Summer Solstice Eve has arrived with a flare, as in solar. The heat is on. Waking early, I’ve been gardening before the sun becomes to intense. Oliver’s outdoor antics have become very short. He loves going outside to harass the birds and patrol for a wayward toad, but after a few minutes, he’s begging to come back inside.
Extreme weather calls for preparation for the “What If’s”. Winterpast heats up quickly when the air conditioning is off. With a power outage, a rapid drop in my comfort level would follow. For this possibility, I’ve been planning.
Household refrigerator/freezers these days are pretty amazing and can stay cold for hours during a power outage. A spray bottle of water is a nifty tool to stay cool. Wet washrags can help, also. Find some shade and mist away until things return to normal.
Covid has shown us all how quickly panic buying can change the landscape of our town. Now, the gas tank on my Jeep is never below half full. Non-perishables are stored in the garage, including extra water. My pantry is inventoried, with an array of meal possibilities that could be prepared on a small propane BBQ. Outside of those things, there isn’t much more one can do.
The other day, a News Jackal was reporting about the weather in my old home town in the San Joaquin Valley of California. This valley was a desert before irrigation. After irrigation, it became the bread basket of the world. Everything grows there. From kiwi’s to garlic, it’s possible to grow anything your heart desires. This reporter, who was too young to remember 1990, reported all activities for the area were cancelled due to the extreme heat. Shake my head in wonder.
As a child, nothing was cancelled. From Memorial Day to Thanksgiving, there was one temperature. Hot. Night temperatures often hovered in the high 80’s to low 90’s. It never cooled off and nothing stopped. Football practice was a 4:00 PM during the summer months. Kids didn’t fall down dead. They drank lots of water and carried on. Tractors didn’t have cabs, but tilling continued. Farmers farmed and children played. None of us ever died from the heat.
The News Jackal went on to report the day’s temperature of 110 would be the hottest in history. Hmmm. Not sure about that. The July day my son was born in a town 45 minutes south of mine, the temperature was 115. Friends and family were so envious that I was in a chilly hospital with my warm little bundle. They all encouraged me to stay there as long as I could because of the heat wave. The Central Valley of California is hot. Period.
These days, people seem so fragile. You can’t be in the sun without sun screen. Forget the fact that when you’re in the sun, your body produces your very on Vitamin D in the correct amounts. Hmmmm. Vitamin D is a deterrent to the virus, if I’m not mistaken. You can’t be in the heat. Stay out of the cold. We’ve all become hermits surviving in artificial habitats of 70-something degrees. Believe me, if I could live in 70 degree weather for the entire year, I’d be so happy. But nature is a wonderful place to hang out in any weather.
Take some time to make a plan if the power grid in your area goes down. Crazier things have happened. Stock up for your pet, giving consideration to their needs. Remember that walks on hot pavement can burn paws badly. Oliver, being white, can sunburn. Yes, doggie sunburn is a thing. His outside water gets very hot by mid day, here in the desert. Be sure to provide shade and fresh water if your furry friend lives outside, where dogs lived my entire childhood.
Even though upcoming days may find us with inconveniences, focus on the wonderful things we do have. Get out and have a blue-sky kind of day. Forget about the hand wrenching News Jackals. Let’s hope they get out for some fresh air, too. They need it.