PARCHED

As we slide toward early fall here in Oregon I look around at the environment and wonder if our rains will return in time to build up our rivers for the fish  -- especially the fall run of salmon on our rivers. Oregon has been mostly void of any rains since May and this has resulted in low river flows with high temperatures that fish cannot do well in -- many have died. The trees and shrubs appear dried out in many places. Above is a leaf I spotted that represents the desiccated look of  the leaves that are falling in large numbers off many trees. Granted there are a major portion of trees still going fairly strong. A quick look at wild areas brings home the parched look of some trees and other plants. What can we do about it. I bet you know.  Everyone should know. It is everyone's problem.

This is a photo that I took of Oregon's Siuslaw River that was roaring along its 110 mile path toward the ocean in early summer of this year.  

This is the same river with its photo taken in the same spot as the above last photo. Now it looks more like a wading pool than a river. State officials are now either curtailing fishing on Oregon's rivers or prohibiting fishing altogether to reduce stress levels. 

My son took this photo a few weeks ago of an eagle sitting contemplatively by the Siuslaw River. Many eagles call this river home. In fact a whole population of wild critters and plants call Oregon rivers their home. 

The end of this tale is yet to be told. 

PARCHED! HOT AND DRY

In my younger years I would hear old men cussing the weather out, sweat pouring from their brows as they pushed hand mowers."Its just too dam hot," were the adult words uttered on the street. Then came the invention of home air conditioning that helped old timers survive the heat. Now they could take breaks from the heat by jumping into the house ever so often to cool down.

Women were mostly housekeepers in the non-air conditioned days of the 1940's and 1950's. As women, their responsibility was to try to keep the house fairly cool.

Women usually found that opening windows early in the morning while it was still cool allowed cool air to creep into their homes. Long about 10 a.m. they scurried around shutting all the windows and pulled the blinds and curtains. This locked in the cooler air and kept out the mid-day hot air. The house interior became like a dark tomb until late evening when the women scurried around again to open the blinds, curtains and windows letting in the night air. This routine of open, shut, open, became a daily pattern during the dog days of summer when I was young living in Michigan.

Now many years later, I live in Kentucky without AC. I thought I could tough out any temperature Mother Nature sent my way. But alas, I have now cried "uncle."

Today, when the temperature is supposed to reach 102 and continue its hot streak for days -- I will be enjoying my newly installed window air conditioner. I still feel some guilt about installing it.


ADDEDUM
Temps starting today -- 102 ranging up to 106 by Saturday. Please remember the wild critters, like the birds and butterflies, for their lack of water out there in those shrubs, lawns, and tree areas. Try and set some shallow pans of water under the trees and shrubs to help them survive during this dry hot spell.