by STEVE SMITH
lAf hat was more soothing than to sit beside a crackling fire on a cold winter's night with your loved one, a drink and smooth, easy-listening music gently playing in the background? Gazing into the flickering, dancing firelight; watching the glowing embers falling to the ashes; thinking about things.
Weather had some different effects on a person: some good, some bad. As in the words of English poet George Herbert: "Every mile is two in winter." Those long Walks to class from the towers to the classroom building in frigid weather could chill a person's soul. Cold winds whistling in torrid whirlpools could make a person's blood icy cold.
What fun it was for a student to engage in a friendly snowball fight with neighboring students. Or walk to class and catch the snow-flakes on your tongue. Possibly, one of the . prettiest sights the human eye could behold was a fresh field of virgin snow untrampled by human feet.
With the departure of winter brought the April showers of spring. Rain put a damper on going to class. Umbrellas blow inside out, the rain got cold and chilling, your hair got wet, and your shoes got soggy. Sometimes a newspaper provided an adequate substitute for a forgotten umbrella. "What is that tapping on my window-pane ... ?" You look in dismay at the cold gray day. It was raining. Sometimes you wake up and gaze out the window and ask yourself: Is an umbrella necessary? The clouds told you "Yes." So you reached in the closet for the umbrella and trudged off to class hoping the rain would go away.
Warm weather with the radiant sunshine enhanced any day. Girls appeared in bikinis to soak up the sun. Time for frisbees. Shorts, too. Softball games and picnics became weekend activities. The indoor life of winter had given way to the warm outdoor life of spring.
As you rose in the morning, as the rays off
the morning sun penetrated the shades, a sigh of relief came over you. Walking outdoors, a gaze to the sky revealed a sea of heavenly blue. Only one thing wrong: who wanted to go to class on such a beautiful day? But, the day was so pretty, even classes seemed enjoyable. When the day was over, the humidity high, you came home and settled down to a nice, high, cold glass of lemonade. Or possible, a tall, icey Stroh's. After a while, you were asleep, resting in front of the air conditioner. Dreaming.
top: Fall and spring are common rain periods in Kentucky. above: Snow comes occasionally, but never in large amounts. opp. pg., top: From the dorms to central campus is a long walk in bad weather. center left: Some bicycle even in the snow. center right: Working in the library is one of the common things to do on rainy days, but to some it's boring: bottom left and right: Wind, especially around the Office Tower, can ruin umbrellas.