Texas Heat!

[tcreeley]

I don't know how you guys do it. I moved north from Mass. to central Maine to get away from the heat. Heat for me was 80's. Lately now every year it is in the 80's all summer with some in the 90's. It usually drops 10 degrees at night. Now, we can't go 2 days w/o rain. All of the fields need to be cut and people are chopping it or feeding it green because it rains at the wrong time. Crazy world.

 

[Alan L.]

I was in the 100+ heat all day yesterday tilling about 3 acres, then broadcasting and dragging cowpeas. About 10 hours in the heat and from about 3:00 on I was truly miserable and really overdid it, but I was wanting to them in before the rain that didn't happen (maybe next week?). I have been pretty much tapped out all day today, last night my heart rate was probably 100 or so. It was actually pretty scary and I plan never to do it again. At age 57 and with a desk job I just can't handle the heat any more. Bummer.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I noticed hubby was in all day today and laying around. I really think he got to hot yesterday but wouldn't admit it. He had leg cramps so bad I gave him some potassium pills last night. I keep them for when I sweat to much and get weak.

He looked a lot better tonight.

A couple years back I was riding my bike and was up to about 16 miles at a time. I was in good condition. When riding I stay hydrated. But it hit me, the heat, and I couldn't move. I almost fainted and there were no houses around. It took me almost an hour I think to go maybe a quarter mile to a house. I had forgotten my cell or I would have called an ambulance. I struggled to get to the house and thankfully a lady was there. She took me in, got cold rags and gave me orange juice. I was shaking like a leaf. I was there about an hour, she was kind enough to bring me home, it was only a mile or so. I have not been able or am afraid to try and really ride a long way in the heat again. I need to restart exercising but it will be inthe house.

I many times have been working outside and like you wanted to finish something and overheated too. You have to be very careful down here. One thing, I always wear a hat when working outside anymore, always.

 

[ultrarunner]

I have no idea how you guys do it... one summer I went to the east coast to pickup a 68 Camaro Z28 to drive back to California... it had no air and it was too hot to drive the interstate some afternoons...

If I ever leave the Bay Area... it will be for God's Country... the Pacific Northwest... some people, like me, just don't do well in the heat.

You are in my thoughts...

 

[NativeSon]

When it gets like this you have to be very careful. The heat can be on you really quick. I'm a early riser so I get out at first light to get started on what I need to get done while it's still a little cool. Try to get the mandatory stuff done by noon. If I'm not finished it will still be there in the morning. As I get older I don't do too good when it's very hot. Ya'll stay safe and Pray for rain!!!

Charlie

 

[jinman]

It's not only my garden that is struggling in the heat, but our flowers are really gasping for breath too. Since we have a raised deck that goes all around our house, my wife likes to hang flower baskets under there. Normally, petunias do well, but the combination of the hot wind beating them to death and late afternoon searing sunlight has them struggling. Petunias are great summer plants if they can get a good root system established in the first warm months, but they sure don't like to be blown around by the wind. If there is a formula that works, we haven't found it.

The best plants so far are the marigolds in a flowerbed that is protected from the south wind and gets only about 2 hours of direct sunlight during the day. Also doing well are caladiums and coleus plants in beds up under the deck where they are partially protected from the wind and get no direct sunlight. Even so, they need water often. I have replaced my tulips from early spring with zinnias in a bed that gets every ray of sun. I put 15 gallons of water on that 10' round bed every other day when it is hot like now. One thing for sure, one watering per week is not enough. If we don't lightly water the flowers every other day, they start to really wilt. So when it is this hot and windy, it seems I spend all my time watering the garden, the yard, or the flowers. Oh yes. . . we have to keep fresh cool water out for the kitties too.

EDIT: And speaking of kitties. . . our catfish are spawning. Our pond has cleared up for the first time ever since I cleaned it out. The water is so clear we can watch catfish coming into the shallows and making their spawning beds. We sat yesterday and watched as about twenty catfish circled the pond searching for good places to spawn.

 

[Patriotic Stabilist]

I've had chickens off and on but learned something new. Also its never been this hot, windy, and dry for them. I was watering some in the park yesterday to make it cooler, told hubby they were scared to death of spraying water! Then I realized in their lifetime of going on 4 months they have never seen rain. Tomorrow I'm starting to dress a few out a day, I should have sooner.

Anyway, they have been so hot. I started noticing they would get at the waterer and stand on the side with their toes in the water so I put out a flat pan. They go through the water in it twice a day, I have another I'm going to add today. But I was reading on the net and that's the way they cool off. They don't wade through it, just get on the side and let their front half of their feet get in the water. Learn something new everyday.

We have a 50% chance of rain a couple of days this week, oh please let it happen.

I can tell for sure soon. DD is my rain gauge, she gets barometric headaches I guess you would call them. She has horrible pain when rain is coming in. My bones ache when the pressure changes and we have nothing yet.

 

[Western]

Well, we are supposed to have a slight to good chance of rain today through Tuesday night, I hope it shows up.

I think we will end up needing a few days to a week of good nasty wet weather to really accomplish anything, but it is certainly welcome.

The strawberry's we planted this Spring are actually doing good, not sure if it's because we have to maintain them more (water) or if they like the new spot better.

Blackberries are another problem, theses are the first ones I've ever had trouble with. Before I would just have to remove old growth and water once in a while, but here, they are doing very poor, so don't know on that one. The wild ones here have done really well early, but those don't get to big on my place.

 

[hizoot]

I am in HVAC....been doing it for 32+ years. I wish I had learned backed in 80-81 (record setting number of 100+ deg days) and got out of this business. But I didnt, and now it is getting so dang hard to go out each day(54yrs old). The hotter it is,the busier I am. Getting on a roof ,when its 100 degrees on the ground,its seems at least 10 degrees warmer up there. The units all around you are pumping 130+ degree air out ,your tools are so hot you cant hold on to'em while you take out a motor that has gone off on thermal overload (175degrees)....
ever hear a grown man cry ..."mommy"?

 

[Bird]

Getting on a roof ,when its 100 degrees on the ground,its seems at least 10 degrees warmer up there.

At least 10 and probably more. In fact, I'd expect 20 or more. The official temperature is taken in the shade, over grass, a certain height and distance from other stuff. We're having a cool spell today, so right now, both officially at the airport and the table on my patio/breezeway, show 88 degrees. But the concrete driveway is at 110.