seeking shade in summertime

Keeping cool in Georgia Summertime can mean many things. Mostly it's air conditioned comfort in front of the TV. Then there's shopping in the air conditioned mall, watching the latest blockbuster at the local theater, splashing around in the pool - anything to beat the 90+ degree heat. But what would we do if we didn't have these cool havens??

There's always Mother Nature's air conditioning. That would be sitting under a tree, in moist shadows, feeling the breeze on your face. Close your eyes now and listen for the cricket's song, the slight rustle of leaves as a squirrel scampers away, the buzz of a dragonfly. Savor the smell of new mown hay and the moss covered rocks. Ah-h-h-h, Summer in the South.

.....now it's time to head over to the deli for some chicken salad sandwiches and iced tea....

98 degrees in the shade

Summers in the South can be sweltering. Temps hover around 98 for days on end and the humidity can be just as high. There's just no relief to be found - and it's still 98 degrees in the shade. This photo was taken several years ago, during the hottest part of August, at Audubon Acres in the East Brainerd area of Chattanooga, TN. So far this Summer we haven't had many days in the upper 90's. But there's still August.