?  Layers and layers of fur I suppose.

I did once read of folk somewhere in the world - in the Himalayas I believe - where the whole village retreats underground in Winter with their stores of food;

All I can say is that cold, wet weather like we have had over the past few days, with the wind coming from the North has definitely made me feel like hibernating.

Then this morning, as we came back from our feed merchants in Masham and drove into the market square in our little town, I saw my old friendW - 95 and counting - zipping across the road, still wearing the anorak she has worn all summer, no hat, no gloves - carrying a laden shopping bag as she made her way home.   They make them tough up here.

22 comments:

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

13.5 km run today and I loved it!

Terry and Linda said...

I think I would like to hibernate! I detest winter.

Linda

donna baker said...

I'd say so Pat. Cold and rain while farming. Miserable. We used to have a Christmas tree farm and we were usually out in freezing rain or temps, cutting trees. It was horrible and that is the reason we no longer have a tree farm.

Heather said...

I hibernate during very cold spells of weather, and very hot ones too. It's amazing how some people just don't seem to feel the cold - perhaps your friend doesn't like hot weather. I am certain that I, and my family, were much hardier when we lived in the North. The winter we moved to Devon I didn't wear a coat once!

Joanne Noragon said...

Today actually is beautiful, but the cold and rain will descend tomorrow. I hate it.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

I can handle the cold, but I detest the storms. I do not enjoy going out when I can't see three feet in front of my face due to blowing snow. So far in Ontario we have been very fortunate. It looks like fall, but feels more like summer. Very strange. -Jenn

Mary said...

I recall the really cold wet winters of my childhood in England. Could never get warm until climbing into bed with a hot water bottle and those awful heavy Australian wool blankets under which it was almost impossible to turn over! But come to think of it, getting up in the freezing mornings with the ice patterns INSiDE the bedroom windows (mine faced north toward Dartmoor), was the worst thing ever.

Happy week - hope it dries up and the sun shines for you.
Mary -

Yorkshire Pudding said...

My father-in-law was an arable farmer. In spring and summer his days were long and filled with activity but in wintertime his working hours were halved, he slept longer and stayed in the house a lot more. I guess he was in a kind of hibernation.

the veg artist said...

I can cope with the westerly winds we get here in wet West Wales, but the cold northerly winds are just cruel. Our house is on a north-facing hill and really catches it. The forecast says it's due to change tonight though. About time too!

Gerry Snape said...

I wrote a little,poem once Pat....Porking up and hibernating!! That was years ago..must have been quite young...it doesn't get any easier!!

Wilma said...

I truly dislike winter and cold weather. I used to get so depressed as summer turned to autumn, knowing that winter was around the bend. Dreading it made it last even longer! I am so much happier living in a more tropical climate with no need to hibernate. Stay warm and dry!

Hildred said...

When I was young I loved winter - skating and skiing and even walking in the crisp snow. This was on the Canadian prairies where the cold is dry and the sky is blue and in between storms the sun is shining. In B.C. there is a dampness that doesn't contribute to my joy!!!! And I am old(er)

angryparsnip said...

They sure do make them strong up there.

cheers, parsnip

The Furry Gnome said...

Sorry to t,ell you, but we've had a beautiful sunny warm few days here! In November!

Cro Magnon said...

At my people's house in Sussex there was a door knocker on the door of the master bedroom. We later heard that the previous owner 'hibernated' in winter, and the knocker was for his maid to bring up meals, post, papers, etc. Very wise.

Derek Faulkner said...

It seems that most of the comments prior to mine are from people that hate the winter for various reasons and I am of the same ilk, I loathe it, hate being cold and hate being tied to the inside of a stuffy house in order to feel comfortable. I've worked outside all my adult life and despite living in what some would probably rightfully call the "warm" south of England, have worked through blizzards, severe frosts and freezing rain, yet have never conditioned to it. My idea of heaven is long hot summer days and light, warm evenings. There will always people that love the winter and good luck to them, some even flaunt their love of it by wearing shorts and T shirts in such harsh conditions but for me, I'm all for hibernating - make me up in March!

Librarian said...

I've often thought how nice it would be to go to bed in November, wake up for Christmas and New Year and go back to sleep until it is time to get up for my birthday in late March. But I doubt my boss and our customers would play along!

Somehow, this year the thought of winter seems less daunting than in previous years. I do suffer the cold quite a lot but I can dress against that. Can't dress against the darkness, though. Still, as I said, I'm not as afraid of winter this year as I used to be. Maybe having O.K. in my life makes the difference.

Rachel Phillips said...

I am happy with winter even though some days are unpleasant if it is raining as well as cold. P's mum is off to do her shopping this morning as usual. She is 96. It is foggy and 2 degrees C. I am on my way to work.

Gwil W said...

Thousand of years ago our ancestors were nomads who used to follow the wild animals and the sun. You can still see where they went because they built stone circles. Because they lived in houses made of reeds and wood they could dismantle them and follow for example the deer and salmon and bird migrations. Because we now live in permanent houses made of concrete and stone we have to depend on wings to roar us into the sky and drop us in so-called sunnier climes.

Yorkshire folk are a hardy bunch.

The Broad said...

Being a New England girl I experienced many a cold winter and lots of snow. What I find so difficult in England is the long hours of darkness which begin to descend about 1.00 p.m. so it's a kind of twilight atmosphere until darkness falls. In this part of England it rarely goes below freezing, so it wasn't usual to find the thermometer reading a frosty -2 C this morning!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Everyone seems to be of a similar opinion. Rachel - P's mothr sounds much like my friend, who at almost 96 is as hardy as they come - Florida twice, France once this year.

Yorkshire folk are certainly hardy - the farmer is no exception. It is me who is the weakling I am sorry to say.

Thanks everyone.
Gwil - if you are reading this, how do I go on to your site to leave a comment please?

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

I like winter - I'm not as tough as your friend though - but I suppose since we don't have a lot of snow it is easier to like winter.