Heat wave's a coming

Are you ready for the heat wave? I’m not. Heat waves are why I don’t like summer. Even as I type, one is building up, planning on settling in for a few or several days. It was only a few years ago that I discovered different regions have different definitions of what constitutes a heat wave. In this area, a heat wave is at least three days with temperatures at 90°F or above. Usually, this is accompanied by high humidity, too.

California and other drier areas say a heat wave (or a heat storm as it’s called in their parlance) is when the temperatures reach 100°F for three or more days over a wide area. Other countries also have their own definitions. In the Netherlands, for example, a heat wave means five consecutive days above 77°F, with at least three of those days above 86°F, though they use the Celsius scale, so it’s 25°C and 30°C for them. Australia’s version is that a heat wave is five consecutive days over 95°F or three consecutive days over 104°F.

Anyway you look at it and anywhere you live, a heat wave isn’t going to be a lot of fun. Here at the cabin I am somewhat sheltered from a “minor” heat wave. The leaves of the forest canopy take the worst of the sun, but that helps me down at ground level, at least until the humidity gets bad. Nothing shelters me from the humidity.

Heat waves are a good time to take Dog swimming. Even though he is old now, he still swims a bit and walks through the pond a lot. Baby Dog, since she is a dark brown color, which is akin to me wearing dark clothes in the summer, would benefit from a cool swim but she refuses. Every summer I try to get her in the water, even to wade, to no avail. She will have none of that wet stuff no matter how much she sees Dog (or me) enjoying it. Maybe this year I’ll get her into that pond.