Strange weather we’re having around here. Two straight days over 100 (plus or minus local micro-climate variation), and then yesterday it was a good thirty degrees cooler.
Not because of any normal weather change. No offshore winds breaking up a high pressure zone or anything like that. This is totally due to smoke from the fires to the north.
I hasten to add that they’re all a significant distance away from us. There’s been no suggestion that we’re at risk, at least from the existing fires*. We’re as safe as we can be in an era where the California state motto seems to have become “Burn, baby, burn.”
* Our vegetation is just as profuse and desiccated as anyone else’s. A poorly timed and aimed firework or discarded cigarette could cause plenty of trouble around here.
But even the smoke was unusual. There wasn’t much scent of burning, and visibility was nearly as good as normal, because the smoke was staying high up.
Really, really thick, though. Thick enough to make 9:00 in the morning feel like late evening, and make 6:00 PM feel like a torrential downpour was immanent. Regrettably, the later was not the case: a heavy rainfall would be a big help with the fires.
Maybe we just need more moisture in the air. Let it condense around all those ash particles, and we’ve got a flood of biblical proportions.
Which would bring its own problems, of course, but we’re used to floods around here. A homey little well-known disaster would be an almost pleasant change.
I did say “almost”.
Though, come to think of it, heavy rains and (minor) flooding would tend to encourage people to stay inside; quite different from outrageously high temperatures that lead people to go to parks and beaches. Solving our social distancing and state burning problems at the same time?
No pitcher is going to sneer at a double-play ball.
The unusual conditions have some of the cats a bit off their feed, but not to the point that we’re worried about anyone.
In short, we’re doing about as well as can be expected in the current conditions. Hope the same is true of you all.
Koi Scribblings 
I saw the eerie photos of the orange haze blanketing you all. Sending good vibrations your way … it’s all I can do from here … I hope it gets to you. Stay safe … and give the kitties a shnergle for me (which may be a cross between a snuggle and fluffle … oh, you know what I mean).
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The post was written last night; today was even weirder. At 8, it was so dark I literally thought the sun hadn’t risen. There was a faint orange glow, but we got no significant brightening until mid-afternoon–and even at that, it never got lighter than late evening levels.
And that orange tint–okay, fine, it’s the Giants’ color, but it really does make it feel like tornadoes are imminent.
Cuddles are cued up for any and all fuzzies what want ’em–especially Lefty, who’s turning into quite the cuddle slut.
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