Autumn Sonata

Kaposvár September 1, 2022 Hi: 19°C/66°F Lo: 14°C/57°F Cloudy, chance of rain

As I've mentioned before in my musings over the years, seasons move quickly here in the upper latitudes. Today is September 1, and Hungary is leaning into Fall, with a high temperature today of 66°F. In New Orleans, where I spent part of my yout', it would not reach into the 60's until November(!). Of course, New Orleans is in the (sub)tropics, defined as an area close to the equator, receiving more sun than temperate zones, and having two seasons: wet & dry. That makes sense.

While most of Europe (worldwide, really), is experiencing a historic drought, with a number of heat-related events setting records, Hungary has dodged the worst. There are still areas of the country dealing with low rainfall totals, but for the most part we're doing okay. It rained overnight and the low last night was 57°F. I'll take it!

In the news is the constant refrain that because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is the danger of food insecurity for much of the world (is 'food insecurity' another way of saying 'famine' or 'hunger' or 'starvation'). Taking walks around the outskirts of Kaposvár, I can report that the wheat & corn & sunflower crops are doing just fine. Can Hungary take advantage and help fill that 'food gap?'

That's the opposite direction of the local currency, which is not doing so well, trading at almost twice as many Forints to the Dollar as when I moved here in 2017 (the forint has been very good to me, dawlin'). And Hungary is buying large amounts of oil & gas from Gazprom, the Russian national energy company. Inflation is now running at a 25-year high of 16.7% as of July, with speculation that it may rise to 20% in the Fall. So, hopefully, the agricultural sector will boost the local economy, while feeding the world.