It’s Hot But. . .
- July 23, 2011
- Category: Daily Diary
- (18) Comments
It’s hot here. I know for sure it’s hotter where you live than here but still. . . it’s hot. . . mid 90s. . .and we don’t have air conditioning. Mountain Man hates “unnatural” air. Of course, I adore it.
“Mountain Man, can’t we get an air conditioner?”
“No, this heat is good for you. You’re sweating out all the toxins in your body.” And off he goes to dig holes to work on a major project.
I try to sit at my computer. It’s sandwiched between two floor to ceiling windows. A great place for winter days but a sauna in this weather. No computer for me. Besides, I have to spend my time at the barn making sure the animals are okay. I wake the chickens up early and they free range in the relatively cool temperatures of the morning.
But soon the morning air gives way and the temperature starts to rise and birds start to pant. Yes, I’ve learned birds pant.
They head back to their coop and spend the day inside. I change water constantly, add electrolytes and fan them, checking them carefully for signs of distress. They’re okay but my clothes are saturated with sweat; releasing toxins Mountain Man would say. The Sebastopols have moved to larger quarters but even they decide to stay inside. Can you tell they’ve grown?
Can you see the beginning of their bridal feathers?
And while horses hang out under trees, dogs congregate under fans and I release toxins, Mountain Man stays hard at work building his new fire wood processing station. I took his blood pressure once. I was sure he was going to keel over from heat exhaustion so I made him sit down to have his blood pressure taken. I was all ready to chastise him and tell him not to work so hard but amazingly enough, even after all that hard work, he has the blood pressure of a 20 year old. I let him continue and try to stop worrying.
I spend time with the baby peafowl. I don’t know yet if this is a peacock or a peahen but I’ve learned peafowl are feisty and can fly at a very early age.
At night, we have wonderful meals barbecued on the grill so we don’t turn on the oven. Mountain Man prepares amazing salads. “Mountain Man, I’ve been told you can’t have a successful blog without recipes (yes, I’ve been told that). Can you please share your recipe for this amazing macaroni salad?”
“Can’t do that.” Mountain Man replies. “I don’t follow recipes. I build my dishes.”
“Hmm, Mountain Man, that’s a great tag line. ‘Build it with Mountain Man.’ Figures you would build your food.” Okay, I can do something with this. I resolve to follow Mountain Man around the kitchen while he builds his creations. But not yet. Any attempt to lean over food to photograph it would mean my toxins which are being released by the second would contaminate our food.
Sunset arrives and it’s beautiful.
The temperature drops to 80 inside the house. I turn off the fans. “What did you do that for?” Mountain Man asks. “I’m freezing.” And I truly was. Who’d have guessed it.
The next morning, the heat is back again. I hear one of the guineas calling. She moved to our old barn a couple of weeks ago. She’d show up for dinner and high tail it back to the old barn. I figured she was staying cool in her own way. I was wrong again. This morning, out she paraded, making her guinea noise all the way. I went to check on her, sure something was wrong and I discovered
Guinlettes I call them or baby guineas for those who like to be precise. There’s at least 30 of the tiny tots hiding in the tall grasses. Boy, was that a surprise. Now, I have to round them all up and move them to the safety of the barn. Releasing more toxins I do suppose. I should be the epitome of health by now (or at least 10 pounds lighter).
I could tell you about the deer who have ventured down every evening. They munch the apples from our tree, hang out a while and then head into our pine grove.
“Two months.” I said yesterday to Mountain Man.
“What are you talking about? What’s in two months?
“Two months and we’ll have frost again, two months and jackets will be out of the closet, two months and this will all be a distant memory, these days.” But what memories I’ll have and if it means living without air conditioning then I guess that’s what I’ll do. At least I’m toxin free.
I missed all of you. How are you doing in this heat wave?
Mountain Man is amazing. Not only does he work digging holes in this heat, but wears long jeans while he does it too I bet! At least he does have a short-sleeved shirt on. My dad loved hot weather and always wore long sleeves no matter how hot it got.
I was very grateful we had air-conditioning in our house last week. Glad I was on vacation and could wear shorts and t-shirts every day too!
Date: July 23, 2011
I live in California so an air conditioner is a must. People die in the summer without them.
You are having a heat wave indeed. Stay cool and protect all your babies.
Date: July 23, 2011
Loved this post.. Did you get the email I sent you about the Garden Goose? From Barbara?
Date: July 23, 2011
heat does suck indeed. it got the heat and humidity got best of me this week with my asthma. and we do have A/C.Wed and Thursday I had to do a muliple breathing treatments and I am on a course of predisone.
