Indian Summer

So this is October, amazing hot and sunny weather, today the car thermometer registered higher than in summer.

Inevitably there has been discussion as to whether this is a manifestation of human impact on the environment, whether global warming is causing this unseasonably warm autumn. There have been autumns this hot before though, just not for a long time. There was a cluster of them around a hundred years ago and then they were just accepted as unusual but part of the natural variation.

Of all the statistics that I have seen quoted regarding this Indian Summer, the most comforting is that in the past a very hot September was rarely followed by a very cold winter. After the last two cold snowy winters a mild one would be very welcome.

At the moment though we are forecast a couple more days of hot sun so I won't be thinking of winter yet, just enjoying the fact that I am able practise yoga in the garden in October!