 |
| A view from the deck of the barn as the next downpour began. |
If there was a single theme running through the month of July, it may have been sweat. So many thunderstorms and so much excessive heat. And even on the rainless days, and the occasional day of reasonable temps for July, the constant, enveloping, stultifying humidity. Like walking into a sauna. Like breathing through a steaming towel. Every single day, several times each day, sweat would literally run down my face as I walked slowly through the paddocks, drip into my eyes as I leaned to pick up an empty feed pan, and saturate my hair before I returned to the house, threw my wet jeans and shirt into the dryer for a few minutes, and blotted my hair with a towel.
If this sounds like a lot of whining, I'm sorry - I don't feel that way about it. It's just been my reality. And the goats' reality as well. With added mosquitoes. I try to provide a high quality of life for all the animals, and there's no way around it: July has been rough.
I feel so much concern for the people in other places who are desperate for rain. For people from places that are literally on fire. Again. Situations that are totally beyond our control, and which affect our lives in very real ways.
I think people generally become accustomed to the rhythms and range of weather patterns in a place where they have lived for a long time, and do their best to prepare for expected events and even occasional extreme events - hurricanes in my neck of the woods, for example. Maybe there's an unusually dry summer which raises the threat of fire. Or maybe there's a huge storm that causes local flooding and washes out a road or bridge. But now it seems the extremes and "hundred-year" events just keep coming, on and on, one after another, year after year. Have the extremes become the norm?
Well. When I began writing, I had intended to simply post a few of my Daily Markmaking sketches from July, which was World Watercolor Month. But starting out with that first painting of rain through the trees kind of sent me off on a tangent. Yikes.
I'll close with a few watercolors of trees without rain:
May August at least be a bit drier if not cooler. I'm hoping to work in the garden more this month. May you and the goats catch a bit of a break!
ReplyDeleteI was very impressed by your recent stonework, Sally. At this point, if I shifted two stones I'd likely be done for the day.
DeleteHopefully the weather conditions are better for hay this year, although if there's too much rain it will rot in the fields. Seems it's difficult to get a good balance these days. And those that say global warming isn't a 'thing' need to pay attention.
ReplyDeleteHay is never far from my mind.
DeleteYup, July was pretty miserable here too. SO glad August, longer nights/shorter days, and cooler nights are here. I hope that you and the goats are having a more pleasant August.
ReplyDeleteChris from Boise
PS Very nice watercolors! Strong trees!
We've had some lovely cool mornings, at least at 5-7 AM...usually turning muggy and stagnant again by 10 or so. Another reason to get outside early :)
Delete