Friday, August 13, 2010

Friday the 13th

Today has been quiet of sorts. The air is so hot that even the dark side of a superstitious day lays low!

When you are just beginning to leave the moutains, the rocky scenery stays the same, but somehow you know  you are beginning to go back to the flat lands. The jagged edges, some in snow, still surround you; the air is still thin, but you know you have begun the descent and are headed towards home. That is the way the last two mornigns have felt around 7 am. The air is too warm and the scorching day is on the way to burning you by noon. But you notice that the birds are not as thick. The wrens no longer trill; robins are reduced in number. Leaves fall off the trees because they are too hot and dry to wait for autumn hues. Young acorns plop on roof tops, roll down to the deck to bruise your summer barefoot feet. It is still hot and the sun still shines, but you know the angle of the light has tipped ever so slightly and autumn’s pointer finger has stretched trying to reach you.



I gave up yesterday and dusted my living room. I don’t think it has been touched since Memorial Day because we have been living in our outdoor living room, the deck. I put away the tulips, the forsythia, the other silk flwoers that were so appreciated in May. I dragged out some orange silk lilies, lots of sun flowers and a even a few pumpkins knowing that we are on that downhill spiral to a new season.


This week’s heat has finally driven us inside for more hours than we have been out. I think today is the hottest day yet even though the temperature has been hovering at a mere 101 or so. Still, I carried my tea out this morning about 7 trying to absorb some of the summer air. I watered, I dumped some pots of plants that can no longer face the heat and are crispy despite watering. I read some in Dusty Richeards new book…about writing the western. Later I ran a couple of errands and found even an air conditioned car stifling. Then I came home to hover at my desk where I made seven submissions this afternoon, all contests though—Missouri contests! The Sringfield Writers’ Guild is having a contest that is open for about six more weeks. There are lots of categories. Check it out here: http://swgsite.org/


Tomorrow there might be rain and what they are calling a cold front, which I think is a misnomer since the temps might get down to a slight 95! Already I am looking forward to Jenny’s Saturday Centus and the writing assignment. Nothing else worth discussing on the docket …but on with the weekend just the same!

3 comments:

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Claudia,
It's hot here, too. I made the mistake of wearing black today, which absorbed the heat. Won't make that mistake again.
Donna

BECKY said...

Hi Claudia! Yep, I live near Donna. This summer has been unbelievably miserable. How did we survive in the 50's and 60's without a/c?? I heard one of our TV weather guys say today something like 11 of the 13 days in August here have been in the 90's or higher!
Love your post, by the way. I can always picture you moving around from your house to your deck, and sipping your tea, reading, writing, etc. Lovely! And thanks again for the mail you sent!

BECKY said...

P.S. I forgot to say Good For You for submitting SEVEN stories today! Woop!