Wasn't it a mere moment ago we were all whining about the cold and rain?? Is there no middle ground in Portland this year? Jeesh. 100 degrees today, heat snaking up from asphalt and pavement in visible waves and the air hot to breathe. Not complaining, just sayin'.
Keeping the dogs cool, especially Nicholai, is critical on these hot, hot days. We purchased our first window air conditioning unit some years back, when my sister's old dog was coming to visit. Worried that with his heart condition he wouldn't survive the relentless heat wave, we fashioned a plan to keep one room dark and cool. Dempsey was comfortable during his visit, and we found ourselves huddled in the temperate living room with him.
While the pitbull girls seek heat like cats and sunbathe until they are very nearly cooked, Nicholai seeks cooler spots - a memory foam bed tucked into the dark under the piano or a bolster bed in the naturally cool basement.
We rose super early this morning to enjoy a few quiet moments chilling in the comfortable morning air, me with coffee in hand. Then it was off to the river before the temperatures climbed. A Great Blue heron basked in the dawn sunshine while the dogs frolicked below.
Another day tumbles by; raspberries and blueberries ripen, tomatoes form on the vine, the hens huddle under the shade of the mimosa tree. And Nicholai?
Still breathing, still smiling.
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