How is the weather?

[vandermolen]

So much for 'England's Green and Pleasant Land':

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Although only about a little more than an hour north of me, we got virtually no rain until I think their third day of rain. After it started, we got a lot of rain, and one tunnel was closed due to the flood, but overall, nothing like what they got in Seoul.

I googled Seoul and just read about *"banjihas" and the people who drowned in them.   😢

*From what I understand, they were built to be used as temporary air-raid shelters--not as long-term apartments?

So much for 'England's Green and Pleasant Land':

It would be interesting to see the same image, but taken say 10 years ago.  I hate to think of what has happened in the US over the past several decades too.   

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Ran across this short video on the BBC's website about the impact of the dry weather on people, industries, prices and animals.   

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-62508378

Happy to say that at least for a few days anyway, it's cooler and less humid.  Grateful for that!

PD

[krummholz]

Wishing my friends over in Europe a safe remainder of this brutal summer... temps above 35º C are dangerous and need to be taken very seriously. Here in New England we have had some very uncomfortable weather for about 2 weeks, with highs in the low to mid 30s but dew points well into the 20s, which result in "feel-like" temps in the upper 30s C. Starting yesterday a very different airmass settled in, and today we are only expecting 21º (69 F). Feels positively fall-like!

[Iota]

So much for 'England's Green and Pleasant Land':

Was strolling across Hampstead Heath with a friend the other day, and in forty years of London living I've never seen it so parched! Bowed but not broken though, and still manages to be a special place to wander. 

[vandermolen]

Was strolling across Hampstead Heath with a friend the other day, and in forty years of London living I've never seen it so parched! Bowed but not broken though, and still manages to be a special place to wander. 

Interesting to know. As a child I was often on Hampstead Heath as my prep school was in Swiss Cottage. My daughter now lives near Hampstead Heath - it is indeed a very special place.

[Iota]

Interesting to know. As a child I was often on Hampstead Heath as my prep school was in Swiss Cottage. My daughter now lives near Hampstead Heath - it is indeed a very special place.

Interesting. Most of the places I've lived in London have been within reasonable hailing distance of the Heath. The first room I rented when I came to London was just down the hill on the fringe of Hampstead Garden Suburbs (in a house owned by Lazar Berman's former wife, herself a brilliant pianist who had studied at the Moscow Conservatoire).

[Irons]

Interesting. Most of the places I've lived in London have been within reasonable hailing distance of the Heath. The first room I rented when I came to London was just down the hill on the fringe of Hampstead Garden Suburbs (in a house owned by Lazar Berman's former wife, herself a brilliant pianist who had studied at the Moscow Conservatoire).

I don't know North London at all well but mention of Hampstead and I always think of Decca's famous West Hampstead recording studios in Broadhurst Gardens. Opened in the 1930's and closed 50 years later when Philips took over Decca.
The building is now used as a rehearsal studio for the English National Opera.

Interesting connection between you and Lazar Berman. Small world.   

[vandermolen]

Interesting. Most of the places I've lived in London have been within reasonable hailing distance of the Heath. The first room I rented when I came to London was just down the hill on the fringe of Hampstead Garden Suburbs (in a house owned by Lazar Berman's former wife, herself a brilliant pianist who had studied at the Moscow Conservatoire).

Interesting too. My brother lived in Hampstead Garden Suburb for many years.

[Karl Henning]

Extreme heat weather warning here for the next 4 days. Hosepipe ban comes into force in Sussex tomorrow 

Good luck!

[Karl Henning]

We've just bought a water butt (as they are called over here) but since there is no rain we can't fill it up!

Interesting. Probably "rain barrel" here.

[Irons]

Interesting. Probably "rain barrel" here.

Oddly "water butt" sounds American and "rain barrel" sounds British to my ears and as already noted in fact the other way around.
Americans say "get off your butt" and Brits say "got him over a barrel". Completely different meanings which explains it. 

[JBS]

Oddly "water butt" sounds American and "rain barrel" sounds British to my ears and as already noted in fact the other way around.
Americans say "get off your butt" and Brits say "got him over a barrel". Completely different meanings which explains it. 

The butt in "Get off your butt" is just a short form of buttock.  But "water butt" I presume simply keeps to older vocabulary: remember how the Duke of Clarence was drowned in a butt of malmsley?

[drogulus]

     

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Extreme heat weather warning here for the next 4 days. Hosepipe ban comes into force in Sussex tomorrow 

How's it going so far with the hosepipe ban?

Still bone-dry here alas.  Watering daily though at least the temps have dropped somewhat--which is a nice relief.

PD

[MusicTurner]

Still baking hot here on Ærø too; today with a mild breeze, but the next two days will be almost without any wind. It's difficult to be that active during most of the daylight hours.

The landscapes are very dry, but the vegetation is coping with it so far; the greenery and trees seem alright, plenty of wild blackberries to pick along the roads, and many of them are sufficiently fruity to be a treat. Harvest is approaching its end; the related machinery and activities adding to the dusty dryness everywhere.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Still baking hot here on Ærø too; today with a mild breeze, but the next two days will be almost without any wind. It's difficult to be that active during most of the daylight hours.

