Although we planned to go to the beach more often during July and August, we didn't manage it. Just once a week with our friends. On the last Friday of August, the moon was full and the temperature wasn't too high by the end of the evening. Photos of the moon are always disappointing but here's one attempt:
In fact we did go to the beach one more time, on the first Friday of September. The daytime isn't any cooler during September, at least not in the first couple of weeks; but the days are shorter, the humidity lower and the night temperatures drop down to 22-24C.
So I agreed to meet my friend Sheila for an early morning walk by the Salt Lake trail on September 1st, as it was a Tuesday. I woke shortly before 6.00am and we had our usual text message conversation. As I stepped out of the house, it was early dawn, and I was pleased that it felt pleasantly cool.
The sky was slightly pink as we approached the trail, and I was surprised at how green it was. There was a little rain (maybe five minutes) at the end of July, but other than that it's been dry, as usual, for at least two months, and there was very little rain during June.
The nearest part of the Salt Lake has dried up; it might look as if there's water in it, but the white is from the crust of salt that remains after the water has evaporated:
We've seen a few sunsets in clear skies, when at the beach during the Summer, but this was the first sunrise I had seen for a while:
Even the weeds were still growing, although the next picture is a bit dark. It wasn't just the bigger trees that were green:
There was a stark reminder of the fire that devastated quite a big area back in May:
And then, as we walked back from the aqueduct, we saw that there is still some water at the other end of the Salt Lake; you can see the reflections in the distance:
So I walked about five kilometres (including going to and from the trail) after a summer with very little exercise. I felt very unfit; we walked more slowly than usual, and my legs ached by the time I was home. They were even worse the following day!
However, I've walked a couple more times since then, and each time it's easier. I do enjoy the early morning walks, and saying 'kalimera' to various people who walk along the same paths at the same time each day... and am thankful that it's now cool enough to do this again.
We're supposed to be having a heatwave this week, so I hope it won't be too hot to walk. As I write, the sky is grey outside, but it's dust rather than cloud. It will probably be another few weeks before we get any rain.
In fact we did go to the beach one more time, on the first Friday of September. The daytime isn't any cooler during September, at least not in the first couple of weeks; but the days are shorter, the humidity lower and the night temperatures drop down to 22-24C.
So I agreed to meet my friend Sheila for an early morning walk by the Salt Lake trail on September 1st, as it was a Tuesday. I woke shortly before 6.00am and we had our usual text message conversation. As I stepped out of the house, it was early dawn, and I was pleased that it felt pleasantly cool.
The sky was slightly pink as we approached the trail, and I was surprised at how green it was. There was a little rain (maybe five minutes) at the end of July, but other than that it's been dry, as usual, for at least two months, and there was very little rain during June.
The nearest part of the Salt Lake has dried up; it might look as if there's water in it, but the white is from the crust of salt that remains after the water has evaporated:
We've seen a few sunsets in clear skies, when at the beach during the Summer, but this was the first sunrise I had seen for a while:
Even the weeds were still growing, although the next picture is a bit dark. It wasn't just the bigger trees that were green:
There was a stark reminder of the fire that devastated quite a big area back in May:
And then, as we walked back from the aqueduct, we saw that there is still some water at the other end of the Salt Lake; you can see the reflections in the distance:
So I walked about five kilometres (including going to and from the trail) after a summer with very little exercise. I felt very unfit; we walked more slowly than usual, and my legs ached by the time I was home. They were even worse the following day!
However, I've walked a couple more times since then, and each time it's easier. I do enjoy the early morning walks, and saying 'kalimera' to various people who walk along the same paths at the same time each day... and am thankful that it's now cool enough to do this again.
We're supposed to be having a heatwave this week, so I hope it won't be too hot to walk. As I write, the sky is grey outside, but it's dust rather than cloud. It will probably be another few weeks before we get any rain.
1 comment:
I need to get back to walking. Maybe I can get around to it now that the summer heat is giving way to autumn-like temperatures.
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