Earlier in May, I received several pictures from my brother in Egypt of some family members, dated may 2, 2005. What struck me was how I do not recall the stark difference in climate between Canada and Egypt, and its effect on crops.

In one of the pictures, my uncle is standing in a partially harvested wheat field, with ripe golden wheat ears showing up clearly. This is the first crop of the season. In most of Egypt, there are three crops per year.

In another picture, my brother is below a mulberry tree, with my nephew up in its branches. The tree has white ripe fruit on it.

All the people in the pictures are still wearing "winter clothing" of sorts: long sleeve shirts and jackets. If temperature there is 15C or so, it is considered really cold!

Compare this with Southern Ontario. The fields are are just being plowed, and there is risk of frost still. Golden wheat fields are only present in September. Mulberry only ripens in late July at the earliest.

And as for clothing, 15C is considered great weather if it is not windy.

Having been in Canada for several years, certainly my viewpoint on weather, climate and crops have changed!