I laughed yesterday at how the forecast from Weather.com described our local temperature. It was going to be "VERY WARM" -- all of 79º F (26º C)! I think I can live with that. I guess relative to our recent temperatures that is quite warm but even by British standards it's pretty moderate.
I spent the "VERY WARM" day mowing the lawn, doing some light trimming and gardening, and reading. I deadheaded the buddleia, particularly the part hanging over the fence onto Mrs. Kravitz's side, because I know she's paranoid it will re-seed on her patio. (Of course if it did, GOD FORBID, her gardener would weed the sprouts. It's not like it would make more work for her.)
I'm giving you pictures of our gazanias. I seem to have two varieties this year -- purple ones and white ones with red-tinged petals. It's always a crapshoot what you're going to get when you buy those tiny plants at the store. Which is part of the fun, I suppose -- seeing what emerges.
The book I'm reading is "I Have Some Questions For You" by Rebecca Makkai. At first it seems like it's going to be simply a highbrow whodunit, but it's quite ambitious and as it unfolds it becomes more than that -- an exploration of the effects of social media, and of the ways our culture responds to reports of sexual abuse by women. It took me about 100 pages to get into it but now I'm really liking it. I sat out on the garden bench reading it yesterday morning.
I mentioned the TV show "The Crowded Room" the other day, and I'm still watching that in the evenings. I've warmed to it a lot and in fact, if Dave wants to watch it when he returns, I might sit through it again with him. I didn't really tumble to what was going on until the fifth episode and I'd like to go back and see the beginning, knowing what I know now. (That's all very nebulous but if you see it you'll know what I mean.)
Finally, here's a very short video from my walk along the river on Wednesday, showing some bright yellow butterflies doing some mid-air acrobatics (until I lost them in the sun). I meant to post it yesterday but after all those pictures it seemed like too much! You can see how nice and clear the sky was, but apparently it wasn't "VERY WARM," at least not according to the forecasters. (Today it's going to be merely "warm," up to 76º F.)
The butterfly sky views look like a Disney animation. Magical. I would be very happy with a very warm 79. I've tired of 10 degrees warmer (and humid). And that's milder than many areas near us.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy with NOT VERY WARM actually. Yesterday was verging on TOO HOT for me!!
ReplyDeleteAs a guest upon this sceptred isle, mocking our highly-trained meteorologists seems like the height of bad manners. Those people are living gods with the ability to see into the future.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great way to avoid spoilers for anyone about to watch.
ReplyDeleteI've almost finished season two of Suits and I accidentally got some spoilers when I was looking up the actors online. That was a downer!
The butterfly video is great. I liked how you panned down to the river because the butterflies didn't look like the real thing up in the sky. If the weather forecast here said 79 degrees, it would be a cool day. I guess temperatures are all relative.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, we are getting heat warnings. Excuse me, Excessive heat warmings. Yeah.
ReplyDeleteThat little video is just magic.
Many years ago, I lived for nearly a decade up in central Minnesota. When I first moved up there, I scoffed at the "heat" everyone complained of during the summertime and likewise, when I moved back to Iowa, I scoffed at people complaining of the cold. But my body eventually adjusted to the new normal and within a couple years, I was complaining like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteI am looking at a 92° F. day today here in S. Colorado! I usually stay inside when it is so hot outside!
ReplyDeleteYou are having some very active and interesting days.
ReplyDeleteThe temps never have to get above 75 for me to think it's getting way too hot.
ReplyDeleteThose dancing butterflies are so beautiful to watch. Really nice video. And I love seeing the flowers blooming there.
I love gazanias, they are such happy, colorful blooms.
ReplyDelete"Very" warm or not, 79 is about perfect in my book! Love the butterflies...
ReplyDeleteI had no intention of watching The Crowded Room, but given your recommendation, I might check it out. I did however plan to read that Rebecca Makkai book. It sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be dealing with your very warm temperatures. What is your humidity like? (which you know, being from FL, can make or break "very warm")
ReplyDelete26C is very warm. 30C is hot. 35C is too fucking hot. Right now it's 23C which is just nice, with a good breeze to help keep the mosquitos off.
ReplyDeleteI believe that (your video) portrays a bit of a mating ritual. Or taking a phrase from Pixie (above) "fucking hot". And BTW, it's 91 here right now (3:18pm). Is that "very warm"?
ReplyDeleteI love that two tone flower! A friend of mine very much enjoyed the Makkai book; I was a huge fan of the "Great Believers" although it destroyed me at times. That's not "very" warm but it is warm. To some, it is probably hot!
ReplyDeleteI'll take your 26C over my current 13C, I have just turned on both heaters and hope some of the warmth flows through to the bedroom.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: I agree! I found 79º pretty comfortable!
ReplyDeleteFrances: Don't move to Florida! :)
YP: What are you talking about?! I'm not a guest!
Boud: Yeah, it's the worst when you read info ahead of time. I've resisted reading about this show or the book it's drawn from for just that reason!
Michael: Ha! Yeah, 79 degrees in August seems pretty cool to me too.
Ms Moon: I wish I'd started filming them earlier but it took me a second to get my phone out. They flew around like that for a while.
Ed: We all get used to things, I guess, and then it becomes our new normal. But I'm still bowled over by how cool or mild it is in England most of the time.
Marcia: THAT is more like the kind of summer heat I know!
Red: They are indeed! Keeping me busy!
Robin: It's amazing to watch butterflies do that. I suppose it's a mating dance.
Sharon: I like them too, though to be honest I prefer the yellow/orange ones.
Bug: I agree!
37P: Yeah, I think "The Crowded Room" is well worth watching. Some shows I'm hesitant to recommend but not this one.
Kelly: I don't know the numbers but it's certainly nothing like what we deal with in the southeastern USA.
Pixie: 23C is pretty much the perfect temperature, but I'm happy with 26C.
Catalyst: I assume that's what's going on. Or maybe they're just saying hi?
Margaret: I loved "The Great Believers." But yeah, very sad too.
River: It still seems mind-blowing to me that you're in winter now. I know I should be used to this idea. LOL
I wish we were very warm here in Gaylord -- even British very warm. I don't think it's even 70 today and last night we had a fire in the fireplace.
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