Endless Rain and Dreariness

As you all know, I have a certain fascination with The Plague/The Great Mortality/The Pestilence/Call-it-What-You-Will, and this seemingly endless run of bad weather (four days?) reminds me of the reports of bad weather surrounding the first outbreak of the plague in England in 1348.

For centuries, England had enjoyed quite mild weather. The climate was warm and bright enough to allow for vineyards and the country was able to support a wide variety of crops. Living was relatively easy and the population grew. Then the temperatures started to drop--an average of only a degree or so but enough to shorten the growing season and dramatically alter the success and bounty of the crops. 1346 and 1347 proved to be particularly cold and wet but nothing compared to 1348.

In the summer of 1348 it started to rain on Midsummers Day, approximately June 24th, and then it proceeded to rain everyday until Christmas. Interestingly, the first case of the plague in England was reported on June 25th--which, in such a superstitious time must have caused a great deal of speculation regarding its significance; however, I don't recall ever reading anything about that specifically. It was a pretty grim year for poor old England.

I am not suggesting that four days of Minnesota grey skies compares to six months of rain, disease, famine and misery, but I am mighty tired of the chilly dreariness.