Dog Days of Summer, Already?

Well, the air is popping here. Temperatures have been in the 80's and 90's for the last four days, and it doesn't look like it is letting up any time soon. It is hot outside by 9 am, and doesn't start cooling off until 8 pm. One of the best surprises was how cool it gets at night. That was a relief. Though I now understand how important humidity is, or rather the lack of humidity. 90 in a dry climate is easier to handle than 70 in a humid place. However, I have been running around for three days trying to make things livable for my dogs and horses. I can sit around eating popsicles all day, but the dogs are having a tough time. I take the hose out to the pasture and drench the horses at mid day, which they enjoy. Ber likes me to stand there, making a fountain he can play in. I seem to tire of this game long before he does. :)

Georgia has her belly angled towards the evaporation cooler. Smart puppy

Purchased an evaporation cooler for the dogs. It does a fantastic job cooling the house down--way better than I imagined. BUT it is defective. Have taken it apart three times this afternoon, trying to get it to stop spitting water out the back. I have talked to Home Depot, and they want me to bring it back and exchange for another one. Quite frustrating, but it will work out. After this third dismantling, it has been working for an hour without spitting. So maybe I've got it reconnoitered?

Got a "misting" line for out by the barn, so the horses can come hang in the shade and moisture, there. Not sure if they will actually use it. Need to go back to the store to get more misting nozzles, because I smartly/stupidly (depending on your perspective) ended up with one more mister outlet than came in the kit. Argh. So, with this luck, I am not going to do anything with the personal mister I bought for out on the deck, for me and the girls. Will work on that tomorrow. I must say that I am glad I have all the tools I've acquired in the last few years. Makes me feel pretty good to be able to come in the house, drill a hole in a pvc coupling, screw a valve into the coupling, and have it work exactly like I wanted.

Arcy's normal place, right at the base of my chair, when I'm working on the computer. My little shadow.

In the winter, back when it was a challenge just to keep the house above 59 degrees, I hung my mom's quilts in all the windows for insulation. When the weather started to get nice, I took the quilts down so we could have light in the house, because it is like a cave in here with them up. Drawback was it started to get so hot in the house. Quilts are back up, and the house is 10-15 degrees cooler than it was with them down. Silly me, I was thinking, "Oh, the house will be warmer with the quilts up, because when I'm under quilts, I get warm." lol. No, the quilts will insulate whatever temperature is there, ding dong.

One of the quilts, glowing with sunlight.

In other news, Giovanna is becoming a riding horse!!! She has two sessions under her belt. The other night, she walked forward many steps, was immediately keen on "whoa" and was getting the idea of turning. She's not sure about things, but more in a "Hmm, what's going on" way, rather than a "I don't like this!" way. In fact, when I first swung my leg over and sat on her, she turned to look at me, as if saying, "Well, about time. I was wondering when we were going to do this." I hope to get pictures in a couple days, as Stuart will be here later this week. I've been riding Ber, too. He's going to be a great trail horse. Until his feet are tougher, we can't go out on the canal roads, so for now we are bipping around the 3 acres of pasture, and he is just a pleasure to ride. Really a good boy. I am enjoying going out in the evening, about 7 or 8, and riding as the air cools off. It isn't dark, dark, until a bit after 10, which is a pleasant surprise. I guess not being surrounded by trees and mountains has some advantages!

Same quilt, but with the flash on, so you can see more of it. This is the "Yellow" quilt.

As for school, I have my grades for spring semester. Not a 4.0, but darn near close. That A- in statistics is going to haunt me for a while. :) I have the 15 books I need for my summer classes, and am working my way through them. It will be a pretty grueling 10 weeks, I can already see. But, it means I will not have to take classes next summer. I'll be able to work on my dissertation, and I can even go home to Humboldt County for the summer, instead of existing in this heat, if I want. So I think the effort will be worth it. Remind me, when I'm in the thick of it, if I forget.

This week, I also fixed up my bike, which needed a new tire, new handlebar tape, a thorough cleaning and oiling, and repacking of wheel bearings. Then I found out I didn't have bike gloves or tire irons any more, and remembered I needed a new mirror. Once that all arrives (thank you, ebay), I'll be set to go! Thought it would be nice to take some rides through the farm land in the cool evenings or early mornings. Guy at the bike store sold me tires that are thorn resistant, to repel the goat's head thorns, among others. Would be nice to get my bike to school, so I can ride on the river path...

Until later this week, when I have pictures!!