Baby, it's hot outside

The brief virga* and clouds that passed over an hour ago didn't cool it off here at all. 95 is hot for me; that's my cutoff temp between bearable and too hot to stand out in the sun.

While driving home tonight, I passed one of those ice cream trucks. This one was a beat-all-to-hell 40 year old van, plastered with a variety of stickers and emblems, but still playing its merry little tune. The driver looked a bit scroungy.

Turning the corner, I had this flashback from probably 45 years ago of me and my younger brother Steve begging my mom for a dime each, so we could run outside to the ice cream van for a Nutty Buddy. It was probably in the 90s, and all the windows were open, so we heard the recorded tune a long ways away.

I remember us being shirtless with little boy bellies, wearing shorts and Keds, being dirty from playing in the yard. I remember standing next to the van after it stopped, my hand sticky and wet clutching the one dime, sweating with excitement. KIds from all over had run up to cash in on the bonanza of colorful cold ice creams. The driver was smiling, wearing a white uniform with a white uniform cap. The truck was clean and shiny.

We got our Nutty Buddies and wandered back home, as happy as an eight-year-old and a six-year-old could be, and as close as brothers could be.

I was smiling and a bit teary-eyed as I pulled into the driveway.



* Virga - > Rain falling from clouds that evaporates before it hits the ground. Common in the desert. Viagra keeps something else from evaporating.

Baby, it's hot outside

The brief virga* and clouds that passed over an hour ago didn't cool it off here at all. 95 is hot for me; that's my cutoff temp between bearable and too hot to stand out in the sun.

While driving home tonight, I passed one of those ice cream trucks. This one was a beat-all-to-hell 40 year old van, plastered with a variety of stickers and emblems, but still playing its merry little tune. The driver looked a bit scroungy.

Turning the corner, I had this flashback from probably 45 years ago of me and my younger brother Steve begging my mom for a dime each, so we could run outside to the ice cream van for a Nutty Buddy. It was probably in the 90s, and all the windows were open, so we heard the recorded tune a long ways away.

I remember us being shirtless with little boy bellies, wearing shorts and Keds, being dirty from playing in the yard. I remember standing next to the van after it stopped, my hand sticky and wet clutching the one dime, sweating with excitement. KIds from all over had run up to cash in on the bonanza of colorful cold ice creams. The driver was smiling, wearing a white uniform with a white uniform cap. The truck was clean and shiny.

We got our Nutty Buddies and wandered back home, as happy as an eight-year-old and a six-year-old could be, and as close as brothers could be.

I was smiling and a bit teary-eyed as I pulled into the driveway.



* Virga - > Rain falling from clouds that evaporates before it hits the ground. Common in the desert. Viagra keeps something else from evaporating.

Even more pests

Most of the pine trees are ravaged by the Pine Bark Beetle.

Several years ago, most of the pinon forests in NM were destroyed by drought and another beetle.

So, we happen to look out in the back yard tonight at the massive cottonwood tree, because we saw a large dead branch with dried leaves that we hadn't seen before. It's not connected to the tree, so we figured that windstorm the other night did it in.

Then we looked more closely at the tree and saw a lot of damage to the leaves...in 17 years living at this house, I've never seen this...another predator: Cottonwood Beetle. Grr...

Even more pests

Most of the pine trees are ravaged by the Pine Bark Beetle.

Several years ago, most of the pinon forests in NM were destroyed by drought and another beetle.

So, we happen to look out in the back yard tonight at the massive cottonwood tree, because we saw a large dead branch with dried leaves that we hadn't seen before. It's not connected to the tree, so we figured that windstorm the other night did it in.

Then we looked more closely at the tree and saw a lot of damage to the leaves...in 17 years living at this house, I've never seen this...another predator: Cottonwood Beetle. Grr...