HOT ENOUGH YET: A COOL REVIEW FOR RELIEF

Yes, it’s hot enough. It’s been too hot for a few days, so hot that people talk about moving to Arizona for a break.

Snow Birds aren’t running from the cold in June, they’re running from the surprising heat cooking the Pacific Northwest.

When a Heat Dome slams shut, the temps rise. Who’s ever heard of a Heat Dome until now? It sound like the ‘Weather Event’ description of an ‘atmospheric river.’

Apparently we’ll need a new vocabulary to deal with climate changes.

And I thought Old Growth timber and Old Growth cactus were two different things.

Today they seem more related than ever.

I grew up wishing for warmer weather than the stead diet of 65 degree days on the Oregon coast. The drive west to North Bend from Eugene ran along the Umpqua River on Highway 38.

Once the road left the flat and headed up the hill east of Reedsport, a bank of clouds appeared. It felt like a Monday on the way to work after a good weekend, a great weekend that ended too soon.

That cloud bank looks pretty good right about now

That’s not happening if Portland turns into Phoenix.

This topic has come up before. When it gets hot enough in Portland to make us scream, at least we have green windows to look out of while we hide from the sun.

But things are changing. Change is what happens to you, me, the earth, the solar system. You get the idea.

How much change can we take? That depends on how you feel about a new eco-system with new arrivals.

This could be your new bouquet.

Go ahead and give it a good sniff. Just watch for a scorpion or a snake when you get your face closer.

Washington Park will get a new cactus Test Garden to replace the roses.

We’ll be going down to the new Cactus Festival Parade and ride the hammer at the Cactus Festival Fun Center.

It’ll take a little adjusting, but that’s what we do, get used to new things.

Hot Enough To Melt Bronze

Hot weather take some perspective to deal with.

If you’re feeling hot and need a break, visit a foundry.

Nothing quite like molten metal to put things into perspective.

What would you rather have, a 117 degree day or a 1750 degree day?

Even on a hot day you can feel the rush of heat if you’re close enough to the pour.

Sound like fun yet? If so, you don’t have to go to Paradise Valley for a foundry tour. Instead, go to Troutdale and Firebird Bronze Foundry Tour.

It should be a cooling experience of grateful feelings in the heat.

If that’s not on the schedule, but the heat is making you dizzy, find a sauna. A few minutes in 180-200 degree heat makes the day so much more manageable.

But don’t go crazy. Too much sauna time might be a bigger health problem than a hot day.

No matter which way you go from extreme heat and back, keep pouring fluids down your neck. Stay hydrated and see the beauty in nature.

Remember, it could be worse, and most likely will be based on science, so let’s journey forth with the right tools.

(Beer in the fridge? Check.)