Let it Blow, Let it Blow

Langudeoc = mistral

Occitan = mistrau

Catalon = mestral

Italian = maestrale

thefullwiki.org

Traditional Christmas crib in France often includes a figure of a shepherd holding his hat,
with his cloak blowing in the mistral. - the full wiki

Mt. Boron, Nice, 400,000 B.C.  

The inhabitants built low walls of rocks and beach stones to the northwest of their fireplace to protect their fire from the power of the Mistral.

Stone Wall by Dan Snow

Some people call the Mistral the Wind of Wrath.  Peter Mayle described the mistral "as a brutal, exhausting wind that can blow the ears off a donkey." In the last two days, I have experienced something close to the mistral.  The wind has been blowing continuously.  

From Arrthistoryguide.com

It is often said that it was the mistral that caused Van Gogh to cut off his ear.

My sister, who lives in the south of France, consulted a local "healer" in her village to chase away the mistral headaches.

At my house, the walking stick is up to its knees in a snow drift.

The result of the wind at my house is a landscape like the desert sands in Lawrence of Arabia. And plants that really stand up to even a "mistral."

Chasmanthium latifolium

According to The Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopedia of Perennials, "attractive in drifts" - especially in the snow.

Hakonechloa macra

Rick Darke, "it is luxuriant even in nearly full sun."  I find it more than luxuriant in blowing snow.

Picea abies 'Repens Gold'

Richard L. Bitner, in Conifers for the Garden, "slow-growing, flat-topped, center builds up in time."  I don't know of any plant,which will be as bright as a Christmas light all winter long. 

As the wind swept around the landscape, it blew snow onto the porch.  This chair is my favorite spot for taking "a load off"   Today, the snow has taken my place.

 

Mistral

Dog & Butterfly

I let the wind steal my power

Spin me 'round lose my course

Nights run by like hours

Well, it would show me the way

To the deepest mountains

Too high and beautiful to be

Mistral, mistral wind

All the hours on the watch

I wait for that breeze to move me

And blow me back to that place

Magic space all through me

And I sigh your name

Across the empty water

You made a crazy dreamer out of me

Mistral, mistral, mistral, mistral,

Mistral, mistral