Date: July 23, 2011
Calypso and I have moved our weekday workouts to late evening to avoid the heat and have been meeting up with three of the other ladies for a ride at 9am on Saturday mornings. During the early afternoon, Cooper and I stay cooling by playing in the sprinkler. He learned to say ‘water’ pretty well.
Date: July 23, 2011
We stayed under 60 this week and had lots of rain, not much of a summer…
Date: July 23, 2011
I have loved living here in the coastal area near San Francisco for the last 34 years. It has such a moderate climate – cool fifties at night, almost all year round, about 10 degrees warmer in winter, maybe up to 70 in summer. If I want heat or cold, I can cross one of the bridges and find a big temperature difference.
I can’t believe you’ve got 30 new guineas that you didn’t know were arriving!!! Soon you’ll have so many eggs you won’t know what to do with them all. You’ll be able to start your own business of shipping little chicks to all of Vermont!
I do think it’s time for that industrious Mountain Man, along with his lovely Mountain Woman, to think about building a bunkhouse and, pehaps, a couple of “romantic” cabins for farm holidays. So many people never get to experience this very special slice of life that you have in this beautiful part of our country. You
probably don’t need the money but people certainly do need a break from the high tech world, the hustle and bustle, and so many people just need the time to be with each other and to reconnect. Since Mountain Man is such a good cook, that would be an added bonus!
Date: July 23, 2011
Would love MM’s recipe for his Mac salad. Please talk him into sharing!
Date: July 23, 2011
Yeah, I’m with you – I’m releasing toxins.
Date: July 23, 2011
I have air conditioning and I am still releasing toxins! LOL
Date: July 23, 2011
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Mountain man is amazing. You could rack up if they ever perfect cloning.
It’s miserable here, too, but we have AC. In fact, Fred cranks it up so high, I sit around in a jacket.
I never knew any type of fowl could actually LOOK hot! And the briadal feathers are GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!
Date: July 23, 2011
I hope your fowl make it through. it is very hard on them. no AC here but we also have 17 % humidity so 95 isn’t so bad. Plus it goes to 40 at night so after you let the hot air out you have to close the windows so you don’t freeze while you are sleeping , Take care . love the bird pics!
Date: July 24, 2011
Sara, it’s been hot here in Nebraska too. The temps rise over the 100 mark with heat temps up to 117. Heat index takes in account the humidity and gives what the temperature feels like. I was working on a backyard project (Bradley’s Fort) last week and by the end of the day my clothes would be soaked with toxins. I would usually go through two sets of clothes before shower time at the end of the day. This week looks to be the same as last week. I’m hoping to have at least Bradley’s project done by the end of the week. Then it will be time to get back to working on laying bricks for the backyard patio. By the end of the summer I shouldn’t have a single toxin left in my body.
Have a great detoxifying Vermont day.
Date: July 24, 2011
Okay, so this is the ONE time I don’t want to be on Red Pine Mountain!! I do love my air conditioning when it is this hot. I drove home in traffic the other day with my windows open and it was 107 degrees. After 15 minutes, I quit releasing my toxins and turned the air on–that kind of heat isn’t good for a gal–or her family who is waiting for her crabby self to come home.
Stay cool, pally. Fall is coming–marching band season started last week with rehearsals. It’s coming….
Date: July 24, 2011
Guess everyone is suffering with high temps this summer. we were hit hard about two-three months ago with record temps and no rain. Here in the south we are use to the high temps and high humidity. But the lack of rain made it horrible. Take care of that mountain man, love your blog and your awesome pics. You have visited my blog before but didnt join as a follower. ( Help!!!! need my numbers to go up) lol ………take care and love all your animals. sheryl
Date: July 25, 2011
I was interested to see the young peafowl. I don’t ever remember seeing the young before.
It’s quite a responsibility keeping all those critters cool in such a heat wave. Good luck!
Date: July 26, 2011
Sorry I’ve been absent for awhile. It certainly looks like the Poultry Palace is starting to get an impressive congregation of fowl. It’s amazing that mama guinea kept her very large brood of secreted for such a long time. 30 baby guineas, what in the world are you going to do with them all ?
This summer seems hotter than any that I can remember. My daughter lost 3 of her hens due to the heat, it was so hot outside they wanted to stay in their coop but it was even hotter in their coop. Finally Kathi had to shut and latch the door to the hen house to keep them outside. They bought a small kiddies wading pool and kept clean water in it so the hens could get in and cool off. It was funny to watch them wallowing in the water but I’m sure it must have felt really good.
Date: July 29, 2011
Oops … somehow I left out the “What” of what mama guinea kept secreted …. it should have been; “mama guinea kept her very large brood of baby guineas secreted ” Sometimes heat affects the brain.
Date: July 29, 2011