Indian Summer

Written by LeAnn R. Ralph


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Her explanation made quite a bit of sense, but still, if my teacher ANDrepparttar weatherman said it was Indian Summer…

“Did you just make that up?” I asked. “About it not being Indian Summer until after it snows?”

“No,” my mother said, “I did not just make it up. That’s what MY mother and father always said.”

My mother's parents, Nils and Inga, were immigrants from Norway who had died long before I was born.

“Does Norway have Indian Summer, too?” I asked.

My mother shook her head.

“Why not?”

“No Indians,” she replied.

We had learned in school that Native Americans wererepparttar 111338 first people who lived here. And if they were American, then of course they wouldn’t live in Norway, too.

“Did Grandma Inga and Grandpa Nils know any Indians?” I asked.

“No,” Mom said, “although there were still a few in this part of Wisconsin when my grandpa first came to live here. Or so I’ve heard.”

“Did they call it Indian Summer?” I asked.

“Who?” Mom inquired.

“The Indians who were here when your grandpa was around,” I said.

My mother shook her head as she finished peelingrepparttar 111339 last potato. “I wouldn’t haverepparttar 111340 foggiest notion,” she replied.

Later that fall, it snowed a little bit. Afterrepparttar 111341 snow melted andrepparttar 111342 weather turned warm again for a while, I could see what Mom meant about how if it snows, we think it’s going to be winter, but then ifrepparttar 111343 weather turns nice again, it seems more like summer.

Nowadays I often hear weather forecasters proclaiming that a sunny, warm, fall day is Indian Summer.

I know better, though.

If my grandparents — and my mother — believed that snow was a prerequisite for Indian Summer, well — that’s good enough for me.

*******************



LeAnn R. Ralph is the author of the book, Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm). Share the view from Rural Route 2 and celebrate Christmas during a simpler time. Free shipping on autographed copies. Read sample chapters and other Rural Route 2 stories — http://ruralroute2.com


Store Your Outdoor Furnishings to Make Them Last

Written by Debbie Rodgers


Continued from page 1


Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com


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