“August has passed, and yet summer continues by force to grow days.
They sprout secretly between chapters of the year, covertly included between its pages. ~ Jonathan Safran Foer

The final weeks of summer … the first day of school has come and gone. Warm, clear and inviting waters of backyard pools are mostly without swimmers. Scarecrows and witches have replaced the beach towels and patio furniture on clearance. Extended daylight of summer fades.

Labor Day 2014 has passed. Seemingly, without care, the weather carries on – summer as usual … hot!

The condition of our house lends itself to endless possibilities of a magazine article: “Your Home at Summer’s End.” September displays the effects of season-long heat. Our yards have really taken at hit, especially with the added impact of the drought. Brown grass, dead shrubs and birch trees with dried leaves define our landscape. Flower pots? Maybe next spring.

I now understand the mass exodus from the inhospitable outdoors to the air conditioning, water and plentiful snacks found indoors. Not quite picnic quality, but from the numbers arriving from all directions our home is a close second. Even though we have plenty of room for these uninvited guests, they are not very welcomed. No summer is complete without them … ants!

It took some serious convincing but our visitors moved on. Once again, “Summertime and the livin’ is easy…” But that was short lived as a power outage occurred last Friday night. Not uncommon as the hot weather dictates our power demands. But that was not the case here as a power pole was the culprit. A mile away, we were in the dark for six hours. Next week, I’ll share our experience.

Our dog, swimmer of the ocean, lakes and streams, at last took the plunge!  Fed up with the heat, she jumped into the pool joining us for a Labor Day swim. Good girl, Abby!

Looking into next week, expect more heat with temperatures in the 90s during the day and 60s at night. Currently in Glacier National Park, Montana, a winter weather advisory is posted for snow.

Reservations made!
Sue Kilpatrick is a
Crescenta Valley resident and
Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick