In which it's still pretty darn warm here, and we have coping strategies
Our weather has cooled somewhat--below 90 degrees most of the day instead of above 100 degrees--and our coping strategies have gotten quite streamlined in the process of surviving a week of heat.
In the house (which we generally AREN'T, but every once in a while you gotta go in there): the swamp cooler. Those "blue ice" packages work really well, combined with a fan, to move cooler air through the stuffy parts of the house. I also learned that elevating the swamp cooler by putting it up on a couple stacks of library books (covered with a towel to protect the pages from drips) helps even more.
Jim came up with this genius idea for keeping the Minervas cool during the day while we're at work enjoying the air conditioning: a little wet-towel tent. He made a little clothes line and hung it with wet dog-towels. It provides shade, moisture, and a little bit of swamp cooling when the wind blows (which it is doing today, hooray!).
The hens are pretty happy about their tent, although they do like
to peek out between the towels to see if anybody is bringing them some frozen watermelon!
Mimsy considers "farm security" to be her job, even in hot weather, so she patrols the perimeter every 15 minutes or so. Luna is happy to sit in the shade and let Mim do the work.
Speaking of shade, that's where I am working today. My little writing desk (formerly my grandmother's tea cart) has wheels, so I can push it to wherever I need it. Today, I chased the shade around the house, staying cool and watching my horses.
The sun hasn't deterred the horses much at all. Although they have plenty of shade available, they spend most of their time "outstanding in their field," even during the hottest part of the day. They are drinking about twice as much water as usual, though, so we're careful to keep those water tubs full!
One thing that hot weather makes really easy: laundry.
In the house (which we generally AREN'T, but every once in a while you gotta go in there): the swamp cooler. Those "blue ice" packages work really well, combined with a fan, to move cooler air through the stuffy parts of the house. I also learned that elevating the swamp cooler by putting it up on a couple stacks of library books (covered with a towel to protect the pages from drips) helps even more.
Jim came up with this genius idea for keeping the Minervas cool during the day while we're at work enjoying the air conditioning: a little wet-towel tent. He made a little clothes line and hung it with wet dog-towels. It provides shade, moisture, and a little bit of swamp cooling when the wind blows (which it is doing today, hooray!).
The hens are pretty happy about their tent, although they do like
to peek out between the towels to see if anybody is bringing them some frozen watermelon!
Mimsy considers "farm security" to be her job, even in hot weather, so she patrols the perimeter every 15 minutes or so. Luna is happy to sit in the shade and let Mim do the work.
Speaking of shade, that's where I am working today. My little writing desk (formerly my grandmother's tea cart) has wheels, so I can push it to wherever I need it. Today, I chased the shade around the house, staying cool and watching my horses.
The sun hasn't deterred the horses much at all. Although they have plenty of shade available, they spend most of their time "outstanding in their field," even during the hottest part of the day. They are drinking about twice as much water as usual, though, so we're careful to keep those water tubs full!
One thing that hot weather makes really easy: laundry.
I can fill the clothes line up early in the morning while it's still cool(ish) and everything is dry in just an hour or two, having used not a single kilowatt of electricity.
Life is good!
My friend in OR says it's about unbearable there. Our temps have been cooler this whole week and it's actually raining today! We'll take every bit of it!
ReplyDeleteBring on the COOLER STUFF Please!
ReplyDeleteGood invention there, with the ice in front of the fan!
Oh..I adore your Lytha! I am sooo pleased to have met them and I would love to come help/ride/participate in an endurance event sometime...she descibes you well and I love to work, so maybe I could gleen too ..about the event process.
KacyK
Whew...gardeing could not be put off one day more...am sweatin like a pinto bean- at our local Mexi fresh eats!
ReplyDeleteYea...I will meet with you next July...I am looking into renting a truck fro August camp trips since I have a trailer now...but next year HOPE to have the set..TRUCK TOO!