Heatwave!

Regardless of where we live, we must contend with some undesirable aspect of that region's climate. In the Northeast, you have blizzards, nor' easters, and Atlantic hurricanes. The Midwest runs the gamut of climatic events: tornadoes, blizzards, flooding, drought, excessive cold or heat. In the South, one must endure high humidity from the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf Coast and high heat in the summer months.

In Texas, it is not unusual for summers to be excessively hot, but only in certain regions. However, this year, much of the state is baking under a long-lasting heatwave that has left our yards parched, and every living creature thirsty for water and cool relief. Even the smallest of creatures, ants, gravitate towards swimming pools seeking water, only to drown in the very element all of us need to survive. I have seen wild-growing bushes and small trees around my property drooping for want of water, my lawn looking more like burnt straw, and the outdoor thermometer hitting above 100F almost everyday for over a month. Being an Ohio native, I'm not bred for this type of heat, so this type of weather is hard on me. My son is more tolerant, but when you have triple-digit temps, it is not safe for anyone to play outside. Can you image how antsy my 4-year-old is being made to remain indoors most of the day?

I have been told that we are in a severe drought. I'm not surprised. Many crops are failing and the water level is dropping like a rock. If you're in an area where you are getting much cooler temperatures and plenty of rain, count your blessings. In many ways, I'd rather have an abundance of water than the opposite. I'd rather have temps in the 70's than in the 100's. If you feel otherwise, would you care to switch places?