With the exceptionally warm weather today, I’ve almost considered Spring having skated past us and we are experiencing the effects of a full blown Summer. I just happened to notice the temperature around 6:00 PM being above 80 degrees. Without even looking at the weather, I suspect we are in for a storm this evening. If everyone hasn’t read the National forecast for the expected weather in the coming months, it sounds like we are supposed to have somewhat of a normal Summer with the exception of the temps being a little higher and more violent thunder storms with hail. If there’s one thing I can say about our Summer weather is that some of the thunderstorms we’ve been having these past 10+ years are far more violent than what I remember before. I still don’t understand why we are getting an almost direct westerly wind. Even the older trees aren’t used to it and loose big branches when strong winds start blowing from an un-natural westerly direction. It takes years for trees to become used to change. I’ve told many that if you start clearing out old growth timber, it must be done slowly in a span of years because the remaining trees need time to adjust to the additional amount of sun shining through the canopy as well as singularly strengthening themselves against more direct winds. Some of the old farmers would spend time in early Spring clearing out some of the bad trees but leaving enough work for the following years. Believe me, I’ve seen some absolutely gorgeous old-growth groves in my day.
Having received a call for a client on the East Coast today caused me to remember something I read some weeks ago. He said he’s been battling ticks these past days that managed to get on himself as well as his dogs. He mentioned he’d never seen ticks so numerous until this Spring. One of the articles I read was that the Eastern seaboard will likely see a jump in the population of ticks due to the heavy snow cover. Also the rats were happy with the insulating blanket of snow as well. I’m not sure which I dislike the most of the two. People in our area must also be careful when out walking in parks and nature trails. This is the time of year when ticks are very hungry and looking for hosts. It sounds like there is yet another disease that the ticks are now carrying, so please do make sure you do a tick check when finishing up with your nature walk.
Someone told me today about some re-modeling they’re doing in a turn of the century home they own. They were shocked to find that when they started taking out a section of plaster, they discovered hair fibers in it. I laughed and said, “You’ve got hairy walls and didn’t even know it!” I explained to them that there are two types of plaster walls, one being of a gypsum base and the other being of lime. When lime is used, the hair acts as the binding. Usually the type of hair used in those times was horse hair. I was being a more teasing by saying, “So now you have an excuse whenever the two of you want to start horsing around. You can blame it on your horse hair walls giving you both a subliminal cue.”
I can hear thunder in the distance and the Morning doves in the trees. There’s always a bit of calm before a storm with just enough time to hear the calling of the doves. Their call is simply ducky. The driving rain has just now started so I shall bid you all adieu.