The landscapes are very dry, but the vegetation is coping with it so far; the greenery and trees seem alright, plenty of wild blackberries to pick along the roads, and many of them are sufficiently fruity to be a treat. Harvest is approaching its end; the related machinery and activities adding to the dusty dryness everywhere.

Sounds like you've been on an extended holiday there?  Must be lovely to be by the water.  How have you been entertaining yourself when it's hot and sunny out?

PD

[Iota]

I don't know North London at all well but mention of Hampstead and I always think of Decca's famous West Hampstead recording studios in Broadhurst Gardens. Opened in the 1930's and closed 50 years later when Philips took over Decca.
The building is now used as a rehearsal studio for the English National Opera.

Interesting connection between you and Lazar Berman. Small world.

Yes indeed, some times more than others it seems. I don't know of this is of any interest to anyone, but the same landlady and Berman ex, certainly oversaw an interesting musical scene in her house. One night for example, Pascal Rogé turned up for dinner, and for dessert sat himself down and gave an impromptu performance of Schumann's Symphonic Etudes! He was still in his twenties I guess and I was deeply impressed to hear he was studying with Claudio Arrau, whose Brahms concerto recordings were then one of the pinnacles of my music listening life.
Another time the conductor Peter Maag came round and a few days later we ended up recording a Mozart piano duet in the green room of Covent garden for a mutual friend, who held him as one of the best Mozart conductors he'd ever heard.
During the rehearsal he told me he'd performed Rachmaninov's PC 2 under the baton of Alfred Cortot, which fairly blew my mind, as Cortot occupied the realms of the unreal for me. I only learnt much later he'd also played under  Furtwängler , who was actually the one who first encouraged him to try conducting (as related in the Wiki entry below). A strikingly warm and intelligent human being, who left a great impression on me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Maag

Anyway, sorry for the off-topic diversion.


Thread duty:

In London at long last we're expecting some rain and a reduction in temperatures. Some places will stay dry, others likely to see thunderstorms/torrential rain, and some flash floods are expected as the rain runs off the hard, dry ground. The weather does seem mildly insane at the moment.

[MusicTurner]

Sounds like you've been on an extended holiday there?  Must be lovely to be by the water.  How have you been entertaining yourself when it's hot and sunny out?

PD

Yeah, I'll be going home on Thursday, after 13 days here, then a little work, then a week in the German Harz mountains. Work only really resumes a bit into September.

The tranquility and idylls here are after all enjoyable, and a contrast to my city. I've never been here before, but it's a rather famous beauty spot ... and it is possible to cycle a bit around at times.

It must be nice to have a garden, and the lushness out there to enjoy ...

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yes indeed, some times more than others it seems. I don't know of this is of any interest to anyone, but the same landlady and Berman ex, certainly oversaw an interesting musical scene in her house. One night for example, Pascal Rogé turned up for dinner, and for dessert sat himself down and gave an impromptu performance of Schumann's Symphonic Etudes! He was still in his twenties I guess and I was deeply impressed to hear he was studying with Claudio Arrau, whose Brahms concerto recordings were then one of the pinnacles of my music listening life.
Another time the conductor Peter Maag came round and a few days later we ended up recording a Mozart piano duet in the green room of Covent garden for a mutual friend, who held him as one of the best Mozart conductors he'd ever heard.
During the rehearsal he told me he'd performed Rachmaninov's PC 2 under the baton of Alfred Cortot, which fairly blew my mind, as Cortot occupied the realms of the unreal for me. I only learnt much later he'd also played under  Furtwängler , who was actually the one who first encouraged him to try conducting (as related in the Wiki entry below). A strikingly warm and intelligent human being, who left a great impression on me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Maag

Anyway, sorry for the off-topic diversion.


Thread duty:

In London at long last we're expecting some rain and a reduction in temperatures. Some places will stay dry, others likely to see thunderstorms/torrential rain, and some flash floods are expected as the rain runs off the hard, dry ground. The weather does seem mildly insane at the moment.

Interesting stories!  Must have been great to have been there and met those fascinating and talented people! 

Oh, God, I hope that you don't experience flash floods; they don't help anyone...short of helping reservoirs.  Much better to get some steady but gentle rains.

Yeah, I'll be going home on Thursday, after 13 days here, then a little work, then a week in the German Harz mountains. Work only really resumes a bit into September.

The tranquility and idylls here are after all enjoyable, and a contrast to my city. I've never been here before, but it's a rather famous beauty spot ... and it is possible to cycle a bit around at times.

It must be nice to have a garden, and the lushness out there to enjoy ...

I don't know those mountains but it sounds like a nice place to be. 
I enjoy watching the tiny bit of nature that comes through there.  It's more of a sunny vs. shady garden which has its downfalls when it's really hot and sunny outside.  I do like having a bit of space for growing some tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. though.  I have lots of basil which I had make better use of soon (drying some and making pesto, etc. with the fresh).  Mornings, I love being out there and enjoying the (mostly) stillness.

PD