What to write about?
My mind gravitates towards the controversial and the illegal.
Better stay in neutral territory, Jon, and avoid being shot.
I'm in one of my notorious dark moods - - my Heathcliff Mode, but there's no need for alarm. As with all of my emotional storms, the clouds will eventually pass.....
Was that a plausible ploy to talk about the weather?
When I first moved to Tennessee the summers were mild, brief, not too humid. A pleasant change from the blistering eight-month summers in California and West Texas.
This Tennessee summer, however, is a persistent bitch: broiling hot every day with high humidity. My house absorbs heat like a sardine can on a campfire.
Sorry. It's the only analogy I could think of.
If it's 85 degrees (Fahrenheit) outside, it's 150 degrees in the house (only slight exaggeration).
I no longer have central air, like I did in Texas. I have three ceiling fans and a couple of floor fans.
When I first bought this place there were two window air conditioners but I removed them immediately. I'd rather die of the heat than have those gigantic, unsanitary monstrosities hanging from the windows.
Anyway, this summer has been plagued with eternal humidity and endless storms. Not to mention mosquitoes, flies, and furious wasps.
Thanks to the frequent torrential downpours, the weeds and brush on my property have grown to Jules Vern proportions.
I've been valiantly attacking it with shears and clippers - - but what I really need is a tractor, a plow, a dozen field hands....and Divine Intervention.
I managed to "clear" a small part of my front "yard" (above) but almost passed out from the intense humidity.
Late yesterday afternoon there was another dramatic storm.
The storm clouds gathered quickly.
And after the storm there was a dramatic amber glow (photo taken from back porch)
What else is there to tell?
I've been eating lots of hamburgers, corn on the cob, and ice cream. And cantaloupe.
This probably doesn't look too fancy or appetizing, but it tastes great.
I always cut the cantaloupe into chunks, then refrigerate it. It's really sweet and refreshing......
.......kinda like me, only better.
Wow! Your yard is really overtaken by those huge weeds. Good to get them knocked down, that will help with mosquitoes, bees etc. We had a really nice, good and loud thunderstorm again last night. The sizzling sound with the loud crack of thunder all at the same time is great!! Your burger looks amazing. Nothing beats a good cheeseburger :-) fruit is in season now so we need to eat all that delicious goodness. Wendy
ReplyDeleteThe biggest obstacle is the frequent rain. As soon as I start getting the weeds under control it rains, and they all grow back within a week. I admittedly do like thunderstorms - - and I love summer fruit.
DeleteFortitude, Jon! It's hot as hell here and I must look harder and harder for things to delight me. Your photos sufficed, admirably. Do you know how hard it is to make food photograph well? I do, but never perfected it like you have. Kudos!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could bottle up the rain and send you some - - but without the weeds and bugs. I have heard that it's difficult to make food look good on photos - and that professional photographers use all kinds of tricks to make it look appetizing. In recent years I find myself doing similar things when I photograph myself....
DeleteCan you check with your County Extension Agent (or someone) about performing a controlled burn? I'd be mostly frightened of copperheads and/or rattlers. That burger looks amazing. I've not touched bread in 3 months.
ReplyDeleteMyra, I've thought about doing a controlled burn, but it kinda scares me, and would probably be difficult with the rain and perpetual dampness. I've considered all possibilities and always seem to come up empty. My frustration always impedes progress. And I'm starting to feel my age - which painfully reminds me that I'd probably have things more sufficiently under control if I were 20 years younger.
DeleteAnd I do worry about snakes when I'm plowing through the weeds.....
My garden and your yard conspire to drive us mad. It comes to something when I have to pay for someone to keep it in order. One consolation is that all that growth looks .... er .... nice!!
DeleteI'm afraid that one day I'll wake up and discover that the weeds are so tall I won't be able to leave the house. The joys of rural living will eventually destroy me.
Delete"broiling hot every day with high humidity. My house absorbs heat like a sardine can on a campfire."
ReplyDeleteOMG Jon, that's how it used to be when I lived in Florida. And even here in the northeast, the summers are HORRENDOUS. It's not so much the heat, but the humidity is truly horrible. The heat and humidity didn't used to bother me at all, however, when I turned 45, that's when I made a complete turnaround. It is literally physically painful for me when I'm hot. I know most people LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE summer, but not me. I always can't wait until it's over and Fall get's here. I'm very much a Fall/Winter person. Cold doesn't bother me at all.
I don't have central air either. I have a tiny window unit that I turn on only when I go to bed because I like sleeping cold. During the day, I just used the ceiling fan. I live in a studio apartment, so it doesn't take long to cool off.
Beautiful photos! Love how green it is there. Beautiful shot of the stormy sky too!
Don't you just love the taste of really good cantaloupe? Especially during the summer months!
Stay cool!
Ron, I've always hated the heat and it does indeed bother me more now that I'm older. The West Texas heat was (usually) tolerable because it was EXTREMELY dry. Once in awhile the humidity would drop below ZERO (I'm not kidding!).
DeleteI wholeheartedly agree with you that the autumn/winter months are the best. I LOVE autumn - it's always been my favorite time of year.
The thing I like most about Tennessee is being able to see the change of seasons. It's depressing to live in season-less places like Texas and Calif.
Many thanks for your comment!
You're just living in the wrong area of Tennessee. I'm in the cumberland plateau area and the weathers been perfect here. We average a couple of rainy days a week and temperatures in mid 70s to low 80s. Perfect weather for me.
ReplyDeleteThere's always an enormous amount of rain in my area but the summers are usually pleasant. This persistent humidity is rather rare. I'm only a few miles from Kentucky.
DeleteThe most humid place I ever lived was Springfield, Missouri.
It was humid here yesterday. I went for my early morning walk and sweat my ass off! The wouldn't leave me alone, I felt like one of those sticky fly strips by the time I got home!
DeleteFlies!
DeleteThat's funny - - and it's exactly how I feel here.
DeleteYou think we have it bad check out www.theweathernetwork.com!! I was totally shocked at what other countries & states are having. My son in Fla is exhausted from the excessive heat and says everyone is going to the malls due to high electric bills. Hang in there fall is around the corner. Alas I have to buy a new gas heater for the house & I just had to buy a new washer & dryer. Guess ill be working at mcd till the day I die.
ReplyDeleteThe months are really flying by. You're right - fall is around the corner. Fortunately my electric bill is low in the summer, but lately I've been using the fans a lot. We just had another storm (I'm sure you noticed!) and it's really humid again.
DeleteWow, I'm really sorry about your heater and the washer and dryer. I still don't have a dryer (my old one died) so I've been hanging my wash outside to dry. Also, my refrigerator doesn't sound too good, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed....
I have to drive to town, probably on Monday, if it doesn't rain.
By the way - Monty (from the K.Hall) stopped by today.
Take care and hang in there!
One more thing - - I still can't get any cell phone to work up here. I tried two new ones and can't get a signal.
DeleteWe lived on the VA eastern shore for 12 years and summer heat and humidity was a constant. We got used to hearing the local radio station give the heat index. Thankfully, we did install central ac in the 100 year old house we bought and we also had ceiling fans in every room!
ReplyDeleteYour yard does seem a bit overpowering.