Weather isn't always perfect, but it comes close.

Weather is something we all know, so it's unsurprising to find it mentioned in stories all the time. What I find interesting is how the focus tends to be on the moody aspects. For instance, "It was a hot and sultry day," or "Cold rain cut through my clothes, soaking me to the skin." It's a happy occasion to find good things about the weather, like my favorite scene from "The Hobbit" book, where Bilbo climbs past the forest treetop and pokes his head into the sun-drenched paradise above the horrible forest of Mirkwood. I adore that scene, because it stands in such stark contrast to the dreadfulness below. Also, it's the first story scene I ever read where I could absolutely see it completely--just like it was playing out in front of my eyes (a magical experience for a third grader).

Typically, people complain about the weather, or totally ignore it. Like so many things, we love to complain but are slow to enjoy. I'm not sure why we human beings do this. Why can't we roll in the grass when the sun is shining? Why not skip through the puddles after a rain? Why don't we grin into the wind and laugh at the moon? Yes, we can enjoy the weather when it's good. We don't always have to complain. Which brings me to one of the few jokes I know: What do you get when you put a bunch of farmers in the basement? --- A whine cellar. <You see, farmers pout about everything, because nothing is ever perfect ... yeah? funny huh?>

Despite all this, we still love to talk about the weather. In fact, it's such a cliché that we joke about how often we speak about it. Yet, it's frequently the very first thing we talk about with someone. So, it's no surprise to find weather in our stories. It's a background feature generally, but when it's the focus there's nothing holding it back. I suppose the best thing about weather in stories is that it absolutely obeys the author, setting the scene and ambience for whatever they have in mind. Plus, it's easy to strand characters by using weather--also, most suspense stories wouldn't exist without some kind of horrible weather.

- M