Smoky Days, Smoky Nights

Anyone who saw the 1980 movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy" will remember the rhinoceros fire warden that went around stamping out campfires.  The squirrels are on duty, but I keep waiting for the rhinoceros to show up.  A pall of smoke hung over the hills like fog all day yesterday.  We could see and taste it, and it was hard to breathe.

I actually wanted a picture of the turkey flock that was stepping up onto the porch on their way to the herb garden, but by the time I'd gotten the camera they'd moved on and only the watchful squirrel was left.  It wouldn't have surprised me if the turkeys had started knocking on the door, they were that close.

I work better with an incentive plan.  I asked my friend Camille over for dinner so I'd have a reason and a deadline to do some housework and some cooking.  It's been so hot that I've not done much and a bowl of cereal did it for dinner.  The plan worked.  I zipped around with the vacuum cleaner and dust rag and then started on Dave's recipe for spicy shrimp scampi and linguine, roasted Brussels sprouts, and Moroccan cauliflower fritters.  We gorged.  It was a good plan!

It never cooled off last night.  Bessie's panting woke me several times, so I know she was hot too.  The cats stayed outside.  The smoke does not appear as thick this morning.  I hope it will be a better day.