The End of June

Today we are the last day of June. One month of summertime done and dusted, and it has been a trying month from yours truly. Because we had one of the worst heatwaves in history, for one, which really made me struggle. I used to like the month of June, a long, long time ago. Not so much now. Especially since as I got older, I started to seriously struggling with heat. And since June is now generally way hotter than it used to be... Well, it's going to be over soon. Thankfully, the heatwave is gone, for now. I'm bracing myself for the next one, whenever it may be. Until then, I can find some solace knowing that I survived the first month of summer. And you, how was your June? Did you enjoy it?

Amber/Red Warning

We are going through a week in Hell: it is a heatwave. Not the first this summer, but by far the worst yet: the Met Office gave an amber warning of extreme heat from Monday until Tuesday, and a red warning from Wednesday until Thursday inclusively. It should go as high as 37 degrees. This is pure madness. I don't understand how people can be happy about this and thinking it's all just fine and they say it's lovely sunshine and so on. I think it's sheer masochism. So yeah, I keep hydrated, I stay in until evening comes, I just brace myself and cannot wait for summer to be over.

Summer Solstice

 Today is the summer solstice. So the official or astronomical first day of summer, although in my book the season truly starts with the month of June. Be that as it may, we're in a heatwave, with temperatures going up to 30 degrees today. And it is the longest day of the year. The horror, the horror. I don't like summertime, I don't like long days and I don't like heat. I know, I'm a strange beast, I'm weird, but I know I'm not alone. So yes, I am not really in a great mood today. If only it was a cool and rainy day, it would be bearable, but no. There is one thing, and truly one thing I like about the solstice: once it is over, it means that the days are going to get shorter and shorter. It's going to be long until we feel it, but it gives me some level of solace.

The chill in the air

Sometimes, one counts his blessings, knowing it will not last. We had one dreadful heatwave and another one is forecast, starting this weekend. But since the end of the last one, we had surprisingly cool weather. With lots of rain, but not only rain: I actually had to wear long sleeve shirts and light jumpers to stay warm. It struck me a few days ago: my wife had opened the bedroom windows, it made the whole place feeling chilly and cool, and oh so fresh, it truly felt wonderful. Almost autumnal, although not quite (my favourite season has a different smell). Still, it made me forget that summer has only started. I'm really enjoying this.

Un vrai orage

 Bon, il ne se sera pas trop fait attendre: nous avons eu droit à un orage électrique en bonne et due forme la semaine dernière. J'ai pu prendre une photo, mais elle lui rend pas justice. Bon, je dis ça à chaque fois que je partage une photo d'un orage, mais c'est difficile de montrer quand il tombe des cordes, encore plus de saisir les éclairs. Ce que je n'ai jamais réussi jusqu'ici. Mais bon, c'est le plus orageux des orages que l'on a eus depuis le début de l'été.

Accursed Heatwave

 If you are living in the UK, even in Europe, you are experiencing it now (at least when I'm typing this): there is a heatwave. I have been expecting it, but not looking forward to it. In fact, I have been dreading it since the last heatwave we have experienced, back in August 2025, when we had two weeks of this horror. I don't like the heat, because of this I stopped liking summertime. I'm not sure exactly when, but I reallt dislike summertime now, at least and especially when it's hot outside. I hate the heat, it makes me numb, tired, restless, uncomfortable, irritable, it drains me of my energy. So yes, I'm looking forward for it to end.

Première canicule

Bon, je sais que nous ne sommes pas encore officiellement l'été, mais on ne va pas se mentir: l'été est ici officieusement arrivé et il est arrivé en grande fanfare, sans crier gare, une vraie peste mêlée à du choléra dans une éruption volcanique. Parce que nous avons droit à notre première canicule et ce, depuis vendredi dernier. L'enfer ensoleillé. Il va sans dire que je déteste cordialement. Et vous, comment c'est chez vous?

More Thunderstorms?

 I blogged last Thursday about the stormy weather we had then: wind, rain, hail, and finally some thunder in the afternoon, followed by heavy showers. Well, they are forecasting more storms today. I am actually really happy about it, as I love storms. May is not particularly a month for storms, it's a tad early for stormy weather, but like I said I don't mind. I hope it's a proper thunderstorm, with plenty of lightning... And I hope I will be inside and dry when it happens. If it happens. Because it wouldn't be the first time a storm is forecast and doesn't happen. Anyway, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

First Thunderstorm(s)

So far this year, the month of May has been, well, weird. Weather-wise, it has been downright schizophrenic, worse than April. It has been hot last week, but suddenly temperatures dropped dramatically. Like, beneath 15 degrees Celsius.And stranger than this: we've had our proper thunderstorm(s) yesterday. Usually, storms happen when it is hot and humid. In the morning, around 11:00, we started having rain, wind, and finally hail, then it got sunny again. Not warm, but sunny. As we were waiting for Wolfie to get out of school, we suddenly heard thunder. It then started pouring down. It was surreal. But I'm not complaining: I far prefer this to warm weather. I find it way more comfortable. And it's very atmospheric.

