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My Watermelon Arrived So Summer Is Officially Here
By Tisza Major-Posner | July 15, 2007
Hi All,
I don’t know about you, but it is not officially summer to me until I have a watermelon sitting enticingly in my fridge. As you know, here in Claremont things can get pretty warm and having days that top 100 degrees during the heart of the season are not uncommon.
Because I happen to live in an older home that does not have central air-conditioning or great insulation I tend to feel the heat of summer all summer long.
I thought I would share some of the tips that my family uses to not only keep things cooler, but also to keep a lid on cooling costs during the Dog Days of Summer (incidentally, I have never understood why they call them the dog days as most dogs I meet are not fond of the heat, now if the expression were the Cat Days of Summer I would totally understand).
Box fans are your friend. If you can get cross ventilation in your home you can help to keep things cooler or at least help to prevent that stuffy summer air. Put the fan in the window or doorway with the back of the fan facing out in the early morning or evening to draw in the cooler air. Turn the fan to have the back of the fan facing in to pull the warm air outside during the heat of the day. You can also try taking a shallow pan of water and placing it in front of your fan when the air is blowing over it to help cool the air using evaporation.
Keep your incandescent light bulbs off as much as possible, or better yet, consider switching to florescent bulbs. They give off just as much light but use far less electricity and don’t give of nearly the amount of heat as regular bulbs do. Although, during the heat of the day, when the sun is usually at it’s brightest you may not need to use your lights at all.
For more hot weather energy tips click here.
Water your outdoor plants before the sun comes up or after the sun goes down. This can prevent them from being steam cooked by the sun or the water from evaporating before they get the benefit. Incidentally a drip system or a below ground sprinkler system that is properly adjusted will usually use less water and use what water it does require more efficiently. And a sprinkler system can add value to your home as well.
For more summer gardening tips click here.
Keep some Otter Pops or the like in the freezer. Not only are they refreshingly cool on a hot summer day, in a pinch they can double for an ice pack on a summer bump, bruise or bug bite and if they are held unopened at the nape of the neck they can cool you off nice and quick before you even take your first bite. And if they defrost before they get opened you can just refreeze them again, no harm done. Costco sells 200 in a box for $7.49 so at around 3-cents a piece they are one of the best and cheapest summer treats around.
Don’t forget about your pets. We have three cats and as the thermometer climbs we take extra precautions to help ensure that they stay sun safe as well. Check their water bowls often and refill them frequently. If your pet is an outdoor one this is even more critical as dogs and cats naturally have higher body temperatures than we do and their coats just make things warmer.
Also, unless your four-legged friend must accompany you when you are going somewhere and you are SURE that they will be welcome wherever you go, the best place for your animals is home. A car, even with the windows rolled down a bit for “air” can rapidly climb to lethal temps in a matter of minutes. If you love your pets, don’t bring them with you to sit in the car while you run your errands. Leave them safely at home. They will be thrilled to see you when you return and you will be thrilled to see that they are still alive at the end of a very hot day.
For more hot weather pet tips click here.
Got a barbeque? Now is the time to consider using it. Not only are meals cooked outdoors the very essence of summer, they will also help keep you from heating up your kitchen and there is nothing that beats a hamburger, hotdog or ear of corn fresh off of the grill.
For great summer recipes click here.
You can also consider spending the heat of the day away from home at the Claremont Public Library, roaming through the Packing House or enjoying the shade trees in one of the many parks. The library and the Packing house are both air-conditioned and free.
For information about the Claremont Public Library and its events click here.
Take care,
Topics: General |
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July 16th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
I can just imagine you now… sitting in the hot heat doing the watermelon crawl to the refrig.
Tisza…email me when you get a chance.