Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Cough! Cough!


The photo above is the view from my back deck this morning.

I as you probably know, Northern California is having HUNDREDS of wildfires! I live smack-dab in the middle of them all! Well...that might be an exaggeration, but we ARE surrounded. We have been living for the last couple of days under a gray pall. It is very warm & there is no breeze. I can keep the windows closed and use the air conditioner, and keep the stink and "particulate matter" out.


The rotten thing is that the first thing I do when I get up in the morning is open any doors and windows that weren't left open overnight. The breeze, even if slight is so refreshing! I can keep the house cool by strategically closing blinds and drapes around the house, usually until about 3 pm. No such luck now. I am feeling closed in, craving a breath of fresh air! I walked outside for a few minutes this morning and my eyes were running and throat was sore in no time! I definitely have always had an appreciation for the brave men & women who fight any fire, especially the wild land variety. But to think they live with this for days, sometimes weeks on end, is just unimaginable!


The whole place smells of smoke. My husband walked in the door and positively reeked! This from the guy who never misses his daily shave & shower. I am just so tired of it already, and the weather guy said tonight it might be "several days" before we get relief!

I am so thankful that we have not had a fire that was close to us, or been evacuated, not knowing whether our home is still standing. I do know that we live in prime wildfire country!

It is going to be a l-o-n-g summer!

The photo below is a couple of hours later. Notice the foothill are almost completely obscured!


9 comments:

  1. out blog hopping from Mary's Little Red House.

    Wow, that's some hazy smoke. I'm glad the fires aren't closer to you, but I'm with you, I love it when I can open the windows for a bit and air things out.

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  2. Wow I can't believe all the smoke...it looks like it is pretty close to your house?!?!?! I love to open all the windows too and let the fresh air in :o)I hope the fires are contained soon so you can start to breath fresh air again.... soon!
    ~Des

    PS. Hope you don't mind but I added you to my blog roll :o)

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  3. Oh, my goodness. That's terrible! When I first saw the photo I thought it was fog. My husband has asthma and can't breathe well when there's any smoke around. He'd be miserable. I'm sure there are a lot of people like him with breathing problems who are living with the smoke, too. Hope it clears up soon! -Julia

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  4. We had fires burning here a few weeks ago, and the smoke was awful.

    When the Everglades burn, they have to close some of the interstates.

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  5. I'm with you -- the thing I love about summer is opening the windows and breathing the fresh air! Here's hoping the fires are contained soon...

    Love the picture in your header, btw!
    xoxo,
    Mary

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  6. It's so sad. I do sympathize. We've evacuated 3 times here in So Cal, and just living with the smoky air and anxiety is bad enough. I agree: This will be a long summer, and hopefully it will get better.

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  7. Chris,

    I hope the fires burn out soon. I hate feeling cooped up too.

    I didn't realize you lived in Northern Ca. I grew up in the Bay Area and moved to Southern Ca. after graduating high school. :)

    Blessings,

    Gina

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  8. The fires are horrible and I am so sorry you are in the midst of that. But . . . you have an absolutely gorgeous view from your deck! I could sit there all day and gaze upon that beautiful sight!!!

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  9. Chris went thru the So Cal fire a few years back know exactly what you mean. Just happy you are not viewing your home as the ashes....keep the windows closed........and pray for the firefighters

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