It feels like autumn

We are having a very strange month of May these days: while it started hot, borderline summery, temperatures have suddenly dropped dramatically. So today and from what I can understand the rest of the week, it will be around 15 degrees Celsius, sometimes even lower. I had to put on my warm jumpers today and will do the same tomorrow. If it wasn't for the trees being green and the flowers in bloom, one would believe that we are in autumn. It feels like autumn anyway. I'm glad, as I don't like the heat and I love autumn (as you probably know if you have been following this blog for a while). I am worried things might change soon enough, so I make the best of the here and now.

En avril...

 Voici une autre photo prise par mon père au début du mois d'avril. Chicoutimi et le Saguenay au printemps...

Les neiges d'avril

Mon père a pris des photos de l'accumulation de neige à Chicoutimi. Nous sommes en avril et on dirait décembre ou janvier. Surréaliste. Cela dit, j'avoue que si j'étais au Saguenay, je ne m'en plaindrais pas, en tout cas j'essaierais de ne pas me plaindre.

Pâques sous la neige

 Mon frère PJ a pris cette photo. Il est à Chicoutimi chez mes parents pour Pâques, avec le reste de ma famille. Il n'y a que la branche anglaise qui est ailleurs. Le printemps au Saguenay, c'est parfois souvent enneigé. Pâques est donc sous la neige cette année et peut-être plus que d'habitude.

Devious March

 Since the vernal equinox and even before (see this post for instance), this springtime had been rather idyllic. For those who love when it gets warmer during spring, that is. Because I am not one of them. I far prefer cold weather and when it gets warmer, I start dreading the hot days of summer to come. Thankfully, March is a treacherous month and he proved himself to be again: since yesterday, the temperature dropped, it's overcast and sometimes rainy, furthermore it gets quite windy. Oh I love when March gets cold and windy! I know it will not last, but I am feeling oh so comfy right now and I am making the most of it.

Le thermostat québécois (printemps VS automne)

Il y a quelques jours, une amie a posté ce meme dans un chat que nous avons. Il m'a bien fait rire. C'est bien entendu authentique. C'est drôle parce que c'est vrai. Bon, j'ai vu des memes semblables ailleurs, enfin qui parlaient du même sujet, ce n'est pas exclusivement une réalité québécoise, mais quand même. C'est vrai que notre rapport à la température dépend des circonstances. Même ici, j'ai souvent un sentiment d'horreur quand la température monte jusqu'à 15 degrés. Bon, je ne porte pas de t-shirt, mais je m'habille plus légèrement. Plus légèrement, dans tous les cas, que lorsque la température tombe à 15 degrés pour la première fois en automne. Mais c'est lorsque c'est trois degrés que c'est le plus frappant: si ça monte à trois degrés au printemps, après un long hiver, j'ai (trop) chaud. À l'automne, c'est un bonheur incomparable.

Is it spring already?

You know I consider that a season starts with the beginning of the month it starts, not on the day of the equinox or the solstice. Ergo, March marks the start of spring. And it seems that this year, the weather has been proving me right: since the beginning of March, it has been overall (and suddenly) quite warm. Warm and sunny. Added to this that we can notice the sun coming down later and later (it's easier to notice when it's not cloudy) and it seems that spring is here. Everybody is happy about it, except me. I know, I know, I'm a miserable grouch. But I prefer colder weather, for one, and I find shorter days more relaxing. But people should not be too enthusiastic: March is a notoriously treacherous month and things can look and feel gloomy quickly. Nevertheless, spring came early this year and I might as well get used to it.

Latest Train Travel

I took this picture last year at the National Railway Museum in York. As I mentioned in this post, they have a balcony where you can do trainspotting. It's great fun. But there is an activity even more fun: traveling by train. I did just that a few days ago: I had to go to a near(ish) city. Not a very long journey, about forty minutes by train. I hadn't traveled by train since September 2025, so a train journey was long overdue. On the way back, it was pouring down, sadly I did not take a picture, that's why I am sharing this one. It has no rain, but you can see the clouds. People may think heavy rains makes everything miserable, but in the comfort of a train, that's charming and atmospheric.

Where's the snow?

Since we got back here from our holidays, there has been some snow early January, then nothing. As in: nothing. It's been quite disheartening. There were a few snow forecast, here and there, of course snow fell up North, but here in the South, nothing happened, even when there were chances of snow fall. As winter is passing through, way faster than I care for, I hope we will get some snow before long, like a proper snow day when we have to stay in. I say "I hope", but I am beyond hope now. I will believe it when I see it.

Les brouillards de janvier

 Je veux revenir sur mon billet d'hier, à propos du brouillard (ou parfois de la brûme) qui a été le lot de ce mois de janvier. Le brouillard est assez fréquent en janvier, mais il l'a été encore plus cette année. On en a encore eu hier lorsqu'on a mené Wolfie à l'école. Le brouillard apparaît au moins une fois par semaine. Cette photo date du 16 janvier. C'est vraiment magnifique, on dirait que l'on passe dans un autre monde hors du temps. Si je pouvais, je passerais tout le matin à marcher jusqu'à ce qu'il se dissipe.

Janvier et le brouillard

Il n'y a pas de neige ici depuis notre retour et ça me manque. Cela dit, janvier a été jusqu'ici un mois de brouillard, parfois de brume. J'essaie de prendre des photos autant que je peux, parce que c'est vraiment joli. Il y aura d'autres photos d'ici à la fin du mois.