Boy Jackie, do I feel you. At least we have air conditioning. The smoke has settled in to the valley (Southern Oregon ) and been here every day since July. Hot and smoky. I never thought I would be anxious for the summer to end.

Like you, I hate to complain because I am not under evacuation bur I am sure sick of heat and smoke.

I have so much yard work to do but working in this smoke is no bueno

Ironically, it didn't get any hotter here than average, despite all the hype generated because the cities nearer SF Bay got way warmer than they usually do (102 degrees in San Francisco is, indeed, a remarkable event). They were predicting 114 to 115 here. What was it actually? At my house, 103 degrees F in the front yard and 107 in the back, and at the National Lab weather station, 107. Ho-hum. Some open blooms got fried, but not Zalud House, Snowbird, Souvenir de Pierre Notting, etc., OR, amazingly, Ferndale Red China, though the latter is shaded in the afternoon by a lemon tree. In general, buds/leaves unscathed -- my poor roses, at least, are accustomed to this.

It was smokey early on, from the fires in the Sierras and the wind shift, but that has cleared up some..

I heard on the news that San Francisco had broken a record high set 18? years ago. We've had a few days of very hot dry weather(105+), only to awaken to a completely different weather pattern this morning. Today the daytime temp is down 20F, it's cloudy, muggy, windy, and we might get some thunderstorms. All this is is from tropical storm Lidia coming up from Mexico. I can only hope she will drop some rain on us as she moves northward. Perhaps she will cool off more of CA as as she does? Lisa

It is hot here in northern Oregon, Willamette valley, as well. And they are predicting 100+ through Tuesday. Wednesday in the 90s and then a drastic drop into fall temps, so summer is coming to an end hopefully.

I've lived in San Francisco for 40 years and I can't remember it ever reaching 100 let alone going above. It rarely hits 90. Today is much cooler and overcast, so I think we're heading for normal now. Funny, just before the heatwave hit, we were all saying how we could feel autumn in the air, the days already shorter, and it was getting cooler. I love being able to walk out in the evening without bundling up, and neighbors are sitting out on their front steps and chatting with each other, rather than staying indoors or hurrying to get out of the wind and fog. But it's too hot to achieve much of anything during the day, and my poor kitty, with all her long thick fur, is not very happy. I cool her down by running a cold damp cloth over her regularly, putting ice in her water bowl, and leaving a cold gel pack next to her where she's lying; and she stretches out on the floor in front of the fan.

Cool enough this afternoon to do some puttering in the garden, so that's where I'm going. I hope all of you are staying cool enough and comfortable.

It is overcast here today, and muggy. They are predicting a high here of 95, which is such an improvement! So, hopefully we are past the worst of this. The fires, however, are still burning, not only in CA, but in WA, Oregon, and British Colombia.

Jackie

All of my roses have done really well in tbe heat EXCEPT Munstead Wood. Everything around him is fine, no fried blooms. But MW is a sniveling coward in the heat. Geeze!

Does anyone else feel this pervading disquiet, record heat, record fires, record floods, droughts that we know will only get worse, possible nuclear war with Korea, a government that doesn't govern - how difficult it is now to feel any true happiness.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...."

To answer your question - no. I have no problem feeling true happiness - my DH and I are healthy; we have a lovely, close very large extended faimly(ies), and a good life. I think we are also "glass half full" people. The last few days I have been made happy and astonished by the amazing positive attitude of everyone I have seen on TV in Houston. Rescued civilians, literally dripping wet getting out of rescue boats, are polite when TV crews shove microphones in their faces. The prevailing comment I saw was "we will be OK". I saw the Mayor of Houston on TV yesterday -inspirational. As I recall, the end of his comment was "We will be OK. We are not having a pity party." So refreshing.

Jackie

I think progressives are feeling aware of how many opportunities are being lost due to uneducated actions and words. Sad. It is great you inherited a house and are on easy street Jackie.

Jackie, may you enjoy your home and happiness. Who could wish you less?

Cath

Sheila - please do not make personal comments about me - you do not know anything about me, and your comment was presumptuous and nasty (unlike Ingrid's), and completely wrong (my DH and I earned 100% of what we have by working every day for 30+ years - we did not "inherit" our house - we bought it at fair market value from his family).

IMO, the more "progressives" insist on politicizing everything, including tragedies, the more annoyed most of the population gets, and the more likely Trump is to get reelected.

Jackie

Thank you Cath.

Jackie

Today we were a good ten degrees cooler here in the South Bay. We even had an unexpected (and welcome) fifteen minutes of light rain. Imagine, in the summer, water falling from the sky! It should be even a bit cooler tomorrow. The air is freshened, and I am feeling refreshed myself.

Rosefolly

Yes, it's been hot here on the Gaviota Coast as well. This heat wave covered almost the whole of the state. Thursday at midnight it was 90 outside. Not a good night for sleeping. Tonight it is 67, much nicer. We do the same as Jackie in watching the outside temp versus inside and quickly closing the house as needed. We can usually keep the inside temp about 5-10 degrees cooler than outside. It's not unusual for these short heat waves to occur here in August, September, and October. Do wish we had whole house AC, but, being off-grid, that would mean more solar panels and another charge controller. I recall, 50 years ago, high school without AC, we'd would have short days when it hit 100. That was Fallbrook, about 20 miles north and west of Ingrid and a bit milder climate. That said, we'd still get 7-8 days each year of those 'Indian Summer' days in September and October.

I am definitely not used to two 100+ days in Oakland. My young Miss Agnes Sherman was just about to enter a mini-flush, and her blooms wilted and fried. But two Ralph Moore miniatures, Sierra Sunrise and Redwood Empire, have never looked happier. I'm thinking they miss their original home in Visalia. I needed to give my fourteen-year-old dog, Morgan, three cold baths on Saturday, because she could not cool down. Here she is after her second bath:

Thank goodness that it has cooled down. My heart goes out to everyone in Houston.

Quite a summer all around the forum! Portland is clouded with smoke and ash from the Eagle Creek fire. Poor air quality along with our unusually high temps make breathing a chore. I didn't get out to water my parched pots yesterday or today. I'm wishing them survival in my absence and will water tomorrow...after I don a filtering mask (asthma). Forecast says maybe a shower on Thursday. Please! Carol

You posted just as I did, John. Gloire is stunning in the ashen atmosphere! How DO you grow all these Teas to such perfection?! Carol

John, wow, what a beauty.

My Olivia Austin is also thriving

I need a dozen of her .

It is overcast and humid here this morning - way cooler, of course. We might even get some sprinkles from the remnants of the tropical storm which cooled us off.

Jackie

rbehs, what a lovely glimpse of your living room, and of course your sweet dog. I'm sorry she's suffering so in the heat. Gloire de Dijon is simply stunning, probably the best pictures I've ever soon of that rose.

I'm so sorry for those of you who have not only heat but unhealthy smoke to contend with. It sounds miserable, not fit for man or beast.

Jackie, I'm afraid my world view is colored by the depression I've had to contend with for most of my life, which is only partially controlled with meds, and overall not feeling up to par most of the time. However, I am continually grateful for the blessings I have been given, such as having the means to live a comfortable life, and the ability to give back by supporting various animal causes close to my heart, and to try to help the courageous people who have lost so much in the flooding of Houston and elsewhere.