It’s only been a tad over 100 all weekend. It is 88 at 8 pm. It is all relative, you know?
Up here, I experience the highs, the lows; the good, the bad, and the ugly – and on days like this, the ugly is me. I don’t tolerate heat well, but I do get used to it. I just haven’t acclimated, yet. Or, at least, that is what I tell myself.
I have been through summers where I PRAYED for 100 degrees. I’m not there, yet. I am praying for 90. The extremes up here can be vicious. I have recorded a high of 117 degrees and a low of 19 degrees. Different years. (don’t remember the years, but it is in the journals, calendars, and records I keep)
Was it only a week or two ago when I was thinking this had to be the “coolest” summer on record? Man, what was I thinking?
So, the brain shuts down in the heat – or at least mine does. I can do no creative thinking, and can barely carry on a conversation. Fortunately, my dogs don’t care, and if I DO need to carry on a conversation, I can drive down the coast and enter “the fog zone.” I know, those that live on the coast put on jackets and caps, and pray to see the sun. Me? I dress in as little as possible, and wait for the sun to go down. All this within a short little mile or so.
So, the next time you are in the coastal fog zone, think of it as nature’s air conditioning and be grateful. People in California’s Central Valley pay a lot of money to come cool off in our fog. And those of us in the mountains of Big Sur sometimes look down enviously, and sometimes come down to cool off. If this continues, maybe I’ll set up my office on the coast. The brain quits functioning in this heat.
Yes, Kate , so how do you spell “lethargic” as I never was taught phonics in Morro Bay Union Elementary,,,, “sight reading” was the go , way back then !
Ok , way over here out west at one degree North , you try to plan work days on cloudy days,,,, or hang out in the library air con on hot days .
So sorry to hear that fire season is already upon you,,,, thought that August first , began that fire season ???
How is your water supply holding out ? Do you spinkle down the dogs on the really hot days ?
Yes we all miss Jeff Norman ,,, never understood how he could cram so much native info into his brain,,, like who else would make an oak acorn mash , to try out for a food suppliment ?
Bitter as it was , I don’t think he made it a main stay in his diet !
Hey Kate, You could have fooled me about brain not working. Your writing is fun and interesting as always.
I’m up in Truckee at the moment, enjoying cool hikes at 8,000 ft. Sweet with lots of wildflowers and cool breezes. Damn I love the Sierra!