It’s a scorcher today, so the woodpile at the end of this lane won’t be needed for a while. This morning the local birds seemed extra active, perhaps because they are expecting not to do much later today. The hummingbird, eastern towhee, black-capped chickadee and the rooster-crowing mockingbird were all out and busy this morning. The mockingbird is especially funny. He’s got the cock-a-doodle part down, but he forgets all the doos.The humidity is worse than the heat, of course, especially since everything is still damp from all the rain of the last week. Nothing is able to dry out as more rain has come every other day. My sneakers got soaked on Saturday morning and I still can’t wear them. Soon, even my mold will have mold. I can feel the dampness even inside the cabin, and it’s pretty unpleasant.
The forest is about as lush as it ever gets and certainly as lush as I’ve ever seen it in early August. Usually by this time of the year, rain is something I may see once a week and between that and the heat, some plants are usually already looking brown-ish. Not this year.
Some days I feel that I am living in a jungle. I don’t know why we don’t call these eastern forests jungles. I’ve been in several jungles, and believe me, none of them have anything over on the forest around Roundtop right now. Machetes would be needed in both cases if you strayed off the trail.
This is the kind of weather where no project seems so urgent that it can’t wait until tomorrow, or maybe the next day. I think I’ll go have another cup of coffee. I wouldn’t want to rush into anything.
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4 comments:
Take it easy today. It sounds like good day for a book and a cool drink in the shade.
No August heat here. Currently a cool 66, with light drizzle. We haven't made it above the low-80s in weeks…and we've had plenty of rain, too. So if you think Roundtop's woods is a jungle, you ought to see the woods hereabouts.
This is the most obviously lush summer I can remember. The combination of cool and wet interspersed with ample mild sun has been perfect for greenery. I get up every morning and slip into a fleece pullover—and half the days I need it until noon or later. Today being another of those days as it's only 60 in the cottage.
Not complaining, though. I could get used to summers like this one and be quite happy.
I say you consider the heat there today as an omen to take it easy. Re. those damp sneakers…wear 'em anyway. They'll just get damp again, right? Besides, they'll only be uncomfortable for the first mile.
Or Two.
Three, max.
You're right about mold upon mold. Also fungus upon fungus. All the chanterelles in the woods here near Saratoga Springs, NY, are lumpy with some kind of infestation, so I haven't picked them to eat. Too bad. But we should have a great fungal fruiting as the season goes on.
Lynne: Good day for sitting in front of the fan, too!
Griz: Your summer weather was my summer, too, until this week. Now it's the typical PA summer but it hasn't yet reduced any of the lushness of the jungle!
Woodwalker: Last week I saw fungus on fungus down in my woods too. I think that's the first time I ever saw that. I also found a downed tree with 5-6 different types of fungus on it--certainly more than usual.
Carolyn H.
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