Move ALONG Summer

Sheepishly I have to admit, I'm in a bit of seasonal hurry this year. Move along summer, there's nothing to see or do here! Move along! Ironically, here in the Bay, we're about to start our true summer now that "wintersummer" is over. September and October are our hot months. Dread. Being from the East coast, fall was always a time for cooling and rain...so my heart leans forward hoping for something unusual...something different. I don't think it's just me either. On their door yesterday, Peet's had a sign that read:  It's pumpkin season. At the end of August? I guess I'll go with it. While most religions aligned many of their holy days with those of the old Pagan times of year to gain believers (Equinox is September 21st), Retail the Great doesn't have to bow down as closely to seasons to make itself appealing. Let's get the taste of fall on our tongues.

It's been an odd summer. We had some downright Chicago-humid days in July. In August, we've experienced weird 4-5 day stints of dingy grey days so temperate that they are neither warm nor cool. Nature has been perfecting Her art here in the East Bay of...absolutely nothing. No daytime temperature at all. Sure, we've had a handful of days where it got close to 89 Farenheit or so, but it didn't last long. The nightly air conditioning always rolls in ahead of @KarltheFog who may or may not actually make it over the Bay. If he does, he ends up staying for 2 drinks at his favorite bars in Berkeley. In years past, he's been known to be a much heavier drinker.


Lots of drastic change was precipitated (pun intended...but not funny) by our lack of rain until March...and then when it did come, the rain fled like a lover who had been guilt tripped into a last fling with the land. It left halfway through the night and passed over the Sierras on its way to other places. In spring, I kept stalking all things radar and real-time to learn more about the high pressure ridge that had been preventing any sort of weather from moving in for our rainy season. It has a name and reputation, apparently, from previous years:  the Ridiculously Resilient Ridge. This article has some downright frightening before and after animated images of the Sierras, this year and previous years and other areas of the state.


I live in an amazing place, but there are some challenging times ahead--even if the El Nino we are praying for arrives. Let's try it:  And now, for something completely different! Move along summer, it's time for Demeter to step in:

Photo:  Fog-free summer night view of AT&T park from between the retired naval ships from Alameda Point where the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Hornet lives.