Dog Days

These are restless days, 90+ degree heat extending over days, into weeks. Dog days, days of too hot, restless sleep and lethargy. Even my dogs are content to lie in front of fans after we do our jaunts in the early part of the day.

The hillsides and trails are drying up. The duff covering the trails is dry and brittle, it crunches and breaks under foot. Dirt on the trails is powdery and loose, footing a bit insecure. The air is hot and dry with an underlying scent of pine or dust. Dog days as things heat up, humidity drops, fire danger rises. We walk early to escape the heat, I carry water for dogs and self, yet still we are hot and parched by the time we reach the car. These days fire danger is in the forefront of my mind—I avoid hiking some of my preferred spots as they feel too vulnerable to being trapped if fire were to occur.

So we hike early and limit outside activity, and hide inside, dogs sleeping me working on art or quilting, counting off the days until the weather breaks and fall settles in.