Heat Dome

Well, global warming is a bummer.

Extreme heat arrived with a bang, much earlier than normal. The first week of severe bad temps was in June, and we're just finishing up another bad week in July. By bad, I mean afternoon highs of 118, with nighttime temps not going below 90. Of course, it wasn't just the High Desert. Palms Springs hit 123 several times. It's worse "down below" because the Coachella Valley has so much vegetation, therefore humidity (how can there be so many lawns in the desert???) But Oregon, Washington and Canada, places that are not as prepared as we are, hit the teens in temperature. The only good thing is that the normal highs of 105 seem much less severe in comparison.

The Desert Dairy plants and trees are alive, mostly. New trees we've planted are doing well: two mesquite, a desert pine, a willow. Birds keep eating the new growth on the palo verde. The pepper tree died. We are nurturing a pomegranate and common fan palms in pots under the patio. Am also trying several native bushes to plant later to support wildlife. I have to hand water in the yard every three days, and every day on the patio. 

Otherwise, to beat the heat we joined the gym in 29, hang out in our two rooms with AC (swamp cooler is basically useless in severe heat), and soak in the pool at dusk. And we plan escapes to the coast to break up the long hot stretches. Dreaming of affording solar and an electric car. Sigh.