My August Newsletter – of changing light and darker nights

In Sweden, July is the traditional summer holiday month. We used to have something called the “Industrial Holiday period” which began around the 6^th of July and ended about four weeks later. Not so any longer, although most heavy industries tend to close down for 2 weeks or so in July for maintenance and the staff is expected to take some of their vacation during those two weeks.

In southern Europe, the vacation month has always been August. Originally, this was because August was way hotter than July—all that banked heat after weeks of sun. These days, the heat waves start as early as June, and in some Mediterranean locations, July is almost unbearably hot. Still: most Spanish, Italian, French and German people take their vacation in August, and up here in Sweden we see an increasing stream of tourists from these countries, because these days, going to their local beaches doesn’t always offer a respite from the heat. Instead, they go north, to enjoy a “coolcation”. As one Italian tourist phrased it, “Here, I can breathe!” (This said while grinning like a loon in a Norwegian downpour)

We see quite a lot of German tourists round our lake—well, not our lake, obviously—during the late summer. They come here to pick mushrooms and berries, do some canoeing and swimming. Now and then they get lost as they tromp through the woods, and once an entire German scout troop required help—they needed food and water, which sort of belies the “Always ready” motto.

Back to August: In August, the days are noticeably shorter than they were in June. Evenings grow dark enough that you can see the stars, and in August, it is the constellation of Cassiopeia that’s straight overhead. It looks a bit like a large W, and supposedly depicts Cassiopeia’s eternal punishment—tied to a chair in the skies. Why she was punished? Well, Cassiopeia was vain—so vain she announced that she, Queen of Ethiopia, was much more beautiful than the Nereids, the sea-nymphs.  This did not please Poseidon, who sent a monster to ravage Ethiopia. After much counsel, Cassiopeia and her hubby saw no other way to appease the angry God than to sacrifice their daughter, Andromeda. Poot Andromeda (apparently as beautiful as her mother, but not as vain) was chained to a cliff, there to await the sea monster and be devoured. Fortunately for Andromeda, a certain Perseus swept down on his winged horse, Pegasus, and killed the sea monster before claiming Andromeda as his wife. A happy ending for Andromeda, but Poseidon was not letting Cassiopeia wiggle out of punishment, hence the constellation that burns so brightly in August.

August is also the month of the meteorite showers called the Perseids (rather logically, given the above myth) It is somewhat magical to sit outside and watch the dark skies for falling stars.

August is the month of golden sunlight. In April and May, the sunlight is a dazzling white. In June and July, it becomes less sharp and in August it mellows to a softer, gilded hue. Maybe this is a figment of my imagination created by the fact that all around stand fields of ripe wheat hat whisper and sough in the wind that ripples through the fields of gold, but whether a figment or a reality, I feel August daylight is kinder, less revealing than the bright, bright light of early spring.

So: shorter, golden days, darker evening and velvet nights lit up by stars—no wonder this is one of my favourite months! And with longer evenings comes more reading time, so how about a couple of book recommendations?

If you’re interested in medieval history you’ve probably heard of Marguerite of Anjou, wife of Henry VI. Judith Arnopp breathes quite some life into this unfortunate woman in her Marguerite: Hell Hath no Fury. No, there is no HEA, but Judith gives Marguerite a voice, and this remarkably strong woman deserves that.

If you want something to read while swinging lazily back and forth in your hammock, I recommend A Mischief of Murder by Helen Hollick. This is a cosy mystery set in beautiful Devon that has me longing for scones and tea while Jan and her beau Laurie end up entangled in yet another murder. This is the sixth book in the series but works perfectly as a stand-alone.

With that, I wish you all a great August. Me, I am still stuck in the 14^th century with my Alma (but she is no longer tied to a water wheel. Phew!) and her Rodrigo. What neither of them know is just how much research I have put into “facial damages caused by sword blades”. . . Poor, poor Rodrigo!

Anna