Scorched earth

Wow. It's hot. About an hour ago, my upstairs neighbor told me it was 97 degrees (Fahrenheit) outside, and a Facebook friend here in Whatcom County posted a picture of her back yard thermometer hitting 100! That simply doesn't happen here. This is Lynden, Washington, not Phoenix, Arizona! Nevertheless, it is happening.

This morning, when I took my dog out, a hot wind was blowing hard. I took a picture of my lavender plants by my shed (#1 of 3 sheds). Those are lavender plants I had in pots last year, and sometime, I forget when, I planted them in this little bed by the shed. They're doing pretty well, actually. Lavender are drought-tolerant plants.



Meanwhile it's a challenge keeping the potted plants on my deck alive in this weather. No relief is in sight. The extended forecasts show it staying hot and dry for at least the next two weeks. I'm so thankful I have air conditioning both at home and work. Most people in this area are not so fortunate. Air conditioning is not considered a necessity in Western Washington. I did read on the net that the local UPS station is overloaded with window-unit air conditioners that people have been ordering.