Tag Archives: heat

Coping With Summer

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Summer began yesterday but the heat arrived early and has been wailing on us for a while now here in southern Ohio. In case you’re new here, I’m not a fan of this season where I live. 

I like how green everything is and the act of discovery every day when I check the progress of my flowers is rewarding. I like not worrying so much about how the weather will impact my travels. My wardrobe of summer dresses makes me happy because they’re comfortable and cool. Baby animals, turtles and butterflies make life more interesting. There are lots of events and car shows throughout the season so there’s a lot of free entertainment at our fingertips.

This is all great. The rest of it kind of stinks. 

The heat and humidity here make it hard to go outside and enjoy any of those things I mentioned. Then there are the bugs and snakes. And poison ivy, allergies and the endlessly wasteful act of mowing. Plus, summer clothes are ugly and I really hate seeing everyone’s bare feet. The sight of toes in a flip flop makes me cringe. Did I mention that we spend most of our time running from one air conditioned place to the next just to survive?

It’s literally the worst season in Ohio. Next to orange season, of course. That’s when the Ohio Department of Transportation exhibits every orange barrel and cone they own along miles and miles of Ohio’s roads. This season runs approximately from mid-March through Christmas and is nearly pointless but does brighten the roadways, I suppose.

By the way, I never complain about winter so I have license to complain about summer.

I had Juneteenth off from work and a day free to do as I pleased. While I contemplated going out for a midweek adventure, my desire to beat the heat index and be cool won out. With temperatures in the mid nineties and a heat index over 100, I just couldn’t volunteer to leave the house for any reason. 

Instead, we stayed inside with the central air on and curtains drawn, watching movies and eating cold things. It was the most relaxing day I’ve had in ages. 

The summer solstice has come and gone and now we begin to see every day lose just a little light. While I despise the weather, I better get busy with some adventures. After all, if we wait for perfect conditions to do the things we enjoy, we may never get anything done. We have to make the best of our circumstances and try to enjoy life anyway!

Summer Has Arrived

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Ohio weather quickly shifted from cool and rainy to downright hot and humid. That’s what we do here. About 349 days out of the year are uncomfortable for one reason or another – humidity, heat, rain, snow, sleet, high winds… and during the shoulder seasons you’ll sometimes experience all of this in a single week.

My next statement will likely win me some hate mail but since I NEVER complain about winter, I reserve the right to say this at least once.

Yesterday’s heat made me miss winter.

You can only take off so many clothes and, when it’s humid, the only place to find relief is in the air conditioning. You can’t even breath when it gets this humid. But when it’s cold you can still bundle up and go outside at almost any time of day. Plus, there’s nothing more purifying than a deep breath of fresh air on a chilly winter day.

Besides, isn’t it pretty?

So here begins my summer quarantine where all outdoor activities occur early and late and where the rest of the day is spent sprinting from one air conditioned oasis to another while trying not to have a heat stroke or sunburn along the way.

If you need me, I’ll be sipping cold ice water in the air conditioning and counting the days till fall. Whatever you’re doing today, enjoy the day but try to stay cool and safe.