Sikes Lake Summer Solstice Heat

 It was to Sikes Lake I ventured this morning on the longest day of the year, also known as the start of Summer, or the Summer Solstice.

As you can sort of see via looking above the patch of prickly pear cactus clouds are blocking the sun at my location on this first day of Summer.

But, the sun was able to get through the cloud clover enough to heat the ground level into the 80s.

And then there was that vexing humidity making that temperature in the 80s feel way hotter, as in a real feel in the 90s, according to AccuWeather.

The current temperature forecast for my location has us getting heated to over 100, day after day after day, starting next week.

I hope the heat kills off the swarms of biting bugs...

The First Day Of Summer Sharing The Natural Tandy Hills With Diesel Trucks

Today, with it being the June 20 Summer Solstice, there will be more hours of sunshine, today, than there were yesterday and that there will be tomorrow.

After today we are on the slippery slope sliding towards winter.

In the meantime it is 91 degrees, at my location, with the Heat Index making the temperature really feel like 97.

It was a bit cooler than these not so cool temperatures when I went to the Tandy Hills today.

A couple days ago I was slightly startled by a big turtle basking in the waters below dry Tandy Falls.

Today I was slightly startled by a big white truck that caught my eyes and ears as I crossed the escarpment on top of dry Tandy Falls.

The big white truck had its diesel engine running and its headlights on. No human in sight. When I passed behind the truck I saw the lid was off the sewer access, with a cable running into the big hole in the ground. I looked in the big hole in the ground thinking I might see a human. Instead I saw water rushing by, about 10 feet below the surface.

I continued walking. I crossed the second creek crossing and saw a human ahead of me. When the human saw me he turned around, or so it seemed at the time. This was a bit unsettling. Then I saw the human was turning around to get in an even bigger white truck.

Crossing the nearly washed out Tandy Creek crossings seems as if it must be a bit adventurous in those big white trucks.

I really don't like smelling diesel or sharing the trails with big trucks when I am doing my hiking in a Natural Area. This somehow makes the experience seem less natural.

Other than smelling diesel fumes, this has been a quite fine first day of summer. I expect many more to follow.

Escaping Noise By Spending The Summer Solstice Afternoon At Miss Puerto Rico's

You are on Miss Puerto Rico's balcony, looking east, towards Dallas, on this first day of summer of 2010.

I believe the Summer Solstice occurred at something like 6:23 this morning. With the sun beginning its relentless march towards shorter days and winter.

I was in the pool, busy swimming, when the sun decided to head south. The thermometer in the pool, this morning, claimed the water temperature was 86. The air was 81.

In other words, we are at that time of the year when the water in the pool is not all that refreshing, in the cool you off department. But a shower using only cold water, now that is still a bit refreshing, though that water is getting warmer too.

The reason I am over at Miss Puerto Rico's, this afternoon, is because the noise from painter's power washing was getting on my nerves. It is really easy to get on my nerves.

So, I hauled my laptop over to Miss Puerto Rico's DSL connection. It may be really quiet here, but her computer chair is very uncomfortable. And her high maintenance cat, Tasha the Nazi, resents my presence. She likes to spend her day sleeping on this computer chair. So, I am being subjected to a lot of loud, scolding meows. And a few vicious hisses. So far the monster has not attacked me.

Today Tootsie Tonasket proposed that I become her houseboy. I don't see that happening. It would be way too much culture shock, going from the wilds of Texas to the wilds of remote Eastern Washington. Though the hill hiking out Tootsie's backdoor would be nice.

The Queen of Wink remains missing. Last I heard from the Queen was her announcement that she was conducting a Yoga Demonstration in downtown Wink on Friday morning. I worry that a Yoga Demonstration in downtown Wink might be an arrestable offense in West Texas.

The high today is still predicted to be 100. But I don't see that happening. It is past 4 and currently only 96.7, according to WeatherBug, with the Heat Index making it feel like 99.

Tomorrow is predicted to hit 100, too. And then a cold front moves in, lowering the high to 98 on Wednesday. Brrrr.

Summer Is Here With The Longest Day Of The Year

You are looking south from my balcony patio, early in the morning, in Texas, on this, the longest day of the year. The Summer Solstice, June 21.

Tonight the sun will set in my zone of Texas at 8:21.

If I were in Seattle tonight I'd see the sun set at 9:11.

Here, in Texas, when the sun sets, it quickly gets dark. Further north, like in Seattle. Or Juneau. When the sun sets the light seems to linger. There likely is some astronomic explanation for this.

Monday is my therapist prescribed no hill hiking day. So, there will be no hill hiking for me today. I'm hoping this does not make me grumpy.