Tired of the record breaking temperatures.

Sorry, the heat has me feeling unwell and cranky.

At least we have a Governor who embraces science and acknowledges climate change.

people stuck in concrete cities, too big heat sinks there. It's been hotter than last yr, but not as scary dry this yr, living in the forest. If anyone wants an outing, the Wooden Boat Festival is coming up and we've space to camp out.

if very improbable gardeners' city. An only somewhat warmer micro in a very cold climate that allows relatively few plants to live, very short growing season, dry as a bone most months (but with lots of snowfall in the mountains, a big aquifer underlying and a wonderful river flowing through), and lava flows just below, or often instead of, soil in many neighborhoods.

But early last century some enlightened people laid out a system of parks with the help of the famous eastern park designer Frederick Law Olmsted, and that legacy defines a wonderful city, with also beautiful, and/or enthusiastic residential gardens wherever you go. My aunt lived there for decades, and I always tried to combine trips to see her with garden visits.

I'm sorry to hear about the fires, but not at all surprised. In such a beautifully (but perhaps ultimately unsustainably) green city that's never had a water shortage, undeveloped lots are arid and brown under tall pines, jarring reminders of the true nature of the climate.

Pure bliss.

I'm in Seattle and that darn offshore hot air keeps coming back and heating and drying everything up.

Looks like forecasts are predicting some cooling on the way after Friday.

I very much look forward to that.

When is your wooden boat festival?

I'm just familiar with the Lake Union one.

Logjam under a bridge.

http://www.heraldnet.com/news/fire-on-stillaguamish-river-closes-trail-near-arlington/

ARLINGTON — It seemed an odd and inconvenient place for a fire.

State and city firefighters have largely extinguished a blaze in a logjam beneath the Haller Bridge on the Stillaguamish River.

you can see it rising up behind Mt. Constance from downtown Seattle.

and there's no cheatgrass or pine-beetle damage out there. just lightning and dry conditions.

The reality is there will be fires, just as there will be warm days during summer.
I think that fire started by lightning, yes.

But in addition to that we have the record setting temps in summer of the last few years, the warmth of winters and dry conditions.

Weather is supposed to shift here in Seattle on Saturday, which I am very happy about. I miss my clouds and cool temperatures.

But long term, the climate is still changing and we're likely to see more of this along with the rapid receding of the glaciers here.

I don't think it's particularly worse this summer in W. Washington. we haven't hit last summer's 100 degrees, and it's rained occasionally after the 4th of July.