Friday, May 29, 2020

pictures from several walks




It's been hot lately. Over 80 every day.
I don't usually install my air conditioner in May, but I'm considering it.
Some nights have felt airless, even with a fan on.
In MAY!

One morning after very little sleep, I got a foolishly late start on chores.
By the time I came in, it was 84F in the shade and I was soaked with sweat.

Full disclosure: that doesn't mean I was working hard.
It doesn't take much physical activity to bring me to that state.
These days I break a sweat walking to the letterbox.
But that morning was hot.


I could say, "I just haven't adjusted to the hot weather yet,"
but there's no reason to think I will adjust to it. I never do.

One day I took Piper to the pond for our walk.
We haven't been going there lately, and we almost didn't go that day, because there were so many vehicles at both entrances I had hoped to use.
I can't take Piper off lead if there is anyone else on the trails.

Fortunately, there are other entrances, and other trails.



Generally, no matter where we walk, even on our own little road, there are more people and biting bugs about.
We just need to be out early and back early.
Piper is not really helping with this.
If she would just get up from her bed, jostle my elbow and look enthusiastic,
it would be much easier for me to fall out of bed - I do rely on gravity to help with this - and get moving, so we could go for a walk.


Instead, I'm the one doing the jostling and enthusing.
Piper is perfectly content to sleep in.
But once I've gotten her up, she is happy to go for a walk.



Warning: Introspective Moment 
It's a surprise to me that it's taking so much effort to reactivate a simple habit - getting up and out at dawn - that was a way of life for decades.
It's a surprise of the, "What? Am I not that person anymore? When did that happen?" variety. Hmmmm.
End of Introspective Moment


It doesn't matter, really.
All that matters is, I need to get up and out early.
Yesterday we started at 8, and walked less than a mile because it was very biting-buggy despite my herbal repellent spray, and as soon as the sun was high enough to come over the treetops and reach the road...it was hot.
Today we started at 7:30 and although the bugs were horrible, it wasn't quite as hot. Humid though. Ugh. Tomorrow I'll try to get us out earlier.


Because this hound isn't going to walk herself.

Trust me. I asked her.

~~~~~~~

11 comments:

  1. The humidity along with the heat. Ugh! Everything is so lush and green, though.

    Speaking of green - three squash seeds have gone from dirt to a pair of huge leaves in less than 48 hours. Coolness!

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  2. Sympathies on the heat and humidity - and the black flies. We call that kind of heat siesta weather: outside early and late, midday snooze. Yes, I can see that Piper would just as soon sleep in, which Does Not Help. Hope you get back to more seasonable temperatures soon!

    Cheers,
    Chris from Boise

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    1. This morning our walk was cooler, but the mosquitoes have now joined the black flies. Piper likes to stop and sniff at Many Things, but a literal cloud swarmed us if we stopped for more than a few seconds. Whew. Piper had to have a little lie-down as soon as we got back ;)

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  3. My experience with dogs has always been the other way, since I'm a nonmorning person and my dogs have all been it's light, let's go sort of people. I can get up that early then I'm done for by mid-morning. The heat is an issue. I am less and less able to deal with it each year.

    Do you get serious humidity? We do, along with loud complaints about it!

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    1. Yes, it gets very humid here. The humidity has always bothered me as much as the heat - in fact, humidity affects me even when it's not very hot at all. My choice of grad program - and career path - was partly based on the humidity I expected to swelter in, if I moved to Beaufort, NC.

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  4. Hi, I hopped to you from KB's blog . and that early morning, many years ago I could get up and be in the garden by 6 a.m in the summer, or getting the fire stoked up in the winter. Now, at almost 80, I take things a lot slower, and truly, why should we try and rush when we have all day? Apart from the necessity of feeding the cats, dogs or goats, and doing meals and laundry, life should be for taking time to enjoy the sunrise, the blue sky, and joining in with friends in blogland. Down here, ( New Zealand ) we are almost into winter, mornings are dark, and the sun sets so early. a few more weeks and winter solstice will happen. I will visit you again, cheers, from Jean.

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  5. I am having the same battle. For me, it is to avoid all the people who have taken to the trails in this odd time. I know all of them and I like most of them - but I like quiet time on the trails with Shyla. So, I think that my alarm will go off at 5 tomorrow morning. That's early...

    I remember the heat, humidity, and biting flies of NE. I hope that you can beat at least 2 out of 3 by getting out there early. Piper sure looks happy. You and she are doing something right!

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  6. I love summer weather, but not the humidity OR the dratted bugs who seem determined to spoil every single moment spent outdoors. Of course this time of year I don't dare spend much time outside or the tree growth will trigger my allergies. THEN I wouldn't be able to make the currently-dreaded trips to the grocery store because one sneeze/cough or looking at my streaming eyes would send everybody running for cover. It was quite hot here too but yesterday it cooled right off again.

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  7. I love your photos. Even though hot, the greenness makes it seem cool. Hot as can be here, too, over 90 today. Yuck.

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  8. Haven't heard from you for a while, Quinn; hope all is well and you are just busy. I do miss your pictures...

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